Rick Michel's Blog

Here’s a Dean Martin tune that’s ideal to start a summer day and it works when the sun goes down too: I Got the Sun in the Mornin’ (And the Moon at Night) drips of an ideal summer, summoning images of a blazingly sunny day, finishing with a pleasantly cool evening.  The song was written for the 1946 musical Annie Get Your Gun and originally sung by Ethel Merman, but Martin utilizes his patented cool charm to set the perfect mood.

My Sinatra choice has the season right in the title; Summer Wind is a gorgeous combination of upbeat melody with melancholy lyrics telling the familiar tale of lost love.  The song was first released in 1965 by Wayne Newton, but Frank’s ’66 version is the best known recording.  It was originally written in German as Der Sommerwind and it was Johnny Mercer that worked the English version into a must-have for anyone’s summer playlist.

For Sammy, I think of a duet he did with Carmen McRae called The Things We did Last Summer.  It’s another hit from 1946 and while both Frank and Dean may have had more well-known recordings of it, this version has always stayed with me, likely because Sammy’s voice is spot on.  The message of the tune, how the memories of summer are the fuel you need to get through winter, is marvelous.

My summer run in Sammy’s Showroom at Harrah’s Reno continues, so do pop by and say hello!

 Summer is in full swing and that means plenty of hot weather, days by the water with lots of great food, and music, either outdoors or bathed in priceless air conditioning.  The Rat Pack had many summer hits; it’s the season that revolves completely around love and relaxation.  For me, music is the most important part of every summer recipe and I find myself drawn to a few staples that may have slipped your mind that I’d like to share.

 Here’s a Dean Martin tune that’s ideal to start a summer day and it works when the sun goes down too: I Got the Sun in the Mornin’ (And the Moon at Night) drips of an ideal summer, summoning images of a blazingly sunny day, finishing with a pleasantly cool evening.  The song was written for the 1946 musical Annie Get Your Gun and originally sung by Ethel Merman, but Martin utilizes his patented cool charm to set the perfect mood.

 My Sinatra choice has the season right in the title; Summer Wind is a gorgeous combination of upbeat melody with melancholy lyrics telling the familiar tale of lost love.  The song was first released in 1965 by Wayne Newton, but Frank’s ’66 version is the best known recording.  It was originally written in German as Der Sommerwind and it was Johnny Mercer that worked the English version into a must-have for anyone’s summer playlist.

For Sammy, I think of a duet he did with Carmen McRae called The Things We did Last Summer.  It’s another hit from 1946 and while both Frank and Dean may have had more well-known recordings of it, this version has always stayed with me, likely because Sammy’s voice is spot on.  The message of the tune, how the memories of summer are the fuel you need to get through winter, is marvelous.

My summer run in Sammy’s Showroom at Harrah’s Reno continues, so do pop by and say hello!