Nancy &&&&&&&

Overall Album Score: 8.3 out of 10

What have I been saying all along? The only talented person ever associated with Nancy Sinatra was Lee Hazelwood. When you see that Nancy & Lee released an album together, then that should be enough to make you wet your pants, throw out those awful Nancy Sinatra albums and just get this! It doesn't even matter that this is partly a new, original album and compilation of songs that already appeared in Sinatra's discography. So this is one of the first albums you should own if (for whatever reason) you're seriously thinking about delving into Sinatra's career and you're absolutely against buying "Greatest Hits" packages. Normally I'd feel pretty sore about an album with songs that already appeared on previous albums... But since most of those albums aren't worth getting, they'd might as well have been combined to make something more worthwhile.

You can find "Some Velvet Morning," "Sand" and "Summer Wine" all here --- in their original albums, they have somewhat been the unusual, striking highlights. Here, they are chums among peers! I believe Hazlewood had complete control over the song production, which must be the reason this album is so well orchestrated. This quality makes Nancy & Lee the exact polar opposite of the horribly produced albums Sugar and Country, My Way... Really, hearing this album allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief. Maybe it wasn't such a waste of time reviewing these albums that nobody cares about.

OK, there's one pretty bad song. The overly cutesy "Greenwich Village Song Salesman" doesn't have much value at all except the singers sure seem to have had fun with it. It's not that fun for the listener, though, and the melody is pretty cruddy. I'm also not too thrilled with "Storybook Children," which can be described as tasteful though boring. But frankly, I feel relieved that I'm listening to a Sinatra albums whose the second worst song can be described as "tasteful." That's a first indeed. My hopes is that can be kept up!!! ... Well it all seems to come down to the producer after all.

The unquestionable highlight of this album is "Some Velvet Morning," which everybody should hear at least once in their life. Sinatra and Hazlewood made a music video of it that you can view on YouTube ... if you dare ... That song is often described as one of the strangest pop singles of all time, and I'm definitely inclined to agree with that.

Overall Album Score: 8.3 out of 10 (This is probably the Nancy Sinatra album to get even if it didn't score the highest. The misfires are easy to ignore... Alternately, you could just purchase "Some Velvet Morning" and a few of the others and call it a day...)

Average Song Score: 8.5 (There are a few misfires, but they are equalled out by the greats most notably including "Some Velvet Morning.")

Album Tilt: 8.0 (Inconsistent. It sort of has the "compilation" argument going for it, but ... well, that's also a drawback!)

Artist Rating: 8.5 ("Some Velvet Morning" and some of the others are more than worthy for distinction.)

Track Reviews

You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 8.5/10

A funny cover of a Phil Spector song. Usually I try to listen to the original versions, but I somehow lack the energy just now. It's pretty boring if you ask me, but I like the song anyway 'cos it's tuneful and sounds genuine. Sinatra delivers one mightily genuine performance, and that's complimented beautifully by Hazelwood's deep "experienced" voice. Most of all, I like the instrumentation. It's probably true to Phil Spector's original plan for it, because you have violins and such creating that "wall of sound." You hear some "oohs" in the background, but they don't conjure up an ounce of that horrid effect that I received from listening to Country, My Way. Holy freaking crap! A competent song producer??? A NON-KNOCK OFF!!!! Surely, the world is coming to an end...

Elusive Dreams 9/10

More of that elegant instrumentation graces this already excellent ballad. The melody is merely OK, but the instrumentation certainly made listening to it better than it deserved. Really, I'm shocked... Absolutely shocked... This is another great duet between these two... It's even good though Sinatra whispers through part of it...

Greenwich Village Folk Song Salesman 7/10

This track is more on the cutesy/novelty variety that reminds me of those songs that Sinatra would sing with her father on some of her previous numbers. It's throwaway, but the singers at least sound like they're having fun with it. Besides, this sort of thing is easier to take when it's the only song on the album trying to be cutesy. So, I hate this song, but I haven't generated enough hate to produce any long-lasting effects...

Summer Wine 9.5/10

Originally featured on Nancy in London and probably the highlight of it, this is a great ballad and a Hazelwood original. This is one of those great singles that only improves the more you listen to it. Normally, I'd probably be sore that I had to review a track twice, but I definitely don't mind here... especially when this just gives worldwide listeners the option to only hear one Nancy Sinatra album and get everything they needed to hear! The instrumentation is absolutely essential --- it gets more dramatic and pompous in a great push toward the end. There's a nice incorporation of the James Bond theme song as well...

Storybook Children 7.5/10

This song isn't bad but next to the previous track, it really fails to measure up. The melody isn't that interesting, and frankly it's rather boring. The instrumentation is OK and certainly a major step up from those country and jazz albums that I hated so dearly... But it's all just BORING. Tastefully boring? Sure...

Sundown, Sundown 8/10

This Hazlewood original wasn't already featured on another Sinatra album, and that's certainly a benefit. This is clearly not one of his greatest compositions... Of course, I find the thing to be rather tasteful, and I like those fanfare trumpets that we hear throughout. As always, he has a way of over-dramatizing everything, but I seem to be less willing to take the bait with this one...

Jackson 8/10

This cover was one of the better songs featured on Country, My Way. I still have bad memories from listening to that album in great detail in my recent past. They didn't bother fixing any of the problems that I outlined in my track review of this ... Still here is Sinatra's horrible chanting of "Jackson, Jackson, Jackson," which doesn't add a single thing. I know that's being so nitpicky, but it really is pretty irritating.

Some Velvet Morning 10/10

Now this is definitely something. This song is also featured on Sinatra's solo album Movin' With Nancy, which according to my sources was released after Nancy & Lee. It's really hard to tell though, because there's not exactly a legion of Nancy Sinatra historians out there... Anyway, let's talk about this strange song. As usual, it's a duet between Sinatra and Hazlewood, but Sinatra sings with a 3/4 meter and Hazlewood sings in 4/4. They don't sing at the same time, of course, but there's sort of a battle between the two singers at the end, and it constantly switches back and forth between them. They sing completely different tunes as well... Hazlewood sounds more like a world-weary determined "cowboy," I guess, and Sinatra is stuck in some sort of fantasy world (which is complimented beautifully with wispy violins that sound like they're playing out of their register). As far as instrumentation goes, this is absolutely the best the album has to offer... and it exceeds most pop songs from the era. It reached #26 on the US pop charts... Unfortunately, today's pop charts aren't as interesting...

Sand 9.5/10

I loved hearing this song originally on How Does That Grab You, and I still remembered it from that occasion, which is definitely a good sign! The instrumentation and studio work is absolutely tops and it's certainly up there with The Beach Boys' efforts in Pet Sounds, which is a high compliment considering the Beach Boys were at the cutting edge. Yeah, this song is definitely worthwhile hearing again...

Lady Bird 9/10

This Hazelwood original is exclusive to this album! And it's pretty good! There's a bit of a pompous beginning as you'd expect filled with french horns, xylophones and string glissandos. Most importantly, the melody is pretty catchy! The duetting between our two heroes are fun to hear as always.

I've Been Down So Long (It Looks Like Up To Me) 8/10

This is also a Hazlewood original that didn't appear on another Sinatra album... and it's nothing too special. Much more cliched and less intricately prepared than the other songs. It's a nice conclusion to the album and seems to justify the "concept" that many reviewers seem to read into this album. Well, it's pretty good... don't expect it to move you.

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