Arlen's "I Had Myself a True Love" and Kern's "Bill" (from "Show Boat") were especially beguiling.
Interpreting Arlen's classic torch songs, "I Had Myself a True Love" and "The Man That Got Away," Ms. McDonald goes against custom by making each an expression of private sorrow instead of public kvetching.
And since we're free to choose our ancestors when it comes to art, his ranged from that irrepressible vaudeville rag "Waiting on the Robert E. Lee" through Irving Berlin's mournfully suave "Let's Face the Music and Dance," and on to the lithe, blues-touched beauty of Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's "I Had Myself a True Love".
From that list, Ms. Cook has astutely chosen a program that includes, in addition to classic ballads by Harold Arlen ("I Had Myself a True Love") and Irving Berlin ("I Got Lost in His Arms"), such vigorous early 20th century tub-thumpers as "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee" and "Hard-Hearted Hannah".
And, glorious indeed, there are five songs by that not-quite-celebrated enough master, Harold Arlen: "I Had Myself a True Love," "A Sleepin' Bee," "I Never Has Seen Snow," "Anyplace I Hang My Hat Is Home" and "The Man That Got Away".
I should have had myself beaten earlier.
So perhaps I only had myself to blame.
"I had myself 100percentt ready for the second match".
"I had myself lost 47 members of my extended family".
"I've had myself jerked around by this theory," he said.
