Peggy Lee RIP

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of a heart attack, aged 81.

― Marcello Carlin, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

This was the first item of news I heard waking up. It made me indescibably sad. Oddly, playing a copy of her tunes cheered me up no end. Its a good innings anyway for a woman whose best known tune is about illness.

― Pete, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

A song that must be very confusing for you, Pete. I'm afraid I thought Peggy Lee was already dead, but I was sad to hear the news too. Does that make sense? To anyone who hasn't heard it, go and search out a copy of 'Is That All There Is?'

― N., Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Grrr - I love Peggy Lee (esp. the 'Black Coffee' alb) but am already getting irritated by no-nothing newscasters claiming that she wrote 'Fever' when it was in fact the great Little Willy John, whose version is at least as good as Peggy's. Elvis does a pretty mean cover of it too.

― Andrew L, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I heard an Obituary on Morning Edition this morn. She was also the voice of the siamese cats (both cats, singing a fifth-off) in Lady & The Tramp... and she sang one of dem dere songs in the movie, too (He's a Tramp but I love Him - or some such name...)

― Dave225, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

This news also left me a bit down this morning. She has/had one of the best voices in all of pop music: bemused, knowing, with a hint of ineffable sadness.

― Nicole, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Cover of 'Fever' by Eno & The Winkies almost as good as Peggy's, but not. RIP Peggy.

― Jeff W, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Disney refused to pay Ms. Lee full royalties when they rerelased Lady and the Tramp on home video and she sued when they approached a few million, Disney got there lawyers and fought Ms Lee tooth and nail though she was in a wheel chair and not well .

― anthony, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Writers !necessarily= Singers but they need each other (even when they happen to be the same person).

This is (and I say this as a mark of respect) one of the biggest deaths pop had left in it.

― the pinefox, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

She might well have been the cats in Lady and the Tramp, but I remember her as some other dog called -- aha! -- Peggy, who sings "He's a Tramp." Which was the first song I ever heard by her, and I can call it to mind just like that. RIP indeed.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I don't know what to say except that she led an incredibly accomplished life, and that practically everything she's ever sung I've liked. Peggy Lee is the Bomb.

― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 22 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I broke up with a woman three weeks ago who loves Peggy Lee, and who introduced me to her (and who, and who...) I've just been listening to a lot of her stuff again, in alphabetical order, because that's how they show up in my mp3 player.

a wonderfully slow and sad versh of "Basin St Blues",
"Fever",
"Hey Big Spender",
"How Long Has This Been Going On" with Tommy Dorsey, where she sounds very different, a much more melting-butter Billie Holiday sound to her voice (there are fashions in music, surprise surprise),

and then I got to "Is That All There Is." It's a strange song. There are some strings, woodwinds, some brass, and even a banjo that gives the chorus some thump. Whatever it is, it's a very curious song. Most of it's spoken. She starts as a child:

I remember when I was a very little girl, our house caught on fire. I'll never forget the look on my father's face as he gathered me up in his arms and raced through the burning building out to the pavement. I stood there shivering in my pajamas and watched the whole world go up in flames. And when it was all over I said to myself, "Is that all there is to a fire?" Is that all there is?

And the band picks up. The banjo comes in with a steady rhythm. The song now sounds like the end of a vaudeville show.

Is that all there is, is that all there is?
If that's all there is, my friends,
then let's keep dancing...
Let's break out the booze and - have a ball...
If that's all there is.

And we stop rocking. Only the brass now, like a mournful parade band, keeping time. She speaks again.

And when I was 12 years old, my father took me to a circus, the greatest show on earth. There were clowns and elephants and dancing bears. And a beautiful lady in pink tights flew high above our heads. And so I sat there watching the marvelous spectacle. I had the feeling that something was missing. I don't know what, but when it was over, I said to myself, "is that all there is to a circus?" Is that all there is?

She's bored with the greatest show on earth. With what's supposed to provoke her enthusiasm. But it's a question. What am I missing? she asks. Why am I not getting this thing? Fuck it -

Is that all there is, is that all there is?
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
...if that's all there is.

