I Love Old Songs

[media=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1DWlj1kvLo]
"Moon River" (1962) - Ben E. King

There are many versions of this song and a lot of them are quite beautiful. The only problem I have with some of them is that they're a bit too saccharine for my taste.

This arrangement by Ben E. King ("Stand By Me"; "Spanish Harlem") doesn't suffer from excessive sweetness and it's as lovely as any I've heard. I was surprised to come across it as I wasn't aware he had recorded the song. Needless to say, I'm very glad he did.

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Vivaci

Wow! You always have the rarest songs out here....I mean Moon River is one of my most favorite go-to karaoke songs....yet I've never heard this one before!

I wonder why? 🤔😅

Rutterman · 46-50, M

@Vivaci It was on his Ben E. King Sings for Soulful Lovers album. I don't think it was ever released as a single.

There are hundreds of versions of this song. I've only heard a fraction of them myself.

Vivaci

@Rutterman This does have that soulful reggae beat to it...quite nice, I say! 👌

My favorite male version was the one by Andy Williams....although like you said the saccharine female version by Audrey made this song a timeless movie classic, in my opinion.🥰

Rutterman · 46-50, M

@Vivaci I like Andy Williams' version too. It was the first one I ever heard. The Audrey Hepburn version is actually pretty moving when she sings it in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Vivaci

@Rutterman Oh yeah, love that movie....😊

About Andy Williams...or Ben King...it's amazing how clear and mellifluously singers in 1960's sang....there's this uncanny crispness in their voice that cannot be felt in today's singers for some reason. 🤷‍♀️ Have you noticed?

Rutterman · 46-50, M

@Vivaci Yes, definitely. And going by old film clips, people also had better diction when they spoke.

Vivaci

@Rutterman So true!!! They were disciplined and constantly improvised their ways, didn't they?
One learns what one observes!