MovieChat Forums > Torch Singer (1933) Discussion > 'Give Me Liberty or Give Me Love'

'Give Me Liberty or Give Me Love'

posted 12 years ago by HarlowMGM
2 replies | jump to latest

Anybody else like this weird little song Claudette Colbert sings in the movie? The melody is very nice but the lyrics are rather odd and Claudette's voice tones go from Dietrich low to Jeanette MacDonaldesque trills. I still like it though and nice to hear Claudette doing her own singing if not all that strong a voice. I think this must have actually become a hit song in 1933 as the sheet music is very easy to find and at least three recording acts of the day (Mildred Bailey, Annette Hanshaw, The Jacques Renard Orchestra ) released it on record. The "air trailer" (radio promotion program, basically a 5 minute commercial) features Claudette singing the song in full, a few seconds over 3 minutes.

[–] Rheli 10 years ago

Yes, nice song and I noticed an oddity about it. When she comes to the last note, she doesn't end on the dominant as you would expect, but on the tonic. I don't know if that's just her singing style or something being done deliberately just for this film. When you end the way she is doing it, you never feel completely happy or comfortable. It's a feeling of only partial satisfaction. So maybe this is a way of saying something about her character, who for most of the movie is never fully satisfied either?

[–] bedrock1960 8 years ago

It's one of my favorite songs, and yes, it received many recordings during the film's release and continues to be performed today. I've sung it frequently at clubs and cabarets, as it can readily be sung by either sex. I could sing it for hours....sometimes I do!