Doris Day’s greatest moments as a singer
Doris Day was a great actress, but her success in that arena often obscured what a terrific singer she was. She was a major figure on the charts in the ‘40s and ‘50s, scoring both with some classic long-players as well as hit radio singles. She was blessed with one of those voices that is instantly identifiable: You hear that richness in tone and the warm, conversational phrasing, and you know it’s Doris Day.
Here are five of her greatest singles, along with a look at some other classic recordings by the star, who died on May 13, 2019.
Greatest singles
‘Sentimental Journey’ No. 1 in 1945 – If you ever forget just how sexy Doris Day could sound on record, think back to this classic. Recorded with Les Brown’s band, Day was, essentially, just a pretty girl singing in front of a big band at this point of her career. But this slow and sensual tune captured the public’s imagination, and it was unofficially adopted by returning World War II veterans as a homecoming tune. ‘It’s Magic’ No. 2 in 1948 – Day made her film debut in “Romance on the High Seas” in 1948, and instantly became a big-screen star. More importantly for music lovers, the film introduced this sweet ballad, which quickly became a standard. Perhaps more than any of her other hit records, this tune perfectly encapsulates her ability to sound like she’s singing just to you. ‘Shanghai’ No. 7 in 1951 – Thanks to the influence of record exec Mitch Miller, Columbia Records artists were pumping out tons of fluff in the early ‘50s. People like Frankie Laine, Rosemary Clooney and Tony Bennett all handled the material with varying degrees of success, but Day manages to take this inconsequential bit of nonsense and turn it into a tune that genuinely swings. She displays a great sense of rhythm and actually seems to have fun with the silly lyrics (”Why did I tell you I was going to Shanghai? / I’m even allergic to rice”). ‘Secret Love’ No. 1 in 1954 – Taken from the soundtrack of “Calamity Jane,” the song reaches blissful proportions when Day reaches the song’s crescendo (”Now I shout it from the highest hills”). But notice how she returns to a more intimate style on the very next line (”Even told the golden daffodils.”) It’s almost like a one-act play in less than four minutes. The tune lost the Oscar, but topped the
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charts.
‘Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)’
No. 2 in 1956 – For better or worse, this singalong tune emerged as Day’s signature song. She even resurrected it in the 1960s as the theme tune to her CBS sitcom. Written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans for Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Man Who Knew Too Much,” Day performs the song repeatedly in the film; so much so, in fact, that it actually starts to annoy before the final reel. Still, it’s undeniably catchy and perfect for children, which could help explain its lasting popularity.
Best albums
‘Love Me or Leave Me’ 1955 – The soundtrack to one of her best films, “Love Me or Leave Me” is essentially a master-class in pop singing. Day handles a variety of classic tunes made popular by Ruth Etting. Sorry to Miss Etting, but Day pretty much owns everything she sings here. Her version of “Shaking the Blues Away,” backed by an explosive arrangement, is downright exciting. There are two originals written for the film: “Never Look Back” is pretty, but the gorgeous “I’ll Never Stop Loving You” became yet another one of Day’s hit singles. The biggest-selling album in her career, this spent more than six months atop the Billboard album charts. ‘Day by Night’ 1957 – Recorded with Paul Weston’s orchestra, this is deep, lush and moody, the kind of album that rivals Sinatra’s best work at the time. Day is simply luminous as she works her way through 12 standards, often loosely connected by themes of night skies. Pay attention to a playful “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” which just seems to glimmer. ‘Duet’ 1962 – Day’s jazziest long-player was this collaboration with Andre Previn, in which she proved again what a commanding rhythmic singer she could be. Backed only by Previn’s piano (with some support from bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Frank Capp), this was the leanest-sounding album she ever cut. That only served to showcase the richness of her voice and the dramatic ability she brought to such thoughtful tunes as “Remind Me” (Dorothy Fields and Jerome Kern) and “Wait Till You See Him (Rodgers and Hart). ‘Latin for Lovers’ 1965 – Doris Day recorded a Latin album? Yep, and it’s gorgeous. Recorded during a Latin-music craze in the mid ‘60s, Day’s offering was heavy with bossa nova rhythms.