Welcome to SongsAndMemories.com

We offered this page in honor of Ms. Day's 90th Birthday.  It is a fitting page for any birthday year for Doris, and so we leave it open and add to it.  For still more, please visit our sister site, www.dorisdaymagic.com. 

ONCE AGAIN, we offer a page of tribute to Doris...this time for her 90th Birthday Celebration.  We ask that you join us in wishing her the very best.  The audio file above does a nice job of giving the birthday girl's personal point of view.

We would also like to call your attention to another brand new American fansite (now open) in honor of Doris, www.dorisdaymagic.com.  Many of our "regulars" have helped to put the new site together. So, go and visit. Now, two pages  to view and listen to. Enjoy them both.  (And of course, we always have an entire page dedicated to Doris in our sidebar navigation menu complete with many sub pages and lots of topics. Enjoy!)  Also, keep in mind that we celebrate the music of Doris every day on Mike's Radio Show (see sidebar menu). And even more so during the month of April.  

HEAR Doris' latest recorded message: Click here

Doris certainly has a lot of memories, and so do most of us....

IT ALL STARTED (back in the late 30's) when Doris planned on a dancing career. Everyone, by now, knows the story. She was on her way to Hollywood to join a famous dance unit. She was out celebrating the night before the move to L.A. There was a car/train accident. Her legs were crushed. She was told she would never dance again. Doris thought: "that's what you think!"  and dance again, she did... (just not immediately)...

BEFORE THE DANCING BEGAN AGAIN.....our gal had two long years of recuperation before she could walk properly.  Even at an early age, Doris believed that when God closes a door, he opens a window. So, she took up singing . Hundreds of critics agree that she had one of the most miraculous voices of the 20th Century with thousands of record fans. Song writers and composers wanted her to record their songs. Watch her visually create some of those moments of magic:

The infinite variety of singing styles for Doris have to be heard to be appreciated. Here are just a few:

Doris with just a piano
Same song with big orchestral background
A #1 novelty song
Hit country song
terrific jazz singer
million selling duet
Big Band Singer
    Rock and Roll
         Lullabye 
 Cha Cha Cha
     Limbo
      Mambo
A hymn/song of faith

    A Grammy Nominee

An Oscar Winner
       Doris with a trumpet
     Doris duets with herself
Truly dedicated Doris Day fans say that she sings any song better than anyone else.  We are going to let you decide that.  On a recent Sirius XM interview with Nancy Sinatra, Nancy played a lot of the same songs by Doris, Frank Sinatra, and other artists. She never indicated that one version was better than the other; only that listeners should enjoy them all. Such is the case below.  We are providing links to many versions of one song. (In some cases, the songs selected were big hits by Doris.) You click on the various versions, and you decide which is the best version.  (When you do, tell us about it on our forum...see the sidebar navigation menu).  We are sure that we could do this endlessly, but we offer just a few. You can go to www.youtube.com and type in the name of a Doris Day song, and you will see many other versions right there.  Also, check out our normal website navigation menu under "same song/different versions".
Dancing, Singing, the movies...it seemed like Doris could do it all...and she did.  39 movies in 20 years.  #1 female box office star of all time (at least up till the present day).  #6 over all, but #1 female.  Not a bad record. She began the up hill climb in 1948 with "Romance on the High Seas"...a starring role in her first film, and it continued with film #2, "My Dream is Yours".
Here are those films in consecutive order. (If there is a version of the film to watch on youtube, a link is provided on the title of the movie. If the full movie is unavailable, we provide a link to a scene from the movie.)

"Romance on the High Seas"        1948        musical
"My Dream is Yours"                  1949        musical
"It's A Great Feeling"                   1949        musical
"Young Man With A Horn"             1950        drama/musical
"Tea For Two"                               1950        musical
"West Point Story"                        1950        musical
"Storm Warning"                           1951         drama
"Lullaby of Broadway"                   1951         musical
"On Moonlight Bay"                        1951         musical
"I'll See You in My Dreams"         1951           musical/biography
"Starlift"                                       1951            promotional film
"The Winning Team"                      1952           biography/drama
"April in Paris"                               1952           musical
"By The Light of The
    Silvery Moon"                            1953           musical
"Calamity Jane"                             1953           musical
"Lucky Me"                                    1954           musical
"Young At Heart"                          1954           musical/drama
"Love Me or Leave Me"                 1955           musical/biography
"The Man Who Knew Too Much"    1956           drama
"Julie"                                            1956           drama
"The Pajama Game"                        1957           Broadway Musical
"Teacher's Pet"                             1958           comedy
"Tunnel of Love"                            1958           comedy
"It Happened To Jane"                 1959           comedy
"Pillow Talk"                                   1959           comedy (Oscar Nominee)
"Please Don't Eat The Daisies"     1960            comedy
"Midnight Lace"                             1960            drama/thriller
"Lover Come Back"                        1961             comedy
"That Touch of Mink"                    1962             comedy
"Billy Rose's Jumbo"                     1962            musical
"The Thrill of it All"                      1963             comedy
"Move Over Darling"                     1963             comedy
"Send Me No Flowers"                  1964             comedy
"Do Not Disturb"                           1965             comedy
"Glass Bottom Boat"                      1966             comedy
"Ballad of Josie"                            1967             western
"Caprice"                                        1967             comedy/spoof
"Where Were You When
   the Lights Went Out"                  1968             comedy/spoof
"With Six You Get Eggroll"            1968             comedy



Picture
In 1968, lots of things happened to change Doris' life.  She had decided to devote more time to her animal organizations and less time to the movies and recordings.

