Picnic - Dorothy Collins

 

Picnic

Picnic

Dorothy Collins Sings Steve Allen

Orchestra Directed by Jack Kane

Cover Photo by Garrett-Howard

Coral Records CRL 57150

1957

From the back cover: For the benefit of those of you who have often wondered, "how do they dig up the titles for record albums?" – we're about to give away a carefully guarded trade secret... Picnic means pleasure!

This musical picnic – composed of "goodies" that are non-edible, but nonetheless highly digestible – is the result of a delightful blending of outstanding talents... Dorothy Collins singing the compositions of Steve Allen with arrangements and orchestration by Jack Kane.

Dorothy's first claim to nationwide fame was a crisply starched, high neck blouse, a black ribbon tie and a catchy cigarette jingle. She was singing the commercials on television's "Hit Parade" at the time, and before long she was a featured vocalist on the show. One of the top song-stylists today, her tasteful phrasing, warm and expressive style, and versatility have made her a favorite in every medium of entertainment. In this album she takes a dozen of Steve Allen's most appealing songs, and interprets them with a characteristic instinct for brining out the very best of a melody and lyric.

Steve Allen – TV's popular jack-of-all trades, master-of-many – in addition to being one of the most successful comedians and MC's in the business, is an accomplished musician and a prolific composer, responsible for many wonderful hit tune. Several of these are showcased in this album – interspersed with lesser known, but equally noteworthy Allen compositions. Among the hits: Picnic, on which he collaborated with George Dunning, the them for the exciting motion picture of the same name; and South Rampart Street Parade, a dixieland favorite, which was popularized vocally by Bing Crosby and The Andrew Sisters. In his role as songwriter, Steve has had many famous collaborators. For the songs in this collection, they include the previously mentioned George Dunning, Neal Hefti, Don Elliot, Bob Haggart and many  others.

Jack Kane – an accomplished arranger-composer hitherto unknown in America – has been a key band-leader in Canada for some time, with a weekly TV show on CBC-TV Toronto. Recently, Mr. Kane was appointed Musical Director for the Eydie Gorge-Steve Lawrence Show, set to replace Steve Allen on his Saturday night spot for the summer. Trained in both classical and popular music, his technique is drawn from both areas and the blending is eminently listenable.

Listen now, as Dorothy Collins presents the songs of Steve Allen... in exactly the way he meant them to be sung.

Picnic

Banana Split

Spring In Maine

What Is A Woman

Impossible

Oh What A Nite For Love

South Rampart Street Parade

C'est Tres

We're Together

Stay Just A Little While

This Could Be The Start Of Something