what Frank is listening to #89 – GENE PITNEY – Blue Angel – (Bronze) – 1975
Everyone has a favourite Gene Pitney song, don't they?
If they don't they don't have a heart.
His music, this music is for those who have experienced … love. Yup, it's the subject matter of most songs in most genres and it is something that affects us all … in all it permeations, whether it be something emotional or intellectual or just flesh, skin and sinew.
Gene was a consummate (if occasionally melodramatic) vocalist. What he did do was take any song and not always make it his but certainly imprint it so you cant mistake it for someone else. His operatic pop ballads are "classics" of the genre and define a lot of 1960s pop. Having said that, operatic pop up-tempo ballads weren't novel (think Elvis' "It's Now or Never" from 1960 or "Surrender" from 1961) but Gene made a career out of it. The emotion is worn on his sleeve and he created some of the most divine pop tunes of the 1960s. And, as I have said before (elsewhere), if you are going to do pop you can't look for a better era than the 1960s.
Pitney was born in 1941(he died 2006 on the road) in Connecticut and started his career in the pre–Beatles early 60s. Hence, there has been a tendency to lump whim in with Fabian, Bobby Vinton, Bobby Vee and other teen idols of the period. Pitney was however more ambitious than the run of the mill teen heart throb. In fact, even though he never strayed far from pop he did quite a bit of experimenting within its parameters. Apart from his glorious operatic teen ballads, he did some downright adult songs, a few country pop duet albums with no lesser a figure than the great George Jones (in 1965 this was a novel crossover for a mainstream pop artist … and in doing so became one of the originators of "countrypolitan" – ie country pop), more country pop duet albums with Melba Montgomery, an album of Bacharach and David songs, albums in Spanish and Italian, and tracks in German. Later in his career he recorded with Marc Almond of Soft Cell fame. On top of that, when he turned his mind to it he was no slouch at song writing (he wrote "Hello Mary Lou" which was a big hit for Ricky Nelson, "Rubber Ball" for Bobby Vee and "He's a Rebel" for the Crystals).
If that's not enough for you hardened rockers … with Phil Spector, Pitney sat in on a 1964 Rolling Stone recording session, during which they recorded "Not Fade Away" and played maracas on that track … he also had a brief fling with a teenage Marianne Faithfull.
Enough?
He put out some 28 albums in the 1960s, but his chart career stateside was over by 1970. In true English fashion however he had a devout following there which would still put him into the charts every now and then. He scoring sixteen top forty songs in the USA from 1961 to 1968, and forty such songs in England all the way up to 1974. With that market in mind, of the few albums he did post 1970, some were recorded in England. This album, "Blue Angel" (also known as "Pitney 75") was his second last proper album and was one of those.
And its not a downer. The various producers who worked on this album (David Mackay, Gerry Bron, Roger Cook) have wisely let Gene sing as he always does and just updated the instruments around him. And it works. Which is not an easy task as similar attempts with Roy Orbison in the 70s are sometimes cringe worthy. This album does not come over as "an oldie updating his sound" but rather as a contemporary album by a 30 something. Whether it was Gene or the producers or both who made it work I don't know but luckily it's perfectly listenable … and sometimes inspired.
The Tracks ( the best in italics)
- Image – an Albert "It Never Rains in Southern California" Hammond song and a nice opener. It announces that this is Gene but not a "teen" Gene.
- Let Go – a song by Brian Cadd (! – yes the Australian Brian Cadd)
- Train of Thought – a very modern (1975) song … with jazz overtones … strangely memorable.
- All My Love – a low key (by Gene sandards) romantic ballad
- Trans Canada Highway – a magnificent song co-written by Gene. It perfectly captures the old Gene with modern sounds. You will find yourself singing the title days later. A #14 in Australia (though it failed to chart anywhere else).
- Skyline Pigeon – the Elton John and Bernie Taupin song.
- Blue Angel – an unusual track … a little bit of "Those Were The Days My Friend" with a (even more) ethnic feel. And even more oddly a single … #39 UK and #2 in Australia.
- Oceans Away – a "inspiring" big ballad … hmmmmm.
- Wakin' up Alone – a Paul Williams song in the overwrought singer songwriter mould. Gene does what he can.
- Tryin' To Get the Feelin' Again – more overwrought singer songwriter.
- How Can You Love Somebody – by Mike Settle (see what Frank is listening to #37) … a good song done well.
- You Are – this is David Essex territory here … and that's a good thing cause I like David Essex (fuck ya's)
And …
I am adding this album to my other Gene albums … my only regret generally is not seeing him when he was touring Australia in the 80s … I was probably seeing the Psychotic Turnbuckles for a 4th time instead … what a waste.
Sounds
Image
Let Go
Train of Thought
Trans Canada Highway
Skyline Pigeon
Blue Angel
Tryin'to Get the Feelin' Again
You Are
attached
Other Songs:
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Website
(originally posted:19/09/2009)
