Diva/Mensch pair for June 11, 2025

The 2002 Grammy for Best Instrumental Solo went to Herbie Hancock for "My Ship." I'm using the same system I used a couple months ago with Sarah Vaughan doing "The Man I Love":

Diva: Hancock's "My Ship"

Mensch: "My Ship," the original song

The original song is from a somewhat forgotten Broadway musical, Lady in the Dark. It's about a woman going through psychoanalysis - - how's that for a menschy topic for a Broadway musical. She hears fragments of the song in her dreams and is able to sing the whole thing when she has her breakthrough. It's a fascinating show.

The song is warm and cozy. I've chosen a dreamy, hazy recording by my beloved Johnny Hartman (thanks to my brother Howard for introducing me to Hartman). The Hancock recording drains the warmth out to make it something entirely modern with flinty and sharp-elbow harmonies.