I love Rosie and Cole Porter. Is this Roy Rogers story true? He was a favorite of mine when I was 8, 9, 10 years old. I hope it is. This is a really hip version of a "country western" song.
This is a John Oddo arrangement of the song, and it is great. The song also has an interesting history. Contrary to what Rosie said, it was not written for Roy Rogers, but was picked up by him for one of the War Bond Drive movies during WWII, and then made into a big hit by Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters. Which created something of a PR problem for Cole Porter. The problem was that Porter, who famously worked without collaborators--he wrote both the tunes and lyrics for his Broadway shows--used a poem written by a Montana Highways Dept. engineer named Robert Fletcher for the lyric. Fletcher was one of the Cowboy Poets in vogue in the 1930s. Porter, along with most of the famous Broadway musical types--Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields etc--worked in Hollywood during the Great Depression, because Broadway's economics (high priced shows for the wealthy) wasn't viable then, while the movie industry could churn out low priced fare for the masses. This song was originally written for a western movie (an 'Oater') that never got made, so it sat in a filing cabinet of (iirc) MGM, for almost a decade gathering dust. Fletcher was also the guy who wrote those idiosyncratic Montana Highway's historical marker signs for a WPA project, which still exist. He sold his poem to Porter for something like $200 (good money in that day), When the heirs of Fletcher saw the big bucks being generated by the Crosby hit, they threatened to sue Cole Porter. For what, I can't imagine, since he didn't ask Fletcher for his $200 back when the movie fell through. However, Porter wasn't eager to let it be known he'd had a collaborator (sorta) for this one song. Combine that with Porter's financial situation; he was in a 94% Marginal Tax Bracket, thanks to FDR's New Deal, which meant he got to keep only six cents out of every dollar he earned in royalties. So, to cut the Fletcher heirs in on 50% of the take on Don't Fence Me In, only meant giving up 3 cents per dollar to him. Almost certainly, those Fletcher family members were in nothing like a 90+ % tax bracket, so they probably made more money off the song than Porter did.
I didn't care for this song when it was sung by other singers, but Rosie's recording is Fantastic!!!! I love her and her music. RIP Rosie.
She always acknowledged the Musicians she sang with great respect
Terrific lady. Great singer for so many years. Survived Jose Ferrer. Tough life. Tough lady. This is one beautifully simple performance.
Sure do miss this music and Rosie!
So simple but pure class
I love Rosie and Cole Porter. Is this Roy Rogers story true? He was a favorite of mine when I was 8, 9, 10 years old. I hope it is. This is a really hip version of a "country western" song.
she sang with such humor and joy. this is my favorite version of this song, it way elevated the song for me
This is a John Oddo arrangement of the song, and it is great. The song also has an interesting history. Contrary to what Rosie said, it was not written for Roy Rogers, but was picked up by him for one of the War Bond Drive movies during WWII, and then made into a big hit by Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters. Which created something of a PR problem for Cole Porter.
The problem was that Porter, who famously worked without collaborators--he wrote both the tunes and lyrics for his Broadway shows--used a poem written by a Montana Highways Dept. engineer named Robert Fletcher for the lyric. Fletcher was one of the Cowboy Poets in vogue in the 1930s. Porter, along with most of the famous Broadway musical types--Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields etc--worked in Hollywood during the Great Depression, because Broadway's economics (high priced shows for the wealthy) wasn't viable then, while the movie industry could churn out low priced fare for the masses. This song was originally written for a western movie (an 'Oater') that never got made, so it sat in a filing cabinet of (iirc) MGM, for almost a decade gathering dust.
Fletcher was also the guy who wrote those idiosyncratic Montana Highway's historical marker signs for a WPA project, which still exist. He sold his poem to Porter for something like $200 (good money in that day), When the heirs of Fletcher saw the big bucks being generated by the Crosby hit, they threatened to sue Cole Porter. For what, I can't imagine, since he didn't ask Fletcher for his $200 back when the movie fell through. However, Porter wasn't eager to let it be known he'd had a collaborator (sorta) for this one song.
Combine that with Porter's financial situation; he was in a 94% Marginal Tax Bracket, thanks to FDR's New Deal, which meant he got to keep only six cents out of every dollar he earned in royalties. So, to cut the Fletcher heirs in on 50% of the take on Don't Fence Me In, only meant giving up 3 cents per dollar to him. Almost certainly, those Fletcher family members were in nothing like a 90+ % tax bracket, so they probably made more money off the song than Porter did.
I love this Jacksonville Jazz Concert.! Is the rest available.?
Heerlijke Jazz hoor je helaas niet meer. Jammer
r
Though good fences provide good boundaries.
True Story.
You are probably right but I prefer the Roy Rogers story, but whatever, it is real classy stuff.
Cowpokes still ain't partial to fences Rosemary . Happy 2014 Halloween !!