Here's something different that might interest some of you. It's one of my favourite albums.
Ronnie Hilton was a resident of my hometown, Leeds, and enjoyed fame as a crooner in the fifties and sixties. He first came to my attention through a series of singles he recorded with and about Leeds United AFC. They are a story for another time, but they're very great in their own way. The sad part of this is that when he died a year or two ago, he was credited as writing 'Marching On Together', the club song, which was the one song he wasn't involved with (that was written by Les Reed, who also wrote 'It's Not Unusual' for Tom Jones). It irked me that Ronnie's actual funny, and damn successful, contributions - like, oh yes, 'Leeds United Calypso' - were overlooked.
Anyway. Ronnie's story is a classic one:
LP Blurb wrote:In 1952 he was Adrian Hill, working in an engineering plant in his home town of Leeds. His singing was confined to evening weekend gigs with a local dance band, and sing-songs whenever the numerous Hill family, including no less than five singing brothers, got together. Ronnie's wife Joan believed his voice and talent were capable of achieving nationwide stardom, and entered his name in a talent contest, keeping it a secret until the actual day of the event and then only persuading him to participate with great difficulty. Ronnie won impressively...
Ronnie's 'A Windmill In Old Amsterdam' is the definitive one - "I see a mouse! Where? There on the stair! Right there! A little mouse with clogs on, going clippity cloppity..." - and I love his 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang', sung in broad Yorkshire tones.
My favourite album is what I think was his last - for EMI/Music For Pleasure, at least. Rock n roll wasn't kind to him, and 'Songs That Sold A Million' might have been a comeback attempt, in 1975. Either way, I think it's great. 'Songs That Sold A Million' is a collection of twelve ballads, backed by "The Wonderful Continuous Sound Of The Harry Robinson Orchestra":
LP Blurb wrote:...who not only arranged the million selling songs on this album, but who also wrote the intricate musical pieces which link one song with the next.
Which is where this album shines. The music doesn't cease, with Ronnie's rich, experienced voice drifting in and out over the top. The effect is quite something, especially across the first three songs, and especially in the dark. Some of the interludes are straight up gorgeous, and with Ronnie's delivery - just check when he comes back in on 'Autumn Leaves'. It's pretty great. Then he goes all boomy into 'Love And Marriage', which tucked in the midst of all these maudlin ballads takes on a real desperate atmosphere, like he's singing cheerfully through the tears, maybe.
Hope some of you dig this... you need to do whatever necessary to make this album play gaplessly in your audio player, and forgive the clumsy cuts and sound quality (I wasn't aiming for perfection here). Here's the tracklisting, so you can get the flavour:
1. Stranger In Paradise
2. Catch A Falling Star
3. Autumn Leaves
4. Love And Marriage
5. My Foolish Heart
6. Temptation
7. Ballerina
8. My Heart Cries For You
9. Little White Lies
10. Young At Heart
11. Dear Hearts And Gentle People
12. My Prayer
http://www.sendspace.com/file/vitwuq
