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Artist:
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Album:
The Complete Ella In Berlin: Mack The Knife
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Track:
Shy in her personal life, Ella Fitzgerald had no fears in front of a microphone. When she used her three-octave range to interpret a standard, she didn't just sing another American pop song. She was raising the bar to a place where all other singers to come after her would be judged, and few have ascended to her status. Because Lady Ella could
sing. One of my favorite standards, out of all the ones she recorded in the Great American Songbook series, is Rodgers and Hart's
The Lady is a Tramp. I think it's because of the dichotomies present in this recording - a notoriously shy woman with a tiny little speaking voice who was ashamed of her weight and unlucky in love sings a song that was barely an afterthought in its original context.
Tramp was originally used as background music during a dinner scene in the 1937 movie
Babes in Arms, but became a bigger hit later when Frank Sinatra sang it in the film
Pal Joey.
Tramp is a spoof of New York Society and tells the tale of a woman who plays by her own rules. Fitting for Ella, and fitting for me I think. A year after the big 4-0, I realize, whether it's the increased testosterone levels or just from being around here as long as I have, I just don't give a flip about what other people think. I realize that some of you might not get that. Well, perhaps you'll understand when you're on this side of it. 'Til then, I know Lady Ella understands.
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