1954 - Songs in a Mellow Mood

WHAT NYMITH SAYS

Okay, here's the good news: Ella's singing is technically delightful and she receives the same tasteful backing of Ellis Larkins at the piano as last time.

Now for the cascading bad news: There are 12 tracks, twice as many as Ella Sings Gershwin and there's less variety than before (if you recall my review, you'll remember there wasn't much the first time). Of course, we've all been warned: Songs in a Mellow Mood, after all.

The Gershwins didn't write fantastic pop songs but they did write extremely elegant and melodically complicated material (George was a composer, what do you expect?). For this album, only one Gershwin number is included, which opens up the doors to all the other songwriters of the era, from Hoagy Carmichael to Rodgers & Hammerstein. Suddenly, the song selection is no longer unimpeachable, and the album suffers for it. I don't want to hear Ella interpreting corny showtunes alongside perfectly decent numbers by the likes of Carmichael and Jimmy Dorsey.

This whole album is a victim of engineering. I refuse to believe otherwise. The "mellow mood" trammels everything in its path, ensuring that none of the material is any more catchy than last time and the only mood swing is from elegant-sedate to silly-sedate. Disastrously, two "raunchy" numbers are included. Of the two, 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy' is the better track because Cole Porter was the better songwriter, while 'Makin' Whoopee' is just about as stupid as the title indicates. Anyway, both suck in this context, because how can one mess around with innuendo and euphemism AND be mellow at the same time? What on earth were they thinking?

It pains me to criticize an Ella Fitzgerald album, but this one is definitely nothing special. I can't pick out an equal and opposing high note to counteract any of the second-rate tunes. I'll revisit Ella Sings Gershwin happily - Songs in a Mellow Mood not so much.

WHAT TICHARU SAYS

What are your options for listening to these tracks which are for most part like putting on a favourite jumper when there's an autumnal chill in the air, cozying up in a big comfy chair with a hot mug of some nice herbal tea, staring out the window at the changing colours and enjoying these most excellent tunes. Of course you've made a playlist and in all likelihood one or two of the tracks you didn't include like "Makin' Whoopee" or "Stardust" just because you think Hoagy Carmichael nailed it... that's only two tracks gone wrong!

You've got hold of the Pure Ella compilation which combined Songs in a Mellow Mood with the first Ella Sings Gershwin and it all blends together like the various herbs in your tea or the swirling leaves from the trees. If you're like me, you've put the playlist on shuffle and find this little collection of songs with just Ella and a cocktail piano fits rather nicely into the afternoon. Chilling out... not many singers get it this spot on.