Keely Smith Sings The John Lennon-Paul McCartney Songbook

Vinyl L.P • Reprise Records • RS 6142.

1964 • U.S.A.

Back cover

Labels

Liner notes:

the Lovely

KEELY SMITH

Sings the Loving Songs of the

JOHN LENNON-PAUL MCCARTNEY SONGBOOK

arranged by

ERNIE FREEMAN AND BENNY CARTER

Their Orchestras and Chorus

SIDE ONE:

IF I FELL 3:05

THIS GIRL 2:25

PLEASE PLEASE ME 2:48

AND I LOVE HIM 2:51

WORLD WITHOUT LOVE 3:17

SHE LOVES YOU 3:14

SIDE TWO:

A HARD DAY'S NIGHT 3:09

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET? 2:46

CAN'T BUY ME LOVE 2:17

ALL MY LOVING 3:05

I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND 3:03

P.S. I LOVE YOU 2:41

(All selections are BMI, except "Please, Please Me"' ASCAP)

Here’s perfect ammunition for those who like to say, “See Buster, I told ya so’

In this startling album, Keely Smith reveals the often surprising melodic richness and beauty to be found in the compositions of The Beatles’ chief song writers, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Aided by imaginative arrangements by Ernie Freeman and Benny Carter, Miss Smith makes these hit songs sound as unexpected to the ears as if, say, the New York Philharmonic boomed out Little Latin Lupe Lu.

There are still some crusty Mr. Old Ears, and they still object to the music of The Beatles. Keely Smith should wipe the frowns from the old folks’ furrowed foreheads. The Lennon and McCartney songs, sung in sweet ’n’ lovin’ style by Keely, turn out right fine. For any age ears.

THE SONGBOOK

Lennon and McCartney are, obviously, the most popular team to invade the songwriting business in many years. These gold-dust boys have been batting out hits in the same league with Mercer and Mancini. They’re this decade’s Rodgers and Hammerstein. As composers for (as well as members of) The Beatles, this prolific combo has also contributed songs to Billy J. Kramer, Cilla Black, Peter and Gordon (whose World Without Love is heard here), and others. But L&M got into song-writing only out of necessity. Their first record, which was to be of other writers’ material, left them with that ‘we can do better than that” reaction. Obviously, they could. They did.

If you ask John and Paul which one of them writes the words and which one writes the music, they’ll answer “‘neither and both?’ Although they think of themselves as a team, they seldom write in collaboration. Each one writes songs individually. They then both sign their names to all the songs. George Martin, arranger for The Beatles, has stated that ‘Paul writes happy songs. John is bluesier. Once you know that, it’s easy to tell which wrote which. A Hard Day’s Night is mostly Paul and And I Love Him is John, for instance”

This album shows both the bluesy and happy sides of Lennon-McCartney songs, all of which, by the way, are devoted with single-minded approval to the topic of love, lovers, and loving.

THE ARRANGEMENTS

Arranging duties on this album, divided between Benny Carter and Ernie Freeman, break down this way: Ernie creates the large, lush string and chorus setting. Benny pens the four swinging, big band sides.

Ernie Freeman, with his fully strung orchestra and chorus, brings the big sound to the album, notably with such arrangements as for PS. I Love You and its tympany and classic piano colorings; Jf I Fell and its latin rhythm; and the easy-rocking waltz, the piano of Lincoln Mayorga, and the sax of Buddy Collette on Do You Want to Know a Secret. Allthe Ernie Freeman-Keely Smith collaborations get the adjective “lovely”’ It’s something of a novel description for The Beatles’ works, but deserved.

Jazzpro Benny Carter comes on just as strong with his four charts. A Hard Day’s Night, with its finger-snapping funeral sound, is highlighted by the drumming of Frankie Kapp and the bass work of Joe Comfort. Can’t Buy Me Love is told in big band terms, with exciting Carter-born riffs propelling it. Please Please Me is a big band rocker, and Keely makes it sound like prom time at Newport. I Want to Hold Your Hand enjoys an earpopping up waltz beat.

THE SINGER

For Keely Smith, whose Gibraltar steady artistry dominates every song, this album took real artistic courage to make. First of all, she’s up against the most popular songs of our time. Each song in the album has already been ingrained into our musical consciousness in its wildly popular original version. It’s not like singing Stardust; there’s no prototype on that song. But to challenge The Beatles on their own ground? It’s as if The Beatles tried working out on Un Bel Di.

Courage does not an album make. It takes distinctive styling. It takes an unmistakable sound. It takes the strength not to be swamped by the past, but to stay stage center. Keely time and time again emerges on top of this material. She makes the songs famous in her own way. That’s star singing, friends. Like we said: Lovely.

Produced by JIMMY BOWEN

Keely Smith

Dorothy Jacqueline Keely

1928-2017

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