Song Dive: "Two Different Worlds"

Sid Wayne and Al Frisch wrote and published Two Different Worlds in 1956. Don Rondo, a pop vocalist with an operatic style, was first to record the song, which reached No. 11 on Billboard's singles chart in the fall of that year. Here's Rondo's single...



Here's Rondo on To Tell the Truth in February 1957 at 16:43...



On December 7, 1956, Earl Coleman joined Sonny Rollins at Rudy Van Gelder's Hackensack, N.J., studio and recorded what is easily the definitive version of this song—in jazz or pop. As Sonny told me some years ago, “Earl was there and wanted to sing the song. The single had just come out and I liked it so we cut it on the session. I liked Earl's voice." The song appeared on Sonny's Tour De Force album, backed by Kenny Drew (piano), George Morrow (bass) and Max Roach (drums). Here's Coleman and Sonny...



My next favorite jazz recording of Two Different Worlds is by Sammy Davis Jr. and guitarist Laurindo Almeida in 1966. Here it is...



Then Gene Ammons on The Soulful Moods of Gene Ammons in 1962...



Then Jaki Byard in 1964...



Then Walter Davis Jr. in 1989...



Then organist Freddie Roach in 1963 with Conrad Lester (ts), Eddie Wright (g) and Clarence Johnston (d)...



And finally, here's Dena DeRose signing and playing piano in 2012...