Playing Bublé All Day

Yesterday I finally discovered the songs of Michael Bublé. Of course once you finally notice some outstanding performer you’ve previously been ignorant of, you immediately start to notice him or her everywhere. Yesterday and today I listened to a bunch of his song samples on iTunes, cherrypicked my favorites for purchase, and set up a playlist for a drive to Tulsa. After lunch there I was browsing at a bookstore and promptly ran across an unkind photo of him in a gossip rag – they’re just jealous of his marvelous voice, I suppose.

You can hear my Bublé playlist via YouTube; below are details and links for each of my 11 selections, including other famous versions of the songs.

Save the Last Dance for Me

1. Save the Last Dance for Me

This is the song which introduced me to Michael’s music, overheard as I strolled down the toothpaste aisle. It was composed by Doc Pumus and Mort Shuman and was a #1 hit in 1960 for The Drifters. I own the version by The Drifters but am most fond of the sadder version by Emmylou Harris, a top ten Country hit for her in 1979.

Amazon MP3 Track
iTunes MP3 Track
YouTube Video

Baby (You've Got What It Takes)

2. Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes)

Michael is joined by Sharon Jones and Dap-Kings on this 1960 song composed by Clyde Otis, Murray Stein, and Brook Benton. Dinah Washington and Brook Benton had a top-five hit with it.

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YouTube Video

Everything

3. Everything

Michael wrote this song for then-girlfriend Emily Blunt on his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible.

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iTunes Track
YouTube Video

It Had Better Be Tonight (Meglio Stasera)

4. It Had Better Be Tonight (Meglio Stasera)

This 1963 number has great credentials with music by Henry Mancini, Italian lyrics by Franco Migliacci, and English lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It appeared in the original Pink Panther film, performed by Fran Jeffries. Michael performs an adaptation of an arrangement of it for Lena Horne. “Meglio stasera” translates as “Better tonight” and “Fa’ subito” as “Do it right away” – the urgent message is basically, “Let’s make love tonight, because who knows what will happen tomorrow.”

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YouTube Video

I'm Your Man

5. I’m Your Man

I’ve owned this title track of a 1988 Leonard Cohen album for many years, but Michael’s take on it is superb.

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Crazy Little Thing Called Love

6. Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Naturally I already owned this 1979 Queen song, which reached #1 in 1980 and was composed and sung by Freddie Mercury. But Michael jazzes it up.

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YouTube Video

Haven't Met You Yet

7. Haven’t Met You Yet

Michael wrote this charmer with Alan Chang and Amy Foster-Gilles in 2009, dedicating it to his then-fiancée and later wife, Luisana Lopilato.

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YouTube Video

Sway

8. Sway

I’ve loved this song since I first hear Anita Kelsey overdub Jennifer Connelly’s performance of it in the theatrical release of Dark City. It was composed in 1953 as ¿Quién será? by Mexican composer and bandleader Pablo Beltrán Ruiz and the best known version was in 1954 by Dean Martin.

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Hollywood

9. Hollywood

Michael wrote this in 2009 for his album Crazy Love.

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YouTube Video

Feeling Good

10. Feeling Good

This was a number composed by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd with Cy Grant singing. My favorite version is by Nina Simone, but Michael does a fine job.

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YouTube Video