"I owe my soul to ... Tennessee Ernie Ford," Merle Travis once sang while performing his composition "Sixteen Tons."
I just listened to Merle's version of his song and it ain't the same song somehow. Ernie had some heft in his voice. He sounded like a man who did physical labor, someone you'd step aside for if you saw him coming. I like Merle Travis as a singer just fine ("So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed" is very clever) but it's easy to hear why Tennessee Ern's version was a monster hit and Merle's went nowhere.
Gene Pitney wrote "Hello, Mary Lou." How does he stack up to Rick Nelson? Ick. Gene Pitney is another fine singer ("The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance") but "Hello, Mary Lou" is not a good match with his vocal style.
I wonder if the composers feel kind of like a parent whose ornery child behaves beautifully at the neighbor's. That feeling, of course, would be gratitude.
I just listened to Merle's version of his song and it ain't the same song somehow. Ernie had some heft in his voice. He sounded like a man who did physical labor, someone you'd step aside for if you saw him coming. I like Merle Travis as a singer just fine ("So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed" is very clever) but it's easy to hear why Tennessee Ern's version was a monster hit and Merle's went nowhere.
Gene Pitney wrote "Hello, Mary Lou." How does he stack up to Rick Nelson? Ick. Gene Pitney is another fine singer ("The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance") but "Hello, Mary Lou" is not a good match with his vocal style.
I wonder if the composers feel kind of like a parent whose ornery child behaves beautifully at the neighbor's. That feeling, of course, would be gratitude.