You are so right. I love it when singers whom you would normally not expect to do a bang up job singing a classic jazz song surprise you with an outstanding performance. Ellington's classic "Prelude to a Kiss" is such a gorgeous song and has been done by every female jazz vocalist, and Deborah Harry knocks it out of the park. I believe that is Toots Thielemans on Harmonica...so beautiful.
This is, BY FAR, the absolute best version of the classical song. Howard Shore, a great by any form of measurement, really goes beyond his norm and takes this to a whole new level. Then the vocals. Wow. The singer's long time collaboration partner, Chris Stein, put it best when he said, "the magic of Deborah is that every once in awhile I will hear something she does and think to myself 'there is no one on this planet that could what she just did any better'" and that applies perfectly here. As talented as Etta and the others were that recorded this song, none of them come close the perfectness of Deborah's voice in this song. For those who don't give her the credit she deserves I recommend giving this a good listen. Great writer, great composer and great vocalist. This one is a winner.,
Prelude to a Kiss is an odd little movie that I don't think many people paid attention to, but Alec Baldwin and Meg Ryan were really good in it, BUT my favorite thing about the movie was Debbie Harry's version of this song--it's not an easy song to pull off, but Harry does a fantastic job of it and the arrangement is sublime.
This movie was amazing! I really lived Alec Baldwin and Meg Ryan performance, specially that shot when he asks "fake" Rita where is the "real" Rita. His tears touched me and looked so real.
The whole soundtrack of this movie is fantastic with the haunting "om je better op te koenen etten" (the better to eat you in dutch).....can anyone post this here at youtube.
Marcos T, I suggest you excise the first line, "Originally by Ella Fitzgerald," as she had no hand in writing the lyrics, nor the tune, and the arrangement here is a transcription of the "P to a Kiss" on the 1958 Ellington Indigos album, the only difference being that the Indigos version is an instrumental where Johnny Hodges plays what is sung here. On a more positive note, I think Ms Harry acquits herself quite well here. I was expecting poppie excess, but this is all very knowledgably and movingly done. And the accompanying players exhibit great skill. Prelude to a Kiss was composed in 1938. I can't say when the first version with vocals was recorded, but I know that Sarah Vaughn recorded it in 1954.
Thank you for your comment, and sorry for the (huge) delay on replying and correcting the description. I took the information from a well documented Blondie/DH website that sadly doesn't exist anymore and I see it had blurry facts.
Amazing Song, Move but imagine pitching this saying to the producers of the movie "that girl from the Punk Band Blondie is going to sing a Duke Classic and we got Toots on Harmonica!"
Sorry, Berliner, you got it quite wrong. Those aren't synthesizers in the background, those are real wind instruments, and the arrangement itself is a true transcription of that played by the Ellington band itself on the Ellington Indigos album.
What a wonderful rendition. D. Harry's beautiful voice makes it even better.
absolutely beautiful - great voice and tenderness.
Oooo so wonderful...
The movie has just ended.
How beautiful...
I have tears in my eyes😥
Prelude to Kiss💋wonderful movie and music❤🤗😊😘
The Orchestra is Simply Magnificent!!
Duke Ellington, a work of Genius!
Debbie is enchanting in this rendition!
My Favorite rendition of this Classic! Deborah Harry is Sublime!! With Howard Shore's Wonderful Arrangement!
Stephen. My favourite version of this Classic by Debbie Harry. Jazzy,sexy,enticing,smooth like a cloud.
Words are Wonderful:)Jazzy nice notes and beautiful harmony..Debbie velvet voice.
You are so right. I love it when singers whom you would normally not expect to do a bang up job singing a classic jazz song surprise you with an outstanding performance. Ellington's classic "Prelude to a Kiss" is such a gorgeous song and has been done by every female jazz vocalist, and Deborah Harry knocks it out of the park. I believe that is Toots Thielemans on Harmonica...so beautiful.
This is, BY FAR, the absolute best version of the classical song. Howard Shore, a great by any form of measurement, really goes beyond his norm and takes this to a whole new level. Then the vocals. Wow. The singer's long time collaboration partner, Chris Stein, put it best when he said, "the magic of Deborah is that every once in awhile I will hear something she does and think to myself 'there is no one on this planet that could what she just did any better'" and that applies perfectly here. As talented as Etta and the others were that recorded this song, none of them come close the perfectness of Deborah's voice in this song. For those who don't give her the credit she deserves I recommend giving this a good listen. Great writer, great composer and great vocalist. This one is a winner.,
Prelude to a Kiss is an odd little movie that I don't think many people paid attention to, but Alec Baldwin and Meg Ryan were really good in it, BUT my favorite thing about the movie was Debbie Harry's version of this song--it's not an easy song to pull off, but Harry does a fantastic job of it and the arrangement is sublime.
So beautiful
God what Lyrics!! Music from Heaven!!
wonderfull!!!
This movie was amazing! I really lived Alec Baldwin and Meg Ryan performance, specially that shot when he asks "fake" Rita where is the "real" Rita. His tears touched me and looked so real.
Awesome!!
Her little girl voice ("Shayla") has aged with a smokey and knowing maturity that is now so perfect for jazz.
My God!! This is Awesome!!
omg it's Debbie! I had no clue until just now, I like how she uses Deborah instead of Debbie
This is Perfection!!
Howard Shore is responsible for this Lush, delicious, Harmonic sound! The Best Version of this Classic song!!
The Duke's Masterpiece!!!
And I thought I'd heard all of her stuff! :)
The whole soundtrack of this movie is fantastic with the haunting "om je better op te koenen etten" (the better to eat you in dutch).....can anyone post this here at youtube.
The Great Toots Shore on Harmonica!!
This song is from the hilarious movie Prelude To A Kiss. Great chemistry between Alec Baldwin and Meg Ryan. Great message in the story.
ok ... cool movie ... but really from Duke Ellington... many many years before the movie
Marcos T, I suggest you excise the first line, "Originally by Ella Fitzgerald," as she had no hand in writing the lyrics, nor the tune, and the arrangement here is a transcription of the "P to a Kiss" on the 1958 Ellington Indigos album, the only difference being that the Indigos version is an instrumental where Johnny Hodges plays what is sung here. On a more positive note, I think Ms Harry acquits herself quite well here. I was expecting poppie excess, but this is all very knowledgably and movingly done. And the accompanying players exhibit great skill.
Prelude to a Kiss was composed in 1938. I can't say when the first version with vocals was recorded, but I know that Sarah Vaughn recorded it in 1954.
Thank you for your comment, and sorry for the (huge) delay on replying and correcting the description. I took the information from a well documented Blondie/DH website that sadly doesn't exist anymore and I see it had blurry facts.
Amazing Song, Move but imagine pitching this saying to the producers of the movie "that girl from the Punk Band Blondie is going to sing a Duke Classic and we got Toots on Harmonica!"
Who would have thunk it...Deborah Harry and Jazz....
+Allan Birmantas They did jazz on their 1980 album Auto American with Heres Looking At You etc.
Reminded me of the less familiar "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing."
Piano and Arrangement by Howard Shore!!
It`s a pity, there are so many synthetic - sounds in the Background, mushing it all up.
What is synthetic? I hear trombones, piano, saxes and a harmonica. Trumpets later, and one hell of a nice chart.
Sorry, Berliner, you got it quite wrong. Those aren't synthesizers in the background, those are real wind instruments, and the arrangement itself is a true transcription of that played by the Ellington band itself on the Ellington Indigos album.