Everyone needs to know the intestinal fortitude of Mrs. Miller. For those of you who don't know who Mrs. Miller here is a snipet of her biography.
In April 1966, under the roar of Vietnam and a raging counter-culture, emerged a singer like no other. Off-pitch and off-tempo, a 59 year-old grandmother would perform rock standards such as "Hard Days Night", "Downtown", and "These Boots and Made for Walking" in a bizarre operatic style. Often considered the worst pop star of all time, she rode the line between farce and reality, as the reputable Capitol Records promoted the so-called "new sound" without cracking a smile. Her name was Elva Connes Miller, but on stage she was known simply as Mrs. Miller
Read the review of a Mrs. Miller compilation cd issued by the Ultra Lounge people.
I gave this CD 5 stars for one reason--FUN ! There was no one who sang like Mrs. Miller, for which I'm sure many people are grateful ! At the same time, she was a true original--that warbling, off-key vibrato, the dreadful timing, the astonishing whistling breaks--her voice was instantly identifiable.
On this disc, she attacks a number of big hits from the 60s--the Beatles, Chuck Berry, Sinatra ( Frank and Nancy )--no one was safe ! Play this disc for your friends--they will listen in disbelief, then hopefully laugh a lot. As another reviewer advises, don't listen to Mrs. Miller if you are eating or drinking--choking is a definite risk !
I understand that Mrs. Miller is no longer with us, but somewhere the angels are being hugely entertained. It was never clear to me whether or not she "got the joke". Some bad singers are just that--bad--with no redeeming qualities ( hello Yoko Ono ). Mrs. Miller is as much fun today as during her 60s heyday.
So--if you have a good sense of humour--want to have the most talked-about disc at a party--or need to break your lease with a stubborn landlord--you can't go wrong with this gem.
Karry_Ling
Oklahoma City, OK
OLD SKOOL
AUG 18, 2003 04:09 PM