#1 for weeks of April 13, 20, 27, and May 4th, 1959.
The Fleetwoods? Sorry to say but this ain't the Fleetwoods of the, "Mac" variety. In fact, both the group and song were totally alien to me. So let's do something completely different. This review will be divided into four sections, my first impressions before hearing it, and each of my three listens to it.
Initial impressions - Just the name alone, "Come Softly To Me", left me with little doubt that this would be another quieter number. Hearing that this group was considered one of the most successful of the year in which Rock And Roll had a creative dip, and seeing pictures of the group from this time period dressed in fancy evening dress as opposed looking like they came straight out of Happy Days, does not hold much promise. This should be interesting.
First listen - This trumps, "Venus" as the most mellow song on the list so far. In fact, Frankie Avalon sounds like Ozzy Osbourne in comparison. Very minimalist instrumentation, sounds out of sync with the vocal melody in some places, and it doesn't particularly hold my interest, but let's see if some more listens will change that.
Second listen - Still as quiet as ever, almost sleepy, but you know what, the two ladies singing lead and backing vocals, (Gretchen Christopher and Barbara Ellis), really are growing on me, and they stand out the most as the song progresses. Song almost has a latin-jazz feel to it. It reminds me of "The Girl From Ipanema".
Third listen - You know what, the softness I feel actually is this song's strong point. The song comes across as subtle and subdued. Gretchen and Barbara's vocals whenever they sing, "Stay", or, "Say", is as heavy as the vocals get. It seems also this song was initially recorded acapella with lead singer Gary Troxel's car keys being the only instrumentation at the time. Only much later in the year, (1958), were acoustic guitars added. This explains why they sometimes lose time in the music. Overall, not bad, not what I would pick as a major #1 hit, and not something I'd frequently listen to, but it grew on me for each listen.
Final Verdict - This song just goes to show why a song deserves a minimum of three listens before you make your final verdict. While it's still not my normal cup of tea, it is a rare case where its softness and gentleness actually is its strong point. It's pleasing to listen to, and given time, it grows on you. If you're in a mellow mood, you need music for your yoga class, or the time calls for softer music to be played, you can give this song a spin. Fans of edgier and/or modern day music might want to pass.
Coming Up Next - "The Happy Organ" by David "Baby" Cortez
Until Next Time - Dr. Rock -
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