Wives and Lovers- Connie Francis version

[theaprilfools]

This is how I discovered the song “Wives and Lovers” I fell in love with this version the second I heard it. Very airy and dreamy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

[Jim Dixon]

Connie occasioned this memorable paragraph from Serene Dominic:

Despite the success of “Magic Moments,” Bacharach and David would not return to the American Top 5 as a team until “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” in 1962. Needing a hit during that dry spell, they turned to the girl Billboard called “Pop music’s No. 1 female vocalist from the late fifties to the mid-sixties.” Bacharach delights in telling concert audiences the story of a snotty young vocalist who ripped the needle off one of their demos after letting it play for a few seconds, then blurted, “What else have you got?” The composer diplomatically omits the identity of the singer, but she was one “Who’s Sorry Now” lady who atoned after her hits dried up in 1968 by recording an album called Connie Francis Sings Bacharach and David. It contained the team’s newest hit “Promises, Promises,” as well as its oldest golden oldie, “Magic Moments.”

Connie might have been wise to ask Bacharach for another tune if he was pitching her something like "It Seemed So Right Last Night" or "Presents from the Past", both tunes from around the era this story supposedly comes from. It would have been interesting to hear her produced by Bacharach a la Jackie Shannon, but she might not have worked well with a producer like Bacharach who liked to press for very specific things with vocal phrasing.

[theaprilfools]

Wow, I had no idea that they were both having difficulties with each other. Thank you for sharing. If I would’ve known that I probably wouldn’t have posted this. I just thought this version was cute. I know Bacharach is very precise and for good enough reason. Maybe in another world it would have worked out for them. It’s such a shame because Burt is so talented and Connie’s voice is magical. We are lucky enough to have Burt, Dionne, and Hal though…! I wouldn’t trade that for the world!