A Splendored Performance
I came across this video a couple days ago, and love it for a few reasons. It's the Four Aces singing "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" on an old episode of The Ed Sullivan Show.
I like it, for starters, because I've always liked the song. It's certainly a bit hokey, and definitely somewhat high-dramatic, but it's a melodic number with sweet lyrics, winning the Oscar for Best Song. It's written by Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster.
(Fun Fact: when it won the Oscar in 1956, the award was presented by Maurice Chevalier.)
I also enjoy most versions of the song, which was performed by Matt Monroe in the film, but I especially like this by the Four Aces because I love harmony. And four-part harmony even more. And this is particularly good four-part harmony.
But I particularly like this video because it's just so over-the-top dramatic. Although other versions, are dramatic, as I noted, they start more quietly and build. Including the version the Four Aces did on their hit record. But this on The Ed Sullivan Show? Man, do they raise the bar, especially the lead singer who you get the sense is trying to overwhelm viewers with his professional-level emoting. (And this song gives ample opportunity for that, most-especially as it builds and then soars.) My guess is that the lure of having a TV camera on them and with all the millions of live viewers across the nation made them -- and mostly the lead singer -- feel that they had to ratchet up the heart-wrenching performance a few levels, to let you know he really means it, now that you're watching and not just listening to a mere record. Man, does he dive in off the high board.
And with all that, a final reason I like it so much is that this Four Aces video really speaks iconically to a type of group and performance of that era. Groups like The Four Freshman, the Four Preps, the Four Lads (apparently people couldn't count well in those days, or at least past three) The Letterman, The Gaylords, The Crew Cuts and others. I really don't know any of them well -- that's why I can't tell you who the lead singer is here -- I just know that this performance speaks quintessentially for them.
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