Gene Pitney Albums (14)
'Gene Pitney Sings Bacharach & Others'
Release Date 1/1/1968
Tracks 10
Label Musicor
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What The Critics Say
A fair collection of typically melodramatic mid-'60s Pitney, with an Italian opera-pop touch on much (though not all) of the material. Includes "Nobody Needs Your Love," one of Randy Newman's earlier compositions (and a big hit for Gene in the U.K.), and a cover of "Pretty Flamingo." The hidden treasure, though, is "River Street," one of Pitney's moodiest and most streetwise performances. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
'The Country Side of Gene Pitney'
Release Date 1/1/1966
Tracks 10
Label Musicor
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'For the First Time! Two Great Singers'
Release Date 1/1/1965
Tracks 31
Label Musicor
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'I'm Gonna Be Strong'
Release Date 1/1/1965
Tracks 12
Label Stateside
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What The Critics Say
This typically ambitious 1964 outing found Gene Pitney blending rock drama and pop smoothness with great success. I'm Gonna Be Strong is an especially worthwhile entry in the Pitney canon because it includes several great performances. Good examples include the title track, a typically intense Pitney heartbreak ballad that builds from quiet anguish to a dramatic declaration of self-reliance over a lush yet punchy instrumental backing, and "It Hurts to Be in Love," a tune that finds Pitney layering a dynamic, double-tracked vocal over a song that cleverly contrasts heartbroken lyrics with a bouncy, hook-laden keyboard pop melody. Other memorable tracks on I'm Gonna Be Strong include "Lips Were Redder on You," a lovelorn track penned by oddball pop auteur Joe Meek that is driven by a percolating keyboard hook, and "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday," an operatic pop ballad full of low brass and descending piano runs that was penned by Keith Richards and Mick Jagger. Even the album tracks are memorable: "The Last Two People on Earth" an odd tune that uses the end of the world as the backdrop for a romantic pop song, and "Who Needs It," an interesting track that contrasts anti-romantic lyrical sentiments with a bouncy, upbeat melody. I'm Gonna Be Strong is also notable for "E Se Domani," the first song that Pitney recorded in the Italian language (this effort led to Pitney later recording a few albums in this vein for the Italian pop market). All in all, I'm Gonna Be Strong effectively balances its intriguingly diverse batch of songs with a consistent style that makes them flow together smoothly and this makes it one of Gene Pitney's strongest albums. ~ Donald A. Guarisco, All Music Guide
'Looking Through the Eyes of Love'
Release Date 1/1/1965
Tracks 13
Label Musicor
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What The Critics Say
As other pop artists began to pursue new styles of pop in the wake of the Beatles and the Byrds, Gene Pitney continued to blend pre-rock romantic sentiment and orchestral pop/rock grandeur on 1965's Looking Through the Eyes of Love. It produced a pair of notable pop chart hits with the title track and "I Must Be Seeing Things": the former is a tale of redemption through love that Pitney wrings for every last drop of operatic drama he can muster while the latter is a tale of romantic betrayal that uses an elegant orchestral backing to highlight Pitney's pained vocal delivery. Looking Thru the Eyes of Love also included a British Top Ten hit in "Just One Smile," an early Randy Newman tune that allowed Pitney to explore the extent of his dramatic range with its tale of the giddy highs and painful lows of a love affair. Other highlights include "Save Your Love," which employs a blend of shivery strings and carefully deployed choral backing vocals to build its atmospheric tale of romantic longing, and "Don't Take Candy From a Stranger," an odd but interesting pop tune that pairs paranoid lyrics about the danger of seductive strangers with a beat-heavy backing dominated by a strange, buzzing keyboard sound. The album's other songs lack the standout hooks of the aforementioned highlights but are all stylishly crafted and sung with conviction by Pitney. The result is an appealing album that probably won't win over an uninitiated listener but offers plenty of delights for someone already in tune with Pitney's operatic-pop style. ~ Donald A. Guarisco, All Music Guide
