America’s Greatest Music: The Man/Gal That Got Away November 14, 2013

This tune is something of a break from most American pop standards spotlighted within this series of blog entries in that it is not from the Golden Age of the Great American Songbook (ca. 1920-1945).  Nevertheless, it quickly merited a place in the aforementioned Songbook because of its eloquent lyrics that easily compare to those of said Golden Age.  The viewing public first heard this from the hit 1954 film “A Star Is Born,” and was broken by none other than Judy Garland.  The fact that is was written by Harold Arlen (music) and Ira Gershwin (lyrics) certainly does not hurt, and indeed, accredits the song all the more (they being two songwriting veterans whose penmanship contributed plenty to America’s Greatest Music)!

What is interesting is that the title must be slightly modified depending on whether the person that is singing this is male for female.  When Judy Garland broke the tune, the title was “The Man That Got Away”.  Not so with Frank Sinatra, who recorded his own version on the Capitol label shortly after the song became a hit off the silver screen.  It could not have been recorded any later than 1955, for that was the year that the album “This is Sinatra” was released.  Interesting side-note:  “This is Sinatra” was no concept album, unlike his “In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning” album from the previous year.  “This is…” was merely a compilation of hit singles he had over 1953 and ’54, not that such a distinction should detract from the collection of masterworks found in one album!

For my money, Sinatra’s version is the definitive one, though that ought not to detract from Judy Garland’s heartfelt rendition.  Whichever your preference may be, few songs better personify the feeling one experiences when the person-of-the-opposite-sex that they thought was “The One” for them has gotten away from them.  That alone should be reason enough why this song belongs in the Great American Songbook, Silver Age or no.