1974 Archives - Page 4 of 4

July 24, 2020August 15, 2020

The Mike Sammes Singers – And I Love You So

Sleeve Notes:

Taking as their inspiration the highly romantic title And I Love You So the Mike Sammes Singers have woven twelve attractive variations round the eternal theme of love and happiness by means of as many different songs. Some are favourite melodies made fresh by the highly individual Mike Sammes vocal treatment, and some may not be so familiar by name. Most are usually heard as songs for solo singer but here the lovely sentiments conveyed in the words and music are created by the blending voices of the Mike Sammes Singers into a wholly delightful offering of vocal harmony.

There are two compositions by Don McLean Vincent and And I Love You So, which was a recent big hit for Perry Como; The Twelfth Of Never has been the subject of many solo recordings by Johnny Mathis, Dickie Valentine: and, not recently, Donny Osmond; Rain is the creation of that international singer-guitarist Jose Feliciano. If was a big hit for Jack Jones, as was You Are The The Sunshine Of My Life for Stevie Wonder.

A couple of big show songs are featured – Knowing When To Leave, a particularly pleasant number from “Promises, Promises”, and I Want To Be Happy which recently enjoyed a minor revival thanks to the success in New York and London of the mid-twenties musical “No, No. Nanette”.

The American Trilogy which ends the first six of this tuneful twelve consists of “Dixie”, “Glory, Glory” and “Hush, Little Baby”. and the widely varying selection is completed by three songs which were originally heard as melodies introducing television series. Lightning Tree was the tune chosen to introduce “Follyfoot”; The Night That We Found Love is written by Steve Race and used by him as theme music in one of his popular TV series, and Sleepy Shores is the title given to the haunting melodies which framed the series of “Owen M.D.”

It is little wonder, perhaps, that the Mike Sammes Singers have a penchant for television tunes, having been featured in so many of the popular TV shows themselves. Anyone who has actually been present at one of the “Sunday Night at the London Palladium” shows may have seen them, in the upper left hand stage box acting as “backing group” to some of the world’s greatest artistes, whilst other British stars who have benefited from their harmony on television include Des O’Connor, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck. Harry Worth, Tommy Steele, Morecambe and Wise, Keith Michell, Harry Secombe and Petula Clark in all of whose series this melodious sextet (three boys, three girls) has been a welcome feature.

Now here is another of their own records, for you to play whenever you please with its sparkling selection of super songs. The sound of The Mike Sammes Singers is always superb, and never more so than on this particular album.

John A Carlsen

Label: MFP SPR 90015

1974 1970s Covers

July 24, 2020August 15, 2020

Ronald Binge and his Romantic Strings – If You Were The Only Girl in the World

Sleeve Notes:

A modern composer-conductor of versatility and distinction in all branches of music, Ronald Binge now contributes his fifth recording to the Rediffusion catalogue, reverting to the musicianly style of not-quite-mood-music that he provided so admirably in “Summer Rain” (Z581).

Lest there may be some earnest souls who may imagine this is a case of an eminent conductor doing a bit of musical slumming (which few ever do with any real conviction) let us remember that Ronald Binge has always been an integral part of the popular music business, from his debut in the 1930’s with Mantovani’s Tipica Orchestra to his invention some 20-odd years ago of one of the most successful and popular string ‘sounds’ in the world of light music.

The fact that he has since allowed his natural talent for and deep understanding of creative composition to lead him into a more profound, musical milieu has not lessened Mr. Binge’s affection for good popular music, nor his ability to interpret it with an equal degree of understanding. And it would be difficult to find a more diversified selection of light music than we have in this lovely recording.

Although recognised as a jazz standard. Cherokee was originally a Ray Noble love song; Ronald Binge doesn’t view it too romantically. but preserves a nice balance between an impelling tempo and the legato nature of the melody. Debussy’s Clair de Lune capturing moonlight and shadows with a fragile lightness allied to a brooding intensity, is one of the most perfect and evocative tone poems ever written: maybe Stella by Starlight is its modern counterpart. At all events Ronald Binge avoids over-dramatising both pieces, playing Debussy as written and bringing just the right romantic touch to Victor Young’s miniature film concerto.

