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Peggy Lee — Fever
Album: Best Of Peggy Lee
Avg rating:
8.1

Your rating:
Total ratings: 3592









Released: 1960
Length: 3:17
Plays (last 30 days): 1
Never know how much I love you
Never know how much I care
When you put your arms around me
I get a fever that's so hard to bear

You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever! in the morning
Fever all through the night

Sun lights up the daytime
Moon lights up the night
I light up when you call my name
And you know I'm gonna treat you right

You give me fever
When you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever! in the morning
Fever all through the night

Everybody's got the fever
That is something you all know
Fever isn't such a new thing
Fever started long ago

Romeo loved Juliet
Juliet, she felt the same
When he put his arms around her
He said, "Julie, baby, you're my flame

"Thou giveth fever
"When we kisseth
"Fever with thy flaming youth
"Fever! I'm afire
"Fever, yea, I burn, forsooth."

Cap'n Smith and Pocahontas
Had a very mad affair
When her daddy tried to kill him
She said, "Daddy, oh, don't you dare!

"He gives me fever
"With his kisses
"Fever when he holds me tight
"Fever! I'm his missus
"Daddy, won't you treat him right?"

Now you've listened to my story
Here's the point that I have made
Chicks were born to give you fever
Be it Fahrenheit or Centigrade

They give you fever
When you kiss them
Fever if you live and learn
Fever! till you sizzle
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn
Comments (213)add comment
 Mihai wrote:

The coolest Swede that ever lived.



As a second generation Swedish-American I  take pride in this.   Another is Ann Margaret. 
 LuvsMusic wrote:

Snappy tune!




YES!  Forsooth!  Thanx RP!   
 garyalex wrote:



They made excellent use of reverb on this recording.  Just enough to provide some sense of space, without overdoing it.  They knew what they were doing when they recorded this gem.



It sounds like a "plate reverb"!  They achieved a great sound with it.
Released in 1958.
Snappy tune!
The coolest Swede that ever lived.
The Forsooth song !!

One of my favorite words --- forsooth
Thank you ~~~
What a delight this day 
Interesting that it's one of those songs that uses the "truck drivers gear change" (change in key).  I wonder how many RP songs do that.  It's definitely not a common technique these days.
 eileenomurphy wrote:



It sounds like they were using Neuman condenser mics, Not the old RCA ribbon mics. Most record label recording studios were still using ribbon mics in 1960. The RCA ribbon mics were developed by the legendary RCA engineer Harry Olson in the late 30s. Neuman  (German) condenser mics were first used and made popular in the USA by legendary jazz recording engineer, Rudy VanGelder in the late 50s. At that time, most record label studios were using broadcast mixing consoles with no equalization (EQ). Rudy developed and built custom consoles with EQ on each channel in the early 60s.



Yep!! Neumann mics and a "plate reverb"!! ...very likelyl!
 eileenomurphy wrote:



It sounds like they were using Neuman condenser mics, Not the old RCA ribbon mics. Most record label recording studios were still using ribbon mics in 1960. The RCA ribbon mics were developed by the legendary RCA engineer Harry Olson in the late 30s. Neuman  (German) condenser mics were first used and made popular in the USA by legendary jazz recording engineer, Rudy VanGelder in the late 50s. At that time, most record label studios were using broadcast mixing consoles with no equalization (EQ). Rudy developed and built custom consoles with EQ on each channel in the early 60s.


Another reason I love RP is the esoteric stuff I learn here, and never would have thought to Google!

Thank you, contributors ... :)
This caught my ear...there was a nice segment on Peggy Lee on "CBS Sunday Morning" this past weekend. 
 stevesaw wrote:
 
 It is a very clean recording. Recording technology was actually pretty good in 1960, with the main limitation being the number of tracks ( I guess 4). This song has 4 ingredients: voice, drum, bass, snaps. It was an analog recording and this song didn't tax the technology of the day with so few instruments and a limited dynamic and frequency range. This was also before they started using compression and other tweaks. It, of course, sounds like it was very well engineered (mics, etc).  