In 1970, Doris helped found the Actors and Others for Animals and later The Doris Day Animal League and the Doris Day Animal Foundation which are still two causes she loves dearly. They had their roots early on. Today, they occupy most of her time, in addition to the more recent horse farm and adoption center. Check out all the details by clicking below:  http://www.dorisdayanimalfoundation.org/


Also in 1968, Doris' husband/agent, Martin Melcher, died. And she soon found out that all the money she had made in her career was gone and that she was deeply in debt.  In addition, Doris had been signed up to a tv contract for a weekly show and several specials. This was something done  by her husband without her knowledge. She did not have any plans to do television, but Doris has always honored her commitments.  So for 5 years, fans were treated to "The Doris Day Show", always rated in the Top Ten each week.  There were also two TV specials: "The Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff Special" and "Doris Day Today".  In addition, she appeared as a guest star on "The John Denver Special".

Also in 1968, Doris went in to Columbia Recording Studios to do what would end up being her last recording.  During the recording process, Melcher died, and the recording tapes were lost.  Years later, they were discovered by her son, Terry, who had them released in 2004 in a collection called THE LOVE ALBUM.  It became one of Miss Day's most popular collections because it contained many of her personal favorite songs. 

While the tv show and series was winding down, Doris was busily telling the true story of her life to A.E. Hotchner, who helped her to publish what became a Top Ten Best Seller:

When the book was released, Doris appeared on many tv talk shows, including Johnny Carson, Merv Griffin and Barbara Walters. These guest appearances helped to bolt the book to the top of the best selling chart.

And then, for what amounted to about 10 years, Doris actually did retire. She never said that...she only said that she had gone on to something else...the animal foundation.  In 1985-86, for one year, she was coerced to return to the small screen in a show called "Doris Day's Best Friends". It gave her the chance to toot the horn for animals and to invite some of her favorite people from her long years as an entertainer to the show as guests, the most famous appearance being Rock Hudson at a time when he was ravaged with A.I.D.S. and dying.  His appearance at the time made that particular episode one of the most watched shows on television that year.



Picture
Last show done by Doris on tv, BEST FRIENDS featured many performers/friends from her past.

Not long after that, the awards (albeit a little late) came. We can assume that those bestowing such awards were hoping to get an in person appearance. It worked in 1989 when Doris appeared to accept a Lifetime Achievement Award, the Cecille B. DeMille Award. Here were some of the others:

•1989 Golden Globe Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, presented by Clint Eastwood
•1991 Lifetime Top Comedy Award with Jack Lemmon
•1998 Grammy Hall of Fame Inductee for recording of Sentimental Journey
•1999 Grammy Hall of Fame Inductee for recording of Secret Love
•2004 Presidential Medal of Freedom - highest civilian honour presented by President George W. Bush
•2008 Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement
•2010 Legend Award from the Society of Singers
•2011 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Career Achievement Award
•2012 Grammy Hall of Fame Inductee for recording of Que Sera Sera

Picture
Doris appears to pick up her Cecille B. DeMille Award for a Lifetime Achievement in Acting.

And then, in 2010/2011, the world was in for a big surprise. DORIS DAY hit the best seller list with a new album (songs that had never been released from her BEST FRIENDS shows had been remastered with added material and released for sale.) On Amazon.Com, the album remained at the top of the Vocal Jazz Chart for over 6 months. She was the oldest artist to ever have an album of new material on the best seller list. The release was called MY HEART.

This past year, Doris did a series of interviews with Nancy Sinatra on SiriusXM Radio. They were very well received.

And this year, still another new CD now climbing the sales charts on amazon.com and getting play around the globe.

FLASH BULLETIN: Doris made two rare appearances today. One on the balcony of her home in Carmel and one at the dinner in her honor in Carmel. Upper right and lower left are pics from her balcony. (Upper left taken a few years ago, while the other two are current. Still beautiful at 90!)

Also, for your added enjoyment, we still have published the Birthday Page we opened this past year for Doris' birthday (check the Archives on our sidebar menu).  We will keep that page open for your added enjoyment and to help celebrate this special event.

BE SURE to visit our sister site for a very special treat:
JUST CLICK ON WWW.DORISDAYMAGIC.COM 


SOME FANS have dialed our 800 line and left a message. We will keep the line open until the actual day, but we only guarantee that those who have called in before March 30th will be included.  Although the  calls were from 2014, there is no reason to assume anything in that respect has changed so enjoy them once again.

Actually, Doris will not be answering your phone call, but she will definitely hear it!

Click on the audio files below to hear the phone messages we have received this year.