A Song and a Story is een project ontstaan in de Corona tijd. Om te blijven zingen en toch publiek te bereiken begon ik filmpjes op te nemen, zittend aan de piano. Elke week zette ik een nieuwe aflevering op sociale media.
Als zangeres/theatermaker ben ik altijd geïnteresseerd in de achtergrond van een lied, componist of zanger. Kortom, in de historie van de muziek. En ik heb gemerkt dan anderen het ook leuk vinden om meer te weten over bekende liedjes.
Dit project heeft me veel onverwacht werk en enthousiaste reacties gebracht!
INTRODUCTION
In this project I sing a song from the Great American Songbook and tell something about it.
THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA and WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA? A SONG AND A STORY.
In deze video zing ik een stukje van de beroemde jazz standard The Girl from Ipanema (van Antonio Carlos Jobim en Vinicius de Moraes), en zing ik vervolgens mijn eigen standard: What happened to the girl from Ipanema?
DO YOU LIKE JAZZ? – Mirjam van Dam – A SONG AND A STORY
I wrote this song as a reaction to what Dutch people say about what they think jazz is.
NEW YORK NEW YORK – Mirjam van Dam – A SONG AND A STORY 19
New York New York was written for the movie with the same name, by Fred Ebb and John Kander. Somebody told me the song actually was about L.A.
I don’t know if it’s true, but I rewrote the lyrics about New York!
MOON RIVER – Mirjam van Dam – A SONG AND A STORY
This song was written by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini for the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, where Audrey Hepburn sang it.
JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS – Mirjam van Dam – A SONG AND A STORY
In deze video zing ik ‘Just one of those things’ van Cole Porter, en vertel iets over genoemde personen in het verse.
LOVE IS HERE TO STAY – Mirjam van Dam – A SONG AND A STORe
Ira Gershwin finished the song in 1938 for the film Goldwyn Follies, after his brother George died of a brain tumor. The verse was reconstructed by Oscar Levant.
OVER THE RAINBOW– Mirjam van Dam -A SONG AND A STORY
This song was written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg for the film The Wizard Of Oz, starring Judy Garland. It became her signature song. It is also interpreted as a Jewish song, because the yearning for a better place to live was something the Jewish people did, when they fled to America.
PICK YOURSELF UP – Mirjam van Dam – A SONG AND A STORY
The lyrics of this song are written Dorothy Fields (Music by Jerome Kern).
She was one of the first successful female songwriters on Tin Pan Alley, and wrote for several musicals and movies.
In the movie ‘Swingtime’ Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers sing this song.
The famous sentences were also used by Brarack Obama in his speech, when he became president of America.
I’M IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE | Mirjam van Dam A SONG AND A STORY
In deze video zing ik I’m in the mood for love in de versie van Allen Sherman, en vertel ik wie hij was en wat hij deed. De originele tekst van ‘I’m in the mood for love’ is van Dorothy Fields.
NATURE BOY – Mirjam van Dam – A SONG AND A STORY
This song was written by Eden Ahbez for Nat King Cole.
But Herman Yablokoff claimed that he stole the melody of his song Shvayg mayn harts (be still my heart).
PEEL ME A GRAPE – Mirjam van Dam – A SONG AND A STORY
Peel me a grape was written by Dave Frishberg.
He was inspired by a line Mae West said in a movie. She had a monkey that used to peel his grapes before he ate them.
LULLABY OF BIRDLAND – Mirjam van Dam – A SONG AND A STORY
Lullaby of Birdland was written by George Shearing ( lyrics George David Weiss) for the jazz club Birdland. Owner Morris Levy wanted a tune for his club.
STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY – Mirjam van Dam – A SONG AND A STORY
The Savoy was the most beautiful ballroom in Harlem New York, from the ’20’s ’till the ’50’s. Black and white people were allowed to go there, as long as one could dance!
The song is written by Benny Goodman, Chick Webb, Edgar Sampson and lyrics by Andy Razaf.
POTATO CHIPS – Mirjam van Dam – A SONG AND A STORY
Slim Gaillard wrote several songs about food (Dunkind Donuts, Gefillte Fish, Potato chips) and made his own language: Vout-oh-ree-nee. He turned jazz into comedy.
SUMMERTIME / OY KHODIT SON – Mirjam van Dam – A SONG AND A STORY
Gershwin schijnt dit lied te hebben gehoord in Carnegie Hall, waar het werd gezongen door een koor uit Oekraïne. Het inspireerde hem toen hij Summertime schreef. Helemaal zeker is het niet, mooi is het wel.
MISS OTIS REGRETS – Mirjam van Dam – A SONG AND A STORY
Cole Porter wrote a parody of a country song he heard on the radio, and changed the country girl into a high class woman who is being lynched.
At the time, mostly black men were lynched in the South of America. By changing the gender, colour and class of the character, Cole Porter showed the horror of it. At the same time the song and phrase ‘Miss Otis regrets..’ grew out to be a funny running gag in the high society party’s that he went too.
THEY CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME – Mirjam van Dam – A SONG AND A STORY
It was written by George and Ira Gershwin for the film Shall we dance, with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers.