The year is 1954 and the film Three Coins in the Fountain is not gripping audiences and critics in the way Twentieth Century Fox had hoped. The title song from the film was gaining fans on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean however.
Both sides were hearing different versions. The original tune—written by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn—performed by Frank Sinatra went to the top of the charts in the UK and only the UK. Sinatra was the actual performer for the film but Twentieth Century Fox failed to sign a contract that would allow them to claim any royalties from the tune. As a result, Styne and Cahn sold the song to other performers to create their own versions (and gain more royalties in the process). Americans became strangely attracted to the version performed by the Four Aces—which went to no. 1 in the States—while another rendition by Dinah Shore also made a splash. The dual-no. 1 listings made 1954 the year of "Three Coins in The Fountain."
But which is the best? The plot of the film features three men throwing a traditional coin in Rome's Trevi Fountain, all with the hope to win the love of the same woman. The song wonders which man the fountain would choose to bless, and the protagonists understandably sing "make it mine." Now they must ask the same of Music Times as we weigh the three options.
Frank Sinatra
PROS: We're talking Frank Sinatra here. One of the most famous and iconic voices in pop music history. The great thing about being the leader of the Rat Pack is that no matter the song, whether it's an original or a cover, almost becomes yours thanks to that voice.
CONS: His vocal chords is about the only thing Frank's got going here. The song serves 100 percent as a narrative based on that of the film, but not clearly enough that you'll know what's going on if you haven't seen the film. This, of course, applies to all the versions of the song...we'd just thought we'd throw it out.
The Four Aces
PROS: Whenever you've got a four piece like The Four Aces, your aim is that the four harmonies will make this version better than the other guys. No doubt that plan is in motion here. Which you prefer is definitely based on personal taste.
CONS: It's like the Cleveland Browns: Two quarterbacks equal zero quarterbacks. The Four Tops might have their thing going on but that actually hurts the group in the long run against great individual voices such as Sinatra and Shore. Plus, the awkward addition of female spoken word parts at the introduction to this version make it seem that the plot of the song is actually about female fans competing for the Tops' attentions. There are FOUR Tops girls...you can each have one!
Dinah Shore
PROS: The obvious is that Shore is a female, automatically giving a new sound/vibe to the original song. She may not have the recognizability of Sinatra but she's still a talented performer. The big deal in her performance actually lies with Harry Geller's orchestra, which the conductor uses to place emphasis more effectively than the other candidates. Note how the orchestra rises to go out in grand fashion for the last chorus.
CONS: Sales, and that's about it. For whatever reason, listeners at the time in the United States felt that the Four Tops version was more worth their time and money. But then again, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's The Heist versus Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d city at the Grammys.
Music Times Pick: Shore. Maybe it's just the indie snob inside us but we're opting for the only non-no. 1 on this list. Tell us below if we're wrong.
