“A torch song is a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, where one party is either oblivious to the existence of the other, or where one party has moved on.” (Wikipedia)
Sarah Vaughn, Broken Hearted Melody. YouTuber comment: “Late 1959. I was in 4th grade, listening to KFWB Los Angeles.” Same here. Same year, same grade, same station, KFWB, Channel 98! Color Radio! ‘Color Radio!’ as part of their promo was not a racial reference but an allusion to the fact that color TV had recently become available.
My favorite deejay was B. Mitchel Reed. I learned ‘semolian’ and the Yiddish ‘mishigas’ from him. His real surname is ‘Goldberg,’ which means mountain of gold. I will say no more lest, at this time of resurgent anti-semitism, ‘thanks’ to the despicable Democrats, I ‘trigger’ any anti- or philo-semites that might be hanging around. It’s Saturday night, friends. Let’s forget about this political Scheissdreck for a few hours. Tomorrow’s another day. I now take a sip of my Jack & Coke and slide into some Boomer nostalgia.
Timi Yuro, Hurt. When I first heard this I was sure she was black. I was wrong. She’s Italian, and her real name is Rosemarie Timotea Auro. What pipes!
Billie Holliday, The Very Thought of You
Roy Orbison, In Dreams
Peggy Lee, Oh You Crazy Moon
Ketty Lester, Love Letters
Etta James, At Last
Lenny Welch, Since I Fell for You
Sentimental you say? What would life be without sentiment? You say it’s overdone? You suffer from an excess of cool. It’s Saturday night, punch the clock, pour yourself a stiff one, and feel. Tonight we feel, tomorrow we think. About sentimentality and everything else under the sun.