Still mad about Harry

Harry Connick Jr. and Clive Davis. Now this is an intriguing combination. Harry, the child prodigy from New Orleans, now an excellent pianist, arranger, conductor, producer, singer and probably a lot of other things we do not know about. Clive, the lawyer who changed CBS forever, who found Janis, jeaned Barbra, nurtured Whitney, made an MOR superstar out of Rod and now records American Idols. These two, who seem to me as different as night and day, worked together to bring out Harry’s latest and probably most commercial album.

Harry sang, arranged and conducted for Your Songs, while Clive stood as producer. Now, Harry has pretty much always produced his own records. He didn’t need Clive. But on the other hand, this is Clive Davis and if Harry or any big music star would ever bow down to the dictates of anybody, it would be to Clive. So for Your Songs, Clive chose all the songs to be included and maybe told Harry a thing or two about how to do them. And like a good artist, Harry did as his producer pleased.

Clive loves pop music and those are what he told Harry to sing. It seems like he took a hit list and then picked out the biggest ones for an artist and told Harry to sing them. Your Songs has All The Way, from Frank Sinatra; Just The Way You Are by Billy Joel; Can’t Help Falling In Love With You by Elvis Presley; And I Love Her by the Beatles; (They Long To Be) Close To You by the Carpenters; First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack; Your Song by Elton John; And I Love You So by Perry Como; Mona Lisa by Nat King Cole; and Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me) from Tony Bennett.

There are also the standards Some Enchanted Evening, Smile and The Way You Look Tonight, which I am surprised Harry had not yet recorded because these songs could have been written for him. And then there is Besame Mucho. Now this is an odd one although it can be said to belong to the same time frame. But then I read somewhere that this was a favorite of Harry’s father and a song they recorded together. It fits in if that is the case because the concept that Clive went for was Your Songs, songs that I, you, everybody like.

So what we get in Your Songs are time-tested favorites and performing them is the Harry we like best. Do you remember how he did It Had To Be You in the movie When Harry Met Sally? That is the Harry in the album, a balladeer, who croons a little, who swings just a bit and who is always romantic. Fans will love this one. No wonder the CD made the US Top 10 when it was released a few weeks ago. It is Your Songs and your Harry together. Fans can’t help but love this one.

Meanwhile out there in the US, the Top 20 titles in the Top 200 Albums chart of Billboard Magazine have taken on its star-studded look. It is the last quarter of the year and this is the time when thanks to the Christmas season, people will be spending more on extras like CDs as presents or for their own pleasure. There is something for everyone like divas of all ages, old and new rock bands, a country act or two and even a gospel duo. It is a great list.

On top is Crazy Love, the latest from Michael Bublé. Then there are Sonic Boom from the iconic rock band, Kiss; American Ride by country music superstar Toby Keith; Love Is The Answer the comeback CD by Barbra Streisand; Doin’ My Thing by Luke Bryan; Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel by Mariah Carey; The Time Of Our Lives by Miley Cyrus; This Is Us by the Backstreet Boys; and Dear Agony by Breaking Benjamin.

Brand New Eyes by Paramore; Black Gives Way To Blue by Alice In Chains; I Look To You by Whitney Houston; Still by BeBe & CeCe Winans; Forget And Not Slow Down by Relient K; Backspacer by Pearl Jam; Fearless by Taylor Swift; Your Songs by Harry Connick Jr.; Revolution by Miranda Lambert; and Celebration by Madonna.

The Top 10 titles in the Top 100 singles hit list this week are 3 by Britney Spears; Down by Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne; Party In The U.S.A. by Miley Cyrus; Whatcha Say by Jason DeRulo; Run This Town by Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West; I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas; Paparazzi by Lady Gaga; You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift; Fireflies by Owl City and Use Somebody by Kings Of Leon.