But life began again the day you took my hand

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts

18/11/73 : And I Love You So - Perry Como



I am aware of Perry Como, but only in a "that's what your grandad listens to" kinda way.  I'm expecting it to be harmless but very dated. 

And yes, I think dated is an appropriate descrption.  The title track is fine if you like that sort of thing - and all the other tracks are pretty much exactly the same.  It's all him singing contemporary songs with an old-fashioned arrangement involving strings (often including classical guitar) with some tuneful warbling from some backing singers.  His voice has a nice tone to it but his pitch isn't always great - particularly (ironically) on "Sing" (and it's really not a great version).  That's quite some album cover though, isn't it?

He was 61 when this album is released and it does all feel like it's someone's grandad singing the latest hits down the pub (whilst wearing an open neck-shirt and a cardigan, no doubt) - it's not TERRIBLE, but it's also not terribly good.  I know the 70s was a long time ago and they did things very differently back then, but when you compare this with the other albums we've had so far from 1973, this does things very differently from the other very different things they used to do back then...

We're at #4 this week on its 21st week of a, wait for it, NINETY ONE week run with it peaking at #1 in its 30th week, spending 43 weeks in the top ten.  And it managed another 17 weeks across six further runs in 1975 for no obvious reason.  This was actually his most successful album and I am absolutely mystified as to why - I'm not begrudging him his success but there just felt nothing on there to make it stand out (maybe Wikipedia will explain).  The rest of the top five were Bowie, The Who, Elton John and Gilbert O'Sullivan (there's not enough famous people called Gilbert these days) and the highest new entry is Nazareth at #17.  Karen as usual is keeping the ladies representation up at #12, #13, #26 and #32 with only Dianne Lee and Diana Ross keeping her company this week.

Wikipedia doesn't really offer up any reason for the album's phenomenal success - apparently the title track (which was a Don McLean song) was his last charting single in the US, breaking a run that went back to 1943.  But it was so popular, he was asked to record it in Spanish as well (this was obviously the international marker for success back then).  Other bizarre facts from the Wikipedia rabbit hole - "Sing" was written for Sesame Street and there are versions out there by Barbra Streisand, R.E.M., Gloria Estefan, Ben Stiller and Maya Angelou.  Oh, and The Carpenters.

"Customers also listened to" Pat Boone, Bobby Darin and Doris Day - I actually suspect I wouldn't mind a Doris Day album done along similar lines.  I didn't hate this, but part of that is that I just find it so alien to my ears that I don't think they can process it.  And its success just makes me even more confused - all very odd.

11/11/73 - Enjoyable in small doses
25/11/73 - Not sure about this

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