Sarah Vaughan - Misty

This is a live performance by American jazz singer Sarah Vaughan doing her version of the classic jazz standard "Misty". This performance is from Tokyo, Japan, 1990. This was one of her last gigs in her career, as she got ill with lounge cancer around 1989. These Japanese tour dates were her last completed gigs in her career. And she sings it so wonderfully, her illness doesn't even show a bit.
The song was written by Erroll Garner in 1954. It was originally an instrumental, but lyrics were added later on by Johnny Burke. The song has been done by many great singer, including: Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Lloyd Prince, and Ray Stevens. And Sarah Vaughan of course.
It's a beautiful song, and Sarah sings it like no one else!

Enjoy ; )

Bo Diddley - I'm a Man

This is a live performance by rock, R&B and blues legend Bo Diddley performing his classic song "I'm a Man", the performance is from 1992.
The song was originally recorded by by Bo Diddley in 1955. The song is a moderate slow blues with a stop tempo inspired by earlier blues recordings. The song was inspired by Muddy Water's Hoochie Coochie Man from 1954 written by Willie Dixon. After the release of the song Muddy recorded an "answer song" titled "Mannish Boy", a pun on Diddley's younger age.
The song has been done by quite a few artists and a version of Muddy and Diddley performing the song together was also recorded at one point. It was also done by The Yardbirds in 1965 when Jeff Beck was with the group. A live version was recorded as well with Clapton on guitar in 1964 before he left the band. The version with Beck did very well in the US pop charts.
A lot of songs have also taken inspiration from this classic simple song structure. Songs like "Whole Lotta Rosie" by AC/DC and "Bad to the Bone" by George Thorogood. They both have the stop time thing and the same chord shifts as Diddley's song as well as a rhythm that strikes resemblance to Diddley's song.
Also really love the guitar solo Steve Cropper delivers. It's really good and not too long, he knew Diddley was centre stage, but still very nice indeed.
A great performance of this amazing blues song.

Enjoy ;-)