Vintage Singer Preston

December 3, 2018 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I recently had the pleasure of singing for a wonderful lady at her 80th birthday party in Chorley near Preston, Lancashire. Held at the beautiful Shaw Hill Golf and Spa hotel, it was a lovely celebration of life, love, friendship and family.

The Shaw Hill is a marvellous country house hotel set above a championship golf course in the tranquil setting of Chorley in Lancashire. Vardon’s restaurant provided the perfect venue for the nostalgic afternoon.

I sang a selection of favourite old songs that were all specially chosen by the family.

The day was organised by her daughter, who sent me this lovely testimonial:

“Lisa performed at my mum’s 80th birthday over the weekend. She sang some nostalgic songs from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s which evoked many happy memories for mum and her friends.
Lisa was professional and friendly and of course, super talented! I would thoroughly recommend Lisa to anyone planning a special event and looking for a first class singer.
Thank you Lisa, you made my 80 year old mum a very happy lady x”

She also sent me this picture – how romantic! To think they’ve been together for 59 years and he’s still gazing at her as if they’d just met – heartmelting!

Still romantic after 59 years!

I had a really good time meeting all the family and felt privileged to be part of such a special occasion.

You’ll Never Know, 1940s song from The Shape of Water

March 28, 2018 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

You’ll Never Know is a 1940s song that popped up recently in the award-winning film ‘The Shape of Water’. When I went to see the movie I was very pleased to hear the original Alice Faye version featured prominently in several scenes.

Funnily enough, I’d recently recorded a version myself, as it’s one of my favourite songs. It’s one of those beautiful standards that’s so emotive to sing that I sometimes struggle not to burst into tears when I’m performing it – back then they certainly knew how to write songs that would pull at your heartstrings!

So I put together a little video of my recording and added some trivia about the song – I’m always fascinated to find out the background of these vintage songs.

Here it is – I hope you like it.

You’ll Never Know – history and background

You’ll Never Know was written by Harry Warren (music) and Mack Gordon (lyrics) and was introduced in the 1943 movie ‘Hello Frisco Hello’ by popular singer of the day Alice Faye.

The movie ‘Hello Frisco Hello’ was released by 20th Century-Fox and filmed in Technicolor. Set in San Francisco, it told the story of vaudeville performers around the period of the Panama Pacific Exposition of 1915, and starred Alice Faye, John Payne, Lynn Bari and Jack Oakie.

The song’s sentimental lyrics – based on a poem written by a young wartime bride from Oklahoma – captured the hearts of millions of people who were missing their loved ones.

With lines such as ‘you went away… and my heart went with you’, it really struck a chord with couples who had been separated with no guarantee of being reunited, and it became something of a World War 2 anthem.

Funnily enough, according to Philip Furia and Michael Lasser, the song’s main melodic theme came from military inspiration. In their book The Poets of Tin Pan Alley they quote Warren:

“You know my big Academy Award song, “You’ll Never Know”? Well, it wasn’t entirely original – I did a little steal on that one. Songwriters always borrow a few bars here and there. I don’t know how the hell it came to me but I was thinking about the notes in a bugle call and dammit if it wasn’t just what I wanted to get “You’ll Never Know” started”

The song wasn’t just popular with the public – it also won the 1943 Academy Award for best original song.

Faye went on to perform the song again in her 1944 film ‘Four Jills in a Jeep’. Sadly however, she never released a recorded version of it due to a clause in her contract with Fox. She soon faded away from the public eye; replaced by bigger stars such as Betty Grable.

Alice Faye was an incredible talent and I can’t understand how she isn’t more widely remembered. In my opinion she delivered the definitive version of this song, although many other performers came to be better known for it, including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Lynn, whose version was very popular with British audiences.

Around this time the musicians’ recording strike of 1942 to 1944 prevented singers from recording songs with any musical accompaniment, leading artistes such as Frank Sinatra and Dick Haymes to record their versions ‘a capella’ (using only voices and no instruments).

They used backing singers to replace the music, and I must say it’s very cleverly done, as you can hardly tell there’s anything missing!

