Jerry Lewis (1,332 views)

[BAZanine]

Joseph Levitch (16 March 1926 - 20 August 2017)
Years Active: 1931 - 2017
Voice Type: You'll Tenor Walk Alone
Vocal Range: F2 - A5

SPOILER: Click to show

{Vocal Summary}Jerry Lewis is something of an oddity; in a sea of silky-smooth crooners, he made a career out of almost the opposite. Despite being a palatable singer when he wanted to be (the entirety of Just Sings comes to mind), that generally is not what one thinks of first. Rather, for those who remember Jerry Lewis, they will think of a very nasal, abrasive voice with little use beyond comedic effect. Indeed, the mass majority of his discography serves little more than that purpose. As such, Lewis is more often than not an acquired taste, and even then for a specific mood. However, that isn't to say he's got nothing in store for most; although not massive in amount, Lewis left behind many tracks for the serious listener to enjoy. Within these, Lewis adopts a cleaner croon and a more restrained range than that of his standard, vocally absurd "mode". This is where one will find him at his best, with his own subtle nuances and emotional flair fitting him in very well with other crooners. It is quite unfortunate that he didn't utilize this mature side of his voice more often, but it is understandable as to why; at the end of the day, Jerry Lewis was a comedian before he was a singer. His career was largely about putting smiles on people's faces, something he was amazing at. And for that, even with his shortcomings in regards to refined vocals, he deserves respect.

Significant High Notes:

A5 ("I Like It, I Like It")
F5 ("I Love a Murder Mystery")
E5 ("I Love Girls", "I'm a Little Busybody", "That Old Calliope")
E♭5 ("A-Hunting We Will Go", "They Go Wild, Simply Wild Over Me")
D5 ("Are You for Real", "I'll Tell a Policeman on You")
C♯5 ("Ev'ry Street's a Boulevard in Old New York", "I'm a Little Busybody", "North Dakota, South Dakota (Illinois and Indiana Moon)")
C5 ("The Navy Gets the Gravy but the Army Gets the Beans", "Shake a Hand" on The Colgate Comedy Hour 8/9/1955, "Sunday Driving", "That Old Calliope")
B4 ("Candelabra Boogie", "Rock My Baby" Rock-A-Bye Baby scene, "That Certain Party", "Y-Y-Y-Yup!")
B♭4 ("Birth of the Blues", "Buckskin Beauty", "Ev'ry Street's a Boulevard in Old New York", "I Keep Her Picture Hanging Upside Down", "I'm a Little Busybody", "The Lord Loves a Laughing Man", "Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa Polka", "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody" false start, "Sometimes I'm Happy", "Strictly for the Birds", "They Go Wild, Simply Wild Over Me")
A4 ("Buckskin Beauty", "Crazy Words, Crazy Tune (Vo-Do-De-O)", "I've Got the World on a String", "Lay Something on the Bar (Except Your Elbows)", "Show Opening" live Las Vegas 1988)
G♯4 ("Back in Your Own Back Yard", "Because of You (There's a Song in My Heart)" on The Colgate Comedy Hour, "Come Rain or Come Shine" live MDA Telethon 1981, "Get Happy", "I Can't Carry a Tune", "It All Depends on You", "La Bamba" live tease, Las Vegas 1988, "The Lord Loves a Laughing Man", "The Navy Gets the Gravy but the Army Gets the Beans", "No One", "Y-Y-Y-Yup!")
G4 ("The Book Was So Much Better Than the Picture", "Candelabra Boogie", "Come Rain or Come Shine", "Crazy Words, Crazy Tune (Vo-Do-De-O)", "Ev'ry Street's a Boulevard in Old New York", "Everything's Coming Up Roses", "I Keep Her Picture Hanging Upside Down", "Lay Something on the Bar (Except Your Elbows)", "The Noisy Eater" parts 1 & 2, "Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa Polka", "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody" studio / live, "Shine on Your Shoes", "Strictly for the Birds", "Sunday Driving", "Ticka-Dee")
F♯4 ("Birth of the Blues", "Get Happy", "I Love Girls", "I've Had a Very Merry Christmas", "North Dakota, South Dakota (Illinois and Indiana Moon)", "Sometimes I'm Happy")
F4 ("Are You for Real", "Back in Your Own Back Yard", "Boat to Kenya", "Bye Bye Baby", "Come Rain or Come Shine", "Easy to Love", "Even Now" live MDA Telethon 1991, "I Can't Carry a Tune", "I've Got the World on a String", "Let Me Sing and I'm Happy", "The Lord Loves a Laughing Man", "The Money Song", "My Mammy", "The Navy Gets the Gravy but the Army Gets the Beans", "Never Been Kissed", "North Dakota, South Dakota (Illinois and Indiana Moon)", "Pardners", "Strictly for the Birds", "With These Hands", "You'll Never Walk Alone" live)
E4 ("A-Hunting We Will Go", "Birth of the Blues", "The Book Was So Much Better Than the Picture", "Buckskin Beauty", "By Myself", "Bye Bye Baby", "Champagne and Wedding Cake", "Dormi, Dormi, Dormi", "Easy to Love", "Even Now" live MDA Telethon 1991, "I Dream of You (More Than You Dream I Do)", "I Like It, I Like It", "I Love Girls", "I'm Part of a Family", "I'm Sitting on Top of the World", "I've Had a Very Merry Christmas", "It All Depends on You", "It's the Talk of the Town" live MDA Telethon 1953, "Lay Something on the Bar (Except Your Elbows)", "Let Me Sing and I'm Happy", "Love Is a Lonely Thing", "Makin' Whoopee", "The Money Song", "The More I See You", "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody", "Y-Y-Y-Yup!")

