1) A friend just tipped me off to the news that Jane Powell died today. I confess I’ve never paid much attention to her — my first memory of her is her guest appearance on Fantasy Island — but in the last few years some of her songs have become momentary obsessions.
I don’t really remember how I happened upon this clip of Jane in Three Daring Daughters*, but what struck me most was not her performance, but her resemblance to my Aunt M.F. when she was young. Like two peas in a pod . . .
Call me a heretic, but I just can’t stand Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. And even though I still haven’t seen all of A Date With Judy, another obsession was Jane’s rendition of “Love Is Where You Find It.” (Note also teenage Elizabeth Taylor and teenage Robert Stack.)
“Love Is Like This” from Nancy Goes to Rio occupied my head for a couple weeks, but now it feels a bit percussive to me. “And when you feel the glorious glow of someone’s ‘Hello,’ then your heart will know the meaning of bliss . . . for love is like this.”
Finalmente, her special appearance in Deep in my Heart singing “Sweetheart” from Sigmund Romberg’s Maytime with Vic Damone.
*My favorite number from Three Daring Daughters will always be Jeanette MacDonald singing “Where There’s Love.”