"C'EST SI BON" EARTHA KITT (1953)

The moment a song is born, the world is different. It’s now a part of our lives. We sing it in the shower. We dance to it at our wedding. We get pumped with it. We break up to it. We memorize it. We try to forget it. We rediscover it. This month, I’m joining Arron Wright’s Twitter music challenge: ##Popiversary2. Because why the hell not. Songs deserve their own anniversaries, too.

Year: 1953

1953. The Korean armistice is signed. Color t.v. is invented. Roman Holiday hits the big screen. The “buy now, pay later” approach starts to spread. And the Yankees win the World Series. Life seems pretty darn good. Perhaps Eartha Kitt’s version of “C’est Si Bon” couldn’t have come at a better time than this. A sign of the carefree spirit and optimism of the times.

There are few voices as seductive and sultry as Eartha Kitt’s, which gave “C’est Si Bon” a flirtatious edge that wasn’t there before. In this version, she pairs with Henri René and his Orchestra. They seem almost catatonic compared to Eartha. She even seems more French than they do, because Eartha wasn’t just singing it, she embodied it. It’s why this recording takes on so much meaning and importance – even if you don’t know a lick of French.

“C'est si bon. De partir n'importe où. Bras dessus, bras dessous. En chantant des chansons.”

"I WALK THE LINE" JOHNNY CASH (1957)

The moment a song is born, the world is different. It’s now a part of our lives. We sing it in the shower. We dance to it at our wedding. We get pumped with it. We break up to it. We memorize it. We try to forget it. We rediscover it. This month, I’m joining Arron Wright’s Twitter music challenge: ##Popiversary2. Because why the hell not. Songs deserve their own anniversaries, too.

Year: 1957

Let’s get this part straight. I certainly don’t like Johnny Cash for the instrumentation. It seems like there’s one single bass line used on the majority of his songs. For me, the appeal has always been that deep voice like no other and the ability to spin masterful lyrics that feel so, Johnny Cash. There’s no other adjective to describe it. 1957 was a banner year for the legend. On With His Hot and Blue Guitar (extra points for the quirky album title), he released some of his biggest songs, including “Folsom Prison Blues”, “Cry! Cry! Cry!” and “I Walk The Line”.

I think the first verse says it all: “I keep a close watch on this heart of mine / I keep my eyes wide open all the time / I keep the ends out for the tie that binds / Because you're mine, I walk the line.” This is Johnny Cash to a T. There’s a resoluteness in what' he’s saying, but at the same time you know that his stance can change on a dime. There’s no balance. Which makes everything about the song – while simple as usual – feel so intense and true.

“I keep a close watch on this heart of mine. I keep my eyes wide open all the time. I keep the ends out for the tie that binds. Because you're mine, I walk the line.”

"BLUE SKIES" ELLA FITZGERALD (1958)

The moment a song is born, the world is different. It’s now a part of our lives. We sing it in the shower. We dance to it at our wedding. We get pumped with it. We break up to it. We memorize it. We try to forget it. We rediscover it. This month, I’m joining Arron Wright’s Twitter music challenge: ##Popiversary2. Because why the hell not. Songs deserve their own anniversaries, too.

Year: 1958

In 1958, Ella recorded her famous Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irvin Berlin Song Book. The album pays homage to a legend whose songs make up a large part of the Great American Songbook. The album is also a mindblowing review of a voice like no other. Ella simply did things with her voice that nobody else could do – or even thought to do. Her vocals lived at a complex crossroads web of jazz, scat and experimentation.

Released as a bonus track on reissues of the album, “Blue Skies” showcases multiple facets of Ella’s vocals. There’s the silky, velvety smooth side. And then there’s the playful, scat-infused side that’s the antithesis of its counterpart. There are times, in fact, where Ella’s voice resembles an instrument, transcending the boundaries of traditional singing. It’s clear as the blue sky: Berlin may have written the song, but Ella owns it through and through.

“Blue days, All of them gone. Nothing but blue skies From now on.”

"WHAT I'D SAY, PT. 1 & 2" RAY CHARLES (1959)

The moment a song is born, the world is different. It’s now a part of our lives. We sing it in the shower. We dance to it at our wedding. We get pumped with it. We break up to it. We memorize it. We try to forget it. We rediscover it. This month, I’m joining Arron Wright’s Twitter music challenge: ##Popiversary2. Because why the hell not. Songs deserve their own anniversaries, too.

Year: 1959

For as long as music has been around, jam sessions have been around, too. That thing that brings musicians together – their love for music – and an openness to whatever may come of it. There’s a thrill in that. The night will be fun regardless. But on some occasions, the night can go down in history. Like the night this song was born. “What I’d Say” was a song born out of a late night improv jam session.

