Episode 207. Henry Wright and Pals

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Today’s episode is first and foremost a tribute to a forgotten African American trailblazer, the pop singer Henry Wright, born in 1933, who, in the late fifties, claimed Italy as his adoptive country after touring there as a vocal soloist with Lionel Hampton. With a voice as suave and seductive as any of the great crooners of the 1950s and 1960s, Henry Wright first came to international prominence as the voice on the record to which Sophia Loren performed her legendary striptease in the 1962 film Ieri, oggi, domani [Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow]. He went on to make a great impact on Italian pop music throughout the 1960s. Your fearless podcaster discovered this fascinating singer almost by accident sometime in the past year and he (that is, I) have been collecting his rare and valuable recordings which I am thrilled to share with my listening public. Many of these songs exist in earlier versions, either from the Great American Songbook, from Italian films, from early American singers of R&B, from Italian pop stars of the 1950s, even from Viennese operetta! So I had the idea of playing those original versions alongside Henry Wright’s recordings. Thus you will encounter singers like Ricky Nelson, Peggy Lee, Tony Dallara, Peter Alexander, Mina, Petula Clark, Vittorio de Sica (who in his acting days was an Italian matinee idol!) and even opera legends Miguel Fleta and Richard Tauber. It’s a fascinating episode (if I do say so myself!) and I am thrilled beyond words to introduce the seductive, charming, compelling Henry Wright to my listeners. The episode begins with memorial tributes to recently departed pop music greats Tony Bennett and Sinéad O’Connor.

RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE

Sinéad O’Connor: I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got [1990]

Robert Wright, George Forrest, after Alexander Borodin: Stranger in Paradise (Kismet). Tony Bennett, Percy Faith, His Orchestra and Chorus [1954]

Anthony Newley, Leslie Bricusse: Who Can I Turn To? (The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd). Tony Bennett, Bill Evans [1977]

Cole Porter: I’ve Got You Under My Skin. Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga [2021]

Robert Stolz, Arthur Rebner: Salome.

As “Abat-Jour.” (Italian words by Ennio Neri). Henry Wright, l’Orchestra Bruno Martelli [1962]. Pictured above: Stills from the famous Sophia Loren strip scene from Ieri, Oggi, Domani (1962, directed Vittorio de Sica), which featured the voice of Henry Wright.
Henry Defreyn (French words by Bataille-Henri [né Henri Bataille], Louis Lemarchand) [1922]
Peter Alexander, Orchestra conducted by Robert [German TV program, 1961]
Das Lucas-Quartett, Orchester Erich Werner [1961]
As “Romeo” (English words by Jimmy Kennedy). Petula Clark, Orchestra conducted by Peter Knight [1961]

Golden, Kay, Forde: Are You Forgetting Love?. Henry Wright, Acey Prince’s Orchestra [1950]

Eddie Cooley, John Davenport: Fever

Little Willie John [1956]
Peggy Lee [1958]
As “Fever Twist.” Henry Wright [1962]

Titus Turner, Henry Glover: Sticks and Stones

Titus Turner [1960]
Henry Wright, l’Orchestra Augusto Martelli [1962]

Giovanni D’Anzi, Alfredo Bracchi: Bambina innamorata

Tony Dallara [1958]
Henry Wright, l’Orchestra Ray French [1962]

Dorsey Burnett, Joe Osborn: Gypsy Woman.

Ricky Nelson [1963]
As “Che strano” (Italian version by Gianfranco Intra, Tullio Romano). Henry Wright [1964]

Buddy Johnson: Let’s Start All Over Again

Nolan Lewis, Buddy Johnson and His Orchestra [1956]
As “Da capo con me” (Italian version by Franco Calabrese). Henry Wright [1965]

Mario Cenci: Lassame (Let Me Go).

Mina [1959]
Henry Wright, Orchestra [Gino] Mazzocchi [1960]

Vittorio Mascheroni, Biri [née Ornella Ferrari]: Desiderio.

Gianni Ravera, Armand e il Suo Complesso [early 1950s]
Henry Wright, l’Orchestra Ray French [1962]

Vittorio Mascheroni, Ennio Neri, Mario Buzà: Sono tre parole (Un cattivo soggetto).

Vittorio de Sica [1933]
Henry Wright [1963]

José María Lacalle García (AKA Joseph Lacalle): Amapola.

Miguel Fleta, Orchestra conducted by Nathaniel Shilkret [1925]
Henry Wright (Italian version by Franchi, Abbate). [1963]

Franz Lehár: Schatz, ich bitt’ dich, komm heut’ Nacht (Frasquita).

As “Frasquita.” Henry Wright, l’Orchestra Bruno Martelli [1962]
Richard Tauber, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Orchester des Theaters an der Wien [1924]

Franz Lehár: Dein ist mein ganzes Herz (Das Land des Lächelns).

As “Tu che m’hai preso il cuor.” Henry Wright, il Complesso di Henry Wright [1962]
Richard Tauber, Franz Lehár, Berlin State Opera House Orchestra [1929]