I’m not usually one for Valentine’s Day, but by sheer coincidence, this is the painting that’s currently on my table easel. Pictured top: The ace of hearts is high, acrylic on canvas (work in progress).
While I’m here, Happy Valentine’s Day to my two loves, Shane Jones and Alice B. Cat (pictured below) and to all of you Valentines out there. ♥️
The music and lyrics of popular songs (particularly, but by no means exclusively, from the Great American Songbook), occasionally inform my work. In this instance, the title of my painting is a line from Taking a chance on love (music: Vernon Duke lyrics: John La Touche and Ted Fetter). The song originated in the stage musical Cabin in the Sky (1940), where it was introduced by the incomparable Ethel Waters. Waters later performed the song in the MGM film of the musical (Dir. Vincente Minnelli, 1943). It has since become a standard and has been widely performed, but in my opinion, no one, but no one, sings it like Ethel Waters. To see her version of Taking a chance on love, click HERE. (Apologies for the YouTube ads that precede it).
The lyric is below:
TAKING A CHANCE ON LOVE
Here I go again
I hear those trumpets blow again
All aglow again
Taking a chance on love
Here I slide again
About to take that ride again
Starry-eyed again
Taking a chance on love
I thought that cards were a frame-up
I never would try
But now I'm taking the game up
And the ace of hearts is high
Things are mending now
I see a rainbow blending now
We'll have a happy ending now
Taking a chance on love
Here I come again
I'm gonna make things hum again
Acting dumb again
Taking a chance on love
Here I stand again
About to beat the band again
Feeling grand again
Taking a chance on love
I walk around with a horseshoe
In clover I lie
And, brother rabbit, of course you
Better kiss your foot goodbye
Things are mending now
I see a rainbow blending now
We'll have a happy ending now
Taking a chance, taking a chance
Taking a chance on love.
♥️
Directly below are a series of earlier progress views of The ace of hearts is high:
