Various Artists - Produced by George Martin: 50 Years In Recording (2001) [6CD BoxSet] {EMI Records}
Rock / Jazz / Pop / Fusion / Folk Rock / British Invasion
| George Martin is one of the world's most famous record producers and yet, despite a long and varied career, he is most celebrated for his era-defining work with the Beatles. The six-CD box set Produced By George Martin commemorates his 50 years behind the desk. The discs are in chronological order and loosely themed--early years, comedy recordings, 60s hits, orchestral, etc. While generally presented in a chronological fashion, each disc is likewise aptly subtitled. Disc one -- "Crazy Rhythms" -- features pre-rock & roll big band ("High Society"), skiffle ("Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O"), and dance music ("Scottish Polka" and "Saturday Jump"). In addition, there are tracks from other well-known yet rarely heard artists such as Jimmy Shand ("Bluebell Polka") and Rolf Harris ("Sun Arise"). The "Transports of Delight" on disc two highlight spoken-word and comedy sides produced by Martin in the '50s and '60s. |
Well-known artists and recordings from Peter Sellers ("All the Things You Are") and Spike Milligan ("The Wormwood Scrubs Tango") are spotlighted along with two apocalyptic pieces from the Beyond the Fringe ensemble -- "Aftermath of War" and "The End of the World." Disc three, "That Was the Decade That Was," celebrates the '60s rock & roll renaissance. Of course, "the Fab Four" are represented. Likewise, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas ("Do You Want to Know a Secret?"), Gerry & the Pacemakers ("How Do You Do It?"), and Cilla Black ("It's for You") are also continuity connections to the Beatles. George Martin produced and scored classical as well as pop recordings. Healthy samplings of his classical productions are featured on disc four, "Gold Fingers." Among these are performances of "Coronation Scot" by Sidney Torch and his orchestra from the BBC Radio series "Paul Temple," as well as "Barwick Green," the theme from another Auntie Beeb program, "The Archers."
Discs five and six chart Martin's most endearing work from the '70s and beyond. As with every selection on Produced by George Martin, "Smiles of the Beyond" -- which highlights jazz, pop, and fusion -- and "Nice Work" -- highlighting an eclectic mix of Martin's later productions -- are his personal favorites. These include his work with Stan Getz ("Marrakech Express"), Jeff Beck ("Diamond Dust"), and Paul McCartney "Live and Let Die."
Those expecting an imaginative selection of Beatles tunes will be severely disappointed. A mere quartet of blindingly obvious tracks (eg: "Yesterday")--all pre-1966--represents the Mop Top legacy. Surely, the inclusion of "Tomorrow Never Knows" or "A Day in the Life", would not only have illustrated the Fabs' phenomenal--not to say radical--musical development but would also have emphasised the role of Martin as mentor, arranger and collaborator. Disc 3, the finest and by far most consistent, showcases George's chart-slaying 1960s productions. Other highlights alongside the Beatles include Cilla Black's Macca penned "Step Inside Love" , Ella Fitzgerald's swingin' Nelson Riddle-esque reading of "Can't Buy Me Love" and ace faces the Action's floor-stomping version of "Land of a 1,000 Dances". While the concept of paying tribute to one of music's most illustrious producers is commendable, the truth is that his mainstream output during the 1960s eclipses the rest of his work, thus rendering the other CDs all but redundant. Perhaps a box set concentrating solely on Martin's 1960s pop productions might have proved the better option.
