Comments on: FRANKIE VAUGHAN - “Tower Of Strength”

By: wichita lineman

wichita lineman — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 02:37:22 +0000

I think he was an undervalued resource. Jim Lowe’s original Green Door is weak alongside Frankie’s version (at a time when this was almost never true of British covers), which sweats frustration. He wasn’t all vaudeville and, yes, he shared some of Anthony Newley’s versatility. Has anyone seen any of his films? Mid 60s FV 45s that make the grade are moody, mid-paced You’re The One For Me and a version of Wait from Rubber Soul (the only cover of it that I can think of).

By: wichita lineman

wichita lineman — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 02:36:37 +0000

I think he was underused resource. Jim Lowe’s original Green Door is weak alongside Frankie’s version (at a time when this was almost never true of British covers), which sweats frustration. He wasn’t all vaudeville and, yes, he shared some of Anthony Newley’s versatility. Has anyone seen any of his films? Mid 60s FV 45s that make the grade are moody, mid-paced You’re The One For Me and a version of Wait from Rubber Soul (the only cover of it that I can think of).

By: Col Berg

Col Berg — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 09:38:32 +0000

First two records I bought at about the same time. Tower of Strength by Frankie Vaughn, and Hit the road Jack, Ray Charles. I knew nothing about Blues, Jazz or what they were, I just loved those records when I heard them on the Radio. Since then I became a huge Jazz, blues and soul fan. I guess that says a huge amount about Tower of Strength.

By: SteveIson

SteveIson — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:31:53 +0000

You can hear the joy of using a full orchestra here to create such a dramatic impact as well..Yeh,brilliant melodramatic vocal too 8

By: DJ Punctum

DJ Punctum — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:50:24 +0000

You get this idea in your head about Frankie Vaughan - the top hat n’ tails, the cane, the Tiller Girls and all that - and then suddenly he erupts into something like this. It’s an astonishing example of a singer momentarily exceeding himself and accidentally (or not) becoming something or someone greater, even if only for two or three minutes. I can’t think of many other examples of this from the British showbiz perspective (except Anthony Newley, but then he was always a law in and unto himself).

By: wichita lineman

wichita lineman — Tue, 27 May 2008 00:48:16 +0000

Gene McDaniels’ original (from mere weeks earlier) is absolutely worth a listen. Less histrionic but just as intense and tragicomic.

By: Lena

Lena — Mon, 26 May 2008 19:56:37 +0000

This is an overwhelming record and I can’t help but think that Billy MacKenzie heard it & absorbed it when he was but a lad…just tremendous…

By: Marcello Carlin

Marcello Carlin — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 10:38:43 +0000

Indeed it was.

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 09:41:06 +0000

I thought “Magic Moments” by Perry Como was also by Bacharach?

By: Joe Williams

Joe Williams — Mon, 29 Aug 2005 22:32:00 +0000

Can’t say I agree about the quality of the record (I’ll go for 5/10) but it certainly is a mental performance. Also the first Number One written by Burt Bacharach, fact fans.