There's no disputing it's Astaire's song, but I'll die on the hill of defending Gable's version. The movie is problematic (Breen Office sanitizing and Shearer being Shearer), but I find a great charm in Harry Van and Les Blondes.
Thanks for this, Will. In case this has escaped your attention, here's remarkable proof that the song has legs (pun unintended): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgij9irxfKY
I loved the close reading and decoding of the lyric you do in this essay. I am a fan of “Stardust Melodies” and this essay is very much in that same vein. Keep ‘em coming!
There's no disputing it's Astaire's song, but I'll die on the hill of defending Gable's version. The movie is problematic (Breen Office sanitizing and Shearer being Shearer), but I find a great charm in Harry Van and Les Blondes.
As usual, you fill in a missing piece of my musical knowledge by putting it on....
Then there's this (NSFW) animation of the first Astaire version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqrODzRriec
Thanks for this, Will. In case this has escaped your attention, here's remarkable proof that the song has legs (pun unintended): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgij9irxfKY
I loved the close reading and decoding of the lyric you do in this essay. I am a fan of “Stardust Melodies” and this essay is very much in that same vein. Keep ‘em coming!