Written by Billy Preston & Bruce Fischer

 

Co-written by the late Billy Preston (1946-2006) with songwriter/producer, Bruce Fischer, “You Are So Beautiful” was a beautiful ballad that became an evergreen. Preston was acknowledged as the “Fifth Beatle” for his fabulous organ playing on “Get Back” found on The Beatles’ Let It Be album. 

This exquisite serenade was first released by Preston on his 1974 album, The Kids & Me. Later that year, legendary UK singer, Joe Cocker (1944-2014), recorded the definitive version of “You Are So Beautiful” on his I Can Stand A Little Rain album. It was released as a single in the fall of 1974 and reached #5 on Billboard’s Hot 100, thus becoming one of Cocker’s signature songs and a timeless pop classic. “You Are So Beautiful” was covered  by dozens of singers including the wonderful Kenny Rogers (1938-2020), the amazing Michael Bolton and the fabulous Diana Ross.

Another great version of “You Are So Beautiful” came in 2016 by newcomer Jordan Smith, the winner of NBC’s singing competition,The Voice ninth season. Smith recorded a stunning version of “You Are So Beautiful” for his debut cd, Something Beautiful. David Foster produced this track along with three others for Smith’s record. Foster’s and Smith’s version of “You Are So Beautiful” was focused on Smith’s angelic voice with the delicate support from Foster’s gorgeous acoustic piano. This stripped down arrangement kept the emotional power of the classic composition although Smith’s pure and crystal-clear performance was the opposite of Cocker’s aching and gritty one. Something Beautiful was an out-of-the-box success, debuted at #2 on Billboard Top 200 and reached #1 in the iTunes Store.

• Lead Vocals: Jordan Smith
• Piano & Keyboards: David Foster

• Produced & Arranged by David Foster
• Co-Produced by Jochem van der Saag

Lyrics

You are so beautiful
To me
You are so beautiful
To me
Can’t you see
You’re everything I hoped for
You’re everything I need
You are so beautiful
To me

You are so beautiful
To me
You are so beautiful
To me
Can’t you see
You’re everything I hoped for
Everything I need
You are so beautiful
To me

Newcomer Jordan Smith is one of the most welcome surprises to come out of the talent show galaxy in recent years. Smith won season nine of The Voice and immediately became the best seller to ever come from that popular TV franchise. After the solid success of his March 2016 debut cd, Something Beautiful, that is mostly produced by David Foster, Smith came back with a new, seasonal offering titled ’Tis The Season.

Again, Foster is on call for the production alongside his right hand man, the gifted Jochem van der Saag. The legendary Hitman provides the impressive vocalist with a series of Christmas classics that are beautifully crafted with outstanding arrangements and impeccable musical performances. Van der Saag leaves his mark on this music package with a wondrous sound that is clean and top-notch. Foster is already recognized as the King of Christmas Releases for his string of platinum productions including Michael Bublè, Rod Stewart, Mary J. Blige and Josh Groban. He conducts Smith with firm hand as Smith delivers one vocal stunner after another.

Among the varied and tasteful material included on ’Tis The Season, the Song of the Week is an irresistible, jazzy take on “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” originally from the 1966 cartoon special,How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Foster, also on keyboards, sets a spirited, deliciously retro atmosphere that would make Bublè proud. Arranger supreme and frequent Foster collaborator Chris Walden provides a mean horn arrangement that adds more fire to this energetic track. The young singer’s vocal performance is a showstopper as he handles the song with striking confidence and class not far from Bublè’s jazzy/pop world. “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” is currently a top twenty single on Adult Contemporary chart and its parent cd deservedly reached the top ten on the Billboard Top 200 music chart. Smith and ’Tis The Season will be the feature of a PBS special that will surely keep the momentum going for this cd, currently on its way to becoming one of the Christmas season’s best sellers.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/04-jordan_smith-youre_a_mean_one_mr_grinch-5a198053.mp3|titles=Shadows|artists=Jordan Smith]

Lead Vocals: Jordan Smith
Piano & Keyboards: David Foster
Trumpet: Wayne Bergeron
Trumpet: Juliane Gralle
Saxophone: Jeff Driskill
Synth, Programming & Sound Design: Jochem van der Saag

Arranged by David Foster
Horns Arranged by Chris Walden
Produced by David Foster & Jochem van der Saag

Lyrics

You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch,
You really are a heel!
You’re as cuddly as a cactus,
You’re as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch.

You’re a bad banana with a greasy black peel!

You’re a monster, Mr. Grinch.
Your heart’s an empty hole!
Your brain is full of spiders,
You’ve got garlic in your soul, Mr. Grinch.

I wouldn’t touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole!

You’re a vile one, Mr. Grinch.
You have termites in your smile!
You have all the tender sweetness
Of a seasick crocodile, Mr. Grinch.

Given the choice between the two of you
I’d take the seasick crocodile!

You’re a foul one, Mr. Grinch.
You’re a nasty wasty skunk!
Your heart is full of unwashed socks,
Your soul is full of gunk, Mr. Grinch.

The three words that best describe you are as follows, and I quote:
“Stink! Stank! Stunk!”

You’re a rotter, Mr. Grinch.
You’re the king of sinful sots!
Your heart’s a dead tomato splotched
With moldy purple spots, Mr. Grinch.

Your soul is an appalling dump heap
Overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable
Mangled up in tangled up knots!

You nauseate me, Mr. Grinch,
With a nauseous super “naus!”
You’re a crooked dirty jockey,
And you drive a crooked horse, Mr. Grinch.

You’re a three-decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich
With arsenic sauce!

Traditional

Jordan Smith was the winner on the ninth season of American singing competition, The Voice. Smith’s gorgeous voice made immediate buzz among the show’s millions of viewers and inside the music industry as well with its beautiful tone, great power and perfect delivery. The twenty-two year old’s sweet and tender performances were tailor-made for adult contemporary audiences, but, through the most inspirational material, deeply rooted in Christian music. Given his vocal potential and overall positive persona, Smith immediately became a David Foster protégée. Foster performed with the young singer at some high profile events and eventually produced a few tracks on his debut cd, Something Beautiful.

Foster crafted four top-notch covers while Stephen Moccio, another top Canadian music-maker, worked on the remainder of the cd. Smith and Foster brought to life a heart-warming rendition of the Joe Cocker staple, “You Are So Beautiful,” Sarah McLachlan’s masterpiece, “Angel” and the Judy Garland classic, “Over The Rainbow.” The fourth track produced by The Hitman was “Amazing Grace,” the most impressive of the group and the Song of the Week.
This tune has been covered by a who’s who of outstanding singers because “Amazing Grace” has been dubbed as one of most famous Christian hymns. Smith flew high and delivered a true piece of musical art under Foster’s expert direction. The singer gave an emotional performance backed up by the Canadian legend on piano plus luminaries including Nathan East on bass and Teddy Campbell on drums. The icing on the cake that enhances the inspirational value of this traditional piece to the max was the appearance of modern gospel great, Kirk Franklin, who came up with a spectacular choir arrangement. Smith’s take on “Amazing Grace” was a Christian hit that reached #31 on that chart.
Something Beautiful presented a bunch of other great covers produced by Moccio. It debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Top 200 by selling around 52,000 copies in its first week. Something Beautiful was also the highest entry and produced the best sales week ever for any contestant of The Voice.
To Foster’s faithful fans, Smith’s history of success should bring to mind the tale of the late Warren Wiebe. Although gifted with a remarkable and unique voice, Wiebe was another super talent who never had the chance to make it as a recording star. Today, with talent shows like The Voice, he would have been given a chance to shine. All those who appreciate Jordan Smith should go and look for Wiebe’s noteworthy songs to discover one of the most beautiful, “unknown” voices of the past 30 years.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/amazing_grace.mp3|titles=Amazing Grace|artists=Jordan Smith]

Lead Vocals: Jordan Smith
Piano: David Foster
Bass: Nathan East
Drums: Teddy Campbell
Organ: Mike Burrell
Choir Arranged by Kirk Franklin

Produced & Arranged by David Foster
Co-Produced by Jochem van der Saag

Lyrics

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I’m found.
‘Twas blind, but now I see.
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Then when we first begun.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I’m found.
Was blind, but now I see.