Sunday, January 6, 2013

the LENNON SISTERS & COUSINS sing DOMINIQUE AND OTHER GREAT FOLK SONGS


STEREO

DLP 25557

the LENNON SISTERS & COUSINS
sing
DOMINIQUE
AND OTHER GREAT FOLK SONGS

ULTRA HIGH-FIDELITY

Dot
RECORDS


STEREOPHONIC DLP 25557
MONOPHONIC DLP 3557


Most impressarios wanting to put together a folk-singing group of seventeen fine young voices would be hard put to it to achieve their purpose using unlimted supplies of talented vocalists. Supposing they were told that their source must be limited to one family - wouldn't our impressarios tear their hair?

If the family name happened to be Lennon, all problems would be solved. The seventeen Lennonons who romb through these fine folk songs are only a portion of the generous supply of singing Lennons - fifty-six first cousins, to be exact, ruling out all the mothers, dads, uncles and aunts. The big difficulty int his case was pruning the list down to the right combination of seventeen, for there isn't a tin-ear or a gravel-throat in the whole Lennon clan. Brothers Bill, Jack and Ted Lennon are the chief contributors here (Bill and Ted have twenty-four children between them!), and at all times had plenty of understudies in reserve. Bill, father of the famed Lennon Sisters and of several of their brothers who join them in this album, coached the group with skill and patience.

The chief quality that emerges is the spontaneity which they communicate, and it is a very real feeling. All the kids have as much fun singing together as they do playing baseball or feetball, for which therei s no dearth of Lennon material. Listen to the way they smile and shout their way through "IF I HAD MY WAY," for instance. Several fresh now solo voices are heard, in addition to the better-known solos of Peggy, Janet and Kathy. Brother Danny, for one, who gives us a professional and humorous performance of "THE PREACHER AND THE BEAR;" cousin Mike, for another, featured in"CHIMNEY SMOKE" and "DENVER"" and cousin Tom, who lent his baritone to "IF I HAD MY WAY."

In the title song, the Lennons show what quick studies they are. "DOMINIQUE," sung
entirely in French, was a new experience as none of them took French in school. The girls ask forgiveness if their accents are slightly tinged with Spanish, the only foreign language they know. The result, clearly, is a totally charming version of the wonderful saga of St. DOminick, written by the famous Singing Nun.

This is an album which combined the freshness of a family song-fest with the profesional competence of fine voices, well-blended.



Side 1

1 If I HAd My Way
ASCAP
Solos, Dan & Tom Lennon

2 Bonsoir Dame
ASCAP
Solos, Peggy, Janet & Kathy Lennon

3 If I Had A Hammer
BMI

4 They Took My love Away
BMI

5 MEDLEY:

Good News (Chariot's A'Comin')
ASCAP

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
ASCAP

6 Chimney Smoke
BMI
Solo, Mike Lennon


Side 2

1 Dominique
ASCAP
Solos, Peggy, Kathy & Janet Lennon

2 Where Have All The Flowers Gone
BMI
Solos, Peggy, Janet, Kathy & Kim Lennon

3 CALYPSO MEDLEY:

The Banana Boat Song
BMI

Island In The Sun
ASCAP

Jamaica Farewell
ASCAP
The Lennon Sisters

4 The Preacher And The Bear
ASCAP
Solo, Dan Lennon

5 Denver
ASCAP
Solo, Mike Lennon


Produced by Tom Mack

Mfd. for Teleklew, Inc.

For the finest reproduction of this Ultra High Fidelity Recording use the RIAA curve

position.

PRINTED IN U.S.A.

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