It sounds like they were using Neuman condenser mics, Not the old RCA ribbon mics. Most record label recording studios were still using ribbon mics in 1960. The RCA ribbon mics were developed by the legendary RCA engineer Harry Olson in the late 30s. Neuman  (German) condenser mics were first used and made popular in the USA by legendary jazz recording engineer, Rudy VanGelder in the late 50s. At that time, most record label studios were using broadcast mixing consoles with no equalization (EQ). Rudy developed and built custom consoles with EQ on each channel in the early 60s.
 joejennings wrote:

GODLIKE!!!




I Agree!!!
GODLIKE!!!
 stevesaw wrote:
 
 It is a very clean recording. Recording technology was actually pretty good in 1960, with the main limitation being the number of tracks ( I guess 4). This song has 4 ingredients: voice, drum, bass, snaps. It was an analog recording and this song didn't tax the technology of the day with so few instruments and a limited dynamic and frequency range. This was also before they started using compression and other tweaks. It, of course, sounds like it was very well engineered (mics, etc).  




They made excellent use of reverb on this recording.  Just enough to provide some sense of space, without overdoing it.  They knew what they were doing when they recorded this gem.
This song is just the epitome of cool.
 Nix wrote:

I also like Rita Moreno version with the Animal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoIZQh1IjI8



That's the first place I remember hearing this song, and it remains my favorite version.
Anya Taylor Joy dancing and lip synching to this song in Episode 6 of "The Queens Gambit" gives me joy.  
The incomparable Peggy Lee! Such a joy every time I hear this!
Somehow, my favourite version is Rita Moreno with Animal.

Rita Moreno - Fever
 bstjames wrote:
Her 100th birthday!
 

I'm pretty sure we stop counting after people died 
 Alastair wrote:
Sends chills down my spine.  

Anyone know how they achieved such high quality recording in 1960 or is this a remaster?  
 It is a very clean recording. Recording technology was actually pretty good in 1960, with the main limitation being the number of tracks ( I guess 4). This song has 4 ingredients: voice, drum, bass, snaps. It was an analog recording and this song didn't tax the technology of the day with so few instruments and a limited dynamic and frequency range. This was also before they started using compression and other tweaks. It, of course, sounds like it was very well engineered (mics, etc).  

A bit too fast for my taste. Good moments should be savored ;-)
But still excellent version.
 willmcnaught wrote:

what is amazing is 14 folks gave this a 1!!!!!  yikes
 

14 people don't know how to tie their shoes.
Her 100th birthday!
 Alastair wrote:
Sends chills down my spine.  

Anyone know how they achieved such high quality recording in 1960 or is this a remaster?  
 
I imagine this recording has been remastered but it's also a very minimal arrangement.  It sounds like just upright bass, finger-snaps, and drums with her singing - no strings or horns or other instruments to muddy it up.
couldn't help noticing how the album cover note looks like a scythe
nice pandemic playlist there Bill :p
The original Little Willie John version is what we should be listening to.
Peggy shone brightest on Why Don't You Do Right
Hey, wasn't Pocahontas 13?
Funny...

How nobody sings about the fever that overtook Jerry Lee Lewis, and the affair he had with his 13 year old cousin. 

GOODNESS GRACIOUS GREAT BALLS OF FIRE!

{#Fire}{#Fire} 
 Skydog wrote:
 Awesome history! Thanks for staking the time to share!

Timeless
Just bumped this up to 10
Crazy production even in 2020
A 10 where a 10 is due
This was originally meant to be played by a big band. But when it was to be recorded only the bass player and the drummer showed up at the set. 

The rest of the big band was struck by FEVER! 
Sends chills down my spine.  

Anyone know how they achieved such high quality recording in 1960 or is this a remaster?  
Yamagata to Lee—another incredible sequel from Bill!
So clear and crisp.   
14 trolls !

 
willmcnaught wrote:

what is amazing is 14 folks gave this a 1!!!!!  yikes
 

more than 10.
 Stephen_Phillips wrote:
Peggy,  it's not a fever you got. Nowadays we call it Chlamydia and a course of Penicillin will cure it.

