Peggy Lee https://www.peggylee.com/ The Official Site of Miss Peggy Lee Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:52:40 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 https://www.peggylee.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/cropped-favicon-peggyle-2-32x32.png Peggy Lee https://www.peggylee.com/ 32 32 La Vie en Rose (From the Peggy Lee Archive) https://www.peggylee.com/discography/la-vie-en-rose-from-the-peggy-lee-archive/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=la-vie-en-rose-from-the-peggy-lee-archive Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:17:33 +0000 https://www.peggylee.com/?post_type=cpt_discography&p=6500 Stream LOS ANGELES, CA, February 9, 2026 – Peggy Lee Associates today announces the release of a previously unheard recording of Peggy Lee performing the beloved classic “La Vie en Rose” in French, accompanied by a jazz trio. Captured on Lee’s personal reel-to-reel tape recorder around 1952, the intimate performance makes its[...]

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LOS ANGELES, CA, February 9, 2026 – Peggy Lee Associates today announces the release of a previously unheard recording of Peggy Lee performing the beloved classic “La Vie en Rose” in French, accompanied by a jazz trio. Captured on Lee’s personal reel-to-reel tape recorder around 1952, the intimate performance makes its long-awaited debut as a Valentine, shared publicly for the first time. The digital-only single is available at all digital service providers.

Known to keep a reel-to-reel recorder both at home and while traveling, Peggy Lee documented her studio sessions, rehearsals, informal jam sessions, gatherings with friends, and business meetings, preserving ideas, conversations, and musical moments as they unfolded. Scores of these personal tapes have now been digitized, offering an extraordinary look at Lee’s life and creative process beyond the recording studio.

“As I’ve had my grandmother’s reel-to-reel and cassette tapes digitized, it has felt like being a fly on the wall, traveling back in time,” says Holly Foster Wells, President of Peggy Lee Associates and Lee’s granddaughter. “Hearing her in so many different settings has allowed me to keep getting to know her in new ways. Even with their imperfections, so much of the music on these tapes is stunning. There is something especially moving about hearing her sing just for herself.”

This home recording of “La Vie en Rose,” captured in just one take, comes from an informal gathering, with Lee singing alongside a trio of piano, string bass, and drums, working through several songs in a relaxed, off-the-cuff setting. Research is ongoing to identify the musicians involved. Recorded privately, the sound reflects its original setting and has been newly restored by multi-GRAMMY® Award–winning mastering engineer Michael Graves at Osiris Studio, bringing out the warmth and intimacy of the original performance. 

Preserved for nearly 75 years, the release of “La Vie en Rose” launches From the Peggy Lee Archive, a new singles series drawn from the previously unreleased reel-to-reel recordings. While reviewing Lee’s personal tapes, Foster Wells uncovered this performance among a collection of previously unheard recordings that will be shared in future releases. These intimate moments offer a rare glimpse into Peggy Lee’s creative world away from the spotlight.

A lifelong admirer of Édith Piaf, Peggy Lee owned original 78s of “La Vie en Rose” and “Hymne à l’amour” dating back to the 1940s. She performed “La Vie en Rose” on several occasions throughout her career, including on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1950, beginning in English and ending in French; during her April 1951 show at the Copacabana; and as a French-language duet with Charles Aznavour on a 1977 television special. Despite her deep affection for the song, Lee never commercially recorded it, making this newly released performance especially rare.

About Peggy Lee One of the most important musical influences of the 20th century, Peggy Lee wrote over 270 songs, recorded over 1,100 masters, and had over 100 chart hits throughout her seven-decade career. As one of the world’s first female contemporary singer-songwriters, she co-wrote and sang many of her own hits, most notably “He’s a Tramp” for Disney’s Lady and the Tramp, as well as “Mañana” and “It’s a Good Day.” She’s best known for hits “Why Don’t You Do Right?” “Fever,” “I’m a Woman,” and “Is That All There Is?” for which she won the GRAMMY® for Best Contemporary Female Vocal Performance. A 13-time GRAMMY® nominee, she received Lifetime Achievement Awards from NARAS, ASCAP, and Society of Singers, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Pete Kelly’s Blues.

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A Valentine Discovered in Peggy Lee’s Personal Reel-to-Reel Archive https://www.peggylee.com/lavieenrose/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lavieenrose Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:46:00 +0000 https://www.peggylee.com/?p=6495 Previously Unreleased Peggy Lee Recording of “La Vie en Rose” – Sung in French – First Single in the From the Peggy Lee Archive Series LOS ANGELES, CA – February 9, 2026 – Peggy Lee Associates today announces the release of a previously unheard recording of Peggy Lee performing the beloved[...]

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Previously Unreleased Peggy Lee Recording of “La Vie en Rose” – Sung in French – First Single in the From the Peggy Lee Archive Series

LOS ANGELES, CA – February 9, 2026 – Peggy Lee Associates today announces the release of a previously unheard recording of Peggy Lee performing the beloved classic “La Vie en Rose” in French, accompanied by a jazz trio. Captured on Lee’s personal reel-to-reel tape recorder around 1952, the intimate performance makes its long-awaited debut as a Valentine, shared publicly for the first time. The digital-only single is available at all digital service providers.

