Comments on: FRANKIE LAINE - “I Believe” http://freakytrigger.co.uk/popular/2003/09/frankie-laine-i-believe/ Lollards in the high church of low culture Sun, 23 Nov 2008 12:57:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Marcello Carlin http://freakytrigger.co.uk/popular/2003/09/frankie-laine-i-believe/#comment-334832 Marcello Carlin Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:17:45 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/popular/2003/09/frankie-laine-i-believe/#comment-334832 What makes it work is the very strong impression of a man crawling out of the wreckage, convincing himself with every ounce of power he can muster that it's worth carrying on, that things will get better/turn the corner, that salvation is out there somewhere in the dark, no matter how long it takes him to struggle to reach the faint light; Laine puts in a performance here almost worthy of Paul Robeson. Again, the war, everyone pulling together to pull things back together - in that context the record would have been entirely understandable. In my context I hardly have to spell it out. The Bachelors' 1964 number two cover was I suspect substantially more of an influence on the second version of the song to top the charts... What makes it work is the very strong impression of a man crawling out of the wreckage, convincing himself with every ounce of power he can muster that it’s worth carrying on, that things will get better/turn the corner, that salvation is out there somewhere in the dark, no matter how long it takes him to struggle to reach the faint light; Laine puts in a performance here almost worthy of Paul Robeson. Again, the war, everyone pulling together to pull things back together - in that context the record would have been entirely understandable. In my context I hardly have to spell it out.

The Bachelors’ 1964 number two cover was I suspect substantially more of an influence on the second version of the song to top the charts…

]]> By: intothefireuk http://freakytrigger.co.uk/popular/2003/09/frankie-laine-i-believe/#comment-334710 intothefireuk Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:48:01 +0000 http://freakytrigger.co.uk/popular/2003/09/frankie-laine-i-believe/#comment-334710 Frankie Laine's totally committed, almost hysterical vocal is what elevates this above the ordinary. The song relies heavily on his delivery as there is very little in the way of backing - a subdued orchestra and restrained (for the time) choral backing vocals. It's not the version I remember from my youth (that was probably The Bachelors) and it's quite surprising to hear it sung with this much conviction but it's strangely compelling hymn-like qualities (a song about faith that doesn't mention either God or love) still have power (although apparently not, in the hands of more recent artists, of which more - much later). Frankie Laine’s totally committed, almost hysterical vocal is what elevates this above the ordinary. The song relies heavily on his delivery as there is very little in the way of backing - a subdued orchestra and restrained (for the time) choral backing vocals. It’s not the version I remember from my youth (that was probably The Bachelors) and it’s quite surprising to hear it sung with this much conviction but it’s strangely compelling hymn-like qualities (a song about faith that doesn’t mention either God or love) still have power (although apparently not, in the hands of more recent artists, of which more - much later).

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