Connie Francis Sings Folk Song Favorites
Encyclopedia
Connie Francis sings Folk Song Favorites is a studio album
of Folk Song
recorded by U. S.
Entertainer Connie Francis
.
The album was recorded on August 8 and 9, 1961, at Owen Bradley's
studio Bradley Film & Recording in Nashville. Arrangements were provided by Cliff Parman who also conducted the sessions. Background vocals came from Millie Kirkham
and The Jordanaires
.
Francis first collaboration at Bradley Film & Recording with Parman, Kirkham, The Jordanaires and Owen Bradley's team of musicians(resulting in her first use of the Nashville Sound
) had taken place in January 1961 when recording "Let the rest of the world go by" (which would remain unreleased until 1996) and "Someone Else's Boy
". The latter was released as a single
in the U. S. A. and failed to make the charts. But the international impact of the song was enormous. Francis recorded it in seven other languages, and with the exception of the Dutch
version - which remained unreleased until 1988 - all foreign-language versions reached at least the Top Twenty in their respective countries, the German version even topping the Munich charts for several weeks, giving Francis her biggest German hit to date.
In the wake of this success, Francis returned to Nashville several times to record further singles and albums with Bradley's highly prolific team of musicians and arrangers until her contract with MGM Records
ended in 1969. "Connie Francis sings Folk Song Favorites was the first of these album projects to be recorded. Another album, "Connie Francis sings 'Never on Sunday'", had was recorded two days later on August 10 and 11, 1961 but was released in October 1961, one month prior to the Folk Song album.
Two songs from the album were released in late 1964 and early 1965 as single B-sides. Come On, Jerry (Timber) was released as B-Side of Whose Heart Are You Breaking Tonight, and She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain was released as B-Side of For Mama.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
of Folk Song
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
recorded by U. S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Entertainer Connie Francis
Connie Francis
Connie Francis is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw...
.
The album was recorded on August 8 and 9, 1961, at Owen Bradley's
Owen Bradley
Owen Bradley was an American record producer who, along with Chet Atkins and Bob Ferguson, was one of the chief architects of the 1950s and 1960s Nashville sound in country music and rockabilly.-Before the fame:...
studio Bradley Film & Recording in Nashville. Arrangements were provided by Cliff Parman who also conducted the sessions. Background vocals came from Millie Kirkham
Millie Kirkham
Mildred 'Millie' Kirkham is an American singer who was featured on many classic hit recordings from the mid 1950s through the 1980s.-Early life:Kirkham was born in Nashville, Tennessee...
and The Jordanaires
The Jordanaires
The Jordanaires are an American vocal quartet, which formed as a gospel group in 1948. They are best known for providing vocal background for Elvis Presley, in live appearances and recordings from 1956 to 1972...
.
Francis first collaboration at Bradley Film & Recording with Parman, Kirkham, The Jordanaires and Owen Bradley's team of musicians(resulting in her first use of the Nashville Sound
Nashville sound
The Nashville sound originated during the late 1950s as a sub-genre of American country music, replacing the chart dominance of honky tonk music which was most popular in the 1940s and 1950s...
) had taken place in January 1961 when recording "Let the rest of the world go by" (which would remain unreleased until 1996) and "Someone Else's Boy
Someone else's Boy
"Someone Else's Boy" is a song written by Hal Gordon and Athena Hosey. It was recorded by Connie Francis on January 31, 1961, in New York.The song was the flipside of Francis' hit single "Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart", which peaked at number seven on the U.S. pop chart. Although "Someone...
". The latter was released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in the U. S. A. and failed to make the charts. But the international impact of the song was enormous. Francis recorded it in seven other languages, and with the exception of the Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
version - which remained unreleased until 1988 - all foreign-language versions reached at least the Top Twenty in their respective countries, the German version even topping the Munich charts for several weeks, giving Francis her biggest German hit to date.
