Blogfinger

By Paul Goldfinger MD, Editor @ Blogfinger.net.  Re-posted.

Barry Levinson (b. 1942) is a film director known for his work featuring the city of Baltimore. I’ve always loved his movies, especially “Diner” and “Avalon. ” He also directed “Good Morning Vietnam” and “Rain Man.”

In 1987 he made the third in his Baltimore series—“Tin Men” starring Danny DeVito (a Jersey guy born in Neptune Township,) Richard Dreyfuss, and Barbara Hershey.

Danny DeVito on the Asbury beach July 29, 2002 during the Springsteen launch of “The Rising.” Paul Goldfinger photo. © Blogfinger.net

The film, set in 1962, is about the con-men who sell aluminum siding door-to-door in Baltimore. The characters and dialogue are wonderful including several scenes with the guys sitting in a diner discussing television, gambling, women, money and their adventures as tin men. It features a soundtrack from the 1960’s including our song below by the Nat King Cole Trio, recorded in 1940.

“Sweet Lorraine” is a jazz classic written in 1928. There have been several hit versions, and the  Cole Trio rendition is the one featured in “Tin Men.”

Here it is:

I think that “Sweet Lorraine” is one of the best musical tributes written as a paean to a woman with a particular name. I found a list of 200 songs that contain a woman’s name in the title. These are the ones that have Sweet——: Lorraine, Mary, Melissa, Annette, Caroline, Virginia and Adeline.

But here is my list of favorite songs with a woman’s name in the title: (feel free to add your favorites:)

1. Judy is a Punk

2. Jennie From the Block

3. Wake Up Little Susie

4. Song for Myla Goldberg

5. Patricia the Stripper

6. Help Me Rhonda

7. Long Tall Sally

8. Lonesome Suzie

9. Christine Sixteen

10. Believe Me, Natalie

11.Run Around Sue

12. Donna and Blitzen

13. Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter

14. And finally my favorite: Don’t Walk Away Eileen