TRINI LOPEZ – It’s a Great Life - (Reprise) - 1968, comment, review, Don Costa.

It's a great life.

It certainly was (is), for Trini.

Okay, I’m sure the life didn’t come without its hardships.

Growing up a poor(ish) Mexican American in Texas in the 1950s would have been a challenge.

But, he learnt to play guitar and sing and then took himself and his guitar to Los Angeles. Within a couple of years he was doing well enough to get noticed by Frank Sinatra who had him signed to his Reprise record label in 1963.

Hits followed.

This is Trini’s 17^th album … in five years!

It’s a great life indeed.

By 1968 the albums and singles may not have been selling as well as they had earlier but he had his audience and made enough sales to justify the label putting out albums.

It’s a great life.

By 1968 the formula was set on a Trini Lopez album (actually it was probably set by 1964) and that’s not a bad thing. Constant reinvention can be good, but, when you have a sound that works and you enjoy doing it why complain.

Music is a job, right?

Well, it has to pay the bills.

The formula: a couple of new songs (none written by Trini here, though he could shake out a tune every now and then), some covers of recent hits, some old Latin songs, and some songs of the past that Trini heard and liked which he has retrieved from his musical memory.

The formula works because it is fun and done enthusiastically.

It is a superb display of style over content.

Trini sings, stamps, and brings his own personality to every song, every time.

All his vocal tricks and trademarks are here along with his guitar keeping the beat. His guitar pulsated a beat, here in 1968 it is more a "groovy" beat. Also, the backing vocals are very 1968 … sunny, happy, and very MOR.

Still, it works.

The joy in listening to this is visceral and it is hard to be unhappy at the end of the album.

And, that is enough.

By the mid-70s his Anglo audience had moved on and he concentrated on his Latin fans, both domestically and internationally.

And, he is still out there putting in 110%.

It’s a great life.

Check out my other comments for biographical detail on Trini. (Trini where is the autobiography?)

Arranged and Produced by Don Costa.

Tracks (best in italics)

Side One

It's A Great Life – (O'Hara, McReynolds) – A new song first done by Trini I believe. This sounds like a theme song to a MOR film about the youth culture or the generation gap. I like it though.
Windy – (Ruthann Friedman) – written by American folk singer-songwriter Ruthann Friedman which was written in twenty minutes whilst she was living in an apartment in David Crosby's house (apparently). The Association released it first in 1967 and had a big hit with it: #1 US, #1 Canada, #34 Australia, #3 Yugoslavia. Trini's vocal yipppp is on display. A good reading of this sunshine pop classic. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windy
Let's Take A Walk – (Leonetti, Russell, Beck) – co-written by American trad pop singer-songwriter and actor Tommy Leonetti (who was very popular in Australia) and his step daughter Kim (Kimberly Beck). It was released as a single under the name of "Tommy Leonetti and his daughter Kim" and charted at #4 on the Melbourne Australian charts. Too cute. I have no idea who is singing with Trini.
Luna Lunera – (Gomez, Fergo) – a staple of Latin trad music released originally in 1954. This is a Spanish language song. Wonderful and not dissimilar from of Calexico's Latin excursions. Now there is an idea …Calexico and Trini together.
The Happening – (Holland, Dozier, Holland, DeVol) – recorded by the Supremes as the theme song for the 1967 crime comedy film of the same name. It went to #1 in the US and #6 UK, #5 Australia. It sounds like a film song but it is quite a bit of fun. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Happening_(song)
The Letter – (Wayne Carson Thompson) – First recorded by The Box Tops (with Alex Chilton singing) in 1967. The song was the group's first and biggest record chart hit, reaching #1 in the United States and Canada, #4 Australia, #5UK. This is not as deeply dark as the original. Trini's natural bounce makes him seem not all that concerned about the letter his baby write. Great song though. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Letter_(The_Box_Tops_song)
Side Two
I Can't Go On Living Baby Without You – (Tempo, Riopell) – First recorded by brother/sister team, Nino Tempo and April Stevens, and released as a single in 1967. Okay.
Shame And Scandal In The Family – (Donaldson, Brown) – a calypso song dating back to the 1940s (and used in the wonderful film "I Walked with a Zombie" from 1943). It was kept well alive (under other names) by folkies, Odetta (1956), The Kingston Trio (1964) and others. Brown and Donaldson varied the lyrics for Lance Percival (#37UK 1965). A humorous song which is also social commentary. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shame_and_Scandal_in_the_Family
Nochesita – (L.Kalass) – A new song first done by Trini I believe. Quite good Spanish language song.
I Won't Let You See Me Cry – (Kasha, Hirschhorn) – the writers were Brill building pop writers who worked mainly in film composition. They wrote Elvis Presley's "Your time hasn’t come yet, Baby" for his 1967 film "Speedway". This seems to be an original. It sounds a little like an outtake from a film.
Pow Pow Pow (Mas Que Nada) – (Ben, Deane) – A Latin song originally by Zé Maria & Jorge Ben from 1963 and then bastardised into English in a variety of forms. This version with a lyric by Loryn Deane was first done by (Latin-American) Vikki Carr (1967). The melody has been used a lot – you will know it. Sergio Mendes had a US hit with it in Latin in 1966 (#47US, #4US Adult Contemporary)
Sally Was A Good Old Girl – (H. Howard) – a country song written by Harlan Howard and done first by Hank Thompson in 1962. It was covered by many country and pop musicians including Bobby Darin (1963), Buck Owens (1963), Rusty York (1963), Roy Clark (1963), Fats Domino (1964), Waylon Jennings (1964), Lee Hazlewood (1965), The Lettermen (1967), Bob Luman (1968). Out of it's country milieu Sally isnt as good.