Ain't Misbehavin'

[alivemagdolene]

Possibly my most beloved Cole Porter song (well, the most beloved Cole Porter song that doesn't have any dirty lyrics) has posed me a pleasant conundrum on a recent YouTube surf.

I have a special spot in my heart for the Irving Aaronson and his Commanders version (see at the end of Woody Allen's Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)):

But then I hear the Irène Bordoni version...

Which version do you think is better, any fellow Jazz age geeks?

This is one of those songs I actually know by heart and think I can sing* and generally do if asked. I'm tellin' ya, my dream job is a Jazz age torch singer/cabaret parasite.



* "Sing" meaning "imitate version I've heard like a myna bird imitates a car alarm".

Comments

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

i like the first one better than the irene bordoni. it's so lively!

[alivemagdolene.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine (who's not generally a Jazz-age listener) said it sounds like music from a cartoon from the '30s. ^_^

[rehime.livejournal.com]

I'm going on my unpolished taste, but I prefer the first one. So catchy! So compelling!

*smashes a window at random*

[alivemagdolene.livejournal.com]

I think the first one's pretty spiffy for its general happiness-- also, you get the feeling Irène Bordoni really didn't know the meaning of the words/mastered English (despite starring in the musical). "Let's misbehaaaave!" sounds like she's going to give the guy the clap or something.

[imoldfashioned.livejournal.com]

The Irving Aaronson version is the number one song on my ipod list. If only I could remember who sent it to me (taps chin thoughtfully). Hmm...

[alivemagdolene.livejournal.com]

Whoever sent it has good taste! (well, sort of ^_~)
Dammit, now I'm singing this song...