Significant Low Notes:

D3 ("Are You for Real", "Birth of the Blues", "Buckskin Beauty", "The Book Was So Much Better Than the Picture", "Champagne and Wedding Cake", "I Dream of You (More Than You Dream I Do)", "I Love a Murder Mystery", "I'll Tell a Policeman on You", "I've Had a Very Merry Christmas", "Lay Something on the Bar (Except Your Elbows)", "Let Me Sing and I'm Happy", "Little Man, You've Had a Busy Day", "Little Sir Echo", "Love Is a Lonely Thing", "The Nagger" part 2, "No One", "Old Man River" live tease, Las Vegas 1988, "The Princess Waltz", "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody", "To Patti on Our Sixth Anniversary", "Theme from 'Raymie'", "They Go Wild, Simply Wild Over Me")
C♯3 ("Are You for Real", "Dormi, Dormi, Dormi", "How Long Has This Been Going On?", "My Mammy", "The Sad Sack", "Somebody", "That Certain Party", "With These Hands")
C3 ("Boat to Kenya", "Champagne and Wedding Cake", "Ev'ry Street's a Boulevard in Old New York", "I'm Part of a Family", "I've Had a Very Merry Christmas", "The Money Song", "My Mammy", "The Nagger" part 1, "The Navy Gets the Gravy but the Army Gets the Beans", "Over the Rainbow", "Pardners", "The Puppy Dog Dream" parts 1 & 2, "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody" live Las Vegas 1988, "Shine on Your Shoes", "Ticka-Dee", "We've Got a World That Swings" The Nutty Professor scene, "When You Wish Upon a Star", "With These Hands")
B2 ("Brahms Lullaby", "Dormi, Dormi, Dormi", "Love Is a Lonely Thing", "The More I See You", "Theme from 'Raymie'", "This Little Piggy Went to Market", "To Patti on Our Sixth Anniversary", "Turn It On")
B♭2 ("Always", "Brahms Lullaby", "Come Rain or Come Shine" live MDA Telethon 1981, "Easy to Love", "Have a Girl, Have a Boy", "Hit the Road to Dreamland", "How About Me?" on The Jerry Lewis Show 1969, "Little People", "The More I See You", "Smile" on The Jerry Lewis Show 1963, "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" live tease, Las Vegas 1988, "That's My Heartstrings (That's My Boy)", "Turn It On", "We've Got a World That Swings" The Nutty Professor scene, "You'll Never Walk Alone" live)
A2 ("Easy to Love", "Even Now" live MDA Telethon 1991, "Let Me Be a People", "Little Man, You've Had a Busy Day", "Over the Rainbow", "Song from 'The Geisha Boy'", "Theme from 'Raymie'", "This Little Piggy Went to Market")
G♯2 ("Goodnight, Little People", "Somebody", "That's My Heartstrings (That's My Boy)", "You'll Never Walk Alone" live MDA Telethon 2010 + assorted late career performances)
G2 ("Let Me Be a People", "That Old Black Magic" The Nutty Professor scene)
F2 ("How About Me?" on The Jerry Lewis Show 1969, "That Old Black Magic" The Nutty Professor scene)

…………………………………………………………………….
*Blue marks clear falsetto notes.
*Italics mark non-melodic notes.
*Boldface marks notes that are considered impressive in relation to this person's vocal capabilities.
*Underlines mark notes obscured in the mix of the song.
*Dates on this thread are listed with the format DD/MM/YYYY.

Best Vocal Performances:

1. Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With Dixie Melody
2. Birth of the Blues
3. Dormi, Dormi, Dormi
4. Come Rain or Come Shine
5. The Lord Loves a Laughing Man

SPOILER: Click to show

{Questionable Notes}C6 ("I Love a Murder Mystery"^[1a])
B♭5 ("Are You for Real"^[1a])
B4 ("It All Depends on You"^[1a])

E♭2 ("How About Me?" on The Jerry Lewis Show 1969^[1b])

.......................................................
[1] Questionable representativeness.
a. Brief exclamations.
b. Brief dips and anacrusis in low range.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Notewatched Discography and Album Ranges}Just Sings (1956) (C3 - B♭4)
More Jerry Lewis (1957) (A2 - F4) - Only tracks 1, 3 available
Big Songs for Little People (1959) (G♯2 - E4) - Track 6 unavailable
Cinderfella (1960) (G2 - G4)
+ Various singles
+ Various movie tracks
+ Various live performances