Lena Horne | Hollywood Yesterday

Christmas Music from Ella, Lena, Louis, Eartha, and More…

October 25, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

I would say that Christmas is already on my mind but, if we’re being honest, it’s never OFF of my mind.

Yes… I’m one of those people and I make no apologies for it.

I have a large, wonderful family and shopping year-round for gifts is the only way I can stay sane or stand a chance to get things done. I buy things in stores and online (often starting the day after Christmas!) and hide them away in totes. Admittedly, sometimes I dip into the totes during the year for little, “Here’s this… just because I love you..” expressions, but that’s fun too.

I’ve begun a #ClassicFilmGifts series of tweets on Twitter and will now also begin a series of Christmas Gift Ideas posts here on Hollywood Yesterday. Granted, very often (very, very, very often in fact), we’re the only one in our family who collects Classic Hollywood collectibles and one of the only ones who watched old movies – in which case, the gift ideas are actually for US.

Again… that’s fun too!

These particular gift ideas are actually ones I’m sure you (like me) will want long before Christmas and will want all for yourself! They’ll each be on their Merry way to our house right away. These artists are some of my favorite in the world and I can’t wait to spend the Christmas season with them.

Continued Below Ella Beautifully Singing The Christmas Song…

Christmas With Ella & Friends

Christmas With Ella & Friends is one of the ones that’s already in my Amazon shopping cart. I searched for Ella Fitzgerald Christmas CDs and literally gasped when I saw the list of friends she brought to the Christmas party with her!

Louis Armstrong
Bing Crosby
Frank Sinatra
Doris Day
Eartha Kitt
Dinah Washington
Dean Martin
Brenda Lee
The Platters
And more …

The CD cover states that there are 40 songs included in the 2 CD set, but Amazon lists 50. Either way, that’s a lot of wonderful Christmas songs from some of the greatest voices of all time. I will let you know for sure how many there are as soon as my CD arrives!

Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas

Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas is another “must have. Who better than Ella to get a swinging Christmas and jazzy new year off on the right note??!

This 1960 collection includes:

1. Jingle Bells
2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
4. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
5. Sleigh Ride
6. The Christmas Song
7. Good Morning Blues
8. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
9. Winter Wonderland
10. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
11. Frosty The Snowman
12. White Christmas
13. The Secret Of Christmas
14. Medley: We Three Kings Of Orient Are/O Little Town Of Bethlehem
15. Christmas Island
16. The Christmas Song
17. White Christmas (Alternative Take)
18. Frosty The Snowman (Alternative Take)

Continued Below Lena Horne’s Gorgeous Rendition of White Christmas

Merry From Lena

If you read very much of what I write (bless your heart), you know I love Lena Horne. Like, A LOT. I could listen to her all day/all night and never complain. I actually once had this CD but will have to reorder it.

I guess I wore it out! I remember playing my favorite songs (The Little Drummer Boy, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town) over and over and over.

Jingle All The Way
The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
Winter Wonderland
White Christmas
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
The Little Drummer Boy
Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Silent Night
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

These are the songs that are the soundtrack to Christmas and no one… absolutely no one…. sings them more beautifully than Lena Horne.

Lena Horne, like Rita Hayworth and a few other select entertainers, gets so much recognition for her beauty (and, come on, it’s understandable) but she was so much more than a beautiful face. She could act, sings (could she ever sing!), and dance.

And if you’re talking about stage presence and a certain “it” factor – Lena was all over it. If you aren’t familiar with her music, I hope you’ll familiarize yourself right away.

I hope you’ll click through these links and order at least one of these wonderful Christmas song collections. Christmas music is one of the most beautiful (magical, even) things about Christmas.

In fact, as something of an expert on Christmas (immodestly, I put myself right up there with Mrs. Claus in the category), if I were to recommend a way to make the Season even sweeter, I’d suggest starting a Christmas CD collection – and these are a few of the CDs I’d recommend for you to start with.

I will write about more Christmas CDs in the coming weeks – in fact, I was near the middle of a “Top 10 Christmas CDs” post but I got too excited about these three and had to share them immediately. Christmas (and these artists) do that to me. ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Lena Horne: Her 1996 PBS “American Masters” Biography

October 15, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Lena Horne

If you watch a lot of Old Hollywood movies – especially if you cover a LOT of territory (say from the silents through today) and a LOT of genres (silents, film noir, westerns, comedies, rom com, slapstick, drama..) – you meet a lot of new stars along the way. Stars who may have either missed your radar completely in the past or stars that, while on the radar, hadn’t really had their chance to shine for you. YET.

Personally, June Allyson is a perfect example of a star being on my radar (after I’d seen her in Executive Suite) but became an absolute favorite after I saw her in a few other films.

The beautiful and talented lady above, Lena Horne, is one who had completely escaped my radar somehow. It is only within the past few years that I saw my first Lena Horne movie!