In the wake of this success, Francis returned to Nashville several times to record further singles and albums with Bradley's highly prolific team of musicians and arrangers until her contract with MGM Records
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label started by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946, for the purpose of releasing soundtrack albums of their musical films. Later it became a pop label, lasting into the 1970s...
ended in 1969. "Connie Francis sings Folk Song Favorites was the first of these album projects to be recorded. Another album, "Connie Francis sings 'Never on Sunday'", had was recorded two days later on August 10 and 11, 1961 but was released in October 1961, one month prior to the Folk Song album.
Two songs from the album were released in late 1964 and early 1965 as single B-sides. Come On, Jerry (Timber) was released as B-Side of Whose Heart Are You Breaking Tonight, and She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain was released as B-Side of For Mama.
Side A
| # | Title | Songwriter | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "O Suzanna Oh! Susanna "Oh! Susanna" is a minstrel song by Stephen Foster . It was published by W. C. Peters & Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1848. The song was introduced by a local quintette at a concert in Andrews' Eagle Ice Cream Saloon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 11, 1847. Foster was said to have written... " |
Stephen Foster Stephen Foster Stephen Collins Foster , known as the "father of American music", was the pre-eminent songwriter in the United States of the 19th century... |
1.36 |
| 2. | "Red River Valley Red River Valley (song) Red River Valley is a folk song and cowboy music standard of controversial origins that has gone by different names—e.g., "Cowboy Love Song", "Bright Sherman Valley", "Bright Laurel Valley", "In the Bright Mohawk Valley", and "Bright Little Valley"—depending on where it has been sung. ... " |
traditional | 1.58 |
| 3. | "Boll Weevil Boll Weevil (song) "Boll Weevil" is a traditional blues song, also known by similar titles such as "Boweavil" or "Boll Weevil Blues." Although many songs about the boll weevil were recorded by blues musicians during the 1920s, '30s and '40s, this one has become well known, thanks perhaps to Lead Belly's rendition of... " |
traditional | 2.10 |
| 4. | "True Love, True Love" | traditional | 2.58 |
| 5. | "Clementine Oh My Darling, Clementine Oh My Darling, Clementine is an American western folk ballad usually credited to Percy Montrose , although it is sometimes credited to Barker Bradford. The song is believed to have been based on another song called Down by the River Liv'd a Maiden by H. S... " |
traditional | 1.51 |
| 6. | "Aura Lee Aura Lee "Aura Lea" is an American Civil War song about a maiden. It was written by W. W. Fosdick and George R. Poulton .-Lyrics:The lyrics as written by Fosdick:... " |
W. W. Fosdick W. W. Fosdick William Whiteman Fosdick was a American poet, writer and song lyricist, primarily remembered today as the one who wrote the original lyrics to the song Aura Lea to a melody composed by George R. Poulton. Fosdick was as a native of Cincinnati, Ohio and graduated from Transylvania University in... , George R. Poulton George R. Poulton George R. Poulton was a musician and composer. best known for composing the tune to "Aura Lea".He was born in Cricklade, Nr Cirencester, , England in 1828. He was baptised in St. Mary's Church and was raised in the town until the age of seven when his parents, Charles and Hannah Poulton, emigrated... |
2.10 |
Side B
| # | Title | Songwriter | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Come On, Jerry (Timber)" | traditional | 1.54 |
| 2. | "Careless Love Careless Love "Careless Love" is a traditional song of obscure origins.Blues versions are popular; the lyrics change from version to version, but usually speak of the heartbreak brought on by "careless love." Frequently, the narrator threatens to kill his or her wayward lover.The song's melody also is used in... " |
traditional | 2.12 |
| 3. | "Every Night (When The Sun Goes In)" | traditional | 3.19 |
| 4. | "She'll Be Comin' 'Round The Mountain She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain" is an American folk song often categorized as children's music. It is a derivation of a Negro spiritual known as "When the Chariot Comes".... " |
traditional | 1.53 |
| 5. | "Beautiful Brown Eyes" | traditional | 2.20 |
| 6. | "On Top Of Old Smokey On Top of Old Smoky "On Top of Old Smoky" is a traditional folk song and a well-known ballad of the United States which, as recorded by The Weavers, reached the pop music charts in 1951.... " |
traditional | 2.01 |