My Foolish Heart - Donna Fuller

Dusky January

My Foolish Heart

Donna Fuller

Pete Rugolo and His Orchestra

Producer: Simon Jackson

Cover Art: Alex de Paolo

Engineer: John Kraus

Liberty Records LRP 3024

Recorded 1956

From the back cover: Note By Joe Greene

What gives a girl singer heart and sound?

Is she born with the ingredients?

Is the grist sifted down form some mysterious constellation, gathered in a portion bottle labeled "Talent" and doled out by they saucepanful till the treatment takes... or does she, as they say in the slanguage of the music business, pay her dues" (come by it by living).

At eighteen, Donna was a Bikini-type contest winner in one of those flesh and sand bakes that abound in California each day of the three hundred and sixty five. The place: San Mateo... but in Donna such things were of little consequence, part of the scheme of things... to be taken in stride. Especially, when you are busily pursuing a five year stint of operatic training under the astute tutelage of Edythe West Elmer. It was two and a half years before Donna discovered "that other type of music," as she was immersed in the seas of Lieder and contractual breathing.

The life raft was thrown her way when the sixth army band in San Francisco decided a feminine adjunct might be just what the G.I.'s would like to ogle as they snuggled their dates through a laggard fantastic. She caught on, caught fire, and it was but a short skip from the barracks halls to the un-plushy, smoke-filled two by fours where young and inexperienced jazz singer make their usual debuts.

This possibly is where Donna first developed that smoky, sexy tone that is commonly referred to these days as the Christy-Connors sound. However, if you will recall wet June made her first sides with Stan the Man, the critics carped loudly that she was ape-ing the inimitable Anita O'Day. Then: after this hue and cry was washed down by sufficient martinis, another lass showed upon the scene... Chris Connor... wails and gnashing of mail order molars again smote the night. Connors, a carbon of Christy and son on ad infinitum!

Now come Donna Fuller – and to avoid needless controversy, let us state flatly and with no malice aforethought that her general approach falls in the O'Day, Christy, Connors idiom. Having written for all the above-mentioned over a period of years, I hasten to point out, that no matter whit the comparison to her predecessors, each of these artist wen ton to establish herself as an individual in her own right. One happy listening to Donna should convince you that she is an individualist now, a part of an idiom (or a sound) yes, but able to stand on her own heart and larynx.

Already she has learned to transport the listener tiny the mood of the song as un-jarringly as a beautiful woman slips on a velvet gauntlet. As she tells you her story she lets you inside her heart and your ears prickle with the knowledgable fact that you are sharing one's intimate feelings, that you are living with, sorrowing with, laughing with who she is saying directly to you. And what is more important, you are going to believe every word, every breath...

As one music citric commented on hearing her album for the first time...

"... this girl doing a torch song has meaning. It is not like casting a child in the lead of the Kinsey Report..."

And Liberty Records knew what they were doing when they singed this young lady to a contract and showcased her so handsomely as they have done here.

TO put it calmly, she is a delight to write for, a fresh, distinctive talent and you will find her, I'm sure, as did the talented and erudite Pete Rugolo who who commented after the first eight bars, "She flips me!"

Joe Greene is considered one of Tin Can Alley's most original lyricists, having composed such outstanding novelties as "The Bull walked Around Olay!", "Across The Alley From The Alamo," "Ting-A-Ling," and "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine."

Joe Greene came to Hollywood from Spokane, Washington. In 1943, his show "Sweet And Hot" served as Dorothy Dandridge's first starring effort. Since 1943, his name has been associated with many of Stan Kenton's best selling recordings.

From Billboard - April 27, 1957: Thrush's disk debut is a good one. Her delivery – in the bluesy-torchy vein – comes across as well-suited to the small which-type club. Choice of material was excellent and obviously tailored to the voice. "Mister Blue" and "Dusky January" are good cases in point. Demonstrate the better-known "My Foolish Heart." A string album cover effectively catches the spirit of the album.

My Foolish Heart

I'm Getting Sentimental Over You

Mister Blue

There He Is

Keepin' Myself For You

Miss Pettibone Confesses

Once

L-O-V-E Spells Fool

Dusky January

I'll Close My Eyes

Hamilton Again

All Of Nothing At All