Magical Björk

Björk  from the Vulnicura cover shoot by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.

Yesterday was my birthday, and I spent it in Brooklyn being mesmerized by Björk.

One of seven sold-out New York shows, Sunday’s performance was at the Kings Theatre, a recently renovated former movie palace from 1929 that is gorgeous and the perfect setting for this brilliant performer.

Björk was accompanied by her co-producer Arca (Alejandro Ghersi), percussionist Manu Delago, and Alarm Will Sound, a 15-piece chamber band (loads of strings). Dressed in a white ensemble and sporting a headpiece of quills that obscured her face, she swayed across the stage, moving her hands and arms in rhythmic response like a ballet dancer.

The first set was comprised of six songs from her new album, Vulnicura, beginning with “Stonemilker” and ending with “Notget.” While Björk sang, “animated notations” were projected onto a screen above the stage. The combination of sound and visual was almost hypnotic. I haven’t purchased Vulnicura yet, which in a way turned out to be a good thing as I got to experience the songs for the first time live.

After an intermission, Björk returned to the stage, hair down and wearing a short dress, to sing two more songs from Vulnicura along with songs from her other albums including “All Neon Like” and “Come to Me,” a personal favourite (although I could have done without the video of two snails mating). She rarely spoke save for an occasional "thank you" or "gracias" and to introduce the musicians on stage. For her final encore she sang “All is Full of Love,” which aptly describes how the audience felt about Björk.

I didn’t take any photos of the show. There were signs posted on the doors asking the audience not to at Bjork’s request because it was distracting and that she wished us to enjoy being part of the performance, “not preoccupied with recording it.” And that is exactly what I did.

Santa Baby

“Santa Baby” is one of my favourite Christmas songs. Written in 1953 by Joan Javis and Philip Springer, it’s a slightly naughty (in a 1950s way), humorous take on the traditional list for Santa. This one asks for things like a sable; a ’54 convertible, light blue; a yacht; the deed to a platinum mine; and decorations bought at Tiffany’s.

Eartha Kitt with Henri René and his Orchestra recorded it that same year for RCA Victor Records with Kitt putting her particular stamp on the song. Many people have recorded the song since including Madonna, Kylie Minogue, and Mariah Carey yet no one can top Kitt who herself would go on to re-record the song a couple of times. (Side note, I saw Kitt perform many years ago in San Francisco. She must have been in her 70s, and she was absolutely amazing. And she sang this song).

So if you somehow haven't heard it yet this season, here's the song with lyrics. Enjoy.

Happy Birthday, Björk!

Today is Björk's birthday. Born on November 21, 1965 in Reykjavik, Iceland, she continues to be one of the most interesting and innovative musicians around. In addition to being a big fan of her music, I love her videos, so many of which could pass as short films. Bachelorette, from 1997 and directed by Michel Gondry, is one of the best. Enjoy!

Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart

I’ve been singing “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart” all day. Written by James F. Hanley and long associated with Judy Garland, the song has romantic lyrics and a lovely melody. 

Dear when you smiled at me, I heard a melody

It haunted me from the start

Something inside of me started a symphony

Zing! Went the strings of my heart

’Twas like a breath of spring, I heard a robin sing

About a nest set apart

All nature seemed to be in perfect harmony

Zing! Went the strings of my heart

Your eyes made skies seem blue again
What else could I do again
But keep repeating through and through
"I love you, love you"

I still recall the thrill, guess I always will
I hope 'twill never depart
Dear, with your lips to mine, a rhapsody devine
Zing! Went the strings of my heart

Judy Garland first sang the song on November 16, 1935, when she appeared on the NBC radio program ”The Shell Chateau Hour.” The 13-year-old had made her national radio debut the month before on the same program where she told the host, Wallace Beery, “I wanna be a singer, Mr. Beery; And I wanna act, too!” This time for her second appearance she sang “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart,” which would become one of her signature songs. Her performance that evening had a special meaning for Judy. Her father, Frank Gumm, was in hospital suffering from spinal meningitis. A radio was placed next to his bed so he could listen to his youngest daughter. He passed away the next morning before Judy could say good-bye.

Judy would go on to sing the song in Listen, Darling (1938) and make a Decca recording in 1939 in addition to performing the song during countless concerts. Yet probably no rendition was as important to her as the one she sang that night.

To hear the original radio performance (listen to Beery mistakenly say Judy is 12), visit here.

The Brox Sisters

Lorayne, Bobbe, and Patricia Brox. Check out those bobs.

Before the Andrew Sisters, before the Boswell Sisters, there were the Brox Sisters. Little remembered today, they were a popular singing trio in the 1920s and early 30s whose sweet, Jazzy harmonies were perfect for the Roaring Twenties.

Born in the US but raised in Canada, the sisters began performing when they were teens, touring the vaudeville circuits. Around this time they changed their surname, Brock, to Brox, reportedly after a producer told them that it would fit better on the marquee. Their first names went as well: Josephine became Bobbe, Eunice changed to Lorayne, and Kathleen to Patricia.

Their big break came in 1921 when they sang "Everybody Step" and "the Schoolhouse Blues" in Irving Berlin’s Music Box Revue. For the rest of their careers, the sisters would be associated with Berlin. He cast them in two more Music Box Revues (1923 and 1924) as well as in the Marx Brothers musical Cocoanuts (1926) in which they sang the novelty song “Monkey Doodle Doo.” The following year they were in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1927 with Eddie Cantor and Ruth Etting, again singing Berlin's work—"Jungle-Jingle" and "It's Up to the Band."

A move to Hollywood led to their appearance in a handful of shorts and a few Hollywood films including King of Jazz (1930); Hollywood on Parade (1932), in which they do an impression of Marlene Dietrich singing “Falling in Love Again;” and most importantly The Hollywood Revue of 1929 in which they performed along with Cliff "Ukelele Ike" Edwards the song “Singing in the Rain”—the first time the song appeared on screen.

The sisters made a series of bestselling records and popular radio appearances before marriages for all three in the 1930s saw the break up of the act. They would reunite one last time in 1939 for a radio salute to who else but Irving Berlin.

With the Brox Sisters there were no solos, no show offs—just three young women harmonizing as one. Although their high voices can sometimes come across as cloying, there is still something appealing about them. Perhaps it’s their air of innocence that allowed them to get away with singing what would have been considered some rather naughty lyrics. Or maybe it's the Southern twang they used. What's clear is that their sound combined with their youthful vitality made them a perfect fit for the 1920s.

To hear some examples of their singing, visit the LOC's National Jukebox here. And to see them perform "Singing in the Rain," watch this. By the way, if you're wondering why Ukelele Ike sounds familiar it's probably because he was the voice of Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio.