Sometimes I wonder why I spend the lonely nights
Dreaming of a song
The melody haunts my reverie
And I am once again with you
When our love was new
And each kiss an inspiration
But that was long ago
Now my consolation
Is in the stardust of a song
Beside a garden wall where stars are bright
You are in my arms
The nightingale tells his fairy tale
Of paradise where roses grew
Though I dream in vain
In my heart it will remain
My stardust melody
The memory of love’s refrain
I try to never "VS" one artist against another because all truly great ones bring something different to the table but some are just incomparable. In a class by themselves.
In my opinion, Billy Eckstein falls into that category. Frank Sinatra does not.
and to you i say...."what a load of crap"...It's true, frankie never sang with the romantic gentility he did after the early 50s. I can't even say he grew...it was just a vocal decline.
When specifically discussing singing, I don't believe most listeners place Louis Armstrong in the same category as crooners like Cole, Eckstine and Sinatra, so I wouldn't expect him to be mentioned. Armstrong's version is dreamy however, and I cherish it. I agree with you about Sinatra's recording from his time with the Harry James Orchestra---indeed, to my ears, Sinatra's best singing was done when he was with James and later Tommy Dorsey. I haven't much use for anything he did afterwards.
My girlfriends and I used to go to Lawnside New Jersey on Saturday Nights, we went to a bar there and in came Billy Ecstein and he sang Stardust. His Voice and Presence was so inspiring and I was floating.....E
I am one of those people who can listen and actually like to listen to different singers. version. For example Sarah Vaughn's version of "Send in the Clowns" and Frank's version of the same song. Sarah still had it going on voice wise where to me Frank's was fading and raspy. But his version had me in tears!
Now to Mr. B. What a voice! like chocolate melting softly and sweetly in your mouth! He was for me the epitome of style and the meaning of the word crooner! And oh so very handsome!!!!