LAWRENCE WELK PRESENTS - THE LAWRENCE WELK GLEE CLUB

LAWRENCE WELK PRESENTS - THE LAWRENCE WELK GLEE CLUB

side one :

01 THE WHIFFENPOOF SONG
(Minnigerade-Pomeroy-Galloway) 3:37

02 IF I COULD TELL YOU
(Firestone-Marshall) 2:15

03 COMIN' THRU THE RYE
(arr. Pete Lance) 2:45

04 DANNY BOY
(Weatherly) 3:07

05 DEEP RIVER
(arr. Pete Lance) 3:00

06 I BELIEVE
(Drake-Graham-SHirl-Stillman) 2:22

side two :

01 HALLS OF IVY
(Russell-Knight) 2:57

02 DARK EYES
(arr. Pete Lance) 2:43

03 JEANNIE WITH THE LIGHT BROWN HAIR
(arr. Pete Lance) 2:38

04 MARCHING ALONG TOGETHER
(Pola-Steininger-Dixon) 2:27

05 VILIA
(arr. Pete Lance) 2:45

06 GOD BLESS AMERICA
(Irving Berlin) 1:50

THE LAWRENCE WELK GLEE CLUB
under the direction of Pete Lance

The God-given human voice is tehmost beautiful of all instruments. That's why I have always tried to feature a great many and a great variety of singers. That's why, too, I have always hired musicians who could 'double' in voice.This is what led tot he development of the Glee Club, for as the orchestra grew in size, the number of singing musicians increased. And before long I had more than I could handle. That's when I called in vocal director Peter Lance, a couple of years ago, to take over the
Glee Club. Pete is an honest fellow, very much on the ball, he knows and loves his work and his association with us has proved most satisfactory.

Pete didn't lose any time in getting started with the boys. Whenever they weren't rehearsing as musicians, he was rehearsing them as singers. And before long the Glee Club became one of the most popular features of our show.

Although the Glee Club has been doubled in size for this album - and that was just to increase the fullness and give it more of the sound of a live performance - the arrangements are the same ones which we use on our TV show for Dodge, and they have become familiar to our audience.

All of these songs are my favorites, too. And some of them have little stories behind them which make them kind of special to me and might make them more interesting to you.

I was always a great fan of the "Firestone Hour." My wife and I would never miss the program if we could help it. And always the part we liked best was the theme song, If I Could Tell You, which was written by Mrs. Idabella Firestone. I think it was a great loss to the American people when that show went off the air.

The President of Dodge, Mr. Paterson, is Scotch. And he's always kidding me, wanting me to play Scotch songs. So Comin' Thru the Rye is for him.

I have found that Americans are a very religious people. This is a country of all kinds of faiths. That's why the song, I Believe, which is a beautiful song, serves us so very well in our programming. It is a religious song for anyone and everyone.

Speaking of religious songs, certainly no group has contributed more to this kind of music than the AMerican negro. It's almost impossible to choose a favorite spiritual, there are so many wonderful ones. But Deep River is certainly a favorite of many. Pete Lance wrote up this arrangement, we did it on the show, and the response was overwhelming. From then on it was one of our most popular Glee Club numbers.

One of the best songs in the album, I think, is Halls of Ivy. It was the theme song of a TV show, too. But what I like particularly about it is the wonderful way it opens up for the male voices. It is very effective.

The song that means the most to me is God Bless America, and I'm sure millions of other people feel the same way. I think Irving Berlin has said for so many of us what we feel very deep in our hearts. I am always happy and proud to present this song.

The rest of the numbers I don't have much to say about, but not much has to be said. They are all big favorites with the folks who listen to us and they are all different kinds of songs, making the album into an interesting variety of music. The Whiffenpoof Song I have always wanted to record, and it's such a good number. Danny Boy, of course, is an Irish song, and it always gets a big reaction on the show. Dark Eyes is a Russian gypsy number which comes off very strong. Jeannie With The Light Brown Hair is one of Pete Lance's favorites because his wife is named Jeannie. But everyone likes this Stephen Foster song. We have many requests for it. Marching Along Together brings in a rousing march tempo, which is always welcome. And Vilia, the beatufiul song by Franz Lehar from his operetta "The Merry Widow," is always a favorite.

So many people have come to enjoy our Glee Club that we felt we really should make an album with just them, not the orchestra or anybody else. So that's what we have done and we sincerly hope you enjoy it.

Lawrence Welk