Top 10 Carmen McRae Songs

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Our Top 10 Carmen McRae Songs list will take a look at a popular jazz singer. She competed with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Her idol was Billie Holiday and she got the opportunity to write a song that the jazz Queen recorded. Carmen McRae never achieved the fame that Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan had, but she was still considered their equal. Critics felt that she never recorded a bad song. That doesn’t happen to artists very often so that’s an indicator of the type of singer Carmen McRae was during the height of her career. She had the gift to read lyrics and interpret them with her incredible vocal ability. She knows how to put emotions in every song she sings. She isn’t just a singer. She’s a musician as well. She knows how to play the piano. Carmen McRae’s hits “My Foolish Heart,” “My Funny Valentine,” “Skyliner,” “ I Only Have Eyes for You,” “Whatever Lola Wants,” “When Sunny Gets Blue,” “When I Fall in Love,” “Can’t Hide Love,” etc.

Carmen Mercedes McRae was born on April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994. She started playing the piano when she was eight. She listened to jazz music when she was growing up. Carmen McRae met Billie Holiday when she was 17. She always idolized her so that was a dream come true for her. The jazz great got the chance to play piano at Minton’s Playhouse. This is where she met Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Pettiford and Kenny Clarke. She had her first job as a pianist with Benny Carter’s band. Carmen McRae did her first recording as a pianist with the Mercer Allington Band. She met a record producer named Milt Gabler and was signed to Decca Records.

A Foggy Day was released in 1953. The album features the songs “A Foggy Day,” “Evening Blues,” “Go Slow,” “Empty Bed Blues” and “I Don’t Know His Name.” Her self-titled album was released in 1955. The album features the singles “You’d Be So Easy to Love,” “You Made Me Care,” “Misery” and “Too Much in Love to Care.” By Special Request was released in 1955 or 1956. It features the singles “Give Me the Simple Life,” “Something to Live For,” “Just One of Those Things” and “Love Is Here to Stay.” Torchy! came out in 1956. It features the singles “But Beautiful,” “My Future Just Passed” and “We’ll Be Together Again.”

Blue Moon was released in 1956. The album features the songs “My Foolish Heart,” “I Was Doing All Right,” “Blue Moon” and “Lush Life.” Boy Meets Girl came out in 1957. The album features the singles “Happy to Meet Your Acquaintance,” “They Didn’t Believe Me,” “A Fine Romance” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” After Glow came out in 1957. It features the singles “My Funny Valentine,” “Guess Who I Saw Today,” “I Can’t Escape from You” and “Exactly Like You.” Carmen McRae released Mad About the Man in 1958. It features the songs “I’ll See You Again,” “Mad About the Boy,” “If Love Were All” and “World Weary.”

Carmen for Cool Ones came out in 1958. The album features the singles “All the Things You Are,” “What’s New?” and “The Night We Called It a Day.” Birds of a Feather was also released in 1958. It features the songs “His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” “Flamingo,” “Bob White (Whatcha Gonna Swing Toinght?),” “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano” and “Bye Bye Blackbird.” Book of Ballads was released in 1959. The album features the singles “When I Fall in Love,” “My Romance,” “Isn’t It Romantic,” “By Myself” and “How Long Has This Been Going On?” When You’re Away was also released in 1959. It features the songs “I Only Have Eyes for You,” “Willingly” and “Two Faces in the Dark.” Carmen McRae would go on to record several more albums throughout her career.

Carmen McRae may not be as well known as her contemporaries, but she was an impressive singer. She was able to compete with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. She knew how to make you feel things while she teased her audience with her beautiful voice. Our Top 10 Carmen McRae Songs list will feature her best songs. What do you think will make our list of songs? She has a very huge catalog so narrowing it down was a challenge.

