Keely Smith's "One Less Bell to Answer"

[scotsgreg]

Hi, everyone. I was able to secure a pristine digital copy of Keely Smith's original 1967 recording of "One Less Bell to Answer" (I think it was taken from the Atco 45) way back when, but inadvertently deleted it during a computer conversion. Does anyone know if a stereo version is available on any collections Bacharach, Smith or otherwise? I can't find it anywhere. Also, is anyone aware if Bacharach was involved in the arrangement or production? It's very straightforward, but affects his style at its understated best and is reminiscent of the Sheryl Crow duet arrangement from his 1998 special, so I thought maybe... Thanks!

[nymusicalsguy]

Hi,

I don't believe Burt was responsible for the arrangement or production but I cannot check my 45 for accurate credits as it's not currently with me. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, it's never seen a CD release. However, here's the track for everyone to enjoy -- the original "One Less Bell To Answer":

http://download.yousendit.com/55B794264E3006E3

and a "bonus track", Miss Smith's recording of Mr. B's "Close"!

http://download.yousendit.com/1F39B11324A669AC

Enjoy!

[Steve Schenck]

Hey, Musicalsguy - Thanks for posting the links. I had heard One Less Bell before, of course, but never Keely Smith's recording; and Close was a complete surprise, a first-ever hearing for me. I appreciate it! Steve

[scotsgreg]

Boy, what a treat! I get a digital copy of both "One Less Bell..." and "Close," which I've only ever had as a 45. My iPod is humming with fresh Bacharach...you're the best!

[blueonblue]

Hi Joe,
Nice version of "One Less Bell......" never heard it before !!!

Greatly Appreciated,
"Blue"

[scotsgreg]

S: Most people don't realize you introduced One Less Bell to Answer. Did Burt Bacharach come to you? How did that come to be?
K: Actually, you know I was married to Jimmy Bowen, right?


S: Right.
K: Jimmy found the song. And Jimmy brought it to me to take to Ahmet Ertegun who was recording me at the time. And I guess we just didn't do it properly. Because then the other people [The 5th Dimension] came along and had a smash hit.


S: Oh, I think it's smart -- I mean, I was shocked when I heard it. They almost copied you note for note. There really isn't that much difference at all.
K: Well, they were hot and I wasn't.

[nymusicalsguy]

You're all very welcome!

And thanks for posting that interview -- fascinating! Just listened again to Keely's version back-to-back with the 5D's...no doubt her arrangement is similar to that used by the Fifth Dimension, but what I think Bob Alcivar & Bones Howe (arranger & producer, respectively) brought to the 5D's version was a bit more fire and urgency. But Keely is still a winner in my book!

Joe

[An Enormous BB Fan]

When I first heard "One Less Bell To Answer", I flipped for it. It was just so original, unique and outstanding. I knew I had to get the sheet music and learn to play it. When I bought the sheet music, I immediately saw it was written by Burt and Hal! I couldn't believe it, although I should have believed it because only Burt's music had that effect on me. But I never associated B&H with the Fifth Dimension, so it still came as a shock. It was like "they did it again!" I used to say that I have a nerve in my body that only Burt's music can touch, so I really should have known, without looking, that One Less Bell To Answer was a Burt and Hal song!

This same thing happened with a bunch of other songs, too, that Burt wrote for unexpected singers... "This Guy's In Love With You" is one and "I'm A Better Man" is another that comes right to mind.

[ron hertel]

An Enormous BB Fan:

You've opened the door to a whole new topic! When I look back on a number of songs that I heard for the first time - I recall thinking they sounded like BB/HD compositions and most of the time I was right. Then there's the topic that has been addressed here - and that is - songs that sound like BB/HD works that were written by others.

[Steve Schenck]

I agree - this is a great topic! I can remember numerous times when I heard a song for the first time and said, "This has to be a Burt tune!" and most times I was right. In particular, I recall this happening when, for the first time, I heard: Everybody's Out of Town; Don't Go Breaking My Heart; Paper Machie (sp?); Heartlight; Love Power; the most recent was probably Captives of the Heart, which Dionne did, by Burt and John Bettis, I think.

[scotsgreg]

I remember one summer several years back, within the course of a week, I happened to stumble upon a couple of old 1960s movies on television: the Warren Beatty-Leslie Caron vehicle, "Promise Her Anything" and the Doris Day-Rock Hudson romantic comedy, "Send Me No Flowers." Although the title song from 'Promise Her Anything' almost threw me because of the rocking, brassy style, I knew instinctively that Bacharach was somehow involved. With "Send Me No Flowers," I was suspicious during the first verse and thoroughly convinced by the soaringly romantic bridge, despite Frank DeVol's generically jaunty arrangement. This one-two punch immediately sent me off to search out other films from the era for lost Bacharach title songs although, as it turned out, many if not most of the songs Bacharach and David wrote for film were exploitational only and not featured in the body of the films themselves.

When I was in high school back in 1983, I was still collecting vinyl 45s and raiding record stores for many classic songs from oldies radio. This was in the days before old hits were immaculately restored and repackaged on CD and even vinyl or cassette compilations were rare, so the record labels' various 'Golden Oldies' singles were about the only way for a teenager to cost-effectively secure yesteryear hits, other than to record them on cassette from his stereo radio. One day, trying to find a common thread between my collected vintage singles such as "(They Long To Be) Close To You," "This Guy's In Love With You," "One Less Bell To Answer," "Anyone Who Had A Heart" and my favorite recent top singles, Roberta Flack's "Making Love" and Naked Eyes' "Always Something There To Remind Me," I assembled the 45s, reviewed the credits and realized it wasn't that I had become a prematurely geriatric easy listening fan as I feared, but that my ears had simply fallen in love with the distinctive, complex style of a specific composer and arranger who had found success within that genre.