Raul Malo > Beautiful Dreamer
Composed by Stephen Foster

My search for beautiful songs has turned up some great things this week, including this gem from an even more beautiful album, celebrating one of America’s first pop songwriters. The singer’s unfamiliar? Maybe you know him from The Mavericks.

Beautiful Week #4
Ballad #37
Legends of Pop #9

The Four Freshman > But Beautiful
Composed by Jimmy Van Heusen & Johnny Burke

I didn’t really know this famous song until I did an iTunes search and found that I owned six different versions. And the main thing I knew about The Four Freshman is their sound almost invented the Beach Boys. And an Amazon search didn’t turn up their version. But, it definitely lives up to its name.

Beautiful Week #3
Ballad #36 
Legends of Pop #8

Ray Charles > America the Beautiful
Composed by Katharine Lee Bates & Samuel A. Ward

Despite its ubiquity when I was young, I’m not sure I ever really heard this song until Ray imprinted it in my soul when I was in my 20s. Most young people don’t seem to know it now, so maybe he can still make a difference.

Beautiful Week #2
Ballad #35 
Legends of Soul #26 
Legends of the Piano #9 
Legends of Pop #7

Charles Lloyd > You Are So Beautiful
Composed by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher, & maybe Dennis Wilson

Joe Cocker made this so popular, and it was covered so often that it became a standard. But, jazz musicians tend to only think of standards as the “Great American Songbook” songs of the pre-rock era. But, Charles Lloyd always defined his own standards.

Beautiful Week #1
Ballad #34 
Legends of the Saxophone #15

Led Zeppelin > I Can’t Quit You Baby
Composed by Otis Rush

I’m not sure that a Led Zep Otis Rush cover would qualify to anyone else as a ballad or even a classic rock power ballad. But, it’s my blog, and I’ll cry if I want to.

Ballads Week #4
Legends of Rock #14 
Legends of the Guitar #12
Ballad #33 
Cover #48 

Mike Auldridge > Dobro Island

This album was originally released on Adelphi Records, and I heard it when I was involved in the indie record scene of the 70s. Not being too much of a folkie, my partner played a resonator guitar so I paid attention to Mike, and I could never shake this beautiful ballad out of my head.

Ballads Week #3
Legends of the Guitar #11
Ballad #32 

…::::Update: Mike’s website says this LP was originally released on Takoma. Shows what age can do to a memory.:::…

Jimmy Smith >Li’l Darlin’
Composed by Neal Hefti

I’ve posted a Basie original (I think) version of this tune, and I’ve posted a Jimmy during his peak period. But so what, ya know?

Ballads Week #2
Legends of the Organ #2
Ballad #31 
Cover #47

Duke Ellington > Solitude
Composed by Duke Ellington, Eddie DeLange & Irving Mills

Not being particularly a big band fan, and stereotyping much too easily without enough information, I never gave Ellington a tumble. Until I got older and wanted quieter music in my diet. This whole album turned around my Duke-ness.

(By the way, I realize it’s ridiculous to characterize Ellington as merely a Legend of Swing, but I couldn’t figure out anything else that would be more appropriate, except maybe Legend of Jazz. And almost every jazzbo here would qualify for that too.)

Ballads Week #1
Legends of Swing #3 
Ballad #31

Audrey Hepburn > Moon River
Composed by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini

It seemed kinda dumb to go through all these Moon Rivers without the one that made it worth it.

Songwriters & their Songs Week #7 (Moon River Edition #4)
Legends of Songwriting #15 & 16
Ballad #30

Jerry Butler > Moon River
Composed by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini

Moon River was a song that kept (and keeps) on giving and giving. When Andy Williams had a hit on it, Vee-Jay realized their guy could sing it better, and they had a hit too.

Songwriters & their Songs Week #7 (Moon River Edition #4)
Legends of Songwriting #15 & 16
Cover #47
Ballad #29 
Legends of Soul #18