Nobody Does It Like Me
Encyclopedia
Nobody Does It Like Me is a 1974 album by Shirley Bassey. Bassey had been on a roll since 1970, scoring three top ten singles and three ten top albums (and several other re-issues and compilations that sold well). Nobody Does It Like Me was recorded with a new producer, George Butler, and brought a partial return to the traditional pop sound of Bassey's pre-1970s career. She would never completely abandon the music that had been her forte, standards, showtunes, and torch songs, though these styles had been updated with fresh arrangements ever since the album that rejuvenated her career, 1970's Something. But here, the title track "Nobody Does It Like Me" and "When You Smile" harken back to the big band
era. On other songs the brass section, the electric jazz guitar
, the lush, soaring strings, and the electric bass guitar lines which hint of smooth jazz
and soft rock
, return the album to the adult contemporary genre. Bassey's soaring vocals on Paul Anka
's "I'm Not Anyone" and the slightly funky "Morning in Your Eyes" contrast with a delicately rendered "Davy". The duet "Davy", recorded with the song's composer Bernard Ighner, is one of the rare occasions that Bassey would share the credits with another vocalist, it was also issued as a single and hit #44 on the US Adult Contemporary chart. The album closes with Stevie Wonder
's You Are the Sunshine of My Life
, a song which works both in the worlds of cabaret
and pop, reflecting well her crossover appeal; however, entering into the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100
or the Top 20 of the Billboard 200
was continuing to prove elusive, and for reasons that are unclear, this album failed to chart in the UK, and peaked at #142 in the US. It represents a hiccup in her assault on the charts in the 1970s, and perhaps reflects the influence and contributions of Noel Rogers and Johnny Harris
, who produced her first five studio albums of the 70s but stepped down from those roles beginning with this album. But after her Japan-only released live album later this year, her next two albums would be top 15 albums in the UK.
The original release was in stereo on vinyl and cassette. In 2006, BGO Records issued a remastered Nobody Does It Like Me and Love, Life and Feelings on a 2-CD set.
Side Two.
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
era. On other songs the brass section, the electric jazz guitar
Jazz guitar
The term jazz guitar may refer to either a type of guitar or to the variety of guitar playing styles used in the various genres which are commonly termed "jazz"...
, the lush, soaring strings, and the electric bass guitar lines which hint of smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
and soft rock
Soft rock
Soft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
, return the album to the adult contemporary genre. Bassey's soaring vocals on Paul Anka
Paul Anka
Paul Albert Anka, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor.Anka first became famous as a teen idol in the late 1950s and 1960s with hit songs like "Diana'", "Lonely Boy", and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder"...
's "I'm Not Anyone" and the slightly funky "Morning in Your Eyes" contrast with a delicately rendered "Davy". The duet "Davy", recorded with the song's composer Bernard Ighner, is one of the rare occasions that Bassey would share the credits with another vocalist, it was also issued as a single and hit #44 on the US Adult Contemporary chart. The album closes with Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's You Are the Sunshine of My Life
You Are the Sunshine of My Life
"You Are the Sunshine of My Life" is a 1973 pop single released by Stevie Wonder. The song became Wonder's third number-one pop single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and his first number one on the easy listening chart. It won Wonder a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. This song was...
, a song which works both in the worlds of cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
and pop, reflecting well her crossover appeal; however, entering into the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
or the Top 20 of the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
was continuing to prove elusive, and for reasons that are unclear, this album failed to chart in the UK, and peaked at #142 in the US. It represents a hiccup in her assault on the charts in the 1970s, and perhaps reflects the influence and contributions of Noel Rogers and Johnny Harris
Johnny Harris
Johnny Harris may refer to:*Johnny Harris , Scottish born composer, producer, arranger, conductor and musical director*Johnny Harris , soap opera character* Johnny Harris , English actor...
, who produced her first five studio albums of the 70s but stepped down from those roles beginning with this album. But after her Japan-only released live album later this year, her next two albums would be top 15 albums in the UK.
