The Impossible Dream (Andy Williams album)

Last updated
The Impossible Dream
Williams-Dream.jpg
Compilation album by
Released1971 [1]
Recorded1966–1971
Genre
Length64:43
Label Columbia
Andy Williams chronology
You've Got a Friend
(1971)
The Impossible Dream
(1971)
Love Theme from "The Godfather"
(1972)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Billboard Spotlight Pick [1]

The Impossible Dream is a double compilation album by American pop singer Andy Williams that was released in late 1971 by Columbia Records. [1] Unlike his most recent compilation, Andy Williams' Greatest Hits , this 2-LP set focused exclusively on covers of songs made famous by other artists and included four tracks ("He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", "The Last Time I Saw Her", "Long, Long Time", and "Someone Who Cares") that had previously only been available on his UK album titled Love Story. In 2003 these tracks were released on the Williams collection from Collectables Records titled B Sides and Rarities . [3]

A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording is longer than the capacity of the medium. Recording artists often think of double albums as comprising a single piece artistically; however, there are exceptions such as John Lennon's Some Time in New York City and Pink Floyd's Ummagumma and OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Another example of this approach is Works Volume 1 by Emerson Lake and Palmer, where side one featured Keith Emerson, side two Greg Lake, side three Carl Palmer, and side four was by the entire group.

A compilation album comprises tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several performers. If by one artist, then generally the tracks were not originally intended for release together as a single work, but may be collected together as a greatest hits album or box set. If from several performers, there may be a theme, topic, time period, or genre which links the tracks, or they may have been intended for release as a single work—such as a tribute album. When the tracks are by the same recording artist, the album may be referred to as a retrospective album or an anthology.

Andy Williams American singer, songwriter, actor and record producer

Howard Andrew Williams was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold-certified and three platinum-certified. He was also nominated for six Grammy Awards. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a television variety show, from 1962 to 1971, and numerous TV specials. The Andy Williams Show won three Emmy awards. The Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri is named after the song for which he is best known—Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini's "Moon River". He sold more than 100 million records worldwide, including more than 10 million certified units in the United States.

Contents

The album made its first appearance on Billboard magazine's Top LP's chart in the issue dated January 8, 1972, and remained there for five weeks, peaking at number 123, [4] and it entered the UK album chart three months later, on April 29, and reached number 26 there over the course of three weeks. [5]

<i>Billboard</i> (magazine) American music magazine

Billboard is an American entertainment media brand owned by the Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group, a division of Eldridge Industries. It publishes pieces involving news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style, and is also known for its music charts, including the Hot 100 and Billboard 200, tracking the most popular songs and albums in different genres. It also hosts events, owns a publishing firm, and operates several TV shows.

The Billboard 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists. Often, a recording act will be remembered by its "number ones", those of their albums that outperformed all others during at least one week. The chart grew from a weekly top 10 list in 1956 to become a top 200 in May 1967, and acquired its present title in March 1992. Its previous names include the Billboard Top LPs (1961–72), Billboard Top LPs & Tape (1972–84), Billboard Top 200 Albums (1984–85) and Billboard Top Pop Albums.

Reception

Billboard magazine recommended the collection in its review for retailers. "What a bargain...two record set from Williams at a special low price and timed right for the holiday shopper. Super program includes, along with the title tune, top readings of '(They Long to Be) Close to You', 'My Sweet Lord', 'Didn't We', 'Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet' and 'Bridge over Troubled Water'. Certain to prove a top chart item." [1]

(They Long to Be) Close to You song

"(They Long to Be) Close to You" is a popular song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, most notably recorded and performed by the Carpenters.

My Sweet Lord song by George Harrison

"My Sweet Lord" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released in November 1970 on his triple album All Things Must Pass. It was also released as a single, Harrison's first as a solo artist, and topped charts worldwide; it was the biggest-selling single of 1971 in the UK. In America and Britain, the song was the first number-one single by an ex-Beatle. Harrison originally gave the song to his fellow Apple Records artist Billy Preston to record; this version, which Harrison co-produced, appeared on Preston's Encouraging Words album in September 1970.

"Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet", also known as "A Time for Us", is an instrumental arranged by Henry Mancini. It was a number-one pop hit in the United States during the year 1969. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on June 28, 1969, and remained there for two weeks; it was also his only Top Ten single on that chart.

Track listing

Side one
  1. "(They Long to Be) Close to You" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) – 3:00
  2. "The Last Time I Saw Her" (Gordon Lightfoot) – 3:25
  3. "What Now, My Love?" (Gilbert Bécaud, Pierre Delanoë, Carl Sigman) – 2:05
  4. "I Will Wait for You" from The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Jacques Demy, Norman Gimbel, Michel Legrand) – 2:42
  5. "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (Bob Russell, Bobby Scott) – 2:59
Side two
  1. "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet" from Romeo and Juliet (Larry Kusik, Nino Rota, Eddie Snyder) – 2:35
  2. "Love Is Blue (L'Amour Est Bleu)" (Pierre Cour, André Popp) – 2:46
  3. "A Man and a Woman" from A Man and a Woman (Pierre Barouh, Jerry Keller, Francis Lai) – 2:50
  4. "Good Morning Starshine" from Hair ; performed with The Osmond Brothers and Friends (Galt MacDermot, James Rado, Gerome Ragni) – 4:15
  5. "Somewhere My Love" (Maurice Jarre, Paul Francis Webster) – 2:38
Side three
  1. "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" from Man of La Mancha (Joe Darion, Mitch Leigh) – 2:39
  2. "My Cherie Amour" (Henry Cosby, Sylvia Moy, Stevie Wonder) – 3:02
  3. "Spanish Harlem" (Jerry Leiber, Phil Spector) – 3:09
  4. "Someone Who Cares" (Alex Harvey) – 3:15
  5. "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)" (Jorge Milchberg, Daniel Alomía Robles, Paul Simon) – 3:25
Side four
  1. "Long, Long Time" (Gary White) – 3:37
  2. "Both Sides Now" (Joni Mitchell) – 3:43
  3. "My Sweet Lord" (George Harrison) – 4:14
  4. "Didn't We" (Jimmy Webb) – 3:27
  5. "Bridge over Troubled Water" (Paul Simon) – 4:57

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Billboard Album Reviews". Billboard . 1971-12-25. p. 50.
  2. "The Impossible Dream - Andy Williams". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  3. (2003) Album notes for B Sides and Rarities by Andy Williams [CD booklet]. New York: Sony Music.
  4. Whitburn 2010 , p. 845.
  5. "Andy Williams". Official Charts. Retrieved 20 April 2016.

Bibliography

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