By the time that Carol Burnett Featuring If I Could Write a Song (1972) made its way to record store bins in 1972, her hour-long variety TV series had been on the air for five seasons. Although she more often than not hosted guest vocalists, upon occasion Burnett would sing, drawing primarily from pop standards and recent light rock favorites. She carried that format onto this long-player, adapting selections that had been successful for a fairly eclectic variety of artists. Make no mistake however, the arrangements definitely fall in the realm of early-'70s adult contemporary. One influence was undoubtedly Ted Glasser (producer), whose work with the likes of orchestrated easy listening guru Percy Faith is mirrored on Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield's eternally optimistic title track, "If I Could Write a Song." The same can be said of the flaccid "Rainy Days and Mondays" and "For All We Know" -- both of which were sizable singles for the Carpenters. Burnett also dives into the more familiar show tune milieu on "Sunrise, Sunset" from Fiddler on the Roof (1964), contrasting the oddities "Those Were the Days" and "Saturday Morning Confusion." Regarding the latter, one can't help but wonder whether the fact that Vicki Lawrence's (Burnett's castmate) marriage to the song's author, Robert Russell, had any bearing on it being included here. On the other side of the spectrum are affective interpretations of Carole King's "It's Too Late," as well as the medley of "Guess Who" and "Turn Around, Look at Me." In 2004 when Collectors' Choice Music issued Carol Burnett Featuring If I Could Write a Song on CD, they added the difficult-to-locate holiday offering "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" and a 1972 45-rpm with "Love's the Only Game in Town" and "You're My Reason." ~ Lindsay Planer
Originally released on Columbia.
Liner Note Author: Joseph F. Laredo.
Carol Burnett Featuring If I Could Write A Song Music
Carol Burnett Featuring If I Could Write A Song Songs
Carol Burnett Featuring If I Could Write A Song Music
Carol Burnett Featuring If I Could Write A Song Music Review
Average Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)   Carol - Forever
Carol Burnett needs no introduction. The World has been in love with her for upwards of hmmph! hmmph! decades. It is indeed a crying shame that there exists only one album, but what an album it is. It showcases Carols many singing moods, and her versatility. From the soft and tender Carol, as in “If I could write a song” and “Who’s sorry now”, to power horse Carol in “Turn around look at me” and “Love’s the only game in town”, to zany Carol in “Saturday morning confusion”. Carol’s ability to slide smoothly from sweet and demure into full throttle is highly evident in “Love’s the only game in town”. It’s so effortless, the casual listener may not even have noticed. Carol’s poignant treatment of “Sunrise Sunset” and “Try to remember” makes ones hair stand on end and brings tears to ones eyes. Carol has never relied on musical gimmickry. All she needs is a simple arrangement and her magnificent voice and heartfelt feeling does the rest.
Carol injects her own magic into The Christmas Song (Torme & Wells). Ever since the Nat King Cole Trio first recorded it in 1946, it has been covered by the world’s greatest singers from Judy Garland to Barbra Streisand and by Mel himself in 1965. Carol is certainly amongst this esteemed group.
If I were to have one disappointment with this album, being the ONLY album Carol ever made, it would have been wonderful to have her signature song “I’m so glad we had this time together” aka “Carol’s Theme” on it. I remember Carol sitting on her cleaner’s bucket at the end of every season, and would sing the song is its entirety. And at the end of every season, I would cry buckets.
This album is of such historical and musical importance that no self-respecting Carol Burnett fan would be caught dead without a copy. And for those who are not Carol fans...get one anyone and be converted.
Submitted by Bill Morton (Singapore)
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