Album Review: Out Of The Past Comes A Legendary Duo Singing Songs For Christmas, As Steve & Eydie Give Us All THAT HOLIDAY FEELING

Heigh Ho, dear lovely rainbow tribe, Bobby Patrick, your rainbow reviewer is back in CD-Land to offer another broken-down breakdown of a new music release. So, strap in and get ready, as Bobby goes on the record ABOUT the record.

This week's album entry in the BobbyFiles comes from the original Dynamic Duo, that musical plate-spinning act, Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme. Now, for those of Bobby's little millenniallambs reading here, this singing pair had FAB solo careers, alongside their even more FAB collaborations as vocalists, and as husband and wife (something that is unheard of in the business of show, where the powers want you to be one branded, money-making thing that you grind and grind and grind). As a pair, Steve & Eydie won a Grammy and an Emmy and got a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Eydie won her own Grammy. Steve had major hits on the charts including a gold record for GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL. Steve & Eydie appeared on Broadway together and separately. Eydie turned down Funny Girl, paving the way for Miss You-Know-Who. Steve introduced the song I GOTTA BE ME in their co-Broadway outing GOLDEN RAINBOW. Steve was the titular (what?! Bobby knows words!?) star of WHAT MAKES SAMMY RUN for 500+ performances. Bobby could go on listing their triumphs but why? These successes, together and separately, made for star careers that stretched from the 1950s all the way to the 2000s, when Eydie retired in '09.

THAT HOLIDAY FEELING was originally released to much praise in 1964 as a 12-cut vinyl LP (that means a record, my little loves). This year's re-release was produced by the couple's son, David Lawrence, composer for sooooo many television and film projects, like a couple of AMERICAN PIE movies, VAN WILDER, all of those Disney TEEN BEACH MOVIE movies, and a HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL flick, to boot - and David has lovingly re-mastering these recordings for their best sound. Along with the album's original programming, David has included 8 additional bonus tracks from his parents' career holiday recordings, many of which have not been readily available for many years. This expansion of THAT HOLIDAY FEELING includes what Bobby calls the niftiest track on the CD, Steve's musical version of Clement Clarke Moore's poem THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. Lawrence's gentle troubadour-style approach gave this a 60's folk music feel. It shouldn't work, but Lawrence made it work. The gentle bounce in his voice and the accompanying guitar make this song so listenable. Add to this, the little lilts he inserts with his voice that make for such subtle decoration bringing a "folky" brightness throughout. Another nifty addition in the bonuses is Steve's single of the perennial favorite WHITE CHRISTMAS, which juxtaposes with Eydie's rendition from the original tracks in more than just sentiment. To play them both in succession is to hear these artists (who worked well alone, but worked best together) approach the same material in their own unique ways. Listening to Eydie's, we, literally, began weeping for the songs that no longer have the privilege of her voice - we can hardly stand it. The interesting thing about the way Eydie sings (in Bobby's humble O) is, in the spectrum of each note's pitch, she lands on TOP of that pitch. Not "sharp," mind you, but enough on top to make your ear incline towards her. NEVER off pitch, but an energy, a dramatic tension to it that is undeniable. David's dad's approach is more comforting - right in the pocket of that pitch, a warm blanket in your favorite chair, with your favorite book and your favorite beverage. His version of WHITE is simplicity - just the song, his voice, and us. Nice ending too.

And that, my dearlings, is all we need to say about an album we fell in love with on a first listening that will not be our last - especially since those holidays are almost upon us. We could go on, but why? What we hope is that this little review and these few callouts will whet your Christmas appetites for something old that is something new, thanks to Steve & Eydie's timeless voices and their son's wisdom in re-releasing THAT HOLIDAY FEELING and so...

This one gets 5 Out Of 5 Rainbows - Put this one in your holiday collection today.

You Can See And Hear Everything About THAT HOLIDAY FEELING HERE and THIS is the REAL GONE MUSIC page for this album.

THAT HOLIDAY FEELING is available on all digital platforms - for example, HERE it is on Spotify.

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