I have a problem. It's not a big problem, but it is a problem.

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts

01/07/73 : Liza With A Z - Liza Minelli

I'm obviously aware of Liza and, for the life of me, I've never really understood the appeal.  Yes, she was extremely confident but had, to me, no more talent than many others but was somehow wildly popular.  Very Kardashianesque, before such a thing existed.  So, obviously, I'm wildly enthusiastic about listening to this - so enthusiastic, in fact, that I very much considered giving it a swerve but none of the alternatives filled me with any less dread, so here we go anyway.

And yeah, the confidence is most definitely there - I can't see too many people would write a whole song about how to spell their name.  It's all a bit of a strange mix with some of it being very clever-clever cabaret and some of it being just odd - there's one bit where she starts singing a load of nursery rhymes (and I've no idea why).  I have to admit I quite liked "Ring Them Bells" but "Son Of A Preacher Man" just shows that she doesn't have the voice she thinks she does and "My Mammy" is just horrible (as it always is!).  I'd also have to say her character doesn't come across as much as I was expecting - I was expecting a lot more "amusing" anecdotes between songs.

We're at #18 in the charts this week (and we've skipped over FOUR compilation albums to get there) on her 14th week of a 15 week run, with her having peaked at #9 in her ninth week - making this her most successful UK album.  The top five this week were That'll Be The Day, George Harrison (a new entry), Perry Como (another new entry), Peters & Lee and Paul Simon.  What - no Bowie?  Ah, don't worry - he's at #6, #13 and #31.  The next new entry was The Carpenters (#16) about to start a 61 week run - impressive, but that means there will be one less woman in the charts next week.

Wikipedia doesn't have an entry on the album - because the whole thing went out as a film as well.  Her and her producers were riding high on the success of Cabaret (which I have to admit she's pretty good in) so they let her have this.  Apparently, according to Liza (with a Z) it was the first filmed concert on television, but I'm guessing this requires a very narrow consideration of all the words in that sentence.  Amusingly Singer sponsored the production but they were kept well away from rehearsals on account of fears they'd drop out due to the length of Liza's skirts.  

It was all well received though, with it winning 4 Emmys and a Peabody award - but, for some strange reason, NBC only showed it twice more that year and then never showed it again.  It was considered lost until 1999 when some guy found them, discovered that Liza owned the copyright and decided to clean it all up (I can't imagine she took too much convincing).  And so it reappeared again in 2005 - with a 5.1 soundtrack, which is somewhat impressive.  Part of me feels it would be an interesting watch - it might make me more aware of her talent but I imagine it feels very much from another time (which, let's face it, it is!).

"Customers also listened to" Elaine Stritch, Judy Garland and Bea Arthur - shrinking violets, the lot of them.  Unfortunately, I can't say this album did anything to convince me that Liza has more talent than anyone else - it was an interesting listen in places, but overall it was surprisingly low-key and decidedly odd in places.

24/06/73 - A nice bit of nostalgia
08/07/73 - A pleasing education