The Sound of Fog
A couple of days ago, a man left us ...
... A fine singer, and composer, he was
Having written The Christmas Song*
But his musical style - didn't belong ...
To one specific category or another
Although he often recorded covers ...
Attempting to create a "box" for himself
So folks would know upon which shelf
They could find the music of Mel Torme
But there really was - no real easy way ...
For he tried to do it all ... every style ...
And, somehow, he missed, by miles ...
For Sinatra and Lawrence and Crosby
All had their crooner labels, jointly ...
But Torme didn't quite fit that mold ...
For his music never was that bold ...
And Ella Fitzgerald led the jazz pack
Which Torme fell into, but not stacked
And so, as long as he straddled the line
Folks had trouble placing him in time
So when he died on Saturday at seventy-three
I moved around, talking to as many as I could see ...
Mentioning his name, clear about who he was
(Since I've been a fan, and never had any pause)
But nobody I spoke with, knew the name
Which made me realize how elusive is fame
For even though, The Velvet Fog - was reknown ...
In certain circles ... the man was - underground !!!
- Tristram
© Christopher W. Thomas
6:47am Monday, June 7th, 1999
* Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire
Other Music recorded by Mel Torme
Blue Moon
It Might as Well Be Spring
Oh, You Beautiful Doll
Mountain Greenery
You're Driving Me Crazy
Lament to Love
Too Darn Hot
Just in Time
A Sleepin' Bee
Careless Hands
Again
California Suite
Coming' Home, Baby
Books by Mel Torme
The Other Side of the Rainbow (1970)
Wynner (1978)
It Wasn't All Velvet (1988)
Quote By Mel Torme
"I do not believe there's such a thing as a jazz singer.
Every pop singer is influenced a little by jazz, because
it's our native folk art. But labeling someone a jazz,
rather than a pop singer, is only a matter of degree of influence."