As the years went by singers such as Doris Day , Shirley Bassey, and Michael Buble continued to bring back this beautiful song, and no matter what era it found itself in, it never failed to inspire emotion.

It was the first song ever recorded by a very young Barbara Streisand, in 1955 at the age of 13. Despite her tender years that distinctive voice still shines out as she effortlessly does the song justice.

You’ll Never Know in the movies

You’ll Never Know has continued to be a hit on the silver screen too. It was used to great effect in the opening scene of Martin Scorsese’s 1974 film ‘Alice doesn’t live here anymore’ , perhaps setting the trend for emotive vintage songs providing uneasy backdrops for violent movies.

The Shape of Water

This evergreen song has most recently been brought back into the public eye in Guillermo del Toro’s incredible film ‘The Shape of Water’, starring Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, and featuring a spell-binding performance from the wonderful Sally Hawkins.

The film is set in the 1950s and features lots of gorgeous vintage music, including one of my absolute favourites ‘I know why and so do you’ – I was so pleased when that little gem popped up – I had to restrain myself from singing along in the cinema 😉

Fantasy sequences and playful dance scenes throughout the movie mean that vintage songs and style were seamlessly sewn into the plot, despite the storyline being VERY different to your typical vintage Hollywood movie. I won’t say anymore because, you know – spoilers 😉

If you haven’t seen the film, do yourself a favour and go and see it, as it’s incredible – especially if you’re a fan of the 1940s and 1950s.

You’ll Never Know – Lyrics

You’ll never know just how much I miss you
You’ll never know just how much I care
And if I tried, I still couldn’t hide my love for you
You ought to know, for haven’t I told you so
A million or more times?

You went away and my heart went with you
I speak your name in my every prayer
If there is some other way to prove that I love you
I swear I don’t know how
You’ll never know if you don’t know now

You went away and my heart went with you I speak your name in my every prayer
If there is some other way to prove that I love you
I swear I don’t know how
You’ll never know if you don’t know now

You’ll never know if you don’t know now

Remembrance Day Singer

November 16, 2017 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I had a busy weekend for last week’s Remembrance Day, performing my 1940s wartime show in Glasgow and Fife, Scotland. It was a lovely sunny but briskly cold November weekend, and it was great to see such a large turnout for both events.

Remembrance Day, also known as Armistice Day, is a memorial day held every year on 11th November to commemorate the end of the First World War, when hostilities finally ended in 1918 at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. It gives people the opportunity to honour the memory of the members of the Armed Forces who gave their lives in the line of duty.

My venue in Glasgow was the Kirkintilloch Rangers Supporters Club, a lovely friendly club with a really strong community spirit about it. Everybody had turned out in force wearing their poppies with pride, and the band played a rousing selection of hymns and marches.

I sang my selection of old-time classics by Vera Lynn, Gracie Fields and many other wartime favourites, and it was great to hear everyone singing along.

At the end of the day a beautiful memorial bench was presented in honour of a local member of the community who had fought in the First World War. What a beautiful gesture on a lovely occasion, and a privilege for me to be a part of.

On Remembrance Sunday I travelled across to Glenrothes in Fife to perform at the CISWO club. Another fab club, CISWO host a broad selection of events for the local community to enjoy. I was made very welcome by staff and customers alike, and enjoyed performing a wide range of music for the afternoon, beginning with my wartime show and ending with modern songs for dancing.

This will be my last opportunity to perform at this venue as they are moving next week to new premises across the road. I wish them the best of luck, and look forward to returning to see the new club.

Vera Lynn Tribute – Happy 100th Birthday

March 20, 2017 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

Today is a very special day, as it’s the centenary of 1940s World War 2 singer Dame Vera Lynn. Vera Lynn, ‘The Forces Sweetheart’ started her singing career at the tender age of seven, and she’s still going strong now, having just released her latest album to celebrate her hundredth birthday!