Personnel & tracklist:
Disc 1 (Crazy Rhythm):
01. Pickin' A Chicken - Eve Boswell With Glenn Somers & His Orchestra
02. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good - Cleo Laine With Johnny Dankworth & His Orchestra
03. Hayfoot, Strawfoot - The Kenny Baker Quartet
04. High Society - Graeme Bell & His Australian Jazz Band
05. Princess Elizabeth Of England - The Luton Girls Choir With The Band Of The Irish Guards
06. Romanza-Choro (Brasilerinho) - Roberto Inglez & His Orchestra
07. Melody On The Move - Tommy Reilly With The Vic Hammerr Quartet
08. Ae Fond Kiss - Kenneth Mckellar
09. Bluebell Polka - Jimmy Shand & His Band
10. Scottish Polka (Balintore Fishermen) - Mickie Ainsworth & Jimmy Blue
11. Dashing White Sergeant - The Glasgow Phoenix Choir
12. Arrivederci Darling - Edna Savage
13. Away In A Manger - Kirkintilloch Junior Choir
14. Robin Hood - Dick James
15. Portrait Of My Love - Matt Monro
16. Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey - Freddy Randall & His Band
17. Experiments With Mice - Johnny Dankworth & His Orchestra
18. Oi! Oi! Oi! - Joe Daniels & His Band
19. Saturday Jump - Humphrey Lyttelton & His Band
20. Crazy Rhythm - Max Geldray With Wally Scott & His Orchestra
21. My Kind Of Girl - Matt Monto
22. Hi-Flutin' Boogie - John Scott
23. Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine?) - The Southlanders
24. Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O - The Vipers Skiffle Group
25. Skiffling Strings - Ron Goodwin & His Concert Orchestra
26. Be My Girl - Jim Dale
27. No Other Baby - The Vipers
28. Sun Arise - Rolf Harris
29. You're Driving Me Crazy - The Temperance Seven
Disc 2 (Transports Of Delight):
01. The Q5 Piano Tune - Spike Milligan
02. Unchained Melody - Peter Sellers
03. Mock Mozart - Peter Ustinov
04. A Transport Of Delight - Flanders & Swann
05. Nellie The Elephant - Mandy Miller
06. Little Red Monkey - Joy Nichols, Jimmy Edwards & Dick Bentley
07. Goodness Gracious Me - Peter Sellers & Sophia Loren
08. The Wormwood Scrubs Tango - Spike Milligan
09. The Hippopotamus Song - Ian Wallace With Donald Swann
10. Any Old Iron - Peter Sellers
11. The Hole In The Ground - Bernard Cribbins
12. Aftermath Of War - Beyond The Fringe (cast)
13. All The Things You Are - Peter Sellers
14. The Horse Show - Michael Bentine
15. The End Of The World - Beyond The Fringe (London cast)
16. My Boomerang Won't Come Back - Charlie Drake
17. A Drop Of The Hard Stuff - Peter Sellers
18. You Gotta Go Oww! - Spike Milligan
19. Morse Code Melody - The Alberts
20. I've Lost My Mummy - Rolf Harris
21. My Brother - Terry Scott
22. Judge Not - Cambridge Circus (London cast)
23. The Gas Man Cometh - Flanders & Swann
24. Right Said Fred - Bernard Cribbins
25. Football Results - Michael Bentine
26. Jake The Peg - Rolf Harris
27. The Highway Code - The Master Singers
28. A Hard Day's Night - Peter Sellers
29. She Loves You (German version) - Peter Sellers
Disc 3 (That Was The Decade That Was):
01. Please Please Me - The Beatles
02. How Do You Do It - Gerry & The Pacemakers
03. Do You Want To Know A Secret - Billy J Kramer with The Dakotas
04. Hello Little Girl - The Fourmost
05. I Want To Hold Your Hand - The Beatles
06. The Cruel Sea - The Dakotas
07. That Was The Week That Was - Millicent Martin with David Frost
08. Bad To Me - Billy J Kramer with The Dakotas
09. Anyone With A Heart - Cilla Black
10. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying - Gerry & The Pacemakers
11. I'll Keep You Satisfied - Billy J Kramer with The Dakotas
12. A Little Loving - The Fourmost
13. Little Children - Billy J Kramer with The Dakotas
14. You're My World {Il Mio Mondo} - Cilla Black
15. Yesterday - The Beatles
16. You'll Never Walk Alone - Gerry & The Pacemakers
17. I (Who Have Nothing) {Uno Dei Tanti} - Shirley Bassey
