George Gershwin would weep if he heard this bloodless rendition. Hubert Laws seems to have sold his soul.

Cambot wrote:

I need a new drug to wake me up and see if ma-ma-ma-ma my heart is still beat-ing after this song. Sometimes, bad is bad.

If you're going to cover a song that's been covered by the greats, better do it well. I'm not hearin' it.

Gregorama wrote:

There are a lot of comments like yours..."I want to like it, but don't and am not sure why." It's because her phrasing is non-existent. The word I would use to best describe this song is "sultry" - well, there's nothing sultry about this - it sounds like she's reading the lyrics off a (blurry) teleprompter for the first time. On top of that, she enunciates every syllable, which is totally the wrong approach for this tune.

It's too bad. I like Morcheeba, and the instrumental arrangement would be great with the right vocalist in front...and this has to be one of the best songs in the 20th century. Just a bad fit, and an opportunity lost.

betterdaze wrote:

My sentiments as well. I like Morcheeba and have one of their CDs. But this is a little bit too melancholy or too something for me-not sure what but it just ain't doin' it for me.

At first glance, I thought that said Morcheeba & 'HUEY LEWIS'

Okay, since we're all chiming in, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong's version is the best.

I really like this song, but this version seems lacking in energy to me.

Different take on a favorite song..... interesting!

I love show-tune music, but I specifically love Summertime. And I'll take it just about any way I can get it. So, this version was fine. It was different. Smooth like a lazy summer day. I think I'd like a CD compilation of all the known renditions of Summertime from Gershwin to Joplin. However, even Gershwin doesn't beat Summertime played on sax by a French Quarter musician outside the Cafe du Monde at 7 in the morning. Off to watch the Astros hopefully make it to the World Series.

calder wrote:

Even that rendition on last season's American Idol blows this one out of the water. (ok ok not that I WANT to claim that I watched it. . .I have Idol wannabes living at home!!)

ChardRemains wrote: Now THERE'S a Summertime that would do George and Ira real proud.....

Limp cheesey winebar background music. Love Gershwin. Maybe you just need more cheeba to appreciate this version.

Janis Joplin please....or Lisa Engelken/Zimmermans. Reminds me. Must upload some stuff.

Tux wrote: Funny...Gershwin is close to my soul. I've spent the last two days listening to my new Essential Gershwin disk which includes early (and some recent) covers of most of his widely known songs. I'm also a big Morcheeba fan. For all that, this is a VERY disappointing cover!

Sam Cooke does an amazing version of this song. Please play that...it has SOUL.

Oh, this cover is so wrong on so many levels.

This is maybe the worst Gerschwin cover I ever heard. This is so tatally *wrong*
Where has the atmosphere gone?

All I can say is that it's great to hear a 1930's jazz composer still being played along with other great contemporary musicians.

I love Gershwin. Always have and always will. It's great to hear something of his (if not directly his) on RP.

8)

Yawn... is this over YET...

Less Cheeba--More talent

Cool non-album track!

Very smoothe! Love Morcheeba's silky voice. (pimp)

Concur with Whack-a-mole below. I like this a lot.

Any idea where this is recorded? The Amazon link brings up nothin.' I got nuthin.'

'
well, it's very hot in the south and Porgy and Bess didn't have any energy the first time...

A few too many covers on RP for my liking...

Blah Blah

this version has no energy & no edge. Janis' version puts this to shame