More Against the Days

[Paul Mackin]

On Oct 19, 2006, at 8:03 PM, David Casseres wrote:

> Again iTunes is a useful research tool.  It lists many recordings of
> "Frenesí," most of which are this song.  Most are straight swing
> renditions, like the very nice one by Anita O'Day (the girl with no
> uvula!) and the instrumentals by Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington, etc.  But
> then you find the versions by Chet Baker, and Gerry Mulligan, and
> Benny Carter with Oscar Peterson; the tune has legs as a jazz
> standard.

My recollection is that Frenesi "belonged" to a Artie Shaw. His was  
the definitive version. Isn't there  some
story of his bringing the tune and Latin beat back from Mexica,  on  
his return from that famous escape. Without his recording would there  
even have
been all those "vocal" renditions? Would the silly English lyrics  
even have been written or ever heard of? These are questions, not  
statements.
Not really certain at this point in history.

Another thing. What reason is there to think  either Pynchon or the  
Gateses had the English lyrics in mind in naming the daughter?
It was the NAME of the song in all its exoticness that would have  
been on their minds. If the Gateses were even mildly "hip" they would  
know and love Shaw's version. It would have been no  contest. The  
only possible reason, among the sophisticated, for not worshipping at  
his alter would be if  you liked Benny Goodman's playing better.  
(that old question--Shaw actually considered Goodman the better   
clarinetist but himself the better musician)

>
> On 10/19/06, Paul Mackin <paul.mackin at verizon.net> wrote:
>>
>> On Oct 19, 2006, at 4:32 PM, Chris Broderick wrote:
>>
>> > I always thought that Pynchon was referring to the Artie Shaw
>> > version, which was one of his bigger hits (not as big as Begin the
>> > Beguine, but certainly very popular).  I wouldn't call it treacly,
>> > but it's pretty standard big band swing stuff from Shaw.
>>
>> It was recorded when he was using that huge string section. Sounded
>> impressive enough but he must not have had too much confidence in the
>> tune itself because,  unlike say with Stardust and Begin the
>> Beguine,  he only put one version of it on his 5-CD Self Portrait
>> release.
>>
>> >
>> > It was adapted from a Spanish tune by Alberto Dominguez with new
>> > English lyrics (by Ray Charles [I don't think it's the same one]
>> > and S.K. Russell).  Here's the lyrics to it, and to the original  
>> tune.
>>
>> Shaw would have nothing to do with these lyrics--disliked vocalists
>> anyway.
>>
>> With some notable exceptions
>>
>>
>> >
>> > http://ntl.matrix.com.br/pfilho/html/lyrics/f/frenesi.txt
>> >
>> > As for theories, I keep fixating on the line in the English  
>> version:
>> > "I knew that frenesí meant "Please love me""
>> >
>> > The literal translation of frenesi is "frenzy", or "madness".  Hub
>> > & Sasha sure burdened their daughter with one hell of a name...
>> >
>> > -Chris
>> >
>> > Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 14:13:10 -0400 (EDT)
>> > From: kelber at mindspring.com
>> > Subject: Re: Re: More Against the Days
>> > Anyone ever listened to the song Frenesi?  Or have any theories as
>> > to why Pynchon used the song to name his VL character?  I've only
>> > found an Edie Gorme rendition.  I think Artie Shaw has an
>> > instrumental version.  Pretty treacly stuff.
>> > Laura
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>