I’ve always loved Bette Davis: Now Voyager is an all-time favourite and, of course, Whatever
Happened to Baby Jane?, the only film that Crawford and Davis made together
(sadly Joan walked of the set of Hush Hush… Sweet Charlotte, which would have seen the two old broads battling
each other again, to be replaced by the marvellous Olivia de Havilland) is an
over-the-top gothic great. Yet as much as I love her acting, and have a fair
old bit of respect for her as a person, I hadn’t really thought too much about
her singing abilities… until now.
Bette, born Ruth Elizabeth Davis in April 1908, is probably
better known for being name checked in other peoples’ records than for making
her own (Bette Davis Eyes, by Kim
Carnes for example, although she also gets mentioned in Dylan’s Desolation
Row and Madonna’s Vogue), yet record she did.
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Spawned the tie in single of the same title, which
pitted Bette against singer Debbie Boone (who supplied the voice for the young
Jane and sang I’ve Written a Letter to Daddy in the film). Bette only appears
on the a-side, and her spoken word section is thoroughly monstrous. She would
later perform the song solo on the Andy Williams TV show, a clip readily
available on YouTube and re-enacted quite brilliantly by Susan Sarandon in Feud.
Bette also appeared on a couple of Broadway
cast albums and, in 1965 issued a further brace of singles, the aptly-titled Single
(which she also performed on TV and that you can also find on YouTube) and Mother
of the Bride. Neither sold.
Then, in 1976, whilst working in England, she recorded an
album. Released by EMI, Miss Bette Davis
is a horror of a record. Backed by the Mike Sammes Singers (who would also
back Barbara Cartland on the atrocious Album of Love Songs) the album includes re-recordings of many of ‘songs’
associated with the great lady, including I’ve Written a Letter to Daddy
and Hush Hush… Sweet Charlotte. It is ghastly, and you’re going to love it!
Enjoy!
I think her years of smoking has affected her voice. take a listen to Lucille ball in Mame....even worse. Can you do an article on Lucille Ball, Mame? Just stumble across your blog today. Great Blog and fun to read.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Glad you're enjoying the blog. Keep popping and I'll see what I can do about Lucy and Mame soon!
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