Whatever Lola Wants

Damn Yankees!

I remember seeing the movie, Damn Yankees when I was very young. Most of the movies that came on television - or at least of lot of them - were musicals. This song and this performance left no impression on me. I didn't even remember it until I was checking out Ella Fitzgerald on youtube and came across her rendition of it. I then, in my fashion, I searched for other versions of the song and came across the original. If you see it, the woman is pretty freaky looking in terms of her movements and "dancing" and her voice. It's a comedy, I suppose. I understand Bob Fosse choreographed her scene. It was weird. I posted the original video at the lower part of the page.

But, anyway, Ella fan that I am, I loved the song and needed to sing it.

Hope you enjoy it.

More about the Song

From Wikipedia
"Whatever Lola Wants" is a popular song, sometimes rendered as "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets". The music and words were written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross for the 1955 musical play Damn Yankees. The song is sung by Lola, the Devil's assistant, a part originated by Gwen Verdon, who reprised the role in the film. The saying was inspired by Lola Montez,^[1] an Irish-born "Spanish dancer" and mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, who later became a San Francisco Gold Rush vamp.

Nature Boy

Why I Sang It

I heard this song many years ago and ignored it. It wasn’t until the summer of 2019 that I was reintroduced to it by Ed Fast from Ed Fast and Conga Bop. He recorded an amazing remake of the song in which he featured the vocalist Linda Ransome. The music he wrote was so full bodied and strong.

I listened to the lyrics and fell in love with what it said. From there I listened to, of course, Ella, Sarah Vaughn and Shirley Bassey. These are some of the voices that I truly love. Shirley’s version was my favorite.

I found this piano version done by Rob Landeros which I found to be absolutely haunting. I had to sing it. I had to.

I hope you enjoy it.

Nature Boy

(lyrics)

There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy

They say he wandered very far
Very far over land and sea

A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise, was he

And then one day
One magic day he passed my way
While we spoke of many things
Fools and kings
This he said to me

The greatest thing
You’ll ever learn
Is just to love
And be loved
In return

More about the Song

From Wikipedia:
“Nature Boy” is a song first recorded by American jazz singer Nat King Cole. It was released on March 29, 1948, as a single by Capitol Records, and later appeared on the album, The Nat King Cole Story. The song was written in 1947 by eden ahbez and is partly autobiographical. It is a tribute to ahbez’s mentor Bill Pester, who had originally introduced him to Naturmensch and Lebensreform philosophies, which ahbez practiced. When Cole was performing in 1947 at the Lincoln Theater, ahbez wanted to present the song to him, but was ignored. He left the copy with Cole’s valet, and from him the singer came to know of “Nature Boy”. After receiving appreciation for his performance of the song, Cole wanted to record it but needed consent from the writer. Eventually, he tracked down ahbez.

I Can’t Live Without You

I can’t live without you

Squirrels running across the ground to climb up trees,

Birds and their serenade in those trees,

The comforting shade from the leaves on the tree,

I can’t live without you.

I need

The grass under my bare feet,

surging the energy of the earth through me,

the endless beauty of a variety of plants and flowers

the smell of grass and other greenery.

I can’t live without you.

To stand at the foot of a tree and to look up in admiration and praise.

To stand in worship of its grandness and beauty.

Its kindness

Its love giving soul.

Shade me, cover me, tower over me in magnificence.

Its conversation full of ancient words and times

when magic was real for all.

I can’t live without you.

And Sun, you know I stand in worship of your rays

your life giving warmth

your love giving smile.

I can’t live without you.

Balance is nature. I can’t live without you.

I can go other places where you don’t exist and visit for a short time, but ultimately, I have to be where you are. The forest calls me.

I won’t leave you again. I can’t live without you.

Mwanamkee Kwa Mwuitoo
(Tomaca)

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Whatever Lola Wants

Damn Yankees!