She was a black
and white goddess of song when I first saw her perform on Steve Allen’s version
of the “Tonight Show” and I was sitting with the old man waiting for my mom to
head off to work… the graveyard shift at the pediatric ward in a local hospital.
Eydie Gorme was
dark haired, and although the TV was without color, I envisioned her tresses a
deep chocolate brown and soft and smelling of rose petals. Her lips were
painted what I thought must be the richest vermillion imaginable. And her svelte
form foamed into my adolescent mind with teen-age hormones rampant.
Ah Eydie. Why did
you have to marry that good looking guy….what’s his name?
Oh yeah. Steve
Lawrence. He had one hit……. “Go Away Little Girl”. Big deal!
From those sweaty
nights in the late 1950’s till this very day, I followed her career because her
voice had balls. Now, don’t get me wrong. I know I’m transgender-ing adjectives.
(I’m also inventing new words, apparently), but this woman could sing. I mean
sing with a capitol GRRRRRF.
It’s well known
in the music business that she had a range of several octaves and could attack
a song with no mercy, leaving lyrics, tone, volume and empathy crushed and
broken in her wake when she finished. Smoke settled on stage or in the studio
when this woman sang. And I mean this in a good way.
She had a hit or
two to pay the bills like “Blame It On The Bossa Nova”, but the real skill she displayed as a performer lay with
the American Song Book.
As an example, I
present to you her interpretation of an Iriving Berlin classic, “What About Me?”
It’s true that this is not as well known as
some of his most popular songs like “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”, “White
Christmas” Etc., but it stands the test of time and the lyrics are real
grown-up words with real grown up feelings. Her reading of this will tear your
heart out. This is not a miss-soft-as-silk giggly teen age gusher. This is a
full grown adult woman with a broken heart and she is belting it out to the one
man in her life who got away. She probably has a glass of Old Granddad next to
her the piano. And no chaser.
“And maybe a baby
will climb upon your knee and put his arms around you…but what about me?” Each
time I hear this, my breath is taken away.
No woman singer
alive could “read” or interpret lyrics any better then Edie. And that includes
a lot of diva’s, not the least being Ella, Billie, Edith, Barbra, Aretha and
all the rest.
Out of the service and behind a civilian radio
station console, smelling of soundproof tile, ozone, hot tubes, warm plastic
and cold coffee, I glommed every album (Columbia, I think) she cut that was
sent our way as part of the avalanche of records we received from record
producers every week.
She and Steve
were the toast of Las Vegas
and clubs all over the world. They were show people extraordinaire and few
couple acts could compete. (Mostly because they got divorced - ie.Sonny and Cher , Louis Prima and Keely Smith among others).
Eydie also was
fluent in Spanish and had a wonderful career in that market.
She passed away a
few days ago and left us a body of work that speaks for itself.
If you have never
listened, I mean really listened to her, you are missing out on an acoustic
miracle. There is a place in my heart where her larger then life voice will
always reside.
So long Edyie.
What about us.
