If you grew up watching the television series The Courtship of Eddie's Father, then you probably best remember Miyoshi Umeki as Mrs. Livingston, the housekeeper to Eddie and his father, but prior to this series she made a name for herself in the films Sayonara, Flower Drum Song, and comedies such as Cry for Happy and The Horizontal Lieutenant. Miyoshi was also a regular guest star on The Arthur Godfrey Show in the 1950s and it was through this show that she was introduced to American audiences...as a singer. Ms. Umeki began her career in Japan as a nightclub singer and she had a beautiful deep sultry voice that was quite unlike the soft speaking voice she used in her films.
For her first US album (from Mercury Records) she performed some of her personal favorites in a mixture of Japanese and English languages. Personally, I favored her Japanese renditions and was hoping to find an album of hers in Japanese but no such luck...even in the 1950s, Japanese audiences wanted to hear American songs in English!
There are some lovely orchestra arrangements with these songs but what makes them especially wonderful is Miyoshi's rendering of these classics. She puts such heart in her singing.
Click here to listen to the full album on Youtube.
Track Listing:
Side A
If I Give My Heart to You
China Nights
I'm in the Mood for Love
My Baby's Comin' Home
How Deep is the Ocean
Slowly Go Out of Your Mind
Side B
Teach Me Tonight
Hanna Ko San
Can't Help Lovin' That Man
S'Wonderful
Over the Rainbow
Sayonara
Top Picks: China Nights, I'm in the Mood for Love, Hanna Ko San, Can't Help Lovin' that Man, Sayonara
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