Nice Work If You Can Get It Another example of George and Ira Gershwin’s inventive use of words and unique chord changes Enjoy, Dr. Weiss
Welcome to my music blog -
The Soundtrack of My Life!
Many of you have asked me “What’s with all the music, Dr. Weiss?” Well, as I’ve told some of you:
I personally call every surgery patient on the evening of surgery just to make sure they are doing well and have no questions that need answering. Occasionally, I would be at the piano and play a song that we had listened to that day. I gradually realized that I wanted to go through all the music that I had played during my life and at least start making a list of the songs that I had recently played.
Well, there are now about 600 songs on the list and I realized that it in a way it represented the ‘soundtrack of my life’! And that’s how I got the idea to record these songs and share them with my patients, friends and family. After I record them they will reside here, for easy access.
Music is truth. It’s honest. It’s really the first social media, where in a way, people could share their souls directly. And isn’t that what the purpose of social media is and why it’s so popular - trying to share who you really are, as completely and directly as possible?
Finally, it has been (and will continue to be) a genuine pleasure sharing these different songs with you and I really appreciate all of your positive feedback!!
The Night They Invented Champagne
August 6, 2022
Click on the mice to watch! This is a feel-good song from the award-winning 1958 American musical Gigi; the music was composed by Frederick Loewe and the lyrics were written by Alan Jay Lerner. The prompts for the AI illustrations mentioned inebriated festive french mice, and if you listen closely for the second verse I’ve tried to play a little wobbly! So although there may be continued uncertainty about our Covid future, tonight, by focusing on a bit of positive news, Let’s Celebrate! Enjoy, Dr. Weiss PS Yes, Jackie, Tamara and I are finally back in the office seeing happy patients and doing eyelid surgery. Don’t worry – we’re all wearing N95 masks! PSS Here are some of the ‘runners-up’ original Dall-E artificial intelligence illustrations. Which one do you like the best?
Mountain Greenery
March 22, 2022
Mountain Greenery For all you show-tune lovers, here’s a toe-tapping, finger-snapping song from 1926 – smack in the middle of the Roaring Twenties – a perfect to celebrate the plunging Covid-19 metrics and a return to some kind of normal. “Mountain Greenery” is a popular song composed by Richard Rodgers (The Sound of Music, Carousel, South Pacific), with lyrics by Lorenz Hart (Blue Moon, The Lady is a Tramp, My Funny Valentine). In addition to the clever rhyming (I’ve reddened the rhymes in the lyrics below), there is a repeating rhythm of each verse that is recognizable even without the music. Fun fact: It was first performed on the Broadway stage by none other than the late, great Sterling Holloway, who voiced Winnie the Pooh (and also Kaa the snake in Jungle Book, among many others.) He appeared in over 100 films and 40 television shows! Also, it was Holloway who first gave voice to the classic Rodgers & Hart tune “Manhattan” (We’ll take Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island, too.) I never realized that he was so suave and debonair when he was younger! Notable versions were recorded by Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, The Supremes, Tony Bennett, Mel Tormé. Two great performances: Perry Como (you gotta see this!) and Dick […]
On the Good Ship Lollipop
December 7, 2021
On The Good Ship Lollipop Tribute to Shirley Temple What can I say about Shirley Temple (who passed away today – December 7 – at age 85)? I will miss her but never forget her spirit. Thanks for all your smiles! We should all slow down and watch a Shirley Temple movie soon! In the meantime… Enjoy, Dr. Weiss Dedicated to Josh and Lana
As Long As He Needs Me
December 30, 2019
"As Long as He Needs Me" is a torch song sung by the character of Nancy in the 1960 musical Oliver! and written by Lionel Bart. It is a love ballad expressing Nancy's love for her criminal boyfriend Bill Sikes despite his mistreatment of her. Best known for creating the book, music and lyrics for Oliver!, Bart was described by Andrew Lloyd Webber as "the father of the modern British musical". In 1963 he won the Tony Award for Best Original Score for Oliver!, and the 1968 film version of the musical won a total of 6 Academy Awards including the Academy Award for Best Picture. Some of his other compositions include the theme song to the James Bond film From Russia with Love. Enjoy, Dr. Weiss Bosendorfer piano sound - For this recording I’m playing a Yamaha Clavinova – which has the same keyboard action as a traditional acoustic piano, but there are no strings. Pressing a key activates (in this case) a sound which was sampled from a Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand piano. Try listening to it with a good set of headphones! It sounds better than any piano I've ever owned!!
