3:17
single, 1951
Written by Vincent Youmans, Billy Rose and Edward Eliscu
This song comes from a short-lived 1929 musical called Great Day, quickly forgotten except as the source of this tune. Como's version is stately and expansive, a showcase for his smooth, unforced baritone. The arrangement swells around him, full orchestra rising and receding as he glides over it with an almost effortless control. At the end, a male chorus sings the refrain, bringing the drama and passion to bombastic gradeur. Lyrically, it's a declaration of music's necessity to heal and comfort, and indeed even as a life force: "That field of corn, would never see a plow / That field of corn, would be deserted now / A young one's born, but he's no good no how / Without a song!" (That's the revised lyrics — the original said "a darkie's born," fortunately even in the era seen as inappropriate.) It's not hard to understand why this is one of of Bob Dylan's favorite performances, He called Como "the anti-Rat Pack" and this song "just downright incredible."
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