# 10 – When I Fall in Love

The first song on our Top 10 Carmen McRae Songs list is “When I Fall in Love” from the Book of Ballads album. The track has a jazz beat. The sensual song is about someone falling in love with the right person. She’s singing about the man in her life being the one that she will love for the rest of her life. We all have the idealistic dream of falling in love and it lasting forever. Some of us have accomplished that dream. For those of you who have accomplished the dream of falling in love, you know how this song will make you feel. For people who haven’t met their one and only, you have hope that you will meet them. The lyrics will make you feel emotional as you listen to them. They will make you believe that it’s possible to fall in love forever.

Several artists have covered this song. There’s a reason why people cover it. This is a beautiful song that will give you chills. Carmen McRae threw her hat in the ring and recorded this popular tune. This version of the song is stripped down. The song features the piano and the bass. The music has a fantastic jazz beat. If you weren’t a fan of jazz music, the musicians will turn you into one. The music will put you in a hypnotic trance. Carmen McRae’s phrasing is impeccable. She devotes so much time making sure the lyrics come out flawlessly. Listeners can hear every word that she sings clearly. The only complaint we have about the song is her pacing. She is a little behind the music as she sings which keeps her from singing in time with the beat. Other than that, her version is just as gorgeous as the other versions of this song.

# 9 – Can’t Hide Love

The next song on our Top 10 Carmen McRae Songs list is “Can’t Hide” from the Can’t Hide Love album. The self-explanatory song is about a woman who is dealing with a man who is denying his love for her. She tells him that he “can’t hide” his love for her. People tend to be guarded when it concerns their feelings. They keep their feelings to themselves even though it’s clearly on their faces. Carmen McRae is letting the man she’s singing about know that he can’t escape his feelings for her. The lyrics will make you think about past loves and how they felt about you. The songwriter had to go through something like this to write a powerful song in this way. It would probably be a challenge to write a song about a lover’s denial if you haven’t experienced that type of pain.

The gifted singer’s version of this song sounds similar to Earth, Wind & Fire’s version of the song. Chances are you may be more familiar with their version of the track. If you are a fan of r&b music, you may be more familiar with their version of the song. If you are a jazz fan, you may be more familiar with her version of the song. If you listen to the horn section of the track, you will notice her version is similar to Earth, Wind & Fire’s version. Creative Source also recorded this song, but their version is faster than this one. The musical production is smoking hot. The synth chords are amazing. The bass player does an amazing job alongside Carmen McRae’s voice. She sings the song in a smoldering way. She chose to record the track in her lower register. She proved that she could play around with different tones and sound superb. This is an example of her excellent interpretation skills. She does some scatting on this song that will blow your mind. She was determined to prove to the world that she was in the same league as her counterparts.

# 8 – I Only Have Eyes for You

The romantic song is from the album When You’re Away. It has a jazz sound. The sultry song is about her only being in love with one person. She wants her man to know that she will never love another man. Her heart and soul belong to him. This is the perfect song to listen to for Valentine’s Day. It’s also the perfect wedding song. If you play this song for the person you love, they may end up in tears. They may also fall in love. You might want to put this song on if you find yourself in trouble with your significant other. The song is for the grown and sexy. You may want to send the kids out of the house while this song is playing. This song is very sexy and things may heat up quickly in the bedroom while you are listening to it.

A lot of singers tend to do cover songs at some point in their careers. Carmen McRae is no exception to the rule. This is one more cover song that she recorded. This is the type of song you don’t mind hearing different people sing. Listeners get a chance to hear different interpretations of the song. Carmen McRae recorded a jazz version of the song. The music is smooth with a cool vibe to it. Some of the music has tempo to it so you can move a little while you’re listening to it. The pianist is a maestro while tickling the ivories. The piano is a standout instrument on the track. Carmen McRae’s voice is smoky and sultry. You can get lost listening to her sing about the man she loves. She had fabulous scatting skills, which she displays throughout the track. She sings the song in her higher register. Her voice is smooth like butter. She belts at points in the song to showcase the strength of her voice.