Known to keep a reel-to-reel recorder both at home and while traveling, Peggy Lee documented her studio sessions, rehearsals, informal jam sessions, gatherings with friends, and business meetings, preserving ideas, conversations, and musical moments as they unfolded. Scores of these personal tapes have now been digitized, offering an extraordinary look at Lee’s life and creative process beyond the recording studio.

“As I’ve had my grandmother’s reel-to-reel and cassette tapes digitized, it has felt like being a fly on the wall, traveling back in time,” says Holly Foster Wells, President of Peggy Lee Associates and Lee’s granddaughter. “Hearing her in so many different settings has allowed me to keep getting to know her in new ways. Even with their imperfections, so much of the music on these tapes is stunning. There is something especially moving about hearing her sing just for herself.”

This home recording of “La Vie en Rose,” captured in just one take, comes from an informal gathering, with Lee singing alongside a trio of piano, string bass, and drums, working through several songs in a relaxed, off-the-cuff setting. Research is ongoing to identify the musicians involved. Recorded privately, the sound reflects its original setting and has been newly restored by multi-GRAMMY® Award–winning mastering engineer Michael Graves at Osiris Studio, bringing out the warmth and intimacy of the original performance.

Preserved for nearly 75 years, the release of “La Vie en Rose” launches From the Peggy Lee Archive, a new singles series drawn from the previously unreleased reel-to-reel recordings. While reviewing Lee’s personal tapes, Foster Wells uncovered this performance among a collection of previously unheard recordings that will be shared in future releases. These intimate moments offer a rare glimpse into Peggy Lee’s creative world away from the spotlight.

A lifelong admirer of Édith Piaf, Peggy Lee owned original 78s of “La Vie en Rose” and “Hymne à l’amour” dating back to the 1940s. She performed “La Vie en Rose” on several occasions throughout her career, including on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1950, beginning in English and ending in French; during her April 1951 show at the Copacabana; and as a French-language duet with Charles Aznavour on a 1977 television special. Despite her deep affection for the song, Lee never commercially recorded it, making this newly released performance especially rare.

About Peggy Lee One of the most important musical influences of the 20th century, Peggy Lee wrote over 270 songs, recorded over 1,100 masters, and had over 100 chart hits throughout her seven-decade career. As one of the world’s first female contemporary singer-songwriters, she co-wrote and sang many of her own hits, most notably “He’s a Tramp” for Disney’s Lady and the Tramp, as well as “Mañana” and “It’s a Good Day.” She’s best known for hits “Why Don’t You Do Right?” “Fever,” “I’m a Woman,” and “Is That All There Is?” for which she won the GRAMMY® for Best Contemporary Female Vocal Performance. A 13-time GRAMMY® nominee, she received Lifetime Achievement Awards from NARAS, ASCAP, and Society of Singers, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Pete Kelly’s Blues.

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‘Front Row Classics’ Is Celebrating the Legacy of Peggy Lee with Holly Foster Wells https://www.peggylee.com/front-row-classics-is-celebrating-the-legacy-of-peggy-lee-with-holly-foster-wells/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=front-row-classics-is-celebrating-the-legacy-of-peggy-lee-with-holly-foster-wells Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:14:38 +0000 https://www.peggylee.com/?p=6490 “Front Row Classics is celebrating the legacy of the legendary Peggy Lee. Brandon is thrilled to welcome Lee’s granddaughter, Holly Foster Wells. As President of Peggy Lee Associates, Holly manages every aspect of grandmother’s estate. Brandon and Holly discuss Lee’s origins and rise to fame. They also touch on many[...]

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“Front Row Classics is celebrating the legacy of the legendary Peggy Lee. Brandon is thrilled to welcome Lee’s granddaughter, Holly Foster Wells. As President of Peggy Lee Associates, Holly manages every aspect of grandmother’s estate. Brandon and Holly discuss Lee’s origins and rise to fame. They also touch on many of the ways she took control of her own career and legacy. In the spirt of the season, Peggy’s unsung contributions to the White Christmas soundtrack is also discussed.”

Listen to podcast here.

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Behind ‘White Christmas’: Peggy Lee’s Little-Known Connection to Irving Berlin’s Beloved Holiday Classic https://www.peggylee.com/behind-white-christmas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=behind-white-christmas Wed, 19 Nov 2025 11:07:00 +0000 https://www.peggylee.com/?p=6475 Selections from Irving Berlin’s White Christmas Now Available on Collectible White Vinyl LOS ANGELES, CA, November 19, 2025 — With the recent reissue of the Selections from Irving Berlin’s White Christmas now available on collectible white vinyl from Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), fascinating lesser-told stories behind the film and its iconic music[...]

