Just a reminder
Please add your Magic Moments to the Dec. 30th blog.
Your memories will help create the blog on New Year’s Day!!
FRANK LOESSER is one of the most versatile Broadway composers in history. He wrote five Broadway musicals. Each one was very different from the other and they all contributed to the art of the American musical theater. The three most famous musicals were Guys And Dolls, The Most Happy Fella, and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.
Before writing for Broadway, Loesser had dozens of popular hits from his Hollywood career. He wrote the 1948 Academy Award winner, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”
Born June 29, 1910, in New York City, Frank never studied music formally, although he came from a musical family. His father was a distinguished German-born teacher of classical piano and his older brother, Arthur, was a renowned concert pianist, musicologist and music critic. Frank refused to study classical music. His interest was in pop music, which his father disdained. So he taught himself, first the harmonica, then the piano in his early teens.
In 1961, Loesser won the Pulitzer Prize and seven Tony Awards for How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. It ran four years on Broadway and many of the songs are still enormous hits.
At this time of year, we remember Frank Loesser for his beautiful song, What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? Written in 1947, many artists have recorded it. But, for me, no one sings it better than Clay Aiken. It is a song that just fits his voice and personality. It was always a showstopper when he sang it as a part of his Christmas concerts.
Maybe it’s much too early in the game
Ah, but I thought I’d ask you just the same
What are you doing New Year’s
New Year’s Eve?
Wonder whose arms will hold you good and tight
When it’s exactly twelve o’clock that night
Welcoming in the New Year
New Year’s Eve
Maybe I’m crazy to suppose
I’d ever be the one you chose
Out of a thousand invitations
You’d receive
Ah, but in case I stand one little chance
Here comes the jackpot question in advance
What are you doing New Year’s
New Year’s Eve?
Wonder whose arms will hold you good and tight
When it’s exactly twelve o’clock that night
Welcoming in the New Year
New Year’s Eve
What are you doing New Year’s Eve?
The following video montage was made by LovesClaysVoice. It is so much fun to go back and see the amazing way that Clay touched the audience with this beautiful song. Thanks, LCV for the great video.
What a great video and song. Everyone have a fun and safe night tonight! 🙂
Oh what lovely memories! Thanks for posting LCV's video montage! His voice was made to sing this song!
One of the special things about this song by Clay is that it is included on "Crooner's Christmas" along with Presley, Sinatra, Bennett, Mathis, Crosby, Como, Martin, Cole and Williams! What amazing company to be compared with!
Thank you for the memories. That was a great show when he actually danced a little with the lady in the wheelchair. I love that song. He sure knows how to sing those types of songs. Very suave!
Even though this song is far from my favorite from Merry Christmas With Love, it is part of my most memorable concert moment. It was in Clearwater, JNT 2005, when Clay surprised us all after he had left the stage. I was in the upper level of the venue, just a few rows from the back, when Clay came through a side door and started walking down the stairs toward the stage singing WAYDNYE. He was just about 4 or 5 feet from me when he came through that door, the closest to him I'd ever been. I still remember how his skin seemed to glow. I will never, ever forget those few moments.
Great song and I agree that Clay does it best. That was such a sweet moment when Clay danced with the disabled lady.