French melodies of the late 40’s, La Vie en Rose and Autumn Leaves rub shoulders with If You Were The Only Girl In The World, the immaculate Binge setting making Nat D. Ayer’s 1916 ballad literally timeless, Even older is the folk song I gave my love a cherry, also known as The Riddle Song, which was a hit of the 50’s and again in the 70’s as The twelfth of never. But let us not forget that Ronald Binge is a talented composer as well as arranger, whose Elizabethan serenade has become a latter day classic, a welcome fate we also predict for A flash of strings, whose classical form makes a marvellous showpiece for the strings of the orchestra.

As long as Ronald Binge can produce albums of light music as distinguished as this we can only hope he never deserts the idiom completely.

ARTHUR JACKSON

Label: Gold Star 1500003

1974 1970s Covers

July 24, 2020August 15, 2020

Ray Conniff – Say It With Music

Sleeve Notes:

“Say it with a beautiful song,” sing Irving Berlin’s charming lyrics for the title tune of Ray Conniff’s album, and that is precisely what America’s Number One arranger does. Moreover, he does it with a Latin beat, just a hint of the intriguing rhythms from the tropics. The brilliant Conniff way with a tune is too famous to need further mention, but the saucy extras he has added to this new programme add up to entertainment that is brighter than ever.

Ray Conniff’s novel methods of blending voices and orchestra have brought dancers hurrying back to the floor and caused even casual listeners to sit up and take notice. Female voices are doubled with trumpets, high saxophones or clarinets, while the male voices are paired with trombones, trumpets or saxes in the lower registers. This subtle colouring intensifies the soft toned and at the same time mellows the harsher ones. And it produces the glossiest dance music anyone could desire.

Ray began his recording career as an arranger (for Johnny Mathis, “It’s Not For Me To Say”, for Guy Mitchell, “Singing The Blues”, for Johnny Ray, “Walkin’ My Baby Back Home”, among others) but so vivid were his talents that he was soon signed as an artist himself. During the years that Ray has been arranging and conducting his albums for CBS, he has notched up no less than nine gold records, and demand for Conniff albums is still growing every day.

In this collection, Ray plays a dozen favourite songs, touching them lightly with a Latin inflection, Four are by Cole Porter, others by George Gershwin, Sigmund Romberg, Peter DeRose and, of course, the Irving Berlin title tune. Each of them is, to quote Mr Berlin again, “a melody mellow”, and each of them is another Conniff delight.

Label: Embassy 31040

1974 1970s Covers

July 19, 2020September 17, 2020

Stereo Special – The Hiltonaires

It’s that man again. Mr D. Miller whose story is the stuff of musical legend. Have a stroll over to this excellent web site for the full story behind the DL Miller brand

Sleeve Notes:

The Hiltonaires with extra percussion play for your dancing and stereo listening pleasure. This stereophonic recording was originally produced in an acoustically perfect studio equipped with Telefunken microphones that were placed within the band to enhance the “pin-pointing” of the musical effects scored in the program. The performance was mixed and amplified to a four track Sculley Tape Machine running at 30 I.P.S. The four track program was then edited and reduced on an Ampex No 300 two track stereo machine for subsequent transfer to disc on a Neuman heated stylus cutting lathe. The maximum frequency response of the original performance has been faithfully maintained through use of the latest quality controls to give you this program of exciting stereo dimensions.

Recorded Under Direction of D. L. Miller

Label: Stereo Gold Award MER 342

1974 1970s Covers Stereo Gold Award Collection

Comments

What is great about these Stereo Gold Award albums is that they almost always include at least two tracks not actually written by the people they are supposed to be tribute to, but by someone called L Miller, L Muller, Leo Muller or some variation. For many years I was baffled by this and eventually came to the conclusion it was a clever scam by the afore-mentioned Miller/Muller so that he could cream off a further cut of ‘Mechanical’ royalties on the back of people like Glenn Miller, The Beatles, Bacharach and David etc.