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Selections from Irving Berlin’s White Christmas Now Available on Collectible White Vinyl

LOS ANGELES, CA, November 19, 2025 — With the recent reissue of the Selections from Irving Berlin’s White Christmas now available on collectible white vinyl from Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), fascinating lesser-told stories behind the film and its iconic music and recordings offer a rare insight into one of Hollywood’s most beloved holiday films.

When audiences think of 1954’s Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, they often picture Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen serenading Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye with the iconic number “Sisters.” But, as Variety reported, the role played by Clooney was first intended for another timeless voice: Peggy Lee.

According to Variety (March 1953), Paramount had its sights set on Lee — fresh off her acclaimed role in Warner Bros.’ The Jazz Singer (1952) — to play the female lead opposite Crosby in the role of Betty Haynes. But Warner Bros. declined to loan Lee to Paramount, leading to Clooney’s casting and ultimately to Lee’s off-screen, on-record comeback.

Released by Decca Records, the film’s official soundtrack featured Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye — but not Rosemary Clooney. Clooney’s Columbia Records contract prevented Decca from using her vocals, compelling the label to get creative, bringing in Peggy Lee, one of the label’s brightest stars, to re-record Clooney’s songs, including “Love, You Didn’t Do Right by Me” and the beloved “Sisters.” Lee also joined Crosby, Kaye, and Trudy Stevens, who dubbed Vera-Ellen’s singing voice in the film, for the finale of the beloved title song.

For “Sisters,” Lee pulled off a technical and artistic marvel—duetting with herself through the then-innovative process of double-track recording, creating two distinct personalities and harmonizing in perfect unison. It was a one-woman duet that remains one of the most charming curiosities in the White Christmas legacy.

In September 1954, a month before the premiere of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Lee performed “Love, You Didn’t Do Right by Me” on a special broadcast of NBC’s Colgate Comedy Hour live at the Hollywood Bowl:

The White Christmas soundtrack wasn’t Lee’s first time filling in for another female vocalist. Just a year earlier (1953), she substituted for Dorothy Lamour on Decca’s The Road to Bali soundtrack, recording Lamour’s solo “Moon Flowers” and joining Crosby and Bob Hope on “Merry-Go-Runaround.”

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Peggy Lee’s ‘Mirrors’ — Fifty Years of Cabaret Noir https://www.peggylee.com/peggy-lees-mirrors-fifty-years-of-cabaret-noir/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=peggy-lees-mirrors-fifty-years-of-cabaret-noir Thu, 23 Oct 2025 18:58:18 +0000 https://www.peggylee.com/?p=6471 “At first glance, the pairing of Leiber and Stoller and Peggy Lee seemed unlikely, but the collaboration yielded some compelling music. The large cast of musicians assembled here for the updated recordings of tunes from fifty years ago are first-rate, and Peggy Lee still convincingly inhabits a wide range of[...]

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“At first glance, the pairing of Leiber and Stoller and Peggy Lee seemed unlikely, but the collaboration yielded some compelling music. The large cast of musicians assembled here for the updated recordings of tunes from fifty years ago are first-rate, and Peggy Lee still convincingly inhabits a wide range of material. I found much of this music fascinating and it was no chore to give the first 10 songs multiple listenings.” [Source: Steve Provizer, Arts Fuse]

Read full article here.

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Mirrors (Expanded Digital Edition) https://www.peggylee.com/discography/mirrors50/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mirrors50 Fri, 17 Oct 2025 11:00:05 +0000 https://www.peggylee.com/?post_type=cpt_discography&p=6462 Stream LOS ANGELES, CA , October 17, 2025 – In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), in collaboration with Peggy Lee Associates and Leiber/Stoller Productions, announces today’s release of an expanded digital edition of Peggy Lee’s cult masterpiece Mirrors. Available at all digital service providers, the newly[...]

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LOS ANGELES, CA , October 17, 2025 – In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), in collaboration with Peggy Lee Associates and Leiber/Stoller Productions, announces today’s release of an expanded digital edition of Peggy Lee’s cult masterpiece Mirrors.

Available at all digital service providers, the newly remastered expanded edition adds seven bonus tracks to the original album’s 10-song tracklist. Featuring five previously unreleased tracks, the new 17-track edition now features Peggy Lee’s entire A&M Records song catalog.

Conceived by the legendary songwriting and producing team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Mirrors presents a series of dramatic vignettes and character studies, all of them vividly brought to life by the combined superpower of Peggy Lee’s superb interpretations and Johnny Mandel’s sumptuous arrangements.

The original ten tracks range in tone from sensual and humorous — “Some Cats Know,” “I’ve Got Them Feelin’ Too Good Today Blues” — to ominous and eerie — “Tango,” “The Case of M.J.” Love and longing, memory and mimesis, self-deception and self-reflection are among the all-too-human themes most prominently showcased throughout. A meditative, mellow mood is conjured by the more somber songs, while the more upbeat tunes burst with playful exuberance. Of Mirrors, Peggy Lee noted that it “reflects on people — their experience, memories, happiness, sadness — and takes you on a cruise: a voyage of the mind.”