The original release was in stereo on vinyl and cassette. In 2006, BGO Records issued a remastered Nobody Does It Like Me and Love, Life and Feelings on a 2-CD set.
Track listing
Side One.- "Leave a Little Room" (Michael Randall)
- "When You Smile" (William Salter, Ralph MacDonaldRalph MacDonaldRalph MacDonald is an American percussionist and song-writer. He joined Harry Belafonte's band at age 17. He wrote the Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway song "Where is the Love" with songwriting partner William Salter. Probably his best-known composition is the Grover Washington, Jr...
) - "All That Love Went To Waste" (George BarrieGeorge BarrieGeorge Barrie was the owner and CEO of Fabergé Inc. from 1964 to 1984. He was nominated for two Oscars for Best Original Song and created Brut...
, Sammy CahnSammy CahnSammy Cahn was an American lyricist, songwriter and musician. He is best known for his romantic lyrics to films and Broadway songs, as well as stand-alone songs premiered by recording companies in the Greater Los Angeles Area...
) - "Davy" (Bernard Ighner)
- "I'm Not Anyone" (Paul AnkaPaul AnkaPaul Albert Anka, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor.Anka first became famous as a teen idol in the late 1950s and 1960s with hit songs like "Diana'", "Lonely Boy", and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder"...
, Johnny HarrisJohnny Harris (musician)Johnny Harris is a Scottish born composer, producer, arranger, conductor and musical director. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland; and a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music in London. He has lived in the US since 1972...
)
Side Two.
- "Morning in Your Eyes" (J. Lehman, O. Lehman)
- "The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye" (Dave GrusinDave GrusinDavid Grusin is an American composer, arranger and pianist. Grusin has composed many scores for feature films and television, and has won numerous awards for his soundtrack and record work, including an Academy award and 12 Grammys...
, Marilyn BergmanMarilyn BergmanMarilyn Bergman is a composer, songwriter and author.She was born Marilyn Keith in Brooklyn, New York and studied psychology and English at New York University...
, Alan BergmanAlan BergmanAlan Bergman is an American lyricist and songwriter.-Life & career:Born in Brooklyn, New York, he studied at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UCLA. His involvement in the entertainment industry began in the early 1950s as a director of children's television shows...
) - "Nobody Does It Like Me" (Dorothy FieldsDorothy FieldsDorothy Fields was an American librettist and lyricist.She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films...
, Cy ColemanCy ColemanCy Coleman was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist.-Life and career:He was born Seymour Kaufman on June 14, 1929, in New York City to Eastern European Jewish parents, and was raised in the Bronx. His mother, Ida was an apartment landlady and his father was a brickmason...
) - "I'm Nothing Without You" (Jim Grady)
- "You Are the Sunshine of My LifeYou Are the Sunshine of My Life"You Are the Sunshine of My Life" is a 1973 pop single released by Stevie Wonder. The song became Wonder's third number-one pop single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and his first number one on the easy listening chart. It won Wonder a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. This song was...
" (Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
)
Personnel
- Shirley BasseyShirley BasseyDame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
– vocalSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Noel Rogers - musical consultant
- Gene PageGene PageEugene Edgar "Gene" Page, Jr. was an influential conductor, composer, arranger and record producer most active from the mid-1960s through the mid-1980s....
- arranger, conductor (tracks 1, 4, 5, 6, 10) - Nick Perito - arranger, conductor (tracks 2, 3, 7, 8, 9)
- Bernard Igher - background vocals (track 4)
- Arthur GreensladeArthur GreensladeArthur Greenslade was a British conductor and arranger for films and television as well as for a number of performers. In the 1950s he was pianist and arranger with the Oscar Rabin Band. He has arranged for Jack Jones, Chris Farlowe, Serge Gainsbourg, Genesis, Cat Stevens, Diana Ross and Dusty...
and Horace Ott - conductor, strings and horns