 
Ha, ha!
 capandjudy wrote:
A 10 for the production quality. This sounds like something that would be used to check out a high end audio system. 
 

You're right about this being an audiophile favorite.  It's rare to attend a high-end hifi show where this isn't heard.  It's an excellent piece of music and a great demo track.
this is still remarkable..
Miss Peggy Lee, you're still the BEST.  Madonna's version is pretty dishwater in comparison.  
A 10 for the production quality. This sounds like something that would be used to check out a high end audio system. 
Just rated a 9.
But i would give a ten to the Elvis live version from 1973 (Aloha from Hawaii)
I also like Rita Moreno version with the Animal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoIZQh1IjI8
https://vegnews.com/web/uploads/asset/920/file/BabyChicks.jpg
Apparently chicks were born to give you fever.
{#Music}
Are those fingers snapping?
Peggy,  it's not a fever you got. Nowadays we call it Chlamydia and a course of Penicillin will cure it.

Fe-VAH!


Just got the chills. Signs of a fever?
 Chrisjea wrote:
Just great

 
what is amazing is 14 folks gave this a 1!!!!!  yikes
Just great
 idiot_wind wrote:
For some reason, this doesn't sound like 1960. 

  does it sound like before or after 1960? here's what wiki says

In May 1958, Peggy Lee recorded a cover version of the song in Hollywood, which featured significantly rewritten lyrics composed by Lee herself without credit. "Fever" was not included on Lee's album Things Are Swingin' when it was first released in 1959; however it was listed as a bonus track on its 2004 reissue release. The uncopyrighted lyrics by Lee featured historical invokings (including the verses beginning "Romeo loved Juliet," and "Captain Smith and Pocahontas") are now generally thought of as a standard part of the song, and have been included in most subsequent covers of "Fever".

Lee's cover, most likely arranged by the singer herself (despite the official credit to conductor Jack Marshall) was a more slow-tempo version than the original; it was described as being in "torchy lounge" mode, accompanied only by bass (played by Joe Mondragon) and a very limited drum set (played in part with fingers by Shelly Manne), while the finger snaps were provided by the singer herself, by Howard Roberts, the guitarist for the date, who set aside his guitar for this number, or possibly even by the producer, Dave Cavanaugh. Lee's rendition was further described as "smooth, sultry". It is written in the key of A Minor in a medium swing tempo with 135 beats per minute; Lee's vocals span from the musical note of G3 to B4.


{#Notworthy}{#Clap}{#Meditate}


For some reason, this doesn't sound like 1960. 
 NoEnzLefttoSplit wrote:
What's really cool about this song is how stripped down it is. A nice, fairly simple bass line, spartan drum work, clicks and her vocals. 

 
For me, it's a perfect 10. Never get tired of this. Every detail is just right
That sounds sweet!  Hadn't heard this version before.  Don't know how I missed it.
 AndyJ wrote:
She owns this... The others who do this song are always in comparison...All do it well, but this version is slowed just right for her voice

 
the next best is the Cramps version. No one owns it like Lux.
and in many cultures such a song, and such honesty is forbidden. Sad.
What's really cool about this song is how stripped down it is. A nice, fairly simple bass line, spartan drum work, clicks and her vocals. 
The only version that gives me chills.
Little known fact. Best cover sung by mariska hargitay to elliot on SVU.

Just kidding. 
 amprich wrote:
AMAZINGLY TIMELESS

 
Yessssssssss!
 msymmes wrote:
Just love the diversity on RP !
 

 
{#Wave} ..... don't yer just :)
8...to 9
Good call!
AMAZINGLY TIMELESS
Only 2 of the fabulous Miss Lee's classics in the Library Bill?  May I suggest anything off the album "Beauty and the Beat" with the fantastic genius of George Shearing.  {#Notworthy}
Jazz singer. Yeah.
Just love the diversity on RP !
 
