We have reached numbers three and four in our search to find the fans favourite Alfie Boe Live Song 2016 and number four is a song first heard back in 2012 and recorded for the Storyteller album of that year.  The version chosen here though is from the encore of the Storyteller tour of 2013, Rank Strangers (thanks Nikki for sharing):

The song, which was voted in at number eight last year’s Best Recorded Song poll, is an American folk song from the early twentieth century written by Albert Brumley, a musician and singer born in Oklahoma in 1905.  After studying at the Hartford Musical Institute, Arkansas,  Brumley toured with the Hartford Quartet and went on to write / copyright an astonishing 800 songs.  The most famous of these is I’ll Fly Away from 1932.  In 1970 he was inducted into the Country Song Writer’s Hall of Fame and his songs have been covered by amongst others, Bob Dylan, who I’m sure introduced Alfie to the song.  Click here to see the version by The Stanley Brothers from the 1950’s.   I have to confess though, to a liking for a different version, featuring the much loved Al Vosper, Toby Chapman and co (thanks Linda for sharing) from a meltingly hot (in more ways than one) Buxton Opera House:

Completely different to number four is a new entry to the Best Live Song top ten, Addio Sogni Di Gloria from Classic FM Live (thanks Marcia for sharing):

The song was originally recorded by Italian singer Luciano Virgili and written by Italian Carlo Innocenzi who wrote music for many Italian films from the 1940’s onward.  Translated, the title means Goodbye, Dreams of Glory and the poignancy of the song sits effortlessly against the glorious soaring melody.  This wonderful song is from Serenata and was the one that unseated Bring Him Home from the top spot in the Alfie Boe 2015 best ever song poll.

Next week brings us to the top two spots in this year’s countdown.

Storyteller and Serenata are available here:

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