Ray Charles and his band finished their set and just kept on playing. And when they kept playing, “What I’d Say” is what came out, right there out on the stage. Over the course of eight minutes, “What I’d Say” defined soul music, won the adoration of music fans and managed to piss off quite a few as well. It combined electric piano with real piano and it turned the high hat into a central percussion element.

“WHEN YOU SEE ME IN MISERY, COME ON BABY, SEE ABOUT ME.”

"BEWITCHED, BOTHERED, AND BEWILDERED" ELLA FITZGERALD (1956)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 12: Newport News, VA

When most people think of Ella Fitzgerald’s residence, they usually think of New York. Harlem, more specifically. And later, a move out to the west coast in Beverly Hills. But it all started in her birthplace: Newport News, VA. There are few singers that possess such a high standard in terms of both tone and technique. When it comes down to it, her voice is just so easy to listen to her warm tone, unique diction, and her ability to improvise like her voice is an instrument.

Ella’s rendition of the show tune classic “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered” is one of her first recordings that I had the pleasure of hearing. Pure beauty coupled with technical prowess. There have been dozens of renditions recorded over the years, but what’s striking is how far superior Ella’s version is compared to the others. It belongs in a separate class of its own, making the others – from the likes of Doris Day, Mel Torme, The Platters, Barbara Streisand, Rod Stewart & Cher, among others – feel almost like karaoke.

“Love's the same old sad sensation. Lately I've not slept a wink Since this half-pint imitation Put me on the blink.”

"SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME" ELLA FITZGERALD (1950)

For Women’s History Month, I’m selecting some of my favorite songs from some of the most talented and influential women in music. From frontwomen to singer-songwriters to iconic performers, I’m picking one song a day on Mental Jukebox until the end of March.

There are few things in life more beautiful than Ella cracking open the Gershwin songbook and paying homage to some of the finest songs ever written. “Somebody to Watch Over Me” showcased the silkier, softer side to the legendary singer. In its coyness, it’s still a serenade of assurance and conviction. And like many jazz standards, it commands your utter silence to truly enjoy what’s unfolding.

“There's a saying old, says that love is blind. Still we're often told, seek and ye shall find.”

"DEAR OLD STOCKHOLM" MILES DAVIS (1957)

In celebration of my son Miles’ birthday today, I’m continuing my “Dear…” series with a Miles Davis recording. This jazz rendition of a centuries old folk song is a remarkable exercise in restraint. It’s strikingly minimalist despite featuring absolute legends in Davis, Coltrane, Red Garland, among others. Every instrument has its own delicate moment on this recording—from Philly Joe Jones’ steady snare brushes to Garland’s chord splashes to the masterful improv meanderings of Coltrane and Davis.

"WHAT I'D SAY, PT. 1 & 2" RAY CHARLES (1959)

This was a song born out of a late night improv jam session. Ray Charles and his band finished their set and just kept on playing. And when they kept playing, “What' I’d Say” is what came out, right there out on the stage. Over the course of eight minutes, “What I’d Say” defined soul music, won the adoration of music fans and managed to piss off quite a few as well. It combined electric piano with real piano and it turned the high hat into a central percussion element.

“When you see me in misery, come on baby, see about me.”

"BLUE MOON" BILLIE HOLIDAY (1956)

One of the most distinctive voices of any genre. Billie Holiday’s voice is permanently engrained in musical history and in our hearts. When you don’t judge music technically, but emotionally, you realize that no one comes close to her style and the effect she has had on audiences and musicians alike. Here’s the thing about “Blue Moon”. It was sung by dozens of performers before her. But Billie, using her signature flair for improvisation, took a few liberties with the melody to make it her own and truly memorable.

“Blue moon, you knew just what I was there for. You heard me saying a prayer for someone I really could care for.”

"AUTUMN IN NEW YORK" ELLA FITZGERALD & LOUIS ARMSTRONG (1957)

Crunchy, rustling leaves. Crisp, cool air. Fall has always been the season I enjoy most in NYC. The slow, peaceful weather traits are a perfect complement to the pace and energy of the city. Like many of their collaborations, Ella and Armstrong are also a perfect combination. In “Autumn in New York”, the duo took the jazz standard and created a timeless rendition that feels as current as the day it was recorded.

“Glittering crowds and shimmering clouds in canyons of steel. They're making me feel I'm home.”

"ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC" CHUCK BERRY (1957)

This is one of rock’s legendary pioneers. Without Chuck Berry, who knows where we’d be. You can’t go wrong with any of his songs playing on your mental jukebox, but today I’ll go with “Rock and Roll Music”. A simple, melodic hook. Eruptive electric guitar playing. Berry’s signature rhyme delivery. And a heavy dose of old time rock and roll nostalgia.

“Just let me hear some of that rock and roll music. Any old way you choose it. It's got a back beat, you can't lose it. Any old time you use it. It's gotta be rock and roll music. If you want to dance with me.”