Songs and related Episodes

(95)�@The Story of Have I Told You Lately (That I Love You)? �@in Japanese


Suzie Kuroiwa(1947- ), at Ginza Swing, 2003

More than ten years ago, I listened to Suzie�fs �gHave I told you lately?�h at Day By Day, Sapporo in fall, 1996. She sang a lot of standard jazz and I enjoyed them, and that tune was most impressive to me curiously.

That song starts from �gHave I Told You Lately That I Love You?�h It sounds like the song of country music sung by Elvis Presley long time ago.

I found that Suzie sang the song, which was writen by an Irish songwriter; Van Morrison and became popular by Rod Stewart after I got back to Tokyo. I wouldn�ft know that song if Suzie didn�ft sing it at that time. I was unfamiliar with their names; Van Morrison and Rod Stewart.

Van Morrison(1945- )

Rod Stewart(1945- )

I didn�ft know about a rock singer, especially people from Ireland and Scotland then at all... But I had heard Rod Stewart�fs song �gSailing.�h

I got a chance to listen to it and I thought anyone who listen to it will be surprised and impressed at both it was a great tune itself and Rod Stewart is a great singer. It may be categorized as rock music, but its phrasing is a jazz method.

I knew why Suzie wanted to sing it.

The country tune by Elvis is a kind of classical country music written by Gene Autry/Scott Wiseman in 1945. Most of country singers sing it. When you sing it in eight to the bars like slow rock, it can be like Van Morrison�fs work. In fact, the way of Elvis is close to it.

Well, I would like to introduce the other song named similar. It is the inserted song of the Broadway musical �gI Can Get It For You Wholesale,�h which was written by Harold Rome(1908-93). How confusing! That is named �gHave I Told You Lately?�h Tony Bennet recorded it in the album �gI Left My Heart In San Francisco.�h Lately they are selling the album named �gHave I Told You Lately?�h

Wow, I have to talk about a Japanese one. �gWas it too late Was it too late To love you�c�h That one was made by Nakamura Yasushi and sung by Sagawa Mitsuo. The title is �gAre You Happy Now.�h Can it be a punch line? Good Grief! 2007/10/4

translated by Kisshi, Feb. 15, 2008


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