Smoking, drinking, never thinking of tomorrow

Tammy Grimes. Tammy Grimes - a name wholeheartedly unsuited to showbiz; and yet a name one feels one really should know more about.

When I read that it is the lady's 82nd birthday today, I felt I just had to seek out more about her.

Variously described as having "a speaking voice like a buzz saw", a "lyric baritone singing voice that has a low, throaty quiver, a hum that takes wings", and "the stage personality of a daffy but endearing pseudo-English eccentric", Miss Grimes (born into a prominent New England family) began her career as a Broadway trouper - she was the original Unsinkable Molly Brown - married (and divorced) Christopher Plummer (their daughter is Amanda Plummer), and (notoriously) starred in one of the shortest series in television history, The Tammy Grimes Show. Returning to her natural home the stage, she has latterly been inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame and is an eminent member of the (US) Noel Coward Society.

Judging by this awe-inspiring rendition of this Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn [read my recent blog about him on his centenary] classic, she is a talent to be reckoned with:

Tammy Grimes - Sophisticated Lady

They say into your early life romance came
And then this heart of yours burned a flame
A flame that flickered one day and died away

Then with disillusion deep in your eyes
You learned that fools in love soon grow wise
The years have changed you somehow
I see you now

Smoking, drinking, never thinking
Of tomorrow, nonchalant
Diamonds shining, dancing, dining
With some man in a restaurant

Is that all you really want?
No, sophisticated lady
I know, you miss the love you lost long ago
And when nobody is nigh you cry

Smoking, drinking, never thinking
Of tomorrow, nonchalant
Diamonds shining, dancing, dining
With some man in a restaurant

Is that all you really want?
No, sophisticated lady
I know, you miss the love you lost long ago
And when nobody is nigh you cry

Sophisticated lady you cry.

Wonderful.

Tammy Lee Grimes (born 30th January 1934)

I'll live a lush life, in some small dive

We have a centenary to celebrate today - that of one of the greatest of all composers from the Swing era, Mr Billy Strayhorn!



Described by Duke Ellington as "my right arm, my left arm, all the eyes in the back of my head", Billy composed many of the Duke's standards, including Isfahan, Passion Flower, Chelsea Bridge and Satin Doll:

Duke Ellington - Satin Doll

And he also composed the Duke Ellington Orchestra's "theme tune", Take the "A" Train:

Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn - Take the "A" Train

Mr Strayhorn (whose nickname was "Sweet Pea") was not merely significant for being the linchpin of a three decade professional partnership with Ellington. He was proudly and openly gay during a highly homophobic era (and an early supporter of the civil rights movement in America, to boot). Cultured, intelligent and well-travelled, a friend described him as “a miniature, black Noel Coward.”

As his biographer David Hajdu writes: “In Pittsburgh, who he was had inhibited Billy Strayhorn from doing what he could do; in New York, what he could do enabled him to be who he was.” And what he was was a young gay man who loved the finer things in life, and was able to set up home with his boyfriend secure in the knowledge that - unlike many employers back then - his sexuality, and his openness about it, would not be an issue with Ellington, who treated him as one of the family.

Indeed, it was through the Duke that Billy met his first partner (and fellow musician) Aaron Bridgers, with whom he lived until Bridgers moved to Paris in 1947.



Billy's absolute masterpiece (often considered a "gay standard") - and eternal favourite here at Dolores Delargo Towers - is, of course, the magnificent Lush Life. I have documented my personal favourite version of this song - surprisingly the rendition by Queen Latifah - before. [See my previous blog about Mr Strayhorn for that.]

Today, however, it is to the very first documented recording of this absolute classic that we turn by way of tribute - showcasing the lovely vocals of Kay Davis (and with Billy himself at the piano):

Billy Strayhorn and Kay Davis - Lush Life

I used to visit all the very gay places,
Those come-what-may places,
Where one relaxes on the axis,
Of the wheel of life,
To get the feel of life,
From jazz and cocktails.

The gals I knew had sad and sullen grey faces,
With distingué traces,
That used to be there.
You could see where,
They'd been washed away,
By too many through the day
Twelve o'clock tales.

Then you came along,
With your siren song,
To tempt me to madness.
I thought for a while,
That your poignant smile,
Was tinged with the sadness,
Of a great love for me.
I guess I was wrong.
Again, I was wrong.

Life is lonely again,
And only last year everything seemed so sure.
Now life is awful again.
A trough-full of hearts could only be a bore.

A week in Paris will ease the bite of it.
All I care is to smile in spite of it.

I'll forget you I will,
While yet you are still
Burning inside my brain.

Romance is mush,
Stifling those who strive.
I'll live a lush life,
In some small dive.

And there I'll be,
While I rot with the rest
Of those whose lives are lonely, too.

Utterly remarkable when you consider that Mr Strayhorn was just nineteen years old when he wrote that.

A documentary about Billy Strayhorn, also titled Lush Life was made in 2008. From it are these two clips:

[2019 UPDATE: Clip #1 gone from YouTube, but available via the Internet Archive]

Billy Strayhorn - Duke Ellington's Right Hand

We unfortunately missed a centennial tribute to Mr Strayhorn that featured the divine David McAlmont at the Cadogan Hall in Mayfair last weekend. Just today New York's Jazz at Lincoln Center marked Billy's centenary with a series of performances - including a surprise pop-up concert on the subway!

He deserves every tribute going.

William Thomas "Billy" Strayhorn (29th November 1915 – 31st May 1967)

Then you came along with your siren song

Lest we forget a largely unheralded gay genius, I thought it appropriate to have a little celebration of the birthday of the late Billy Strayhorn - author of Take the A-Train for Duke Ellington, among many many more classic jazz numbers. And to do so, it is only fitting to post his masterpiece.

Mr Strayhorn (remarkably) wrote Lush Life when he was just eighteen, yet its sophistication and complexity is worthy of much more mature writers. Quite rightly the song has become a true standard, with covers by Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Stan Getz, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Nancy Wilson, Carmen McRae, Julie London, Linda Ronstadt and Donna Summer.

However, out of all the versions that have been recorded I have made an unusual choice. A rather lovely version by (of all people) Queen Latifah...

Queen Latifah - Lush Life

I used to visit all the very gay places
Those come-what-may places
Where one relaxes on the axis of the wheel of life
To get the feel of life from jazz and cocktails

The girls I knew had sad and sullen grey faces
With distingué traces that used to be there
You could see where they'd been washed away
By too many through the day, twelve o'clock tales

Then you came along with your siren song
To tempt me to madness
I thought for a while that your poignant smile
Was tinged with the sadness of a great love for me
Ah yes, I was wrong
Again, I was wrong

Life is lonely again and only last year
Everything seemed so sure
Now life is awful again
A trough full of hearts could only be a bore

A week in Paris could ease the bite of it
All I care is to smile in spite of it

I'll forget you, I will while yet you are still
Burning inside my brain romance is mush
Stifling those who strive

So I'll live a lush life in some small dive
And there I'll be
While I rot with the rest of those
Whose lives are lonely too

Billy Strayhorn biography