Billy Stewart's "Summertime"

[tsull1]

Lots of great versions of this song, most are slow like Sam Cooke's fine version.

I prefer the amped up one by Billy Stewart. This is just a fantastic version, IMO. Enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDLDl0_pt_k

[RossHolloway]

Agreed. I think his is the best...followed by the great live version Brenda Holloway turned in in 1966.

[paladin]

Lots of great versions of this song

right and Billy's one of the best............

[daddyacey]

Billy made this version of a standard his. So much so that he wanted to get credit for it ,but was turned down by the writers. He was due that crdit cause his version is infamous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jillfoster]

Those horn riffs really set this apart, and the way he sings it, of course... I NEVER get tired of his version of that song.

[soulster]

It pretty much doesn't matter now, daddyacy, Billy Stewart made it his song! He may as well have owned it! When you think of the song, it's his version that most people think of. Most people don't even know anyone else did it.

For me, it's the music that is the highlight of the song. The scatting in the middle is the icing on the cake!

[P-Shark: The Revenge]

Ohio Player's is my fav vers. Check out Sugarfoot's scat

[destruction]

Ohio Player's is my fav vers. Check out Sugarfoot's scat

My 13 year old came in while I was playing this and asked me if that was Jerome from Martin singing......

We just watched the episode with Jerome and Huggy Bear while housecleaing earler today.

Tomorrow morning when I get myself together......I'll answer her.

[daddyacey]

LOL @ destruction..... Man that is precious.

Soulster.........If you are into jazz ,Mile's version is stellar as far as instrumentation and performance. Sylvester also does a good job on it.

[texassoul]

I love this video of Billy doing a live lip sync. How about the cowboy costume!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRGeHRDBPYw

[randy_russi]

I remember there was a 45 version, which became the hit, but then there was an extended versiion that was
over the top. I actually saw Billy Stewart perform in Oct. '66 when the record was a hit. He was quite
a showman.

[mr_june]

I like Billy's version also as well as Dionne Warwick's version on one of her albums where she's singing show tunes. Summertime is a really nice Southern country song and it always reminds me of being down South.

[randy_russi]

Great clip! Dick Clark's Where The Action Is tv show.

[reese]

Billy made this version of a standard his. So much so that he wanted to get credit for it ,but was turned down by the writers. He was due that crdit cause his version is infamous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't remember where I read it. But there was a story that Billy wanted a writer's credit for SUMMERTIME, but Leonard Chess told him that he couldn't get it. After being badgered by Billy, Chess finally gave him an address so that Billy could take care of it himself. It turned out that the address was to the cemetery where Gershwin is buried.

I have no idea if the story is true or not, but it is funny.

[roger]

According to Wikipedia [[everyone's favourite source of info ) there have been over 25000 versions of this song recorded over the years. I saw a TV documentary about the song a year or two back and I think they quoted roughly the same figure. That would make it the most recorded song ever, easily beating such upstarts as "Yesterday".

The version by BILLY STEWART was his only U.K chart entry, reaching the heady heights of #39 back in 1966, however that position was eclipsed by THE FUN BOY FREE [[an offshoot of Pop/Ska band THE SPECIALS) in 1982 as their typically languid version of the song reached #18 on the British Charts. It is quite listenable as well.

Here is the FUN BOY THREE version of "Summertime" ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5ZektrVAq8

Roger

[destruction]

25000 and one....... Love the ending.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPXFsWf10I4

[soulster]

Soulster.........If you are into jazz ,Mile's version is stellar as far as instrumentation and performance. [/B]

I'll have to check that out! Thanks for the heads-up!