What The World Needs Now Is Love

Album review

Jackie DeShannon's exquisite "What the World Needs Now Is Love" leads off this collection, and it's quickly followed by a cover of the Dusty Springfield hit "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me," as well as a version of "It's All in the Game," making for a very recognizable three songs in a row on this 1968 release featuring as its title her 1965 Top Ten hit, originally on the This Is Jackie DeShannon album. What THIS is, is another stellar set of vocal performances with DeShannon being produced and arranged by a dazzling array of industry names. "So Long Johnny" is a pop tune by Burt Bacharach and Hal David which sounds so much like their Dionne Warwick work it is interesting to hear another great singer in that setting. "Windows and Doors" follows the same formula, while "Changing My Mind" could have been straight from the session that produced Petula Clark's "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love." Bacharach tracked the hit on his own, while Calvin Carter, who produced the For You album, collaborates with Bacharach and David on a number of songs here. Dick Glasser's production of "Little Yellow Roses" is the only one of the dozen songs with his participation; the country ballad is a real departure from the rest of the album, even with the arrangement by Jack Nitzsche. There are five arrangers in all, and an interesting cover concept. Jackie DeShannon appears on the front barefoot against a tree, holding a bouquet, while on the back cover she holds the bouquet with two boys, a Caucasian and an African American. It wasn't something you saw often in the '60s, and truly held with the sentiment of the title track. Tony Hatch's "Call Me" ends the album, and you knew from "Changin' My Mind" that those involved here were listening to Hatch's work, his influence among the many in the grooves of this fine recording. The interesting thing here is that Arthur Wright's sweeping arrangement sounds less like the work of Tony Hatch than Clydie King's ideas on the previously mentioned "Changin' My Mind." This version of "Call Me" fades too fast, and has that big band sound DeShannon employed on the For You album. "A Lifetime of Loneliness" recalls the sounds on popular Gene Pitney records, while Bob Crewe's "Everything Under the Sun" is a perfect Phil Spector-style pop ballad. What the World Needs Now Is Love offers many moods and sounds from the '60s through the voice of DeShannon. Not only is the title track one of her most recognizable hits, this album is a precious look at more of DeShannon's interpretation of other songwriters. Her only composition here is "Where Does the Sun Go?," while Bacharach and David get five of the seven titles. Their "Too Wait for Love" is more of the laid-back West Coast pop that they did so well and is a nice addition to the DeShannon catalog.

© Joe Viglione /TiVo