belafonte momus

November 16, 2007 4:52 PM

Try to remember - Harry Belafonte - Stockholm 1966
posted by vronsky (24 comments total)

That song still induces eyelid leaks. Maybe more so the older I get and the better I understand what the passage of time does to a person.

On a more upbeat note, Mr. Belafonte in my favorite Muppets Show moment ever.
posted by pax digita at 4:59 PM on November 16, 2007

Thanks....

Say what you want about youtube, finding this kind of archived performance makes up for all the useless dredge...

sit back, get a glass of wine, and listen to Harry... you'll enjoy it...
posted by HuronBob at 5:00 PM on November 16, 2007

there's useless dredge on youtube?
posted by telstar at 5:04 PM on November 16, 2007

Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh
so mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When you were a tender and callow fellow.
Try to remember and if you remember
then follow
follow.

Try to remember when life was so tender
When noone wept except the willow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
When dreams were kept beside your pillow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
When love was an ember about to billow.
Try to remember and if you remember
then follow
follow.

Deep in December it's nice to remember
Although you know the snow will follow.
Deep in December it's nice to remember
Without a hurt the heart will hollow.
Deep in December
it's nice to remember
The fire of September that made you mellow.
Deep in December our hearts should remember and follow
follow.

posted by elpapacito at 5:16 PM on November 16, 2007

there's useless dredge on youtube?

No...only on MetaFilter.
posted by ericb at 5:17 PM on November 16, 2007

Mama Look A Bobo !
posted by elpapacito at 5:21 PM on November 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

When I want to be taken seriously...I go for the eye-patch...
posted by greenskpr at 5:33 PM on November 16, 2007

When I want to be taken seriously...I go for the eye-patch...

*investigates further*...oopsy. It looks cool on you though.
posted by greenskpr at 5:43 PM on November 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

ouch
posted by kozad at 6:13 PM on November 16, 2007

That was lovely, thank you.
posted by Divine_Wino at 6:34 PM on November 16, 2007

But Jerry Orbach won a Tony for that song in the original Broadway production. Watching Law & Order, I always wondered if he ever had an impulse to just break out in song at a crime scene.
Here he is.
posted by spasm at 8:09 PM on November 16, 2007 [1 favorite]

On a more upbeat note, Mr. Belafonte in my favorite Muppets Show moment ever.

Grown up Horace thinks that's a beautiful and moving song. Seven-year-old Horace was scared shitless by those African mask creatures.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 8:21 PM on November 16, 2007

If he was anymore behind the beat he would be singing in another song. That drives me nuts. It's one thing to sing rubato, it's another thing to be completely off beat for most of the song.
posted by internal at 8:31 PM on November 16, 2007

Orbach won a Tony for that song
Actually, his Tonys were for other shows. But he deserved one for this.
posted by spasm at 8:34 PM on November 16, 2007

Orbach won a Tony for that song -- Actually, his Tonys were for other shows. But he deserved one for this.

He was nominated three times for Tomy Awards: Best Featured Actor in a Musical: "Guys & Dolls"; Best Actor in a Musical: "Chicago" and Best Actor in a Musical: "Promises, Promises."

He recieved one Tony award -- for his role in the 1968 production of "Promises, Promises."
posted by ericb at 8:44 PM on November 16, 2007

*for Tony Awards*
posted by ericb at 8:45 PM on November 16, 2007

internal writes: If he was anymore behind the beat he would be singing in another song. That drives me nuts. It's one thing to sing rubato, it's another thing to be completely off beat for most of the song.

I was going to say more or less the same thing. I mean, I like a laid back, lazy-ish delivery as much as the next guy, but, whoa, I kept thinking the band was gonna have to make up for that phrasing, add an extra beat or two here and there. It made a little more sense once that mystery voice came in for the 2nd verse, but even still it didn't quite sit right for me, that delivery. Just personal taste, though...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:11 PM on November 16, 2007

Deep in December
it's nice to remember
That dawn in September and that hedge-chewing fawn.
Deep in December our hearts should remember to getthehelloffmy lawn, lawn.

-from Batty Old Curmudgeon Who Lives Down The Block, the Musical
posted by maryh at 11:36 PM on November 16, 2007

But Jerry Orbach won a Tony for that song in the original Broadway production.

Only knowing him from Law and Order, that was a revelation to me. Thanks.

I've never really understood the song though. Follow what? Where? Why? It's OK, but it's no September Song.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 1:27 AM on November 17, 2007

A song from back in the days when songs became stars and any singer might try them.
posted by pracowity at 2:28 AM on November 17, 2007 [1 favorite]

I thought he was behind the beat too, until. like momus points out, the background vocal comes in and ties the whole thing together by being on the one, showing that Belafonte is actually singing a row-row-row-your-boat type response to the regular phrasing. The fact he swung this from the jump and through most of the song without the orienting line is what makes it so disconcerting.
posted by bonefish at 2:57 AM on November 17, 2007

There should be a name for that kind of delayed phrasing. He's got it down to an artform, because he can nail down the end of the phrase before the last possible window closes forever. It goes with the song, actually. It's "old people" expression: Pushing the last exit. And on that note, PeterMcDermott's in for a surprise when he reaches his sixties.
posted by gorgor_balabala at 11:10 AM on November 17, 2007

A most worthy post.
posted by puddinghead at 5:27 PM on November 17, 2007

And a post-worthy most!

No, I don't know what that means, I just like to flip words around.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:18 PM on November 17, 2007