Perry Como ~ Greatest Gospel Songs

Greatest Gospel Songs

Perry Como

Every time I look into the holy book

I want to tremble . . .

When I read about the part where the carpenter

Cleared the temple . . .

For the buyers and the sellers were no different fellas

Than what I profess to be,

And it causes me shame to know

I’m not the guy that I should be!

He's Got the Whole World In His Hands

MONO RELEASE

Traditional gospel song adapted by Geoff Love

No Well On Earth

STEREO

Music by Dave Mann and lyrics by Bob Hilliard

( The ) Lord's Prayer

MONO RELEASE

~ recorded at the Manhattan Center in October, 1959. and originally released in real stereo

With Male Voices of the Robert Shaw Chorale & Mitchell Ayres' Orchestra

Text from the Bible, set by Albert Hay Malotte ( 1895-1964 )

May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You

STEREO

Words and Music by Meredith Willson

Only One

STEREO

Words and Music by Sunny Skylar, Tom Glazer,

and Andrew Ackers

Nearer My God To Thee

Words and Music by Sarah F. Adams and Lowell Mason

Somebody Up There Likes Me

~ a double charted single from June, 1956, with flip side "Dream Along With Me ( I'm On My Way To a Star )"

from the 1956 MGM film "Somebody Up There Likes Me" and performed by Perry

Music by Bronislau Kaper and lyrics by Sammy Cahn

I May Never Pass This Way Again

STEREO

Words and Music by Murray Wizel and Irving Melcher

Let's Go To Church ( Next Sunday Morning ) ( TRUNCATED ENDING )

Words and Music by Steve Allen, 1950

I Believe

Words and Music by Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham,

Jimmy Shirl and Al Stillman

Holy God We Praise Thy Name ( ABRIDGED: SEE ERRATA )

~ original single recorded June, 1950, with flip side "Mother Dear, O Pray For Me"

With St. Patrick's Cathedral Boys Choir

Conducted by Mitchell Ayres and Organ Accompaniment

Traditional Music

All Through the Night

MONO RELEASE

Traditional Old Welsh Air

Arranged by Ray Charles

Abide With Me

Music by William Henry Monk

with lyrics by Henry Francis Lyte, 1861

The Rosary

Words and Music by Robert Cameron Rogers

and Ethelbert Nevin

Goodnight, Sweet Jesus

Words and Music by Reverend James Curry

A Still Small Voice

STEREO

Music by Ben Weisman and lyrics by Al Stillman

Rock of Ages

With Mixed Chorus and Women's Choir

Conducted by Mitchell Ayres and Organ Accompaniment

Recorded at The Academy of Arts & Letters, New York City

Produced by Charles Grean

Music by Thomas Hastings and lyrics by Augustus M. Toplady

In The Garden

STEREO

Words and Music by C. Austin Miles , 1912

When You Come to the End of the Day

STEREO

Music by Frank C. Westphal and lyrics by Gus Kahn

Act of Contrition

Traditional ~ Musical setting by Joseph J. Leahy

Ave Maria ( Schubert )

STEREO

~ recorded at Webster Hall NYC in 1968 for "The Perry Como Christmas Album"

With Orchestra conducted by Nick Perito and The Ray Charles Singers

Original Music by Franz Schubert

original in real stereo / all other tracks monaural; "He's Got the Whole World In His Hands" and "All Through the Night" are released here in MONO only; "The Lord's Prayer" is released here in MONO only; CD RCA 07863 67978-2; 1 Disc ~ 21 tracks time 59:44; Compilation produced by Paul Williams for House of Hits Productions, Ltd.; Audio Restoration: Bill Lacey; Digital Transfers from Original Tapes: Mike Hartry and Bill Lacey; Repertoire Selection and Sequence: Buzz Ravineau; Tape Research: Paul Williams; Art Direction and Design: Carrie Hamilton; Photos: Michael Ochs Archives,Com; Essay: Joseph F. Laredo; The RCA Records Label is a unit of BMG Entertainment.; Manufactured and Distributed by BMG Entertainment,; 1540 Broadway, New York, New York, 10036-4098; United States of America.; CD ERRATA & ADDENDA; The abridged version of "Holy God We Praise Thy Name" is a production error. The final release of this traditional Roman Catholic hymn was recorded on June 29th, 1950, at The Academy of Arts & Letters, New York City. The final recording time was 2:43 whereas the actual recorded length contained within this compilation is approximately 1:29 ending at the completion of only one verse. On the original record release, verse two begins with singing by the St. Patrick's Cathedral Boys Choir which is excluded here. The recording date listed here within the notes is June 26th, 1950, which in all probability was a partial take prior to the recording of the St. Patrick's Cathedral Boys Choir. Liner notes indicate a recording length of 2:43 in contradiction to the actual content.; The majority of songs within this compilation are taken from Perry's second full length stereophonic album "When You Come to The End of the Day" LSP-1885 which was recorded in RCA Victor's Studio A, New York City, on April 30, May 1, June 18, 19 and 23, 1958. The album was produced by Joe Reisman with Orchestra conducted by Mitchell Ayres and The Ray Charles Singers. The Recording Engineer was Bob Simpson who was destined to become a personal favourite of Perry for many years following. This album is considered by many to be one of Perry's finest vocal achievements flawlessly executed. Unfortunately, several songs from the original album are excluded from this compilation while two of the released songs are reproduced here in monaural only. In addition, there is a technical glitch within the song "No Well On Earth" at the opening when Perry first begins to sing, his voice moving from one side to centre. Several of the recording dates listed within liner notes as 1956 are typos.; Six traditional hymns are from Perry's 1956 compilation album "I Believe" LPM-1172, an expanded version of the original 1953 10" LP having the same title and sub-titled "Perry Como Sings Songs of All Faiths", which also included Perry's 1949 versions of "The Lord's Prayer" and "Ave Maria". This CD compilation includes the 1959 version of "The Lord's Prayer" which Perry recorded with Mitchell Ayres and the Male Voices of the Robert Shaw Chorale. Whilst Perry also recorded his second version of "Ave Maria" at the same time, also with the Robert Shaw Chorale, the version included here is strangely taken from "The Perry Como Christmas Album" recorded in 1968 out of context with all other recordings included here. Although the 1959 versions for both "The Lord's Prayer" and "Ave Maria" were originally released in real stereo, subsequent releases were electronically reprocessed to simulate stereo from monaural masters. Unfortunately, Perry's version of "The Lord's Prayer" included here is in monaural only. This would have been a wonderful opportunity to have included both 1959 recordings in real stereo for the first time since their original release.; Two of the tracks included within this compilation were popular songs recorded by Perry in the early 1950s. One of these, "Let's Go To Church (Next Sunday Morning)" was composed by Steve Allen and recorded by Perry in 1950 as opposed to 1960 as listed within the liner notes. The other popular song, "Somebody Up There Likes Me", was featured with the film of the same name starring Paul Newman circa 1956. Neither of these songs are hymns or "Gospel Music" in the traditional meaning.