That Christmas Feeling
Glen Campbell
Capitol ST 2978
1968
I bought this a couple of years ago when I became interested in Campbell after seeing him perform at the Hollywood Bowl. It turned out to be a dud. Campbell sings fine but the arrangements by Al de Lory are sappy and uninspired. There is a mix of Christmas classics and newer songs including two brand new ones by the redoubtable team of Sammy Cahn and James Van Heusen. Unfortunately they are among the worst tracks on the album. "Christmas is for Children" is tediously slow and a bit inane in its description of adults becoming kids again on Christmas day. "It Must Be Getting Close to Christmas" is a little better although I hate the heavy-handed strings and the choir. The song is about how children behave better as Christmas draws near. The melody is more lively and memorable although the song is never going to compete with the classic Christmas carols. My least favorite track is Howlett Smith's "Little Altar Boy" which was a minor hit for Vic Dana in 1961. It is a maudlin song about a guy asking an altar boy for help in finding redemption from God. The song suggests that altar boys are pure and holy, which as a former altar boy myself, I think is a dubious assertion. The song is not really a Christmas song and I loathe it although Campbell sings it with a lot of feeling which is the only thing that makes it bearable for me. "There's No Place Like Home" isn't a Christmas song either, but Sammy Cahn wrote some new lyrics to make it one. I hate the schmaltzy arrangement but I can't deny that Campbell sings it beautifully. The standards are better but still underwhelming. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is probably the best of them. The arrangement is pedestrian but the song suits Campbell pretty well. His performances of "Blue Christmas" and "The Christmas Song" are surprisingly lackluster and pale in comparison to the classic recordings by Elvis and Nat King Cole. I believe Campbell's version of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" is even slower than Bing Crosby's version and sounds lifeless in comparison. I'm unfamiliar with "Christmas Day" by Jimmy Holiday and L. White which has a 1963 copyright. It is a nice song although I'd like it a whole lot better if Campbell sang it at a faster tempo. Predictably the two best tracks are the country songs where Campbell seems most comfortable. Roger Miller's "Old Toy Trains" is easily my favorite track on the album. It is by far the most dynamic and lively performance that Campbell gives on the album. Willie Nelson's "Pretty Paper" is a great song although I prefer Roy Orbison's version as well as Nelson's own versions, especially the one he cut in 1979. Are three good cuts enough to make an album worthwhile? Probably not, especially when there is also a stinker like "Little Altar Boy" on it. I'm not sorry I have it, but I'm not going to suggest you look for it unless you are a big Campbell fan. Recommended for people who don't have many Christmas albums.
The Astounding 12-String Guitar of Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell
Capitol ST 2023
1964
I recently saw the excellent documentary "Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me" which is a behind the scenes look at his farewell tour emphasizing the devastating effect of Alzheimer's Disease on him. I saw one of the shows on that tour and I was astonished to see in the film how far gone he already was. Sitting in the audience at his show I thought he seemed in control and confident. In reality not only could he not remember the words to songs he has sung thousands of times (he used a teleprompter for the lyrics), he could barely remember his kids' names. Amazingly he could still play like the virtuoso guitarist he has always been. I guess that part of his brain is different from the part ravaged by his disease. This album showcases his instrumental skill. It was his third album. It seems likely that the weasels at Capitol Records did not know what to do with him. Here's this good-looking kid with a wonderful voice and they tried to turn him into Chet Atkins. It is a testament to his immense talent that he made this record work with his engaging and energetic fret work. My favorite cut is a performance of Bob Dylan's "Walkin' Down the Line" which starts out as a sprightly instrumental and then almost as if he can't help himself, Campbell bursts into song to sing a couple of verses. The record really jumps to life at that moment and you can see why the guy who wrote the liner notes felt that Campbell was going to "gain equal fame" as a vocalist. My favorite cuts among the instrumentals are a pair of duets with Roy Clark on the banjo, "Lonesome Twelve" and "The Ballad of Jed Clampett." The dynamic interplay between Clark and Campbell is very stimulating and frenetic. The album is worth picking up just for those two cuts alone. Campbell's own compositions "12-String Special" and the rocking "Bull Durham" are almost as good with lots of fine country-style picking. Campbell also tackles a bunch of folk hits. He is joined by Clark again for "Wimoweh" which isn't as exciting as the other two Clark cuts but still enjoyable. On "Puff (The Magic Dragon)" and "This Land Is Your Land" he plays the first verse straight then starts to embellish the songs with some terrific jazzy flights before coming back to earth to finish. Great stuff. He uses the same formula for "Blowin' In the Wind," "500 Miles (Away From Home)" and "Green, Green" but the improvised sections are more sedate. He's joined by Earl Palmer on bongo for "La Bamba" which gives the cut plenty of propulsion upon which Campbell lays down some of his finest guitar work on the record. I'm fond of this record, Campbell was a natural entertainer and that goes for his guitar solos as well. There is not a boring moment on this record. The man was certainly among the best guitar players of his generation. It makes me sad to think that not only has the great man's voice been silenced, but that I'll never get to hear another one of his lightning fast guitar runs again either. At least I have this record to remind me of his tremendous ability. Recommended to fans of the "pickin' and grinnin'" segments on "Hee-Haw."
Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell
Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell
Capitol ST8-2928
1968
I picked up this album last year after hearing it mentioned at the tribute to Glen Campbell concert at the Hollywood Bowl last summer. I went to the show on the spur of the moment. My mom was a fan of Campbell and we watched his variety show on television when I was a kid, but I had never followed his career very closely. Given that the show was part of his farewell tour, I knew this was my last chance to see him and I liked some of the artists in the tribute portion of the show, so I went. At first I regretted going when I saw that I was surrounded by old people. Usually when I go to a show, I'm one of the old people so that was pretty weird. Courtney Taylor-Taylor of the Dandy Warhols came out to start the show and did some Monkees and Beach Boys songs that Campbell had played guitar on as a session man. When the geezers around me saw him strut out and deliver the songs in his typical lugubrious drawl, they were practically apoplectic. He was followed by Lucinda Williams who did a few Campbell songs in her own inimitable style which resulted in the codger behind me loudly proclaiming that she couldn't sing. Then Kris Kristofferson hobbled out and croaked out a few Campbell cuts that he could barely remember the words to and all the seniors were ecstatic - at last someone they could relate to. At that point I really regretted coming, but fortunately the show picked up after that with Jenny Lewis and Dawes doing some fine work and of course the man of the hour himself delivering a remarkable show. He can still play guitar like a virtuoso issuing lightning fast runs with seemingly effortless ease. He can still sing remarkably well too, it is hard to believe that Alzheimer's disease has him in its grip. He went through his back catalog and delivered a life affirming and inspiring show. I was very impressed. Earlier in the evening Jenny Lewis and Jackson Browne did a cut from this album, "Let It Be Me," which Browne mentioned was from a duet Campbell did with Bobbie Gentry. This was when I became aware of this record. I like duet albums so the next time I was in a record store I looked for it and bought it. It isn't a very good record and pretty skimpy on top of that with 11 cuts running well under 30 minutes - typical Capitol Records. Gentry and Campbell don't have a lot of chemistry and he is a lot better singer than she is. I like her low husky voice, but her range limitations and lack of emotion are really exposed next to Campbell's full-throated ability. The man has the power to blow the doors off the barn and he hits the high notes a lot easier than she does. On most of their duets, I wish he would just sing the lead and let her supply the harmony. Most of the songs are pretty pedestrian but listenable aside from the music hall style "Terrible Tangled Web" which I hate. "Gentle on My Mind" sounded a lot better when Campbell sang it by himself and I do not need to hear another version of "Little Green Apples" - heck I really don't want to hear any version of that song. "My Elusive Dreams" sounded better when Tammy Wynette sang it with David Houston. The cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" is pretty much as awkward and weird as you'd expect but to his credit Campbell does sing his part very convincingly. A few songs on the album do stand out for me. Campbell's "Less of Me" was one of my favorite cuts on the Everly Brothers' "Roots." This version is nearly as good but is undermined by the overblown arrangement. He also wrote "(It's Only Your) Imagination" which is slight but enjoyable. I like Gentry's own laid back love song "Mornin' Glory" which is full of domestic charm. Margo Guryan's "Sunday Mornin'" does the same thing a whole lot better though, it is my favorite cut on the album although if I wanted to hear it, I'd be more inclined to play Guryan's own version. The above mentioned "Let It Be Me" is best known in the Everly Brothers' classic version and this version is not going to change that although it has its moments. I guess there are enough decent cuts that I don't mind having the record and I like the cover photo - you can't see it very well in my picture but Campbell is sporting a peace symbol on his necklace - groovy! Campbell was a multi-faceted and abundantly talented performer, I wish I had appreciated him more during his heyday. Recommended to people who don't believe that Campbell was a terrific singer.
