Bill Cooper loves to vamp and his latest show, You're Soaking in It! at the Octavia Lounge, is chock full of what he calls "slightly jaundiced special material" that has become this beloved San Francisco singer's stock and trade. Interspersing tailored lyrics by local songwriter Michael Mascioli and changing a few she/hers to he/his, Cooper has rescued rarely performed gems from obscure Broadway flops and long-lost movie musicals and assembled a show that sizzles with urbane wit, charm and hilarity.

The show displays Cooper's lifelong love affair with American popular song and with the singers -- usually girl singers -- who introduced some great tunes and lyrics, like Susan Johnson, Dolores Gray, and Karen Morrow. Even non-singers such as Lauren Bacall, Shelley Winters and Nancy Sinatra get the comic Cooper treatment. He absolutely shines on numbers like Irving Berlin's "Hostess With The Mostess" from Call Me Madam, "That's How I Got My Start" from Kiss The Boys Goodbye and Billy Solly's "I Could Fall In Love", all with special lyrics by Mascioli that give a gender bending edge to these delightful songs of love and romance.

From the sassy opener "But Alive" from Applause to the encore of Harry Warren and Mack Gordon's lovely "There Will Never Be Another You," the set balanced Cooper's urbane wit and repartee with standards and theater songs by songwriters like Ray Noble (the classically beautiful "The Touch Of Your Lips"), Harold Rome ("Who Knows" from I Can Get it for You Wholesale), and the wistful "I Wish I Were in Love Again" (Rodgers and Hart). His take on Lee Hazelwood's "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" is a comic classic that easily makes you forget the original Nancy Sinatra hit. Thank God he threw in enough ballads between the comedy so we could all catch our collective breath.

Bill Cooper is as rare a treat as is his repertoire. He's a lovely balladeer and master of the comic double take and double entendre, often reminiscent of classic Cole Porter and early Julie Wilson. He loves a sly lyric, a saucy dame and heart on your sleeve ballad. This show is a well-deserved hit and moves the Metropolitan Room in New York City November 6th. Bill Cooper is a pure delight and the show is a must-see!

Bill Cooper will be at NYC's Metropolitan Room on November 6.

Steve Murray
Cabaret Scenes
October 27, 2007
www.cabaretscenes.org