The bonus tracks offer a rich potpourri of musical genres, running the gamut from R&B — “Daddy What I Do (The Climb),” “I Ain’t Here” — to shout-style gospel and smooth jazz — “Saved,” “The Best Thing.” Each of these tracks was gamely tackled by the team of Lee, Leiber and Stoller while they were exploring the option of crafting a more mainstream album before they fully settled into making the conceptual Mirrors.

Among the exploratory sessions was Peggy Lee’s interpretation of “Love Me or Leave Me,” a standard she first recorded for her acclaimed 1953 album Black Coffee. Perennially committed to proving that the American songbook shall forever stand the test of new musical trends, she requested the recasting of this old familiar tune (1928) to the effervescent disco beat which, at the time, was just beginning to take hold over the American radio airwaves.

Bold, genre-blurring, and well ahead of its time, Mirrors did not enjoy a roundly auspicious reception in the 1970s, but over ensuing decades it has gone on to become a cult favorite and a critic’s choice. This century’s accolades have included raves from industry insiders such as Jazz Bakery’s president and artistic director Ruth Price (2014), and from publications like the well-respected UK magazine Mojo. The editors of that long-running rock and jazz magazine bestowed their ultimate seal of approval of Mirrors when they granted the album its own entry on their Mojo Collection: The Greatest Albums of All Time (2001).

Further confirmation of the album’s reverential standing comes from Mike Stoller himself, who on some of his more recent travels around the globe discovered that “certain cults had formed around Mirrors. In many countries I visited, I was known as half of the Leiber and Stoller team celebrated not for the Robins or the Coasters or the Drifters, nor for Big Mama Thornton or Elvis or Ben E. King, but for having coauthored Peggy Lee’s Mirrors. That acknowledgement meant a lot to me.” Updated liner notes by Peter Stoller are available at PeggyLee.com.

Originally released October 17, 1975, Mirrors earned a Grammy® nomination for Best Album Package in 1976.

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Track Listing

1. Ready to Begin Again
2. Some Cats Know
3. I’ve Got Them Feelin’ Too Good Today Blues
4. A Little White Ship
5. Tango
6. Professor Hauptmann’s Performing Dogs
7. The Case of M.J.
8. I Remember
9. Say It
10. Longings for a Simpler Time

Bonus Tracks

11. I Ain’t Here***
12. The Best Thing*
13. Love Me or Leave Me*
14. Crazy Life*
15. Daddy, What I Do (The Climb)**
16. Saved*
17. Don Juan***

*previously unreleased
**previously unreleased rough mix
***previously available only on Peggy Lee Sings Leiber & Stoller (2005)

All songs written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, except for track #13 written by Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn and track #14 written by Gino Vannelli. Track #12 was co-written by Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, Ralph Dino, and John Sembello.

____________________

Words by Jerry Leiber • Music by Mike Stoller

Notes by Peter Stoller

Ready to Begin Again (Manya’s Song)

“Ready to Begin Again (Manya’s Song),” inspired by Jerry Leiber’s mother, Manya, was composed as an audition for a musical version of Jean Giraudoux’s play The Madwoman of Chaillot. For the Mirrors recording, Leiber and Stoller enlisted Perry Botkin, Jr., as an arranger. They had known him since the early ’50s, when, as Bunny Botkin, he’d written vocal arrangements for the Cheers.

Lee’s interpretation allows her character to navigate the daily humiliations of aging in a youth-centric world — something she’d just begun to experience in her mid-50s — with an unexpected and moving dignity. It’s also a virtual answer record to “Is That All There Is?”

Some Cats Know

“Some Cats Know” was written for a proposed musical adaptation of Robert Gover’s scandalous novel One Hundred Dollar Misunderstanding. Not originally conceived as a cabaret number, this recording fit into the Mirrors album with a little overdubbed “sweetening” in the form of Meco Monardo’s sublime strings and George Young’s slippery flute. It’s all anchored by the outstanding bass playing of the legendary Ray Brown.

The initial impulse for the lyric came from the punch line of a Slappy White routine — “if a cat don’t know, a cat don’t know” — for which Leiber then wrote a better joke.

I’ve Got Them Feelin’ Too Good Today Blues

As a number for the fictional rock group at the center of the caper movie parody The Phynx (a perennial contender for the worst film ever made), “I’ve Got Them Feelin’ Too Good Today Blues” was pure vaudevillian pastiche. Here, the song is rehabilitated by Johnny Mandel’s snappy ragtime-meets-potted palms arrangement and Lee’s witty, swinging reading; you can practically hear them winking at each other. Stoller called this “as simple and straightforward a song of joy as Jerry Leiber is capable of writing.”

A Little White Ship

In the early 1950s, while studying composition with Arthur Lange, Stoller composed “Suite Allegro” for violin, cello, clarinet, and bassoon. Leiber loved the music, and eventually he and Stoller adapted some of its themes into songs.

