MovieChat Forums > One Touch of Venus Discussion > Speak Low (when you speak love)

Speak Low (when you speak love)


This song is truly beautiful, but it isn't very well-known. I first found out about it from the film "One Touch of Venus" and it is in the repertoire of a big band in which I play. Does anyone agree with me that this song deserves more recognition?
Max

reply

[deleted]

The version i first heard was by Ella FItzgerald, really terrific. WHat I can not find here on IMDB is if it is Ava Gardner doing the singing on the soong. It doesn't seem that that voice could come out of that body, does anyone know?

reply



Hi,one can never be too rich or have too many friends. Ava's singing is dubbed by Eileen Wilson. I had this tape one time but lost it,it had coming attraction saying it was a filmization of one of Broadway's biggest hits but they left out that most of the score was gone and two other songs written. The magic of movies,I guess.

reply

True, Ava's voice was dubbed. However, on the LP soundtrack is was Ava's voice. She could sing very well. Certainly well enough to pull off a song like this.

reply

I think it's a lovely song and it's been recorded by Billie Holliday, Frank Sinatra,Vic Damone and I think Barbra Streisand so it's become a bit of a classic really.

reply

To think it was featured in a film which is practically completely obscure. Mind you so was the Harry Warren song "There will never be another you".
Max

reply

More recognition...maybe. It is haunting and beautiful. But what about the movie? Is it ever shown on television these days, and who could sing the song more beautifully than it was sung in the movie by Ava Gardner. Was there ever a question that it was her voice?? Bee

reply

If you click the Soundtrack listing link, it lists the songs and credits the person who dubbed the songs for Ava.

reply

The pity is, Ava's own singing voice was very nice and she would have excelled on a number like this. She was no Judy Garland, she could certainly carry a tune appealingly.

I prefer to think it's Ava voice, as I believe she would sounded much the same.

reply

I knew the song before I saw the film (I'm looking at it right now). Anne Sofie von Otter made a very nice CD with a lot of Weil songs, named "Speak Low".
Other One Touch of Venus Songs on these CD are "Foolish Heart" and "I'm a stranger here myself", I'm not sure if these songs are in the film, there are some differences between the film and the musical.
I do agree, it's a lovely song!

reply

The song has actually become a jazz standard, I particularly like Sarah Vaughan's version. It is a really beautiful song.

I recently saw a stage production in London of One Touch of Venus and it was awful! They absolutely ruined this song.

I wish I could see the film again, I've only seen it once when I was a kid and I found it absolutely enchanting. Ava Gardner was born to play Venus!

A girl with brains ought to do something besides think

reply

I have two versions, one by Ute Lemper on her CD "But One Day", and another by Lotte Lenya, Kurt Weill's wife/widow, on a CD of her singing his theater songs. I prefer the latter; it's got a neat Latin touch that doesn't overwhelm the song, and while Lenya's voice wasn't the purest, she was darned expressive.

reply

There is a CD called September Song, all rather weird and wonderful contemporary versions of Kurt Weill songs by the likes of Elvis Costello and Lou Reed, and Weill sings Speak Low....it's pure, simple, fabulous. I saw the movie in the theatre when it was new, and fell in love with the song; it was 30 years before I realized it was Weill's work.

reply

Speak Low is the most beautiful song ever written IMO. It has haunted me from the first time I heard it.

"Time is so old and love so brief.
Love is pure gold and time a thief."

"Dig the grave both wide and deep,
For I am sick, and fain would sleep!"

reply

[deleted]

"Speak Low" is one of my all-time favorite songs. It is now a standard and has been covered by many famous (and not so famous) vocalists and jazz musicians. And, yes, I fully agree with you that this song deserves more recognition.

I think what it would take would be for some enlightened current director to feature it in a Hollywood blockbuster.

reply

I`ve been around for barely <LX years and I am just becoming familiar with this tune, after hearing the great Barney Kessel's version. It`s beautiful and I am adding it to my guitar repertoire.

The wildest thing about it is that Ogden Nash of all people wrote the lyrics. He`s more famous for:

Candy is dandy
But liquor is quicker

Now, Mr. Dancer, get off the panties. You've done enough damage.

reply