Role of the Performer: The Iconic Doris Day

 

Doris Day, ca. 1950

Introduction:

Doris Day (1922–2019) was one of the most iconic female singers of the 40s–60s, and her music is still being enjoyed today, whether played on the (oldies) radio station or used on soundtracks for film and TV. I’ve personally never actively listened to any of her songs, but I was pretty sure I’d heard at least one of her performances before, because of her popularity; in my research, I readily found several that I was at least familiar with. Her music is embedded in classic American culture, and it’s the kind that is always making a comeback, whenever anyone wants to evoke nostalgia for the “good old days.”

Biography:

Doris Day (born Doris Kappelhoff) began her career in 1938, after a car accident in ‘37 ruined her prospects as a dancer. While recovering, she began singing along with the radio, and discovered a talent for it. She particularly liked singer Ella Fitzgerald’s performances, and Fitzgerald’s “subtle” and “casual yet clean” style became a major influence on Day (Wikipedia, para 6). After a few months of voice lessons, Day began performing as a vocalist on the radio, and she caught the attention of bandleader Barney Rapp. She began working with him and his band after he asked her to audition, and in 1939, he suggested she adopt the stage name Doris Day, as “Kappelhoff” was too long, and he liked her performance of “Day after Day.” This was the name she went by for the rest of her career, in both music and film.

Day went on to work with several other bands, and recorded her first hit, “Sentimental Journey” in early 1945, while working as a vocalist with the Les Brown Band; it became an anthem for WWII serviceman, and her popularity took off quickly from there. During 1945–46, she scored six other Top 10 hits on the US Billboard chart. She ultimately chose to set out on a solo career, and from 1947–67, she recorded over 650 songs. Day continued to chart throughout the 50s and 60s, with her last non-film hit released in 1958. With a second career in acting, from 1948, many of her top-charting numbers began to come from films that she had starred in, such as "Secret Love" from Calamity Jane (1953) and "Que Sera, Sera" from Alfred Hitchcock’s The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). Following a very successful and prolific career, Day mostly retired after her titular television show ended in the early 70s. However, she released an album of prerecorded material in 2011, which made her the oldest artist to earn a place on the UK’s Top 10 (at age 88).

Reflections on Doris Day:

Doris Day was truly irreplaceable as a performer; she brought a special nuance — as she had admired in Fitzgerald — to all of her performances, and there was something unique and fresh about the way she sang. She was popular as a singer and actress for her “All American Girl” persona, and this relatability continues to give her wide appeal. When she sang, Day had an almost velvety tone, but without heaviness; there is a brightness to her timbre that makes her voice immediately recognizable and engaging, and adds to her versatility as a performer. She could cover a wide range of songs, from silly or lighthearted to sultry or coy, and she could immediately communicate a specific feeling in what she sang.

Speaking about her approach to acting, actor James Cagney said that Day had “the ability to project the simple, direct statement of a simple, direct idea without cluttering it,” (Wikipedia, para 18), and this ability clearly applied to her singing as well. I think part of what makes her performances so iconic and effective, besides her unique tone, is that the performance of music requires a high degree of emotional honesty, to reach out and connect to others, and this seems to have come naturally to Day.

Examples:

To give a couple examples of what I’ve described of Doris Day’s uniqueness as a performer, I’ve chosen two selections which showcase both her timbre and emotional clarity. We will also hear how excellent she was as an artist, in how she used the qualities of her voice to great effect in each song.

This first song is “Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)” (performed by Doris Day (US, 1956), written and composed by Jay Livingston & Ray Evans). Along with being featured in a Hitchcock movie as described above, this song became known as Day’s signature song, and it was used as the title song for her TV series The Doris Day Show (1968–73).



This second example is “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps” (performed by Doris Day (US, 1965), written and composed by Osvaldo Farrés (translated from Spanish to English by Joe Davis)). This song is from Day’s album Latin for Lovers (1965); I chose it because it was featured (more recently) in a movie that I enjoyed (Strictly Ballroom, AU, 1992, dir. Baz Luhrmann).

Analysis & Personal Response:

Listening to these two selections, we can immediately tell why Doris Day was such a popular singer. Not only is her control excellent, she also has a way of lightly breaking her voice at the top of the high notes that adds a lot of unexpected emotion to her performances. There is that “All American Girl” cheeriness/freshness, but it’s not naïve; we can tell that this is definitely an experienced woman who’s singing these songs.

With her unique timbre, she brings a brightness and a sparkling quality to her work that makes me smile. I definitely hear this in “Que Sera Sera” — the brightness of her tone, combined with a lightly fluttering vibrato, works to communicate an honest joy that I find very uplifting. Also, when she dips to the low notes, her voice maintains a lightness that doesn’t make these notes feel heavy; the lower pitches are clear but soft, which can be difficult to do (this is even more noticeable in “Perhaps”). Her enunciation is very clean, without losing any emotion. Day keeps up a very happy feeling throughout the song.

Day’s performance of “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps” retains her characteristic tone, but she communicates a sort of irony and almost coyness, which really match the lyrics of the song. Her articulation expertly leans into the meaning of the lyrics, and I can almost imagine her raising an eyebrow and speaking exactly like this to her noncommittal suitor, especially during the refrain of “perhaps.” I thoroughly enjoyed both pieces, even though the arrangement and style show their age; her emotional communication is current, and clearly still resonates with people.

Conclusion:

This was my first (conscious) experience listening to Doris Day, and I really enjoyed her work. While she was criticized later in her career for not being edgy enough (primarily when it came to movies), I think these selections show that she was, in fact, a versatile artist; her value as a performer hasn’t diminished, even as styles have changed, and her voice remains iconic. She brought a special something to her performances that made her a top recording artist for decades, and her emotional directness and honesty, preserved in so many recordings, still connects with audiences today.

Sources:

“Doris Day Biography” Biography.com, A&E Television Networks, 5 June 2020, www.biography.com/actors/doris-day.

“Doris Day.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 June 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_Day.

“Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps,” Youtube, uploaded by Doris Day, 20 Feb. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDadIE3QQFY.

“Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera),” Youtube, uploaded by Doris Day, 27 Feb. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSKf4bpXthY.