Poetry in Motion Jukebox Favourites Vol. 1 CD
Code: LRR16 PW CD016
Only £10.99 + £1.50 P & P U.K.
Only £12.99 + £1.50 P & P Overseas
If you think that today’s pop music all sounds the same, it’s not because you’re older or out of touch. It has now been scientifically proven that today’s music is for a fact less varied. A research reported in Scientific Reports analysed a data base of a million songs recorded between 1955 and 2010 and found ‘Numerical indicators that the diversity of transition between note combinations…has constantly diminished’. Put another way, this means the chord changes and melodies of different songs are more alike than they once were. Moreover, louder – which is no news to us – presumably to compensate for the musical sameness.
There can be no more striking example of the varied melody and mood of the golden age of pop music than in Peter Williams’ set of ‘Poetry In Motion’. ‘Poetry In Motion’ indeed! And in Peter we can find no better and more sensitive interpreter of these tunes.
All are personal favourites of the man as evidenced by his warm and individualistic treatment of each tune, breathing new life into these old friends. He opens with a trio of tunes which encapsulate the peak of teenage musicality in 1959 / 60, before giving us his wonderful treatment of ‘Foot Tapper’. As most of us know, few can capture The Shadows magic like Peter Williams. He then treats us to a punchy version of Johnny Cash’s ‘Ring Of Fire’, whilst ‘More Than I Can Say’ sounds like it was especially written for him, so perfectly suited it is to the Williams style. His version of Bobby Goldsboro’s hit is both dreamy and magical and for my money the best version I’ve ever heard of it – and all without the words! But then ‘My Voice Is My Guitar’ is the man’s motto!
He gives ‘Silhouettes’ a chirpy original treatment, followed by a string of tunes that sound so much better for having passed through Peter’s hands. ‘Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying’ sounds like another number that could have been specifically written for our man; certainly no-one has ever turned out a lovelier and more tender version of that song. The Cliff Richard number that follows is a bright pick-me-up, whilst the mood is tender again for Billy Fury’s ‘Wedding Bells’. The next four tracks are again innovative versions of songs much loved by many, preceding one of the album’s highlights, the beautiful and touching ‘I Started A Joke’.
As if twenty-three tracks were not enough, we are then treated to another two tunes, post-Sixties, before he closes with a taster of his eagerly anticipated Big O project. Roy Orbison was an artist Peter Williams was destined to play.
What a truly enjoyable and varied album this is. Lets hope he can treat us to many more.
James F. Cullinan
www.finbarrmusicdirect.com
Specialists in ‘50s & ‘60s music.
1 Poetry In Motion Paul Kaufman
2 Dream Lover Bobby Darin
3 Cathy's Clown Don Everly/Phil Everly
4 Foot Tapper Hank Marvin/Bruce Welch
5 Ring Of Fire Johnny Cash/June Carter
6 More Than I Can Say Sonny Curtis/Jerry Allison
7 Honey Bobby Russell
8 Silhouettes Bobby Crewe/Frank Slay
9 The Great Pretender Buck Ram
10 Big Man Bruce Belland
11 Earth Angel Curtis Williams
12 Let The Heartaches Begin Tony Macaulay/John Macleod
13 Bachelor Boy Bruce Welch/Cliff Richard
14 Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying Gerry & The Pacemakers
15 I Could Easily Fall In Love With You Marvin/Welch/Benne/Rostil
16 Wedding Bells Hank Williams
17 Forget Me Not Les Vandyke
18 Early In The Morning Mike Leander / Eddie Seago
19 This Boy Lennon / McCartney
20 I Started A Joke Robin Gibb
21 Once Upon A Dream Norrie Paramor / Richard B. Rowe
22 Sorrow Tony Crane / Bill Kinsley
23 I'll See You In My Dreams Isham Jones / Gus Kahn
BONUS TRACKS
24 Words (Don't Come Easy) F.R. David
25 The Sunshine Of Your Smile Lilian Ray / Leonard Cooke
SPECIAL BONUS TRACK
FROM MY NEXT CD: Remembering ROY ORBISON
26 Blue Angel Roy Orbison / Joe Melson
