Artie Shaw,Helen Forrest - ANY OLD TIME

vHumboldt77 Says:

Jan 19, 2011 - - I like Helen Forrest but her rendering of this song is in my view "n" times better than Forrest's. Forest lacks the strength, soul and spice that Holliday put to this song.

vHumboldt77 Says:

Jan 19, 2011 - I can't believe what I read when I see that many listeners praise Forest's rendering over Holliday's. It's clear that taste is a subjective thing! :). I've always listened to Holliday's version (at least since 1995 when I first heard it) and loved it from the very first moment I heard it. Now for the first time I listen to Forrest's. It's like a dish without salt and pepper...even the intro of Shaw's solo at 0:50 has little to do with the more natural and elegant when he accompanies Holliday...

vHumboldt77 Says:

Jan 19, 2011 - I can't believe what I read when I see that many listeners praise Forest's rendering over Holliday's. It's clear that taste is a subjective thing! :). I've always listened to Holliday's version (at least since 1995 when I first heard it) and loved it from the very first moment I heard it. Now for the first time I listen to Forrest's. It's like a dish without salt and pepper...even the intro of Shaw's solo at 0:50 has little to do with the more natural and elegant when he accompanies Holliday...

annanoli Says:

Feb 4, 2011 - Just listen at the final phrase of the vocal! "where you may be " Helen tries to copy the same relaxed syncopation Billie does. Usually she swings differently.

konidolfine Says:

Feb 5, 2011 - Yes,I can agree with your indication.

wanawara111 Says:

Mar 30, 2011 - Великолепное звучание оркестра. Сам Арти - бесподобен!!

112ALONE Says:

May 1, 2011 - Helen Forrest is one of my all-time favorites

bblegacy Says:

Jun 4, 2011 - No, you have it backwards. Artie wrote the tune and the arrangement for Billie in 1937 trying to entice her to join the band that winter. She finally did join the band in March 1938 and the first commercial recording of AOT was made on 7/24/38 at Artie's first Bluebird session which was also the legendary Begin the Beguine session. It was the only vocal recorded with AS by Billie because she was already under contract to Decca, something that was originally overlooked.

bblegacy Says:

Jun 4, 2011 - The tempo on the later version is slightly faster than the original record. I like the original record better because I like the way Billie handled the vocal more than the way Helen did on the remake, and more because on the original - taken at the slower tempo - the band sounds like it digs into the beat a bit deeper and it feels a little more "earthy" and not so glossy and polished. The later version sounds like a 1-off last take to wind up a recording session with something easy and familiar.

waynebrasler Says:

Jun 4, 2011 - Bblegacy, you have it right, I did have it backwards. I was mis-remembering a conversation with Helen Forrest. By the way, I was surprised to learn how rough she had it with all the bands she worked with, particularly Benny Goodman making her sit voiceless on the bandstand for a month after she was replaced, WITH HER REPLACEMENT NEXT TO HER SINGING EVERY NIGHT. The replacement hated it as much as Forrest did. The replacement was some girl named Peggy something (smile).

blackandtanful Says:

Jul 23, 2011 - このﾃﾝﾎﾟ､このユッタリ感､ﾊﾟｽｸ･ｱﾒﾘｶｰﾅ～優雅なｱｰﾃｨｰ･ｼｮｳ楽団､ﾌﾛﾝﾄ､名花ﾍﾚﾝ･ﾌｫﾚｽﾄの声偉大なｼﾞｬｽﾞﾏﾝ #jazzm

PoppinForBass Says:

Jul 24, 2011 - Artie Shaw was so innovative: 4 big bands, Gramacy Five, harpsicord, violins, a black singer. That's why I love all the Big Bands. They all had a multitude of very talanted musicians, singers and arrangers which to choose from. Thank's to all who posted these great renditions from the Big Band Era.

MrRJDB1969 Says:

Sep 17, 2011 - : I have both versions of "ANY OLD TIME", but I'm a Helen Forrest fan at heart. I respect your appreciation for Bille Holliday and it is a "taste" thing. I can say for myself, that Helen Forrest had more control over her use of vibrato, it was even and consistent . Helen's tone was fresh and light , where Billie's tone was very "nasally" , sometimes flat or off key , & her vibrato wasn't solid or consistent . I'm a vocalist & musician myself, so I hear things on a different level.

MrRJDB1969 Says:

Sep 17, 2011 - @alemelech : I agree. 

MrRJDB1969 Says:

Sep 17, 2011 - : I agree. Helen's vibrato was even & consistent and her tone was "fresh" sounding & always right on key. Billie, though I like her singing too, seemed to go flat or off key at times, with a very "nasally" tone . I do notice Billie's recordings being used in some of today's movies, where they ignore Helen's, but Helen was the star of the 1940's & not Billie. I think todays political correctness plays apart in the Billie Holliday popularity, but its not based strictly on talent.

vHumboldt77 Says:

Sep 17, 2011 - - thanks for the comment. As you say, its a subjective and "taste" thing". But, quite coincidentally, what you mention from the technical standpoint (which I'm not at all denying :) is what makes me like much more Hollyda'ys version. It's a "real" one ;)

MrRJDB1969 Says:

Sep 19, 2011 - : I believe that Helen Forrest's singing is "real" as well and I suppose it's up to the listener to determine what is real or isn't real to themselves. I understand where you are coming from though. To each their own.

ford1375 Says:

Nov 21, 2011 - you can't beat this oneford1275

ASeasonedWitch Says:

Dec 15, 2011 - My only complaint about most of these tunes is that they are too short!

TCDS75 Says:

Dec 18, 2011 - Agradable, romántica, ¡Qué música! Un placer .................. César

honoredutrey Says:

Jan 7, 2012 - Fabulous

Qardanik Says:

Feb 26, 2012 - Anyone who can sing, or has a loved one who sings, must make a recording.My mother is gone and there are no tapes of her singing. The best I can do is search for someone whose voice is similar. Helen Forrest comes relatively close. Actually my mom sang better and sweeter.

FriendlyGrizzly Says:

Apr 8, 2012 - I believe that anyone who has a good singing voice has been given the grand prize by Mother Nature, God, or whatever your beliefs may be. If I could sing well, I would sing a lot. Even though I have little range and no practice, I sing along with a lot of the music of that ear.

sauquoit13456 Says:

Apr 12, 2012 - Helen Forrest was born on this date in 1917. {Apr. 12th}She passed away on July 11th, 1999...May she R.I.P.