# 7 – Happy to Make Your Acquaintance ft. Sammy Davis, Jr.

The flirty song is from the Boy Meets Girl album. The song has a jazz beat. The playful song is about how you feel when you meet someone for the first time. It’s about the special feelings you feel when you find the person you love. The lyrics describe how most people feel when they meet that special person for the first time. It is an honor to meet them. Do you remember how you felt when you met your significant other for the first time? Carmen McRae and Sammy Davis, Jr. are interpreting how you felt when you met that special someone. This is relatable if you are in love with that special someone. It will bring back sweet memories for you if you aren’t in love. The lyrics are humorous so you won’t feel too bad if you aren’t in love while you listen to it.

The legendary singers are playful with each other while they sing the lyrics. It was a good touch because it keeps the song from sounding too sappy and corny. They sound like they are having fun with each other. They have amazing harmony with each other. Their voices are practically made for each other. They have chemistry with each other as well. They sound like they enjoy recording together. We don’t know if they got along or not, but they sound like good friends talking about meeting for the first time. You can’t help smiling while listening to them singing together. Their back and forth dialogue will hold your attention from beginning to end.

# 6 – When Sunny Gets Blue

The bittersweet song is from the album Bittersweet. The song has a jazz sound. The emotional song is about a girl who is upset about the end of a love. She was happy when she had the person she loved in her life, but everything changed when the love ended. She is suddenly blue. The songwriter hit the nail on the head with these lyrics. People who are in love feel like the world is a sunny place. When you lose a love everything turns blue and sad. This is the type of track that you could listen to by yourself. You will want to turn down the lights and grab a glass of wine while you listen to it. It will make you ponder about what happened to your relationship. You may have a myriad of thoughts going through your head as you listen to the lyrics of the song.

The song opens with our songbird singing in a cappella. The producers made the right decision to start the song this way. It will grab your attention because the music was missing when it started. You are introduced to her sweet voice. The music is mind blowing. The somber beat goes well with the theme of the song. It’s time to talk about her phenomenal vocals. Her tone is so good that there wasn’t a need for much instrumentation. Her tone was all the song needed to make it complete. Her voice is an instrument from God. She connects with the listeners. You can tell she dedicated herself to making sure this song was done to perfection. One of the highlights of the song is listening to her hold a note towards the end of it. The song was pure gold.

# 5 – Skyliner

The next song on our Top 10 Carmen McRae Songs list is “Skyliner” from the album The Very Thought of You. The song has a jazz sound. The metaphoric song is about wanting to be with the man you love. When you’re not with the person you love you look forward to being with them again. The lyrics to the song will describe exactly how you’re feeling when you’re missing the one you love. The title of the song may have you thinking that it’s not about love. You may think it’s about an airplane until you pay attention to the lyrics. Don’t let the title fool you into thinking that it’s not a deep song. It’s a song that will make you think about a love that’s far away from you.

The song has an upbeat swing jazz sound. It’s the type of music that will perk up your mood. You may find yourself tapping your foot and snapping your fingers while the music is serenading you. You will be hooked to the song as soon as the first note starts. The instrumentation gives off a big band sound. If you close your eyes, you may be able to picture Carmen McRae singing this in an old night club. Speaking of Carmen McRae, her voice is amazing on this track. She sings in different pitches throughout the song. She shows versatility on the track. Carmen McRae sounds like she’s having a ball singing this song. It’s a track about a love that’s not near her, but she will make you smile listening to her sing. She holds notes towards the end of the song that are worth checking out. Her vocals might remind you of Roberta Flack and Lauryn Hill during the heights of their fame. Their tones are a little similar to hers.

# 4 – Take Five Carmen McRae ft. Dave Brubeck Quartet

The sexy song is from the Take Five Live album. It has a jazz beat. The reflective song is about giving someone five minutes of their attention. She wants the man she loves to take five seconds to give her some thought. She talks about him going on with his day and how she wants him to take some time to think about her. She wants him to do more to prove that he loves her. She doesn’t want him to spend his entire day thinking of her. She just wants him to spend a little time thinking of her. She wants him to throw away his inhibitions and get together with her. If you are tired of playing the wait-and-see game, this song will give you the confidence to go after who you want. If you’re tired of waiting for that special person, listen to this song. The track will let you know that it’s okay to go after what you want.

