Fine And Dandy - Debbie Reynolds

Give Me The Simple Life

Fine And Dandy 

Debbie Reynolds

Arranged and Conducted by Jerry Fielding

Dot DLP 3298

1960

From the back cover: The scene in Studio B at United Recorders in Hollywood. The light flashes on to signal preparation for a take. 

Debbie glances into the booth and speaks into the mike: "Ollright, dolling – ve are ready, no?" she says in a devastating imitation of a well-known Hungarian actress. Jerry Fielding gives a solid downbeat; and Debbie and the orchestra romp off into a breathtaking, uninhibited version of the optnding number, A Shine On Your Shoes.

The imitations and the clowning in  which Debbie loves to indulge between takes indicate, of course, the sheer fun which she feels about recording, and the relaxed, bouncy atmosphere she lies best to work in. But it goes further than that – the perfection of her impressions of famous people, right down to the finest shade of intonation and voice quality, is just another example of her passion for perfection in everything she does, and of her uncanny ability to learn by example. In the album Fine And Dandy, this ability shines very clearly through the gymnastic vocal tasks assigned to her by the masterful Jerry Fielding arrangements. Jerry has an annuals quality for an arranger: he writes instrumental backings which are vitally interesting in themselves but also enhance the singer. Furthermore,. he writes for the vocalist little variations and counterpoints with the orchestra. All this is a challenge to an experience performer, and it is the trouper in Debbie that meets the challenge so completely and excitingly. The former French Horn player (Burbank Youth Symphony) shows in this series of performances that her background as an instrumentalist has given her one thing in common – they all swing! Philosophically, they share another attribute: like Debbie, they all look on the bright side, and all are "positive" thoughts that range from considered optimism (Life Is Just A Soul Of Cherries) to sheer exuberance (Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah). 

Between You're The Cream In My Coffee and Ain't We Got Fun, Debbie slinks around the studio like a famous French kitten, and we learn from her pure Parisian accent that "Ah, mon petit chou ; ev'ryteeng ees Fine an' Dondee."

And you know, that's the way it will always be with Debbie – bouncy, relaxed, free, fun, but as near perfect as all that talent and hard work can make it – in short, Find and Dandy.

A Shine On Your Shoes

You're The Cream In My Coffee

Sing Something Simple

Ain't We Got Fun

Give Me

The Simple Life

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah

Fine And Dandy

I Want To  Be Happy

Gimme A Little Kiss

Will Ya, Huh?

Pick Yourself Up

Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries

Gotta Have Me Go With You