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Allan Sherman:
King Radio:
Sir Lancelot:
Harry Belafonte:
Actually, "parody" is the wrong word, since Sherman's not sending up or spoofing or commenting on an original; rather, his humor is to inject new material that's funny in itself. The album was called My Son, The Folk Singer, Sherman needing to use "traditional" material because most of the authors of the show tunes he'd used in his private performances weren't willing to grant him rights (and he got sued anyway for "My Zelda," as "Mathilda" was under copyright; or so says the not-always-reliable Wikipedia). But actually, whatever songs he drew on, Sherman really is close to the folk process: taking something, adapting it to his own needs.
Strangely, I like the Allan Sherman best, has the most pizzazz, though is also the most blatant so maybe the others will kick in as I get to know them. King Radio has more basic motion, the beats gently somersaulting forward, and Sir Lancelot feels nicely at home in his quasi-swing. Belafonte sounds subdued, track only springing to life when the backup women jump in. There's some unrealized tension there between his smooth delivery and the just as smooth but potentially pushy syncopation of the instruments; so in my imagination there's something coiled ready to strike, which is what I sometimes get from Belafonte's visual manner* but not from this performance, at least not yet.
*Or actually what I get from Bob Dylan's description of Belafonte, which was genuinely exciting to read. Don't have time to find the link this morning. Will update in the comments.
King Radio:
Sir Lancelot:
Harry Belafonte:
Actually, "parody" is the wrong word, since Sherman's not sending up or spoofing or commenting on an original; rather, his humor is to inject new material that's funny in itself. The album was called My Son, The Folk Singer, Sherman needing to use "traditional" material because most of the authors of the show tunes he'd used in his private performances weren't willing to grant him rights (and he got sued anyway for "My Zelda," as "Mathilda" was under copyright; or so says the not-always-reliable Wikipedia). But actually, whatever songs he drew on, Sherman really is close to the folk process: taking something, adapting it to his own needs.
Strangely, I like the Allan Sherman best, has the most pizzazz, though is also the most blatant so maybe the others will kick in as I get to know them. King Radio has more basic motion, the beats gently somersaulting forward, and Sir Lancelot feels nicely at home in his quasi-swing. Belafonte sounds subdued, track only springing to life when the backup women jump in. There's some unrealized tension there between his smooth delivery and the just as smooth but potentially pushy syncopation of the instruments; so in my imagination there's something coiled ready to strike, which is what I sometimes get from Belafonte's visual manner* but not from this performance, at least not yet.
*Or actually what I get from Bob Dylan's description of Belafonte, which was genuinely exciting to read. Don't have time to find the link this morning. Will update in the comments.