Leiber had met with Tennessee Williams to discuss transforming Williams’ play Camino Real into a musical. “A Little White Ship” was conceived for the character of A. Ratt, proprietor of the Ritz Men Only hotel — which, as Lee makes clear, was not exactly the Holiday Inn.

Tango

While Leiber and Stoller worked on The Phynx, the romantic silent film icon Ramón Navarro was murdered in his apartment by rough trade. Leiber was moved to write the lyric of “Tango” as an homage to him. The music deftly conjures old Hollywood by way of Astor Piazzola, to whose music Stoller had recently been introduced.

Lee’s stirring rendition of the recitative is reminiscent of her spoken verses in “Is That All There Is?”

Professor Hauptmann’s Performing Dogs

A treatise on the dehumanizing mechanisms of fascism in contemporary America, this melding of the circus-cum-military march music of John Philip Sousa (an irony in itself) with the “degenerate music” of 1930s Berlin remains all too timely, as does Lee’s fury.

The Case of M. J.

Based on another theme from “Suite Allegro,” the eerily sparse “The Case of M. J.” was loosely inspired by Truman Capote’s seminal short story, “Miriam,” reimagined through the lens of psychoanalysis.

The constant repetition of the phrase “How old were you when your father went away?” on the original album never satisfied Leiber and Stoller; the current mix reflects their true intention.

I Remember

In early 1975, Leiber came to Stoller with a lyric and said, “I’ve got an assignment for you that you’re not going to like.” “What makes you think,” Stoller responded, “that I’ve liked any of the other ones?” He nonetheless rose to the occasion. “I Remember” was inspired by Haiku poetry; although it does not adhere to its form, it captures Haiku’s spare elegance. Lee’s remarkable performance does the same.

Say It

Like “Ready to Begin Again,” “Say It” was written for The Madwoman of Chaillot, as “mad” Countess Aurelia’s plea to the young Pierre, with whom the songwriters imagined she would have an affair. Leiber considered it perhaps the best love song he’d ever written. “Say It” was Lee’s favorite song on Mirrors, and the one she kept in her set the longest.

Longings for a Simpler Time

“Longings for a Simpler Time,” written for a musicalization of Jeff Weiss’ Obie award-winning play The International Wrestling Match, is perhaps the truest song about nostalgia ever written. As with the seven songs preceding it, Johnny Mandel’s genius as an arranger is on full and glorious display.

*

For lack of a better term, we’ve called the bonus tracks on this 50th anniversary release “demos.” They both are and aren’t. Leiber, Stoller, and Lee wanted to make the album they eventually made, but because winning A&M’s approval was a long shot, they prepared a Plan B, or perhaps Plans B and C. One possible alternative was to cut an album of R&B-flavored Leiber-Stoller songs written, and in some cases recorded, in the early 1960s: “Saved,” “Don Juan,” “I Ain’t Here,” “The Climb,” “Some Cats Know.” The other was to record more contemporary songs, or classics in a contemporary pop style: “Crazy Life,” “The Best Thing,” “Love Me or Leave Me.”

Those delineations weren’t meant to be precise; if anything, keeping it loose served the notion of a backup plan. The productions were likewise loose — more so than was either Leiber and Stoller or Lee’s style. None of the “bonus” recordings was considered finished: for proper release, they awaited overdubs, additional takes, possibly new arrangements. So, they might have been incomplete masters, or just food for thought. Ultimately, it didn’t matter: Once A&M president Gil Friesen gave Mirrors the green light, the Plan B tracks were abandoned without a second thought, save for lucky “Some Cats Know.”

Or, rather, penultimately, since the release of Peggy Lee Sings Leiber and Stoller in 2005 and this album in 2025 called for completing the incomplete. We decided against adding new overdubs, which would have simplified some things but complicated others. Instead, we patched things up with spit and glue, with the exception of “Daddy What I Do (The Climb),” for which we couldn’t locate the multitracks. Comparing that to the other recordings is nothing if not instructive.

We still call them “unfinished,” since that’s what they were. But we’re finished with them now. All that’s left is for you to enjoy them.

I Ain’t Here (Leiber, Stoller)

“I Ain’t Here,” another piece from The International Wrestling Match, was conceived to be performed by a black maid ironing clothes, with a defiantly inverted take on her invisibility in the world of her white employer. Despite having been omitted from Mirrors, Lee’s reading of this song became one of Leiber and Stoller’s personal favorite from the recording sessions when it was mixed for Peggy Lee Sings Leiber and Stoller.

The Best Thing (Dino, Sembello, Leiber, Stoller)

Although the eponymous A&M album that Leiber and Stoller cowrote and produced for Dino and Sembello generated no hits for the duo, some songs took on a life with other artists: “Pearl’s a Singer” put Elkie Brooks in the UK top ten for the first time, while “The Best Thing” put Billy Eckstine on the US R&B charts for the last. Had the winds blown a different way, what worked for Eckstine could just as well have worked for Lee.