Fellini Retrospective
9th November 2018

Top of the Pops Vol. 42 featuring cover girl Suzy Shaw

July 18, 2020September 17, 2020

Top of the Pops Vol. 47

Sleeve Notes:

“If music be the food of love, play on” Shakespeare said it, and you’ve just read it. Once again Pickwick have prepared: a feast of fabulous music for you on Volume 47 of Top of the Pops – 12 track winners, all of them the latest, greatest, ‘LOVEliest’ smash hits. This is your taste in music … so turn on, listen in, relax and enjoy the latest TOP OF THE POPS.

Also available on stereo cassette HSC 265 and 8-track cartridge H8265

Label: Hallmark Records SHM 915

1975 1970s Covers Top of the Pops Collection

July 18, 2020September 17, 2020

Top of the Pops Vol. 42

Sleeve Notes:

Here we are, bouncing up for the forty second-time with our Top of the Pops album, bright, breezy, best-selling. On this album we’ve given you the best we’ve got. There are great sounds for all sections of the Pop World, for most of these tunes are currently hitting the high spots.

So, Pop People, let’s make this one a really smash-hit issue to top all the previous forty-one numbers. We’ve given you Britain’s best session musicians playing the best current tunes.

We’ve given you fabulous Hi-Fi sound and top quality records pressed by one of the world’s major companies. We’ve given you the greatest ever value in the history of recorded sound. Now it’s up to you to have yourself a ball when you listen to our fantastic rhythms, our vocals and our sounds.

Have fun – get popping with TOP OF THE POPS.

Label: Hallmark SHM 885

1974 1970s Covers Top of the Pops Collection

July 18, 2020September 17, 2020

Top of the Pops Vol. 37

Sleeve Notes:

Well, pop people, we promised you that, in spite of the world-wide shortage of raw materials for making albums, we would not keep all you hundreds of thousands of faithful “Top of the Pops” fans short of your favourite album.

We’ve kept our promise and what’s more, we’ve also produced Top of the Pops Cassettes (HSC 210) and 8-track Cartridges (H 8210).

This is volume 37 in a record breaking, best-selling series and, boy oh boy, have we sweated blood to select the top tunes, get stocks of board for sleeves, and raw material for pressing this edition!

Guys and Dolls! We think this is a fantastic selection of Smash-hit tunes and we want you to move, move, move to this fabulous Sound!

Label: Hallmark SHM 860

1974 1970s Covers Top of the Pops Collection

July 18, 2020September 17, 2020

Top of the Pops Vol. 36

Sleeve Notes:

Like “Ol’ Man River” we just keep rolling along. So here we are again, rolling out our 36th edition of the fabulous “Top of the Pops” album, which sells in hundreds of thousands to almost every country in the world where good pop music is appreciated.

D’you know something? There’s a world-wide shortage of raw materials for making albums, but one thing’s for sure; we will not keep you faithful pop fans short of your favourite album. Whatever else may happen we’ll make sure that “Top of the Pops” will be on sale in the many thousands of retail shops which sell our records.

What’s more, you can also get “Top of the Pops” on Cassette (HSC 205) and Cartridge (H 8205).

So, Pop People, see our list of tracks above, get the album (or Cassette – or Cartridge or preferably all three) and get jumping to these fabulous sounds.

We’d love you to love it!

Label: Hallmark Records SHM 855

1974 1970s Covers Top of the Pops Collection

July 16, 2020September 12, 2020

Vacaciones en Mallorca – Various Artists

“Holidays in Majorca”. The feel of sand between your toes, the warm ocean breeze cooling your sun-drenched skin, cold beer in one hand and a tortilla in the other. The gentle but shrill sound of “where’s the pub?” echoing around the beach as a white beer belly suddenly blocks out the sun’s rays and brings you back into the present over the muted strains of “Y Viva Espana” wafting over the parasols. In 1974 you could get all this for £29 including flights. Britons had never had it so good. This particular record is a good example of the explosion in souvenir recordings released during the seventies and eighties to cash in on the holidaymakers’ desire to recapture the joys of their summer holidays. Other examples include: Festa Italiana, Vacaciones En Hispanoamerica and Hawaiian Holiday.

Label: Fonal MM-S-51

1974 1970s Covers

Comments

I remember my uncle and aunt buying records like this when they went to Spain for holidays. I never really understood why they had Spanish records in their collection but now I do!

John C, Auckland N.Z.