"Hold me tight/The moon's so bright/Tonight is so right for love..." In the early 60s, while listening to Elvis Presley's, Tonight Is So Right For Love from G. I. Blues (1960), I found the melody familiar.
Since the world of popular music has gleaned many of its hits from the classics, the Wayne, Silver and Lilly composition is actually based on Offenbach - Barcarolle from Les Contes d'Hoffmann (The Tales Of Hoffmann) and not from Johann Strauss as some surfers claim it to be.
Listen to Elvis' version, then key in Google Video for Offenbach Barcarolle. The list below provides information on classics turned pop. Some songs are not from the 60s:
1. Procol Harum, Whiter Shade Of Pale, Bach's Air On The G String.
2. Eric Carmen, All By Myself, melody of Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto in C minor.
3. Eric Carmen, Never Gonna Fall in Love Again, main theme Rachmaninoff's 2nd symphony.
4. Tony Bennett's, Stranger in Paradise (Kismet), Alexander Borodin's Polovtsian Dances.
5. Della Reese, Don't You Know, La Boheme by Puccini.
6. Freddy Martin, Tonight We Love, Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto in B Flat.
7. Elvis Presley, It's Now or Never, melody from O Sole Mio.
8. Elvis Presley, Surrender Torna A. Surriento.
9. Jackie Wilson, Night, Saint Saens opera Samson and Delilah.
10. Della Reese, Till The End Of Time, Chopin.
11. Elvis Presley, Santa Lucia.
12. Today, Tomorrow and Forever - Viva Las Vegas - Chopin
And the list goes on. It is common knowledge that many of today's pop musicians are well-versed with classical music. Pop stars like Bono, Keith Richards, Elton John, Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello are just a few of these artistes. And Elvis?
"I had records by Mario Lanza when I was 17, 18 years old, I would listen to the Metropolitan Opera. I just loved music. Music period." - Elvis Presley, 1972 interview.
Song list compiled from classical music websites.
YouTube: For classical pieces, key in composer & title.(Image/Original Article: Andy Lim Collection).
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