Vera Lynn captured hearts across the nation during the Second World War, keeping the home fires burning and spirits high with her popular radio show ‘Sincerely Yours’. She entertained the troops in Egypt, India and Burma, remaining a total professional despite terrible conditions.

After the war she remained very popular around the world, with hit records, TV shows, and Royal Variety Performances.

To this day she remains a national treasure, and has been honoured for her centenary by a special variety performance at the London Palladium theatre. Her image has even been projected onto the white cliffs of Dover as a special tribute to this living legend.

I made my own tribute to Vera Lynn with this video of my rendition of one of her most beautiful songs: The White Cliffs of Dover.

Happy Birthday to a truly remarkable woman!

1940s Tea Party Waldorf Astoria Hotel Edinburgh

April 29, 2016 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

Last weekend I performed my 1940s show at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel (the Caledonian) in Edinburgh. A very special event was taking place as it was a tea party for Contact the Elderly, a wonderful charity organisation who organise get-togethers for elderly people who live alone. This is such important work as there are so many older people who are alone and lonely, with no real way to get out and about.

Contact the Elderly brings together volunteers and older community members so that they can enjoy tea, cake and a chat. This year is a special year for the charity as it is their Golden Jubilee year, so Bailley Gifford (an investment management firm who has chosen Contact the Elderly as its Charity of the year) very kindly organised a fabulous 1940s style tea party at the luxury hotel right across from the Edinburgh Castle in the heart of the city.

Also performing were the fabulous trio ‘Le Swing’ headed by excellent guitarist Marcus Ford. I was booked to perform my show during the band’s break, and afterwards we did a couple of impromptu numbers together. It was lots of fun, and it’s always a treat for me to work with such great musicians.

Here’s a video snippet we caught on the day:

The audience had a fantastic time dancing and singing along, and there was lots of lovely feedback from people who were so pleased to hear all those beautiful songs again.

Big thanks to Sam from Ballie Gifford and Kirsty the events coordinator for all their help on the day, and also to Doug and Fiona at the Entertainers Agency.

1940s style 80th Birthday Party

December 18, 2015 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

This month I performed at my most important VIP gig of the year – my mum’s 80th birthday party! We decided to have a 1940s / 1950s theme to give her a little reminder of what life was like when she was a young slip of a thing 😉

Nobody needed much of an excuse to get into the mood and dress up accordingly. It helps that 1940s fashion is so easy to access nowadays with many online shops providing cool vintage looks.

My gorgeous cousins suit the 1940s look!

I did a little snippet of my 1940s and 1950s show to get the party started, then two of my cousins (Shirley and Becca) took to the mic and kept the singing going (what a talented family we are!). My partner Stephen is also a singer and musician, so he finished the night off with some music to keep everyone dancing.

My mum had a brilliant time, she was grinning from ear to ear from the moment she walked in. She was up on the dancefloor all night – I don’t know where she gets her energy from – she’s living proof that age really is just a number!

The birthday girl looking fabulous

It took me two car journeys to get all the presents and cards back to my mum’s house – not to mention the all-important birthday cake.

It was so nice to get to see all my family, as I really don’t see enough of everyone now that I live up in Glasgow. Big thanks to everyone that helped organise the party, including my brother Danny and his girlfriend Barb who laid out a delicious buffet, my cousins Kate and Shirley for providing a stunning vintage-style birthday cake plus some lovely party decorations, and everyone else for joining in with all the fun!

Vintage Wedding Music at Greywalls Gullane

November 23, 2015 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I performed some lovely vintage style wedding music at the gorgeous Greywalls Hotel in Gullane a little while ago. I was booked to sing 1940s and 1950s classics during an afternoon drinks reception, the day after The Big Day.

After a very pleasant drive along the coast from Edinburgh to Gullane, we arrived at Greywalls, which is a stone’s throw away from Muirfield Golf course. Even though autumn was well on its way we were very lucky with the weather, with clear blue skies and bright sunshine, so I was able to set up outside in the enchanting grounds of the hotel.