This track is mostly about the music. The musicians do their thing on this track. They are the main attraction to the song. The producers made the strange choice of having Carmen McRae be the supporting act on this song. With that said, the musicians do an excellent job on this track. The song has a swing jazz sound. It’s something you can picture yourself listening to in a lounge room. Her dark and edgy sound gives the song a different feel. She speeds up the verses while she’s singing. She manages not to miss a beat while she’s racing through the lyrics. She embraces every lyric flawlessly. Her vocals are deep on this track. You might not recognize her if you haven’t followed her career from the beginning.

# 3 – My Funny Valentine

The lustful song is from the After Glow album. It has a jazz beat. The soulful song is about the reality of love. She wants the listeners to know that true love conquers all. She wants everyone to love each other unconditionally. If you manage to still be in love despite your obstacles, you know what you have is real. The lyrics are a true tribute to love. She talks about everything that happens when you are with the right person. The person can make you laugh, smile and fill your heart with joy. This song also talks about the realities of love. In relationships, you have ups and downs. If you can get over them, you will have a lasting relationship. This track will make you believe in love.

Several artists throughout the years have covered this song. Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday, Marvin Gaye, Barbra Streisand, Chaka Khan, Anita Baker as well as others have covered this jam. Carmen McRae wanted to cover the song too. There is a big chance that you have heard this song at some point in your life. If you love this song, you will love her version of it too. She interprets the song as if she wrote it herself. She sounds as if she might have been going through this situation herself. She sings the song in a soulful way. Her sultry voice will send chills up and down your spine. Her phrasing is exquisite. She enunciates every letter and syllable to make you feel the lyrics. She holds notes and does runs towards the end of the song. As we said, this song has been covered quite a bit. Her version is worth checking out so you can get the chance to hear how beautiful she sings.

# 2 – Whatever Lola Wants

The seductive song is from the album I’ll Be Seeing You: A Tribute to Carmen McRae. It has a jazz beat. The silky song is about a woman who is determined to have what she wants. Her character in the song is someone who won’t take no for an answer. Lola is a seductive temptress in the song. She has her eyes set on someone and she will get him. Lola is after a married man and will go out of her way to land him. Lola will use her sensuality to get what she wants. This song has a dramatic plot to it. You might not be able to relate to the song entirely. You may want someone, but you may not go after the person if they aren’t available.

Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn sang this track too. It makes sense that Carmen McRae also recorded the song since she was compared to them. It could have been a disaster since critics compared the ladies’ voices. Singing the same song would put Carmen McRae under a microscope and leave her open for more comparisons. She proved she was up for the challenge. She sings the song with confidence. She sounds sassy and seductive which is needed to pull off a song like this. She stays in character throughout the song as she tells the story of the temptress who is after a married man. She manages not to sound unlikable on the track. Most people wouldn’t enjoy hearing about a woman going after a married man, but she makes her sound likable.

# 1 – My Foolish Heart

The number one song on our Top 10 Carmen McRae Songs list is “My Foolish Heart” from the Blue Moon album. The song has a jazz sound. The exquisite song will touch your heart as soon as you hear it. The song describes what will happen when you fall in love. You go through different things when you fall in love. The song also describes the difference between love and fascination. Your heart may not always know the difference between love and fascination. She tells the story of what will happen when fascination becomes a reality. Do you think love is worth the risk? If you do, than this song is for you. You may have a battle between love and fascination. The lyrics will help you decide what you should do when love wins.

The music will captivate you until the very end. The pianist is truly gifted. You could get lost listening to the pianist tickle the ivories. The string section is excellent too. The music has an orchestral swell to create a big band sound. Carmen McRae is able to shine with the musicians. She is a masterful singer. She puts so much effort into her phrasing. She has a gorgeous voice and she will make you fall in love with it. Her enunciation is flawless. She commands your attention to listen to every word she says from beginning to end. She brought out all of the emotion she needed to convey to get her message across. You won’t be able to stop listening to this song because it’s so good. This song is flawless and deserved its spot on the top of our list.