Gene McDaniels - The Singles & Albums Collection 1959-62 (CD)

Gene McDaniels was an African-American singer, who started out performing gospel, before turning to jazz, and came to the fore as vocalist with the Les McCann Trio in Los Angeles. Signed by Liberty, he teamed up with producer Snuff Garrett after a couple of releases and burst onto the chart scene in 1961 with the US No. 3 "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay". A series of hits followed through the early '60s, and he also became a versatile album seller, before turning to the black consciousness form later in the decade. This great-value 58-track 2-CD collection comprises all his Liberty A & B sides from these years, plus selected tracks from his albums "In Times Like These", "Sometimes I'm Happy Sometimes I'm Blue", "100 Lbs. Of Clay!", "Sings Movie Memories", "Tower Of Strength", and "Hit After Hit". It features all his chart entries from this era including the Top 10 hits "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay", "Tower Of Strength" and "Chip Chip", plus "Point Of No Return", "Spanish Lace" and others. On his albums, he explores a variety of musical territory, exploiting his jazz and gospel-trained voice as he performs Great American Songbook standards and his own interpretations of current hits of the day, plus classic movie songs along with new contemporary material. He was a fine singer, whose pop hits marked him out as a distinctive song stylist, and this collection is an enjoyable showcase for that talent.

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. In Times Like These
2. Once Before
3. The Green Door
4. Facts of Life
5. A Hundred Pounds of Clay
6. Take a Chance on Love
7. A Tear
8. She's Come Back
9. Tower of Strength
10. The Secret
11. Chip Chip
12. Another Tear Falls
13. Funny
14. Chapel of Tears
15. Point of No Return
16. Warmer Than a Whisper
17. Spanish Lace
18. Somebody's Waiting
19. Love Is Here to Stay
20. When I Fall in Love
21. Like Someone in Love
22. Look for the Silver Lining
23. It Might As Well Be Spring
24. Look to Your Heart
25. The Sound of Music
26. Gone with the Wind
27. How Long Has This Been Going on
28. In a Sentimental Mood
29. The High and Mighty

Disc: 2

1. Deed I Do
2. And the Angels Sing
3. Love Me Tender
4. Autumn Leaves
5. Sometimes I'm Happy
6. It's All in the Game
7. Take Good Care of Her
8. (At) the End (Of a Rainbow)
9. Portrait of My Love
10. Till There Was You
11. Send for Me
12. Cry
13. You Belong to Me
14. Around the World
15. Three Coins in the Fountain
16. Tammy
17. Secret Love
18. Love Is a Many Splendored Thing
19. Mona Lisa
20. All the Way
21. From Here to Eternity
22. Young at Heart
23. I Almost Lost My Mind
24. He's Got My Sympathy
25. A Little Bit of Soap
26. You Can Have Her
27. Raindrops
28. I Don't Want to Cry
29. (There Was a) Tall Oak Tree