Not my car… unfortunately 😉

Greywalls Hotel is a charming place that retains a quiet homely feel while remaining perfectly elegant, inside and out. Built in 1901, it has seen the whole of the 20th century go by, so it seemed very fitting to choose the best of popular songs from throughout the century.

The old-style romantic songs such as ‘The way you look tonight”, “As time goes by” and “Cheek to cheek” seemed to suit the character of the hotel perfectly.

The charming gardens at Greywall Hotel

It was a delightful afternoon, with guests either sitting and listening while they enjoyed their refreshments, or having a little dance when the mood took them.

Sunshine, good music, and great company – what more can you ask for? I think these sunny afternoon gigs are my favourite type of bookings!

Are you looking for ideas for vintage weddings in Scotland? Take a look at this video, which features some lovely vintage suppliers, including elegant bridal dresses, quirky vintage cutlery, delicious cakes, and classy photography – plus me singing one of my favourite romantic ballads ‘What a difference a day makes’.

Afternoon tea party at the Marriott Hotel Glasgow

October 21, 2015 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

The Marriott Hotel in Glasgow was the venue for a vintage-style afternoon tea party I performed at recently. Based in Argyle Street in the centre of Glasgow Scotland, the Marriott is a very popular choice for corporate functions and parties.

The event was hosted by a pharmaceutical company, who had invited patients to an open day and wanted to finish off with afternoon tea and entertainment. I came along with a mixture of golden-oldies to cheer up the visitors who had had a long morning taking in information, so they were glad of a little light entertainment with some tea and cake to refresh themselves!

Many thanks to Catherine Price from MPI for ensuring everything ran smoothly.

Vintage tea party at Pollokshields, Glasgow

October 13, 2015 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I recently sang at a lovely vintage tea party at Pollokshields Burgh Hall in Glasgow. The special occasion was the 40th birthday party of Jo Pirie, an award winning film-maker who runs Bowery Productions, an independent film and production company that makes promotional films, wedding videos, and various films for other events.

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and the gardens in Maxwell Park were all in bloom. Jo had opted for an afternoon tea party to celebrate her birthday, as she was pregnant with her 2nd child so it seemed like a refreshing non-alcoholic alternative to a late-night party!

Vintage music lends itself perfectly to this kind of thing, so she booked me to sing some 1940s and 1950s songs while everyone relaxed and tucked into some delicious looking cakes and sandwiches. It was a lovely informal family affair, with lots of children running about and enjoying the retro-style candy on offer, while people meandered in and around the hall and gardens, making the most of the sunshine.

I included plenty of great old unforgettable classics in my set, such as ‘Fly me to the moon’and ‘My baby just cares for me‘, plus some modern songs with a vintage twist, like this version of Meghan Trainor’s ‘All about that bass‘

A vintage tea party is a unique family-friendly way to celebrate a special occasion in style – and Glasgow has plenty of classy venues that lend themselves perfectly to these occasions. Pollokshields Burgh Hall certainly added a special something to a perfect day.

1940s show in Edinburgh

August 7, 2015 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I’m very glad to let you know that I’ll be performing my 1940s show in Edinburgh next month on Wednesday 30th September. It’s been arranged by the Gorgie Dalry Community Association to provide some entertainment for their community members.

The Gorgie Dalry Community Association are a fantastic organisation who provide a wide range of activities, programmes, and social events for their community, so I’m really glad to be collaborating with them. The show is in the afternoon starting at 1pm, at The Edinburgh Prison Officers Club, 22b McLeod Street, Gorgie, Edinburgh. All are welcome, so if you’re in the neighbourhood come on down!

I’ll be singing all the old favourites from the 1940s such as ‘Don’t sit under the apple tree’, ‘The white cliffs of Dover’, and of course ‘We’ll meet again’. I’ll also be performing my 1950s show, so if you’re in the mood for rockin’ and rollin’ you won’t be disappointed!

So come along and join us on the 30th September for a good old fashioned singalong and a bit of a dance too 😉

To reserve your seat, just get in touch with Catriona Windle from Health All Round. Email: catriona@healthallround.org.uk or telephone 0131 337 1376. See you there!