If Ever I Would Leave You
November 26, 2019
On This Day in (November 26) 1933 Robert Goulet born. Cast as Sir Lancelot and originating the role in the 1960 Broadway musical Camelot starring opposite established Broadway stars Richard Burton and Julie Andrews, he achieved instant recognition with his performance and interpretation of the song "If Ever I Would Leave You", which became his signature song. His debut in Camelot marked the beginning of a stage, screen, and recording career. A Grammy Award and Tony Award winner, his career spanned almost six decades. Goulet’s version of the popular Lerner and Lowe classic “If Ever I Would Leave You” was somehow indelibly stamped into my young teen brain during Goulet’s heyday. From my vantage point (as a pre-teen in the early ‘60s) Robert Goulet was the epitome of the perfect role model: handsome, talented, amazing voice, always gets the girl, etc. I remember listening endlessly to the Camelot original cast recording on my parents ‘hi-fi’. He also was pretty lucky in getting to popularize this powerful song. We also have to thank lyricist Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Lowe not only for Camelot, but also the broadway classics My Fair Lady, Gigi and others. Thanks, guys! I hope you [...]
Waltz at Maxim’s
June 28, 2019
“Waltz At Maxim’s” is also by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. This delightful tune from the broadway play Gigi is another beautiful love song. I think the music alone accurately evokes this exciting feeling. I’ve included it as another Weiss Music Minute – Valentine’s Day edition, and also because the arpeggio I’ve added at the end is so fun to play! Bosendorfer piano sound - For this recording I’m playing a Yamaha Clavinova – which has the same keyboard action as a traditional acoustic piano, but there are no strings. Pressing a key activates (in this case) a sound which was sampled from a Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand piano. Try listening to it with a good set of headphones! It sounds better than any piano I've ever owned!!
Gigi
June 28, 2019
“Gigi” is another memorable romantic song by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe from the film Gigi (two other well known songs from the same film: “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” and “I Remember It Well.”) By the way, in addition to My Fair Lady and Gigi, Lerner and Loewe also gave us Camelot. I spent so many hours listening to the songs from Camelot when I was a kid – now I know that I have Lerner and Loewe to thank. Thanks, boys! Bosendorfer piano sound - For this recording I’m playing a Yamaha Clavinova – which has the same keyboard action as a traditional acoustic piano, but there are no strings. Pressing a key activates (in this case) a sound which was sampled from a Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand piano. Try listening to it with a good set of headphones! It sounds better than any piano I've ever owned!!
I Could Have Danced All Night
June 28, 2019
On this day in 1988 we lost Frederick Loewe, who composed the music for “I Could Have Danced All Night”. This is a love song from the musical My Fair Lady, with lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, published in 1956. The song is sung by the musical’s heroine, Eliza Doolittle, expressing her excitement after an impromptu dance with her tutor, Henry Higgins. Interestingly, in the 1964 film adaptation of the musical, the song was sung by Marni Nixon, dubbing the singing voice of Audrey Hepburn, who played Eliza Doolittle in one of her most memorable roles. Check out Audrey Hepburn doing the song on youtube – she does an excellent job of lip syncing, although I’ve read that she also had a great voice! Bosendorfer piano sound - For this recording I’m playing a Yamaha Clavinova – which has the same keyboard action as a traditional acoustic piano, but there are no strings. Pressing a key activates (in this case) a sound which was sampled from a Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand piano. Try listening to it with a good set of headphones! It sounds better than any piano I've ever owned!!
Beauty and the Beast
March 14, 2019
On This Day (March 14) in 1991, Howard Ashman who wrote the lyrics for “Beauty and the Beast” passed away at age 40 from complications due to AIDS. He also wrote the lyrics for The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. While finishing “Beauty and the Beast” his health began to decline due to his illness. He grew weaker but he remained productive and continued to write and he completed the lyrical work on “Beauty and the Beast” before succumbing to AIDS. The film was released mere months after his death and is dedicated to him. “Beauty and the Beast” is dedicated "To our friend Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice and a beast his soul, we will be forever grateful. Howard Ashman 1950–1991. I’d like to dedicate this performance to my dear friends Peggy and Dan, who treated my new wife and I to an unforgettable performance of the play at the Schubert Theatre in Los Angeles in 1995. Bosendorfer piano sound - For this recording I’m playing a Yamaha Clavinova – which has the same keyboard action as a traditional acoustic piano, but there are no strings. Pressing a key activates (in this case) a sound which was sampled from a Bösendorfer Imperial [...]
