How fortunate we are to live in a time when all this can be pulled together into a single post. You didn’t put a lot of miles on the dance floor with these songs. You stood still.
To me all these are #1 when I’m listening to them.
Maybe #1. Pick your own performance:
Nat King Cole – Stardust
Stardust – Hoagy Carmichael – Original Version
Artie Shaw‘s Stardust
Possibly #2:
Jo Stafford – Begin the Beguine
Artie Shaw‘s Begin The Beguine
#3?
Steve Goodman : Would You Like To Learn To Dance (Live 1974)
#4? For me this one fights for #1.
Leonard Cohen – Take This Waltz
#5?
The Inkspots – If I Didn’t Care
#6 One, or all?
Johnny Mathis – Heavenly (Original Stereo)
Johnny Mathis – Misty
# 7
Moonlight Becomes You
Count Basie
Johnny Mathis
#8
Four Aces – Stranger In Paradise
#9
The Platters – Twilight Time
#10
Vera Lynn – As Time Goes By
#11
Teach Me Tonight – Jo Stafford
12
Eartha Kitt – C’est Si Bon (Live Kaskad 1962) [French]
Eartha Kitt – C´est Si Bon
C’ EST SI BON EARTHA KITT [My favorite version though not live]
13
Julie London – Fly Me To The Moon (1964)
14
Peggy Lee – Fever
15
‘With my eyes wide open I’m dreaming’–Patti Page ‘Quartet’ (1949)
16
Lena Horne – Stormy Weather (1943)
17
Billie Holiday – The Very Thought of You
18
Sarah Vaughn The Nearness of You
19
Glen Campbell & John Hartford – Gentle On My Mind
20
Ray Charles – I Can’t Stop Lovin You
21
Nat King Cole-Unforgettable (On TV)
22
Cyd Charisse (Red Sails In The Sunset)
Patti Page – Red Sails In The Sunset
“Red Sails in the Sunset” Vera Lynn (1935)
23
Roy Fox Orchestra “Harbor Lights” (1937)
The Platters Harbor Lights
HARBOR LIGHTS – SAMMY KAYE
Harbor Lights by Guy Lombardo
24
Led Zeppelin – Whole Lotta Love (Live from How the West Was Won) Part 1
25
Something’s Burning-1970 Kenny Rogers and The First Edition
26
Bob Lind “Elusive Butterfly” 1966