1940 Melody Of Love - Wayne King (instrumental version) video free download

Posting three contrasting early-forties versions of the familiar waltz "Melody Of Love," composed in 1903 by Hans Engleman (nee Engelmann), popularly revived by Wayne King ("The Waltz King") in the 1940s, and achieving its greatest success in late 1954/early 1955 via Billy Vaughn's million-selling single and the various other instrumental and vocal cover versions that immediately followed.

1 Wayne King (1940-instrumental) - though Billy Vaughn was plainly inspired by this King arrangement, Vaughn also included a rather schmaltzy alto sax passage in the familiar Wayne King style....which was interesting, because King had chosen to leave his sax in the case for this first "Melody Of Love" arrangement, opting to showcase only the strings.

2 Wayne King (1941-same arrangement + poetry) - more well-remembered than his 1940 instrumental was this version spotlighting King's radio announcer Franklyn MacCormack in a reading of Mary Carolyn Davies' ode "Why I Love You," which he recites over the second half of the piece. Up until his death in 1971, MacCormack continued to do sentimental readings as part of his late-nite WGN Chicago radio program.

3 Kenny Baker (1942-vocal) - actually the "Melody Of Love" title does not appear on the record label for this early lyrical adaptation of the Engelmann waltz. And neither the "Whisper That You Love Me" title nor John Klenner's words were carried forward to 1955, when Tom Glazer created new "Melody Of Love" lyrics for the Four Aces and the several other vocal releases.

Transferred from the original 78rpm: Victor 26695 - Melody Of Love (Engleman) by Wayne King & his Orchestra, recorded June 21, 1940

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