Thank God It’s Freitag, because that is the day I get to share my latest YouTube discoveries. Here’s a pair, posted by zarahliliwen, of the one and only Zarah Leander. Consider it a Before and After video experience. The first is from one of her classic films. In the second, she is tackling (and I mean, tackling!) Cole Porter’s “Wunderbar” from Kiss Me Kate in a TV revue.

In case you’ve never heard of her, Zarah Leander (March 15, 1907 – June 23, 1981) was a Swedish-born singer and glamorous film actress who had a long and controversial career in Europe. Her star was tainted by her work in German films under the Nazi regime, but she managed a comeback after the war, regaining new generations of fans. Despite the onus of her propaganda-era ventures (she always denied having any Nazi sympathies), she is a talent to be reckoned with, a force of nature who is as timeless as she is unique. She may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but she certainly knew how to put over a song. Here’s a link to her Wikipedia entry.

The beauty of her features hardened over time, and her distinctive contralto voice (which had true operatic grandeur) got deeper until it was practically a basso profundo. When I was in college, I used to play her LPs for friends and ask them to guess who the singer was. Invariably, everyone assumed she was a man.  Perhaps that is why I like her so much. She’s campy, chic, and gloriously eccentric, but most all of all she had balls.

Perhaps the most thrillingly embarrassing thing that ever happened to me was the night I went to the Waldorf-Astoria with my then “girlfriend” Barbara to see the legendary Jim Bailey perform. No one has ever equaled his uncanny impersonation skills. To see him step out as Judy Garland or Barbra Streisand or even the inimitable Phyllis Diller was to see a brilliant and vastly entertaining master at work. (Photo, above, borrowed from Jim’s own website. You can link to it here.)

The year was 1973 and I was a sweet sixteen, never been kissed, budding theatre buff about to leave home for prep school for the first time. Barbara had promised to take me out and celebrate my departure and I insisted we go hear Jim Bailey. How had I even heard of him? I must have seen him on the Merv Griffin Show or perhaps Ed Sullivan’s. I was in awe of his artistry and quite taken with his off-stage looks.

Poor Barbara! The evening was a disaster. I ordered about half-a-dozen Bloody Marys (young people were never carded in fancy bars back then) and got wildly drunk. I flirted shamelessly with Jim Bailey from my tiny front-row seat and when the lights came down, we were invited backstage. Barbara didn’t want to go. She thought he was “creepy”. So she waited out front, and was immediately presented with the bill. Unfortunately it was for $50 (neither of us had factored in the price of admission) and she didn’t have enough cash to cover it. This was in the days before teenagers carried credit cards. I had to call my father out on Long Island and he drove all the way into the city at midnight to rescue us.

Imagine Dad’s surprise when he finally arrived at the Peacock Alley Cafe and found his youngest son sitting in the dressing room of a drag queen, singing show tunes, and discussing make-up tips! Jim Bailey, unflappable as he was charming, could not have been more diplomatic. (I think he might have fancied my Dad, who back then was as handsome as Mayor Lindsay). Jim smoothed things over and we were sent on our merry, giggling way, autographed programs in hand. I never saw or spoke to Barbara again.

In honor of that priceless memory, here’s my latest YouTube recommendation: Jim Bailey in his/her prime. Why can’t TV (pardon the pun) be this good today?

Remember you can click on “Tubes” at right in the Themes section and find all my video finds.

In keeping with my promise to bring you more of my favorite video finds each week, let me introduce you to the mesmerizing Mina, one of the great Italian pop singers who remains little known here in the States. Recently while browsing various versions of “If He Walked Into My Life” from Jerry Herman’s Mame (based on Patrick Dennis’ novel Auntie Mame), I stumbled upon this glittering find on YouTube. Grazie Mazzinyano.

Many hold up Eydie Gorme as the finest interpreter of this song; likewise Angela Lansbury who originated the (singing) role on Broadway. Still others prefer pesky Pia Zadora or the always luscious Leslie Uggams, all of whom you can also find on YouTube if you dig around. And who can ever forget Shirley Bassey’s legendary rendition?

But take a gander and listen here to Mina’s molto simpatico take on this often overdone standard. Her lissome voice frolics effortlessly across octaves in a number which is notoriously difficult for even the most seasoned Broadway belters. You may not instantly love her nasal timbre — like another Italian cantante, Ornella Vanoni, whom I also recommended here, it’s something of an acquired taste — but there’s no denying that Mina brings an endearing blend of passion and proficiency to this epic torch song.

As long as you’re visiting YouTube, check out ByFenice’s Mina clip with Raffaella: its a hoot and a half. You gotta love these glamorous Italian gals and their gorgeous gams!

For more of my audio/visual recommendations, just click on the “Tubes” button at right under Themes.