"Tonight, I'll Say A Prayer," Girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    It was not enough to mar the weekend, but it brought me up short.  There I was, Sunday morning, still feeling like Liza at the ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I was in the shower, when Monsieur shouts through the doorway--"Edyie Gorme died!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                     I was so shaken  I had to grab the shower rail.  Thank God there was one, or I might have toppled over, and that would not have been good at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      It started me thinking.  I remembered being a little boy, back in 1963, when she seeped into my consciousness, with "Blame It On The Bossa Nova!"    As I got older, in a manner of speaking, Edyie Gorme taught me how to sing.  Of course, there was Judy, and that other one called BARBRA--who, to a certain extent, eclipsed Edyie.  But when Miss Gorme launched into "If He Walked Into My Life," (the first rendition of that song I ever heard, even before Angela Lansbury on the cast album of "Mame!!!!!!!") or "It Was A Good Time," a set of lyrics set to Maurice Jarre's main theme from David Lean's 1970 film "Ryan's Daughter," and, especially, "Tonight I'll Say A Prayer!," there was nothing to compare with her.  She owned those tunes, just like she and her husband, Steve Lawrence, owned the husband and wife musical act they patented for years!!!!!!!!!!  I still recall one of our family Christmas albums, growing up, which had Steve and Edyie--they were never billed any other way!!!!!!--singing this rather risque song called "That Holiday Feeling."  I still recall the couplet, "When Santa Claus begins his flight.....I hope he gets a flat tonight," because these two wanted to cuddle, and more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     And, of course Theater Queens had damn well better remember their one and only show, "Golden Rainbow," which starred not only them but child star Scott Jacoby, and marked the Broadway debut of future "Chorus Line' Sheila, Kelly (then Carole!!!!!!!) Bishop.  This was a musical version of the 1959 Frank Sinatra movie, "A Hole In The Head," which introduced one of the first songs I learned how to sing--the Oscar winning song, "High Hopes."  "Golden Rainbow" produced two songs that became standards for Steve--"For Once In Your (later changed to "My") Life," and "I've Gotta Be Me!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                      Now, Edyie has left us!!!!!!!!!!  I know they did only one show, but Broadway should dim the lights for her.  Her renditions sometimes surpassed the original artists, and she was one of the great belters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       The passing of Edyie Gorme is sad to generations still living, who remember her!

                                                           "Oh, it all began with just one little dance,
                                                               But then it ended up a big romance,
                                                             Blame it on the Bossa Nova,
                                                                The dance of love."