More McCartney: “The Family Way” Soundtrack Coming From Varese

“The directors, the Boulting Brothers, actually approached me, one of them, Roy, and he was interested in some of the music we’ve been writing.  He said, ‘Would you be interested in actually writing something for film?’  I said, ‘Wow, great honour.’  And they’re very good directors, quite famous English directors, so I knew they’d be good and the film would be good, and a very good cast with John Mills and Hayley Mills and Hywell Bennett.  So I said, ‘Yeah, okay!'”  So told Paul McCartney to Michel Laverdiere when recounting the genesis of his soundtrack to the 1966 film The Family Way.

For The Family Way, McCartney composed a central theme to the comedy/drama and George Martin produced and arranged the score, the first time McCartney composed outside of the Lennon/McCartney credit.  Its soundtrack recording makes its American CD debut from Varese Vintage on July 26, following the June 14 release of McCartney and McCartney II, part of the deluxe reissue campaign at Concord/Hear Music.  The original 1967 soundtrack recording to The Family Way begins with McCartney’s theme, “Love in the Open Air,” and contains twelve more (untitled) score cues suited to the onscreen action.  For his composition, McCartney was initially inspired by the sound of brass bands, familiar to his childhood in the North of England.  Under Martin’s direction, the score was recorded at CTS Studios in November 1966.

Varese’s reissue will be mastered from the original mono stereo master tapes, and features one bonus track, “Theme From The Family Way,” as recorded by The Tudor Minstrels for single release.  A previous 2003 release of the soundtrack album (which also contained a 1995 re-recording and 1999 theme variations) on the Disques XXI-21 label is long out-of-print, so Varese’s surprise release of this lost McCartney gem makes a welcome addition to the catalogue!  Hit the jump for the track listing with discographical information!  A pre-order link is not currently available; watch this space!

Dusty Springfield’s Lana Sisters Years Compiled By RPM

At last, the remaining piece of the Dusty Springfield puzzle hits CD.  On May 23, Cherry Red label RPM will reissue the complete recordings of The Lana Sisters, the late-fifties girl group formed by Ris Chantelle, Lynne Abrams and Mary Catherine O’Brien, later to find fame as soul queen Dusty Springfield.  Between 1958 and 1960, The Lana Sisters released seven singles on the U.K.’s Fontana label, all of which are included on RPM’s Chantelly Lace: Complete Singles Plus Bonus Tracks.

Despite their brief time in the limelight, The Lana Sisters had an impressive CV, touring with Cliff Richard, Adam Faith and famed British comedians Morecambe and Wise.  They were part of Tommy (Half a Sixpence) Steele’s Spectacular Christmas program, and appeared with Faith and his musical director John Barry on the BBC’s Drumbeat.  “Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Back Seat” came close to hit status, and was featured on the Steele program as well as reaching the Top Ten in Ireland.  Still, major success was elusive for The Lana Sisters, and Mary left the group in 1960 to join her brother Dion O’Brien and his friend Tim Field to form folk-pop trio The Springfields.  Dion became Tom Springfield, Mary became Dusty, and the rest became history!  (RPM has previously anthologized The Springfields’ career as RETROCD820, On an Island of Dreams: The Complete Philips U.K. Recordings, which is well worth seeking out for those interested in Dusty’s formative style.)  While with The Springfields, Dusty met producer Johnny Franz of Philips, who would play a pivotal role in her solo years.

RPM rounds out its Lana Sisters anthology with choice bonus material.  Both sides of five 1965-1966 singles by The Chantelles are included; Ris Chantelle formed the group with Sandra Orr and Jay Adams after the break-up of The Lana Sisters.  They were introduced in the film Dateline Diamonds, sharing the screen with Kiki Dee!  “London Is My Home Town” became a favorite thanks to Radio London, and “There’s Something About You” is a Northern Soul classic today.  “I Want That Boy” bears the production influence of Phil Spector.  The final two tracks are performances by Nola York, a later member of The Chantelles who also enjoyed some success in the West End theatre scene.

Hit the jump for the complete track listing, pre-order link and discographical annotation.