Connie & Clyde – Hit Songs of the 30s

Connie & Clyde – Hit Songs of the 30s is a studio album recorded by U. S. Entertainer Connie Francis.

Allegedly inspired by the success of Arthur Penn's 1967 motion picture Bonnie & Clyde,^[1] Connie Francis decided in March 1968 to record an album of songs from the depression era. To compile a repertoire of songs with the most appeal to the listener, Francis interviewed several contemporary witness about the hit songs from that era and finally made her choice.^[2]

The album's title is a word play on the outlaw duo Bonnie and Clyde, two of the most remembered personalities of the era. Robert Arthur, the musical director of The Ed Sullivan Show, provided the only new song, the opening track Connie & Clyde".

Francis followed this project with enthusiasm, and within an unusual short preparation time of less than two months after the initial idea, the album was recorded on May 6, 7, and 11, 1968.^[3] Arrangements were provided by Don Costa, the live orchestra during the sessions was conducted by Joe Mazzu.

Two recordings on this album are especially noteworthy: Button Up Your Overcoat and You Oughta Be in Pictures were treated with a special mixing technique. The first bars of each song feature a nostalgic fake gramophone sound before bursting into glorious 1968 state of the art stereo.

The mixing of all song was done immediately after the recording sessions in early May 1968, followed by the album's release at the end of the same month.^[4]

In Germany, the album was released in a slightly edited version: With Plenty Of Money And You was removed from the Golddiggers' Medley, so the recording starts immediately with We're In The Money. On the album cover, the song was renamed The Golddiggers' Song: We're In The Money.^[5]

For the photos on the album's cover, Connie Francis and an unnamed production assistant of MGM Records^[6] dressed up in fashionable 1930s style and reenacted the famous photo of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow posing with guns in front of a Ford Model B of 1932.

Track listing

Side A

Side B

References

1. ↑ Connie Francis: Connie & Clyde – Hit Songs of the 30s, Liner notes to CD re-release of the album, Universal Music Germany 2011, Cat.-No. 06007 5316870
2. ↑ as above
3. ↑ Ron Roberts: Connie Francis Discography 1955 – 1975
4. ↑ Connie Francis: Souvenirs, Booklet of 4-CD-Box, Polydor 1996, Cat.-No. 314 533 382-2
5. ↑ Original vinyl album Connie & Clyde – Hit Songs of the 30s, German edition, MGM Records 12" Album 65 103 (mono) and 665 103 (stereo), 1968
6. ↑ Connie Francis: The Swinging Connie Francis, Liner notes to CD re-release of the album, Audiophile Records 1996, Cat.-No. ACD-286

Connie Francis
U. S. albums on MGM Records	Who's Sorry Now? The Exciting Connie Francis My Thanks to You Connie Francis Sings Italian Favorites Christmas in My Heart Connie's Greatest Hits Rock 'n' Roll Million Sellers Country & Western - Golden Hits Connie Francis Sings Fun Songs for Children One for the Boys Connie Francis Sings Spanish and Latin American Favorites Connie Francis Sings Jewish Favorites More Italian Favorites Songs to a Swinging Band Connie Francis at The Copa More Greatest Hits Connie Francis Sings "Never on Sunday" Connie Francis Sings Folk Song Favorites Connie Francis Sings Irish Favorites Do The Twist/Dance Party Connie Francis Sings "Second Hand Love" And Other Hits Country Music - Connie Style Connie Francis Sings Modern Italian Hits Connie Francis Sings Award Winning Motion Picture Hits Follow The Boys Greatest American Waltzes The Very Best Of Connie Francis (Connie's 15 Biggest Hits!) "Mala Femmena" And Connie's Big Hits From Italy In the Summer of His Years Looking For Love Connie Francis Sings German Favorites Connie Francis and Hank Williams, Jr. Sing Great Country Favorites A New Kind Of Connie Connie Francis sings "For Mama" When The Boys Meet The Girls Movie Greats of the 60s Connie Francis Live at The Sahara in Las Vegas Connie's Christmas Connie Francis and The Kids Next Door Love, Italian Style Happiness – Connie Francis On Broadway Today Grandes Exitos del Cine de los Años 60 My Heart Criest For You Hawaii Connie Connie & Clyde – Hit Songs of the 30s Connie Francis Sings Bacharach & David The Wedding Cake Connie Francis Sings the Songs of Les Reed
International albums	Connie Francis en El Patio Melodien, die die Welt erobern Somewhere, My Love
U. S. singles	Who's Sorry Now? Stupid Cupid/Carolina Moon Fallin'/Happy Days and Lonely Nights I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You) My Happiness You Always Hurt the One You Love If I Didn't Care Lipstick on Your Collar Among My Souvenirs/God Bless America Mama Everybody's Somebody's Fool My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own/Malagueña Where the Boys Are Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart/Someone Else's Boy Together When the Boy in Your Arms (Is the Boy in Your Heart) Don't Break the Heart That Loves You Vacation He Thinks I Still Care I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter/Al di là If My Pillow Could Talk In the Summer of His Years Be Anything (but Be Mine) For Mama Forget Domani Jealous Heart Love Is Me, Love Is You So Nice (Summer Samba) My Heart Cries for You Lonely Again I Don't Wanna Play House
International singles	Die Liebe ist ein seltsames Spiel Ich komm' nie mehr von dir los Wenn ich träume Schöner fremder Mann Einmal komm' ich wieder Eine Insel für zwei Lili Marleen Jamais Tu' mir nicht weh Wenn du gehst Barcarole in der Nacht Ho bisogno di vederti
Notable songs	Volare Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Young at Heart Mein Herz weiß genau, was es will Once a Day The Shadow of Your Smile Strangers in the Night Misty Blue
Filmography	Where the Boys Are Follow the Boys Looking for Love When the Boys Meet the Girls
Related topics	Discography Bobby Darin Brenda Lee Patti Page Neil Sedaka Lesley Gore Carole King Ricky Nelson
Book: Connie Francis