Monday, August 7, 2017

FEELS GOOD, FEELS RIGHT

One of my favorite albums that Bing did in later years was this album. It is hard to believe it is 41 years old now!

Feels Good, Feels Right is a 1976 vinyl album recorded by Bing Crosby for Decca Records during four morning sessions in 1976 at Decca Studio No.3, Broadhurst Gardens, London. He was accompanied by Alan Cohen and his Orchestra. Cohen also did all the orchestral arrangements.  All of the tracks recorded in July were issued on the LP with the addition of "What’s New?" recorded on August 17. The other three tracks recorded on August 17 were issued for the first time on a Decca double album called “Bing – 1931” and “Bing – 1975-76”. The expanded album was first issued on CD by London Records in 1988 as No. 820 586-2.
Reception

Billboard was not impressed saying: “The spirit’s willing, but Bing’s tired pipes aren’t what they once were despite his choice of nine splendid standards and three more recent tunes recorded last summer in London. One must overlook faulty intonation, an inability to sustain notes and an overall feeling of fatigue in this program produced by Kevin Daly and with orchestra conducted by Alan Cohen. For Crosby filberts, however, the LP will hit the mark."

Bert Bishop, writing for BING magazine felt that the album was "...a superb surprise bonus that keeps us reeling in amazement at the resurgence of our new, top-form, Bing. Yes, let's not lose sight of the fact that Bing is singing better than he was, and this LP is as good an example as any to prove the point". Bishop described the orchestrations as "...mostly traditional without losing sight of the contemporary big band sound and there’s no doubt that the modern recording techniques do full justice to every member of the orchestra", and concluded by writing that "In several recent recordings Bing has given us verses which must be quite new to many listeners and happily, that’s a prominent feature of the presentation of the ballads to which Bing brings his unique vocal nuances on this LP."


Track Listing:
1. "Feels Good, Feels Right"
2. "Once in a While"
3. "As Time Goes By" 
4. "Old Fashioned Love"
5. "Time on My Hands"
6. "The Way We Were"
7. "There's Nothing That I Haven't Sung About"
8. "The Night Is Young and You're So Beautiful"
9. "Nevertheless"
11. "What’s New?"
12. "When I Leave the World Behind"

Additional tracks on Decca double album
13. "That Old Black Magic"
14. "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" 
15. "At Last"

Reportedly, as song writer Johnny Mercer laid dying in 1976, the last record he listened to was Bing's version of "When I Leave The World Behind"...



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