Love Me or Leave Me (Donaldson, Kahn)

Peggy Lee was eight years old when Ruth Etting debuted “Love Me or Leave Me” on Broadway in the hit musical, Whoopee! Lee put her own distinctive stamp on it 25 years later for her Black Coffee album. 20-odd years after that, Lee, Leiber, and Stoller dusted it off yet again, and tossed on some period glitter.

Crazy Life (Vannelli)

Leiber and Stoller plucked the title track from A&M stablemate Gino Vannelli’s debut album — which hadn’t fared much better in the marketplace than Dino & Sembello — for Lee. (Vannelli would hit paydirt soon enough.) Vannelli didn’t release “Crazy Life” as a single; in the alternate universe where A&M decided against the Mirrors concept, it might have been the lead-off single for Lee. Like “The Best Thing,” it showcases Lee’s way with a jazzy romantic pop ballad.

Daddy, What I Do (The Climb) (Leiber, Stoller)

A parody of dance craze anthems like “The Twist” and “The Locomotion,” the song’s original title as recorded by the Coasters was “The Slime.” Atlantic Records was quick to nix that, so they went back to the studio and recut it as “The Climb.” It did nothing in the US, but became an improbable hit in France, where French artists quickly recorded no fewer than eight cover versions, apparently mistaking it for a real dance craze. In the final chorus of the original release, the Coasters replace the word “climb” with the phrase, “squatty-watty.” That mutated into “Daddy, what I do” in the Plan B sessions. It’s a contender for the weirdest recording in Peggy Lee’s long, varied career.

Saved (Leiber, Stoller)

Leiber and Stoller had toyed with gospel early in their career on their short-lived but influential label, Spark Records, with vocal quintet the Honey Bears. But they didn’t really give gospel the Leiber-Stoller treatment until “Saved,” with which LaVern Baker walked the line between homage and parody all the way up to the Top 40 in 1961. Peggy Lee, meanwhile, had played around the secular edges of the genre with such songs as “Hallelujah, I Love Him So” and “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show.” So, the notion of Lee recording “Saved” wasn’t as big a stretch as it might first appear. The real synergy, though, was on the flip side.

Don Juan (Leiber, Stoller)

“Don Juan,” in its first incarnation, was a hurriedly half-written B-side for “Saved.” Audiences were introduced to the completed song via Leiber and Stoller’s musical revue Smokey Joe’s Café, but Peggy Lee’s is the first recording of it, albeit unreleased until 2005. Lee’s rendition wisely doesn’t attempt to plumb the depths of the subtext — a commentary on the politics of race and class — opting instead to wring every drop of wit from the text about a gold-digger whose vein has tapped out.

*

It was a joy to mix Mirrors and select outtakes with Brian Blackburn back in 2005, and a joy again to mix the remaining demos with Mitch Zelezny in 2025. If there’s another scrap of tape from the cutting room floor, I haven’t heard it (and in another 20 years, I’ll be lucky if I can hear anything). So, all that’s left is to once again express my love for my mixing engineers and the original tracking engineers; for the arrangers and musicians; for all those at Universal who made this technically, fiscally, and logistically possible; for Peg’s granddaughter, the delightful and formidable Holly Foster Wells; for the incredible songs; and of course, for Jerry, Mike, and her highness, Miss Peggy Lee.

— Peter Stoller, October 2025

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Universal Music Enterprises Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Peggy Lee’s ‘Mirrors’ with Expanded Digital Edition https://www.peggylee.com/mirrors50/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mirrors50 Fri, 17 Oct 2025 10:54:53 +0000 https://www.peggylee.com/?p=6456 Collection compiles Peggy Lee’s complete A&M sessions, featuring seven bonus tracks, five previously unreleased LOS ANGELES, CA , October 17, 2025 – In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), in collaboration with Peggy Lee Associates and Leiber/Stoller Productions, announces today’s release of an expanded digital edition of[...]

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Collection compiles Peggy Lee’s complete A&M sessions, featuring seven bonus tracks, five previously unreleased

LOS ANGELES, CA , October 17, 2025 – In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), in collaboration with Peggy Lee Associates and Leiber/Stoller Productions, announces today’s release of an expanded digital edition of Peggy Lee’s cult masterpiece Mirrors.

Available at all digital service providers, the newly remastered expanded edition adds seven bonus tracks to the original album’s 10-song tracklist. Featuring five previously unreleased tracks, the new 17-track edition now features Peggy Lee’s entire A&M Records song catalog.

Conceived by the legendary songwriting and producing team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Mirrors presents a series of dramatic vignettes and character studies, all of them vividly brought to life by the combined superpower of Peggy Lee’s superb interpretations and Johnny Mandel’s sumptuous arrangements.