NOTHING ELSE worth playing off of this Bill? Really?
She owns this... The others who do this song are always in comparison...All do it well, but this version is slowed just right for her voice

Pretty amazing recording from 1960 !
THIS is why I listen to RP ... Who else would play this 60's classic in the middle of a rock set?!!   "Chicks are gonna give you fever ... "
 DD rabbi_phil wrote:
Fever?...yeah that's great....till she calls you on the golf course...wants to talk..ugghhh.."hi yaa,how ya dooiiiin,howz your day...how you feeeelin...last night was special", do ya miss me?.....pleeeeeze, I'm trrryyin to birdie the 14th. then you turn your phone off..gotta putt now. MUCH later you get home and that feverz gonna kill you. brrrrrrrrr..ice cold..then she says we have to"talk"....oh no!....no no no..not "the Talk"!..then some tears,jeeeez not the tears.(why do they do that?)..she says you"re shallow selfish and insincere...only want 1 thing .....Ok..whats your point?
 
you are NOT attracting the right type of woman
Ugh. An example of a song I guess you have to suffer through to hear all the other brilliant stuff on RP.
This could be a spy movie theme song.
What's not to like?
Always dug this one.
Cooooooooooooool.
 rabbi_phil wrote:
Fever?...yeah that's great....till she calls you on the golf course...wants to talk..ugghhh.."hi yaa,how ya dooiiiin,howz your day...how you feeeelin...last night was special", do ya miss me?.....pleeeeeze, I'm trrryyin to birdie the 14th. then you turn your phone off..gotta putt now. MUCH later you get home and that feverz gonna kill you. brrrrrrrrr..ice cold..then she says we have to"talk"....oh no!....no no no..not "the Talk"!..then some tears,jeeeez not the tears.(why do they do that?)..she says you"re shallow selfish and insincere...only want 1 thing .....Ok..whats your point?
 
Brutal.

Love this song though. This is the definitive version.
Fever is still totally cool.  She really nailed it with this one.  Keep all your other versions.
Only Peggy could pull this off, and you know it. 
I know I'll get in trouble for this, but I like Madonna's version better.
Still, I don't like "Fever" much at all. I'm sure that says something about me.
I normally love this song but having had a fever for the last 5 days its slightly lost its appeal today.  You give me uncontrollable sweating, insomnia, a throbbing headache, moments of shivering and other generally unpleasant feelings??
Fever?...yeah that's great....till she calls you on the golf course...wants to talk..ugghhh.."hi yaa,how ya dooiiiin,howz your day...how you feeeelin...last night was special", do ya miss me?.....pleeeeeze, I'm trrryyin to birdie the 14th. then you turn your phone off..gotta putt now. MUCH later you get home and that feverz gonna kill you. brrrrrrrrr..ice cold..then she says we have to"talk"....oh no!....no no no..not "the Talk"!..then some tears,jeeeez not the tears.(why do they do that?)..she says you"re shallow selfish and insincere...only want 1 thing .....Ok..whats your point?
 Randomax wrote:
I find it amazing that the TWO songs she is really known for are CLASSICS!!  ANd strange songs....I would like to hear "Is That All There Is?"   a VERY strange song indeed....
 
Love "Is That All There Is?" Written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
The lyrics of this existentialist song are written from the point of view of a person who is disillusioned with events in life that are supposedly unique experiences. The singer tells of witnessing her family's house on fire when she was a little girl, seeing the circus, and falling in love for the first time. After each recital she expresses her disappointment in the experience. She suggests that we "break out the booze and have a ball — if that's all there is", instead of worrying about life. She explains that she'll never kill herself either because she knows that death will be a disappointment as well."
 exeter wrote:

I like this song, but it always makes me think of Rita Moreno singing the same song on The Muppet Show... with Animal.

Check it out for yourself!



 
Absolutely hilarious!!! AND Moreno still does a better version than Peggy Lee!
Cooool, daddy-o.  Dig it, yeah.
Wow. I'm f-ing old.
cool cool cool..........did i say cool?......yup....cool cool cool !
When they write the definition for class act at the end of time: Fever and Peggy Lee willl be part of the meaning!!
{#Sunny}


Somewhere I believe I have a recording of Bob Weir playing this song at Clinton's inauguration.  Good stuff.  

minimalistic perfection
 salzburg4321 wrote:
She sounds something less than feverish. 

