Bryan Ferry - Miss Otis Regrets

Albums with what are commonly referred to as "American standards" have been released by many, and the phenomenon has more or less been bastardized by Rod Stewart who has released five albums in his series called The Great American Songbook with songs like "But Not For Me", "In The Mood For Love" and "Embracable You". They sold in scores so he obviuosly didn't want to stop while it was still a bit of fun. One who has actually recorded a brilliant album full of such standards, is Bryan Ferry. His album As Time Goes By (1999) is startlingly good, and my favourite track on it is his version of Cole Porter's fantastic "Miss Otis Regrets". It's a song about Miss Otis' servant who comes to inform a lady whom she'd had an appointment with of the fact that she won't be able to attend the planned lunch, as she's shot a man who's seduced and abondoned her and then been arrested and lynched. It's absolutely brilliant storytelling, and Ferry's voice carries the tale masterfully.

Listen