The original ten tracks range in tone from sensual and humorous — “Some Cats Know,” “I’ve Got Them Feelin’ Too Good Today Blues” — to ominous and eerie — “Tango,” “The Case of M.J.” Love and longing, memory and mimesis, self-deception and self-reflection are among the all-too-human themes most prominently showcased throughout. A meditative, mellow mood is conjured by the more somber songs, while the more upbeat tunes burst with playful exuberance. Of Mirrors, Peggy Lee noted that it “reflects on people — their experience, memories, happiness, sadness — and takes you on a cruise: a voyage of the mind.”

The bonus tracks offer a rich potpourri of musical genres, running the gamut from R&B — “Daddy What I Do (The Climb),” “I Ain’t Here” — to shout-style gospel and smooth jazz — “Saved,” “The Best Thing.” Each of these tracks was gamely tackled by the team of Lee, Leiber and Stoller while they were exploring the option of crafting a more mainstream album before they fully settled into making the conceptual Mirrors.

Among the exploratory sessions was Peggy Lee’s interpretation of “Love Me or Leave Me,” a standard she first recorded for her acclaimed 1953 album Black Coffee. Perennially committed to proving that the American songbook shall forever stand the test of new musical trends, she requested the recasting of this old familiar tune (1928) to the effervescent disco beat which, at the time, was just beginning to take hold over the American radio airwaves.

Bold, genre-blurring, and well ahead of its time, Mirrors did not enjoy a roundly auspicious reception in the 1970s, but over ensuing decades it has gone on to become a cult favorite and a critic’s choice. This century’s accolades have included raves from industry insiders such as Jazz Bakery’s president and artistic director Ruth Price (2014), and from publications like the well-respected UK magazine Mojo. The editors of that long-running rock and jazz magazine bestowed their ultimate seal of approval of Mirrors when they granted the album its own entry on their Mojo Collection: The Greatest Albums of All Time (2001).

Further confirmation of the album’s reverential standing comes from Mike Stoller himself, who on some of his more recent travels around the globe discovered that “certain cults had formed around Mirrors. In many countries I visited, I was known as half of the Leiber and Stoller team celebrated not for the Robins or the Coasters or the Drifters, nor for Big Mama Thornton or Elvis or Ben E. King, but for having coauthored Peggy Lee’s Mirrors. That acknowledgement meant a lot to me.” Updated liner notes by Peter Stoller are available here.

Originally released October 17, 1975, Mirrors earned a Grammy® nomination for Best Album Package in 1976.

Track Listing

1. Ready to Begin Again
2. Some Cats Know
3. I’ve Got Them Feelin’ Too Good Today Blues
4. A Little White Ship
5. Tango
6. Professor Hauptmann’s Performing Dogs
7. The Case of M.J.
8. I Remember
9. Say It
10. Longings for a Simpler Time

Bonus Tracks

11. I Ain’t Here***
12. The Best Thing*
13. Love Me or Leave Me*
14. Crazy Life*
15. Daddy, What I Do (The Climb)**
16. Saved*
17. Don Juan***

*previously unreleased
**previously unreleased rough mix
***previously available only on Peggy Lee Sings Leiber & Stoller (2005)

All songs written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, except for track #13 written by Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn and track #14 written by Gino Vannelli. Track #12 was co-written by Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, Ralph Dino, and John Sembello.

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It’s a Good Day (and Night) to Enjoy the New Peggy Lee Coffee Collection https://www.peggylee.com/coffeecollection/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=coffeecollection Wed, 01 Oct 2025 05:56:00 +0000 https://www.peggylee.com/?p=6440 Los Angeles, CA, October 1, 2025 — In celebration of International Coffee Day, Peggy Lee Associates, in partnership with boutique coffee company Breakfast at Dominique’s, proudly announces the debut of two signature coffees honoring the timeless artistry and elegance of the legendary Peggy Lee. Named after two beloved songs written[...]

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  • Breakfast at Dominique’s Partners with Peggy Lee Associates to Celebrate the Legend’s Timeless Elegance with New Coffee Collection
  • Peggy Lee Signature Coffee Duo — It’s a Good Day and It’s a Good, Good Night — Now Available
  • Los Angeles, CA, October 1, 2025 — In celebration of International Coffee Day, Peggy Lee Associates, in partnership with boutique coffee company Breakfast at Dominique’s, proudly announces the debut of two signature coffees honoring the timeless artistry and elegance of the legendary Peggy Lee.

    Named after two beloved songs written and performed by Lee, the signature coffee duo It’s a Good Day and It’s a Good, Good Night (decaf) — are now available for purchase here. Individual coffee retails for $18.50/bag, and the bundled duo retails for $34.

    The first of the coffee duo, It’s a Good Day, is a smooth, melodic Guatemalan medium roast crafted to put a pep in your step similar to the iconic Peggy Lee song of the same title. Slowing it down for the evening is the It’s a Good, Good Night. This sultry Peruvian dark roast is decaffeinated via the Swiss water-processing method to quench your most indulgent nighttime desires. Breakfast at Dominique’s product is provided by an Ohio-based roaster.

