Percy Faith was a Canadian-American bandleader, orchestrator, composer and conductor, known for his lush arrangements of instrumental ballads and Christmas standards. He is often credited with popularizing the "easy listening" or "mood music" format. He became a staple of American popular music in the 1950s and continued well into the 1960s. Though his professional orchestra-leading career began at the height of the Swing Era, he refined and rethought orchestration techniques, including use of large string sections, to soften and fill out the brass-dominated popular music of the 1940s.
Innervisions is the sixteenth studio album by American singer, songwriter, and musician Stevie Wonder, released on August 3, 1973, by Tamla, a subsidiary of Motown Records. A landmark recording of Wonder's "classic period", the album has been regarded as his transition from the "Little Stevie Wonder" known for romantic ballads into a more musically mature, conscious, and grown-up artist. On the album, Wonder continued to experiment with the ARP synthesizer and the revolutionary T.O.N.T.O. synth developed by Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff, and Innervisions became hugely influential on the future sound of commercial soul and black music.
"Blues in the Night" is a popular blues song which has become a pop standard and is generally considered to be part of the Great American Songbook. The music was written by Harold Arlen, the lyrics by Johnny Mercer, for a 1941 film begun with the working title Hot Nocturne, but finally released as Blues in the Night. The song is sung in the film by William Gillespie.
"It's April Again" is a popular song that first appeared in the 1952 film Moulin Rouge. It became a No. 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart when recorded by Mantovani. The music for the film was written by Georges Auric; the original French lyrics were by Jacques Larue, with the English words by William Engvick. The Auric-Engvick song was published in 1953.
"My Heart Cries for You" is a popular song, adapted by Carl Sigman and Percy Faith from an 18th-century French melody.
"On the Street Where You Live" is a song with music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner from the 1956 Broadway musical My Fair Lady. It is sung in the musical by the character Freddy Eynsford-Hill, who was portrayed by John Michael King in the original production. In the 1964 film version, it was sung by Bill Shirley, dubbing for actor Jeremy Brett.
American vocalist Frank Sinatra recorded 59 studio albums and 297 singles in his solo career, spanning 54 years. Sinatra signed with Columbia Records in 1943; his debut album The Voice of Frank Sinatra was released in 1946. Sinatra would achieve greater success with Capitol and Reprise Records, the former of which he released his final two albums on—Duets and Duets II. Eight compilation albums under Sinatra's name were released in his lifetime, with more albums released following his death in 1998.
"Theme from A Summer Place" is a song with lyrics by Mack Discant and music by Max Steiner, written for the 1959 film A Summer Place, which starred Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue. It was recorded for the film as an instrumental by Hugo Winterhalter. Originally known as the "Molly and Johnny Theme", this lush extended cue, as orchestrated by Murray Cutter, is not the main title theme of the film, but an oft-heard secondary love theme for the characters played by Dee and Donahue.
"Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" is the second single by American singer-actress Cher from her second album, The Sonny Side of Chér. It was written by her husband Sonny Bono and released in 1966. The song reached No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a week (behind "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" by The Righteous Brothers), eventually becoming one of Cher's biggest-selling singles of the 1960s.
"I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" is a song from the 1956 musical My Fair Lady, with music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. It was originally performed by Rex Harrison as Professor Henry Higgins who also performed it in the 1964 film version.
"I've Told Ev'ry Little Star" is a popular song with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, published in 1932. The song was introduced in the musical Music in the Air. The first hit recording of the song was released in 1932 by Jack Denny and His Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra, featuring the vocals of Paul Small. It has since been recorded by many artists.
"We Need a Little Christmas" is a popular Christmas song originating from Jerry Herman's Broadway musical Mame, and first performed by Angela Lansbury in that 1966 production.
"With a Little Bit of Luck" is a popular song by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, written for the 1956 Broadway play My Fair Lady.
Passport to Romance is a 1956 album of orchestral pop instrumentals by Percy Faith & His Orchestra. It was released in 1956 by Columbia Records. The album contains 12 songs built around a theme of travel in Europe.
Percy Faith Plays George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess is a 1959 album by Percy Faith. It was released in 1959 by Columbia Records. The album features Faith and his orchestra playing music from George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.
Jealousy is a 1960 album by Percy Faith and His Orchestra. It was released in 1960 by Columbia Records. It debuted on Billboard magazine's pop album chart on November 28, 1960, peaked at the No. 7 spot, and remained on the chart for eight weeks.
Music from Lerner & Loewe's Camelot is a 1960 album by Percy Faith and His Orchestra. It was released in December 1960 by Columbia Records. It debuted on Billboard magazine's pop album chart on January 9, 1961, peaked at the No. 6 spot, and remained on the chart for ten weeks.
Themes for Young Lovers is a 1963 album by Percy Faith and His Orchestra. It was released in 1963 by Columbia Records. It debuted on Billboard magazine's pop album chart on June 29, 1963, peaked at the No. 12 spot, and remained on the chart for 13 weeks.
Bouquet of Love is a 1962 album by Percy Faith and His Orchestra. It was released in 1962 by Columbia Records. It debuted on Billboard magazine's pop album chart on April 14, 1962, peaked at the No. 26 spot, and remained on the chart for five weeks.
Memories Are Made of This is an album by Ray Conniff and His Orchestra and Chorus. It was released in 1961 on the Columbia label.