And then I fell in love with the most wonderful boy in the world. We would take long walks by the river or just sit for hours gazing into each other's eyes. We were so very much in love. And then one day he went away and I thought I'd die. But I didn't. And when I didn't I said to myself, "is that all there is to love?"

Is that all there is, is that all there is?
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep -

If she can adapt to anything, the way people are often called upon to do, then what's irreplaceable about love? And if love isn't irreplaceable, what's the point of living? She's broken off the chorus because she's already anticipating the criticism.

I know what you must be saying to yourselves, if that's the way she feels about it why doesn't she just end it all? Oh, no, not me. I'm in no hurry for that final disappointment. For I know just as well as I'm standing here talking to you, when that final moment comes and I'm breathing my last breath, I'll be saying to myself

Is that all there is, is that all there is?
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
...if that's all there is.
― Tracer Hand, Wednesday, 23 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oh I'm sorry. Here. This one's got more stuff in it too. * shrinks away*

I broke up with a woman three weeks ago who loves Peggy Lee, and who introduced me to her (and who, and who...) I've just been listening to a lot of her stuff again, in alphabetical order, because that's how they show up in my mp3 player.

* a wonderfully slow and sad "Basin St Blues",< br>* "Fever",
* "Hey Big Spender",
* "How Long Has This Been Going On" with Tommy Dorsey, where she sounds very different, a much more melting-butter Billie Holiday sound to her voice (there are fashions in music, surprise surprise),

and then I got to "Is That All There Is." It's a strange song. It was written for her in 1969 by two guys named Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. They were very successful songwriters. They'd written "Hound Dog" for Elvis and "Love Potion #9" and a bunch of other stuff. They were hitmakers, and Peggy Lee was already a legend.

When the album came out, a critic named Robert Palmer figured that "the Golden Age of Rock & Roll has come to an end." I don't know why he thought it was rock and roll. It's pop. In any case it's a very curious song. She starts as a child:

I remember when I was a very little girl, our house caught on fire. I'll never forget the look on my father's face as he gathered me up in his arms and raced through the burning building out to the pavement. I stood there shivering in my pajamas and watched the whole world go up in flames. And when it was all over I said to myself, "Is that all there is to a fire?" Is that all there is?

The banjo comes in with a steady rhythm. The song now sounds like the end of a vaudeville show.

Is that all there is, is that all there is?
If that's all there is, my friends,
then let's keep dancing...
Let's break out the booze and - have a ball...
If that's all there is.

And we stop rocking. Only the brass now, like a mournful parade band, keeping time. She speaks again.

And when I was 12 years old, my father took me to a circus, the greatest show on earth. There were clowns and elephants and dancing bears. And a beautiful lady in pink tights flew high above our heads. And so I sat there watching the marvelous spectacle. I had the feeling that something was missing. I don't know what, but when it was over, I said to myself, "is that all there is to a circus?" Is that all there is?

She's bored with the greatest show on earth! But it's a question. What am I missing? she asks. Why am I not getting this thing?

Is that all there is, is that all there is?
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing< br>Let's break out the booze and have a ball
...if that's all there is.

And then I fell in love with the most wonderful boy in the world. We would take long walks by the river or just sit for hours gazing into each other's eyes. We were so very much in love. And then one day he went away and I thought I'd die. But I didn't. And when I didn't I said to myself, "is that all there is to love?"

Is that all there is, is that all there is?
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep -

And she breaks off the chorus. Love is replaceable. The heart can adapt. But if this is true, what's the point of living? She's anticipating your criticism. "How boring," she says. Peggy Lee lived for 81 years.

I know what you must be saying to yourselves - if that's the way she feels about it why doesn't she just end it all? Oh, no, not me. I'm in no hurry for that final disappointment. For I know just as well as I'm standing here talking to you, when that final moment comes and I'm breathing my last breath, I'll be saying to myself

Is that all there is, is that all there is?< br>If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
...if that's all there is.
― Tracer Hand, Wednesday, 23 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

* grips railing to receive whipping *

― Tracer Hand, Wednesday, 23 January 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

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