18. In The Summer Of His Years - Millicent Martin
19. It's For You - Cilla Black
20. It's You - Alma Cogan
21. Ferry Cross The Mersey - Gerry & The Pacemakers
22. Can't Buy Me Love - Ella Fitzgerald
23. I've Been Wrong Before - Cilla Black
24. In My Life - The Beatles
25. Land Of 1000 Dances - The Action
26. Alfie - Cilla Black
27. Michelle - David & Johnathan
28. Step Inside Love - Cilla Black
29. She's Leaving Home - David & Jonathan
30. When I'm Sixty-Four - Bernard Cribbins
31. Time - Cilla Black
01. Coronation Scot - Sidney Torch & His Orchestra
02. Chopin - Prelude In C Minor, Opus 28 No. 20
03. Mozart - Serenade In E Flat Major, K. 375; Fourth Movement, Minuet And Trio - London Baroque Ensemble (Conductor Karl Haas)
04. Mozart - Serenade In E Flat Major, K. 375; Fifth Movement, Allegro - London Baroque Ensemble (Conductor Karl Haas)
05. Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending - London Philharmonic Orchestra (Conductor Sir Adrian Boult, Jean Pougnet - violin)
06. Barwick Green - Sidney Torch & His Orchestra
07. The White Suit Samba - Jack Parnell & His Rhythm
08. Time Beat - Ray Cathode
09. Theme from "Limelight" - Ron Goodwin & His Orchestra
10. Elizabethan Serenade (where The Gentle Avon Flows) - Ron Goodwin & His Concert Orchestra
11. Murder She Says - Ron Goodwin & His Orchestra
12. I Like Money - Nadia Gray
13. Double Scotch - Ron Goodwin & His Orchestra
14. No One Will Ever Know - Matt Monro
15. The Dr. Kildare Theme - Johnnie Spence & His Orchestra
16. Ringo's Theme (This Boy) - The George Martin Orchestra
17. 633 Squadron Theme - Ron Goodwin & His Orchestra
18. From Russia With Love - Matt Monro
19. All Quiet On The Mersey Front - The George Martin Orchestra
20. Goldfinger - Shirley Bassey
21. By George! It's The David Frost Theme - The George Martin Orchestra
22. Love In The Open Air - The George Martin Orchestra
23. Thingumybob - The George Martin Orchestra
24. Theme One - George Martin & His Orchestra
25. Snakes Alive - The George Martin Orchestra
26. The Ticlaw Anthem - The George Martin Orchestra
27. Where Eagles Dare - Ron Goodwin
Disc 5 (Smiles Of The Beyond):
01. Marrakesh Express - Stan Getz
02. Icarus - Paul Winter Winter Consort
03. Mablehead Messenger - Seatrain
04. Sans Souci {Without A Care} - John Williams
05. Live And Let Die - Paul McCartney & Wings
06. Juniper Bear - Paul Winter Winter Consort
07. The Smile Of The Beyond - John Mclaughlin & The Mahavishnu Orchestra
08. Tin Man - America
09. Pinafore Days - Stackridge
10. Sunday - Cleo Laine
11. Diamond Dust - Jeff Beck
12. Sister Golden Hair - America
13. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress - Jimmy Webb
14. Amarillo - Neil Sedaka
15. Get Back - Billy Preston
16. the Highwayman - Jimmy Webb
17. (No More) Fear Of Flying - Gary Brooker
18. World's Greatest Lover - Cheap Trick
Disc 6 (Nice Work):
01. Ebony And Ivory - Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder
02. Hymn - Ultravox
03. Say Say Say - Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
04. Our Perfect Song - Kenny Rogers
05. No More Lonely Nights (Ballad) - Paul McCartney
06. I Love You, Samantha - The King's Singers
07. Rosie Probert & Captain Cat-Love Duet Under Milk Wood - Mary Hopkins & Freddie Jones
08. Mr. Waldo - Come And Sweep My Chimbley From Under Milk Wood - Tom Jones
09. Memory - Jose Carreras
10. Pinball Wizard - Tommy (original cast)
11. Nice Work If You Can Get It - Larry Adler f/Sting
12. My Man's Gone Now - Larry Adler f/Sinead O'Connor
13. Rhapsody In Blue - Larry Adler & George Martin
14. Summertime - Larry Adler f/Peter Gabriel
15. The Pepperland Suite - George Martin
16. Here, There And Everywhere - Celine Dion
17. Friends And Lovers - George Martin
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