If you weren’t around during the fifties and sixties, perhaps you’ve never heard of Julie London. But she was one of the most beautiful—and sexiest—singers ever. So here, since we all need a little relief from the cares of the day, I invite you to sway with Julie:
Compare and contrast with this roughly contemporaneous version by Rosemary Clooney. It’s not bad, but to my mind it can’t compare:
Clooney is talking about dancing. But London seems to be talking about quite a bit more.
Here’s the beauteous London on the special quality of her own singing:
It’s only a thimbleful of a voice, and I have to use it close to the microphone. But it is a kind of oversmoked voice, and it automatically sounds intimate.
I don’t think it was quite as automatic as that.
Previously a lifelong Democrat, born in New York and living in New England, surrounded by liberals on all sides, I've found myself slowly but surely 
February 17th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
Her version is on my Pandora station; love it.
February 17th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
When I first heard “Sway” it was by the Blue Hawaiians…
http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B00000JBGR/ref=pd_krex_dp_001_007?ie=UTF8&track=007&disc=001
February 17th, 2010 at 3:27 pm
I think your right. Julie London had a much more sensual, as opposed to sexual, quality like Sophia Loren. The voice added to that sensual quality.
It is interesting that one sees a lot of sexual magnetism, but not so the sensuousness that adds real zest to performance and life. I am not entirely sure why that should be so, but I suspect that sensuousness is an inherent attribute.
February 17th, 2010 at 6:13 pm
Julie London. Hubba hubba.
February 17th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
They don’t make ‘em like that any more.
(Songs, I mean…)
My mom actually looked rather like Julie. (Alas, she could not sing…).
Beautiful women!
Jamie Irons
February 17th, 2010 at 6:34 pm
Well, Jamie Irons, if you look like Julie L., you don’t really have to sing, do you?
February 17th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Wonderful, Neo-Neocon ! That smokey lounge singer sexiness was classic. When I was a ‘yoot starting out in television at U, Julie and her then husband, Bobby Troup, worked together in ‘Emergency’, under the production banner of Mark VII, her former huband, Jack Webb’s company. Saw her alot and it always tickled my 26-year old heart.
February 17th, 2010 at 9:13 pm
Cigarettes and whiskey will do that. Love it!
February 18th, 2010 at 12:38 am
She’s not my type, but My mother, who was a “new” adult in the fifties and sixties, is a big fan of her.
There’s a lot of her stuff available out on P2P.
February 18th, 2010 at 9:21 am
Julie London was my second crush in my real younger days from the show Emergency. What a babe! First crush honors go to Peggy Lipton of Mod Squad. Solid.
February 18th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
My first exposure to Julie London was her singing an ad for Marlboro cigarettes. I doubt that the end of the song was in the ad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwp2VLlvzCk