It was love at first sight, so to speak, with Lena. She had a huge impact on me the minute she first danced on my screen. She had an obvious beauty that jumps out at you right away, with such a radiant complexion that you know shines from within. And the smile? Her dazzling, perfect smile lights up the room. She had a happiness from within that put on a spectacular show on the outside.

Then when she opened her voice and began to sing… well, that’s when my jaw really hit the floor.

While I hate comparing stars and try (often unsuccessfully) not to do so – her gift for entertaining and for taking her viewers far, far away begs to be compared to that of Judy Garland. Yes, she was her own woman, actress, singer, dancer, and star BUT her showmanship and command of the spotlight greatly reminds me of Judy Garland – one of the highest compliments that can be handed out, if you ask me.

I still just have no idea how I could have watched old movies and classic tv shows all of my life – and done so as though I were being paid to do it – and not ever come across a Lena Horne movie until recently. It never ceases to amaze me when I come across new favorites or begin to see an old favorite in an even better light. It’s also great fun when you start liking a star you’d previously disliked… yes, that has even happened from time to time!

I encourage you, yet again, to often step out of your favorite decade(s) and even genre(s). You never know who might be waiting for you on the other side. They might just have the most dazzling smile and beautiful voice you ever heard!

Lena Horne: The Lady is a Tramp (One of my Favorite Lena Horne Performances)

October 11, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

There are many actresses, actors, and performers who I always find myself wondering, “How is everyone in the world not a HUGE fan?!” Lena Horne is one of these under-celebrated stars (at least in my opinion).

What do I (personally) consider to be under-celebrated?

If the average person (not someone in our Old Hollywood community) can’t name at least one of their movies or songs, they’re under-celebrated.
If those of us within the community can’t name at least three of their movies or songs, they’re under-celebrated.

While Lena Horned, obviously, doesn’t fall through the completely unknown crack, she should be more heartily celebrated.

The lady had more talent in her left eyebrow than a lot of stars did.

That’s right, I said it.

This is actually one of the best things about having an Old Hollywood blog (and Twitter account) – I can go on and on and on and on and on about my favorites and feel like I’m (hopefully) helping keep their name familiar, their body of work work alive and their face forever smiling.

I know, a little deep for a Friday, but… blame it on Lena. She puts me in my feels.

When you watch Lena perform in the video above (which I surely hope you will at least once), pay close attention to her facial expressions and her hand gestures. I think she was simply brilliant – and the stage command! The lady was doing what she was born to do and, if you ask me, that is always breathtaking.

Lena Horne: Stormy Weather (Beautiful, Iconic… Perfect)

August 12, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

There are certain things in life that are just too perfect to adequately describe. Lena Horne singing Stormy Weather is JUST. SUCH. A. THING.

Perfection.

Her voice, expressions, the music, the lyrics – they were all born to make the magic you see and hear above.

Some of My Favorite Lena Horne Quotes

June 11, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Beautiful Lena Horne

“Don’t be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can.”

“Always be smarter than the people who hire you.”

“In my early days I was a sepia Hedy Lamarr. Now I’m black and a woman, singing my own way.”

“My identity is very clear to me now, I am a black woman, I’m not alone, I’m free. I say I’m free because I no longer have to be a credit, I don’t have to be a symbol to anybody; I don’t have to be a first to anybody. I don’t have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I’d become. I’m me, and I’m like nobody else.”

(About Myrna Loy) “A great star and a woman of accomplishment who is angry about all the right things.”

“I never considered myself a movie star. Mostly, I just sang songs in other people’s movies.”

Lena Horne in The Boogie Woogie Dream (1944 Short Film)

March 15, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Lena Horne shines in this wonderful short film! The Boogie Woogie Dream was actually shot in 1941, but wasn’t released until 1944.

Plot: The story takes place in a night club. After the club closes, the workers have a jam session and it proves to be exactly what a couple of late-arrivers needed to hear.

Also in the cast:

Albert Ammons
Pete Johnson
Teddy Wilson
Virginia Pine
Russell Morrison

Lena Horne: Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man from Till the Clouds Roll By

June 11, 2018 By Joi Leave a Comment

Below is Lena Horne’s mesmerizing performance of Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man from Till the Clouds Roll By. I have listed the song title as I have always seen it listed… but… is it me or does she clearly, clearly, clearly say “that” and not “dat?!” The title includes “that” when some stars perform it (Ella Fitzgerald, for example) and “dat” when others perform it (Lena Horne and Ava Gardner).

Oh well, I won’t worry about dat anymore, I’ll just let Lena and her voice of an angel transport you to a whole other world.

Enjoy the trip!

LEGENDS! Judy Garland and Lena Horne Sing on The Judy Garland Show

October 11, 2012 By Joi Leave a Comment

I confess… I just watched this back-to-back-to-back-to-back. Four times and, get this, the only thing I want to do with my life at this moment is watch it a fifth time.

What is it about these two legends? They draw you in with each and every expression and each and every note. I love them both like crazy and, before the day is over, I’m pretty sure I’ll reach 24 viewings.

More if my family thinks they can do without supper.