“`Wake up to me gentle, sunrise in your hair …” are not only the enchanting opening lyrics of the title song, but also serve to create the vibrant romantic mood which permeates this entire program of fresh ballad excellence by Mr. Al Martino.
These opening lyrics, of course, belong to Wake Up to Me Gentle, written by young composer Ken Mansfield. This great new song emerges as an important ballad of the day when given the exciting Martino vocal treatment plus lush guitar and string accompaniment. Al also concentrates his special talents on If You Must Leave My Life and Didn’t We, two meaningful uptempo ballads by Jim Webb, a young composer already famous for By the Time I Get to Phoenix and Up, Up and Away. Here his songs gleam with the magnificent styling that AI Martino brings to every outstanding composition.
In addition to these great new songs, you’ll enjoy the Martino magnetism in one of the most powerful and popular show songs ever written, The Impossible Dream from “The Man of La Mancha.” Listen as the master of romantic ballads gives new splendor to My Own True Love, a most familiar love theme from the motion picture “Gone With the Wind”; Hank Williams’ great country hit / Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love With You) and The Look of Love, a Burt Bacharach tune that ranks among everybody’s favorites.
Arranger-conductor John Andrew Tartaglia lends new freshness and a “today” feeling to each of these selections, while Al’s rich-mellow baritone lights new fires under the vintage favorites and soars to the heights with the best of the new ballads. Listen … and as always, enjoy.
Lebel: Capitol ST 2983 Cover Photo: Capitol Studio/Rick Rankin