I have the feeling she would be dismissed out of hand if she tried selling this today, esp. considering the hyper-emoting done by the likes of Beyonce & Co. 
 

This is, far and away, the best version of this song, in my opinion, and she sounds pretty smoldering to me.  What would or would not sell today is less than meaningless.  Almost any tune from the era of this tune would "be dismissed out of hand...today", but in today's era, a sizable portion of the population not only watch programs like American Idol, but also think that they are hearing "good music" while doing so.
She sounds something less than feverish. 

I have the feeling she would be dismissed out of hand if she tried selling this today, esp. considering the hyper-emoting done by the likes of Beyonce & Co. 

I find it amazing that the TWO songs she is really known for are CLASSICS!!  ANd strange songs....I would like to hear "Is That All There Is?"   a VERY strange song indeed....
This is so cool.  
Let's hear the Cramps Version!!!!!!!!!!!!{#Fire}
Jazz singer.
Mar 12, 2011 UPDATE:  I have posted a fuller rebuttal of this silliness under "Journal Entries".  Anyone wishing to see more on this post, or to participate, or to quarrel with my assertions, should go there.  Let's not clutter the Peggy Lee "Fever" song comments any further!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I have no idea what this bizarre thread is doing under Peggy Lee's "Fever", but it is crying our for a response:

ick
(San Diego, CA)
Posted: Jun 12, 2009 - 06:49

            Political correctness is the pussification of the world!

flyboy
(Sarah Palin's Hometown)
Posted: Apr 23, 2010 - 17:06

 ick wrote:
Political correctness is the pussification of the world!
 
            Amen.  PC is Newspeak.  If you don't know what that means, please read 1984 before they won't let you.

Decoy
(Milliway's, the Restaurant at the End of the Universe)
Posted: May 25, 2010 - 10:09

 flyboy wrote:

Amen.  PC is Newspeak.  If you don't know what that means, please read 1984 before they won't let you.

 
            that is double-plus good

etc., etc., etc.
..

Oh, yeah...  LOVE this Peggy Lee tune!


My parents absolutely HATED Peggy Lee's singing. I'll never understand why - she's so dead-on and devilish...  Thank goodness I can hear her here.  I keep seeing that scene from "Mermaids" with Wynona Ryder in her mother's dress, singing along to this song.  It was a good movie, but this song is much better.  And that reminds me of "Is That All There Is?"  I'm still limited in my musical knowledge of Ms. Lee, but I'm hoping to expand...
I never tire of hearing this. 8.
 twitterpated wrote:
When I heard her say "Captain" I swear I thought she was going to say "Kirk."  :)
 
HAHAHA! So did I....I've heard the song a million times but I still keep expecting to hear "Kirk" there lol   

For the first time heard the Fever played Boney M in the school years


 Albert1967 wrote:
Rita Moreno at the Muppet Show: check Youtube
 
exactly what I thought. Animal rocks....
When I heard her say "Captain" I swear I thought she was going to say "Kirk."  :)
Peggy Lee definitely had it goin' on...
 flyboy wrote:

Amen.  PC is Newspeak.  If you don't know what that means, please read 1984 before they won't let you.

 
that is double-plus good

 ick wrote:
Political correctness is the pussification of the world!
 
Amen.  PC is Newspeak.  If you don't know what that means, please read 1984 before they won't let you.

Rita Moreno at the Muppet Show: check Youtube
 peter_james_bond wrote:

Right On! This original is often imitated but never surpassed, imo.

 
FYI:  Little Willie John sang it first: Wikipedia

 ThePoose wrote:
Love to hear Tom Waits do this one.
 
Can we get a petition on that? I think he'd do it for a case of cheap booze and a East German hooker.

Little Willie John's version I find much more "soulful."
Ah, the power of a lean, minimalist production.  One more instrument, one more note would spoil this.
 Stefen wrote:
Wow!
 
Right On! This original is often imitated but never surpassed, imo.

 ThePoose wrote:
Love to hear Tom Waits do this one.
 
Truth.

Love this version.

Nice.  Some Dusty Springfield would be, too, as long as we're in this groove.