    Handcrafted in small batches by Breakfast at Dominique’s, each coffee is presented in a beautifully designed package featuring vintage photographs from Peggy Lee’s archives, making each bag a collectible piece and a daily indulgence. Enjoy your coffee with a curated playlist found here.

    “The timeless elegance and bold personality of Miss Peggy Lee make constructing this project in homage to her such a personally fulfilling project. I created this company to shine a light on figures who fought long, hard battles and paved their own way, leaving behind unique stories,” says Dominique Benedict, owner of Breakfast at Dominique’s. “Peggy embodies our purpose acutely. I cannot wait to showcase these gorgeous creations with all walks of life and give Peggy’s fans something new to bring into the home and build memories with. There’s no better accessory for a great time with loved ones than a quality cup of coffee.”

    “My grandmother loved her coffee — and with ‘Black Coffee’ as one of her most iconic songs, this partnership felt like a natural tribute,” adds Holly Foster Wells, president of Peggy Lee Associates. “Inspired by the optimism of ‘It’s a Good Day’ and the warmth of ‘It’s a Good, Good Night,’ each coffee is meant to let fans savor a little of Peggy’s spirit in every cup.”

    About Peggy Lee

    One of the most important musical influences of the 20th century, Peggy Lee wrote over 270 songs, recorded over 1,100 masters, and had over 100 chart hits throughout her seven-decade career. As one of the world’s first female contemporary singer-songwriters, she co-wrote and sang many of her own hits, most notably “He’s a Tramp” for Disney’s Lady and the Tramp, as well as “Mañana” and “It’s a Good Day.” She’s best known for hits “Why Don’t You Do Right?” “Fever,” “I’m a Woman,” and “Is That All There Is?” for which she won the GRAMMY® for Best Contemporary Female Vocal Performance. A 13-time GRAMMY® nominee, she received Lifetime Achievement Awards from NARAS, ASCAP, and Society of Singers, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in Pete Kelly’s Blues.

    About Breakfast at Dominique’s

    Breakfast at Dominique’s is a boutique coffee company based in small-town Arkansas. This unique coffee brand is a nod to classic Hollywood — an era of stars that were larger than life. Each blend is created to represent a beloved icon — someone who pursued their dreams and built an untouchable legacy. For more information, visit https://hollywoodblends.com/

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    Peggy Lee, the Singer-Songwriter https://www.peggylee.com/peggy-lee-the-singer-songwriter-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=peggy-lee-the-singer-songwriter-2 Fri, 22 Aug 2025 23:46:00 +0000 https://www.peggylee.com/?p=6436 “One of the most successful songwriters in jazz also happened to be one of the biggest pop stars of the 1940s: Miss Peggy Lee. Peggy Lee got her start as the singer in Benny Goodman’s Orchestra, and went on to record dozens of hits in the 40s, 50s, and 60s.[...]

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    “One of the most successful songwriters in jazz also happened to be one of the biggest pop stars of the 1940s: Miss Peggy Lee. Peggy Lee got her start as the singer in Benny Goodman’s Orchestra, and went on to record dozens of hits in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Many of these hits she had a hand in writing, including songs like ‘It’s a Good Day,’ ‘I Love Being Here with You,’ and ‘Fever.’ Join us for an exploration of Peggy Lee, the singer-songwriter.” [Source: Afterglow, Indiana Public Media]

    Listen to full episode here.

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    Dance Video Featuring Peggy Lee’s ‘Fever’ Attracts 10 Million Views https://www.peggylee.com/dance-video-featuring-peggy-lees-fever-attracts-10-million-views/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dance-video-featuring-peggy-lees-fever-attracts-10-million-views Wed, 13 Aug 2025 23:03:00 +0000 https://www.peggylee.com/?p=6431 “The video for Peggy Lee’s ‘Fever‘ came out in 2021, 63 years after its original release. In it, a group of dancers slink and stretch around an old London theater, racier imagery than the singer is usually associated with. Lee’s estate is managed by her granddaughter, Holly Foster Wells, who[...]

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    “The video for Peggy Lee’s ‘Fever‘ came out in 2021, 63 years after its original release. In it, a group of dancers slink and stretch around an old London theater, racier imagery than the singer is usually associated with. Lee’s estate is managed by her granddaughter, Holly Foster Wells, who is always on the lookout for new opportunities to showcase the singer’s music. ‘When we did that “Fever” video, hardcore Peggy Lee fans, that wasn’t really for them,’ Wells said. ‘That was to attract new fans, and those new fans love it.’ It was directed by Charlie Di Placido, who is known for choreographically innovative videos for the group Jungle, and has amassed nearly 10 million views on YouTube. Fans are not only making their own videos set to ‘Fever,’ but are also using Lee’s renditions of ‘Is That All There Is?’ and ‘Big Spender.'” [Source: Eric Ducker, New York Times]

    Read full article here.

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