#50 Val Doonican- Val Doonican Rocks, But Gently

Less rock than a pillow factory…

(Pye)

Released: 24^th November 1967

Producer: Val Doonican (arranger: Ken Thorne)

Topped the chart:

31^st December 1967 (for 3 weeks)

3 weeks total

It’s a pun you see.

Val Doonican performed in a rocking chair so, you know, that’s why he’s rocking…

It’s a point that needs to be explained because in the 21^st century, Val Doonican Rocks, But Gently (let’s call it “Rocks” for ease going forward) might suggest a soft-focus take on The Who, Jimi Hendrix or Cream. Instead, we get very easy listening covers of early 20^th century pop from the likes of Irving Berlin, Bobby Darin and Oscar Hammerstein. Jimi Horlicks, if you will.

Doonican also feels like something of a ghost these days, his sound lost to the sands of time, surprising considering just how popular he is in the late 60s, his TV show one of the most watched on British TV. Indeed, to the point that this record, a big-selling number one no less, has never been released on CD, never mind not finding a home on streaming.

Despite that initial disappoint, Rocks opens surprisingly strong. First track Scarlet Ribbons cribs from Nat King Cole’s work with Gordon Jenkins, a sentimental ballad swirling in strings but rather effective. Doonican’s voice swells on the chorus and a blast of woodwind comes in a like a cool breeze. Then follows a change of pace with If I Were a Carpenter, moving at a cowboy trot of a lolloping rhythm that moves the album forward and the odd stab of bongo to keep listener attention, landing somewhere between Patsy Cline and, funnily enough, The Carpenters. Then we get jazzy piano tinkles in the mix thanks to Rainin’, bringing the sounds from the first two songs together with the nostalgic pull of Cole’s Magic Moment.

It's an impressive start for an easy listening album but, unfortunately, after the first three tracks we’ve heard pretty much everything the album has to offer. The likes of Hold Me, Small World and Visions recycle these three elements, and Doonican’s voice just isn’t interesting enough to bring anything memorable to the mix—as an instrument it’s fine, sitting somewhere near a half-asleep Englebert Humperdink, whose contemporary success might explain the success of this record and Doonican’s British TV staple.

Elsewhere, his cover of Yesterday might have been novel in 1967 but, now it’s the most recorded song in popular music history, this version certainly doesn’t stand out. It gives in to the gloopy sentimentality that Paul McCartney and George Martin were desperately trying to avoid with heir arrangement. Admittedly, A Man Chases a Girl and Bella Rosa do attempt to shake things up with a responding female vocal and an Italian waltz respectively, but the former doesn’t feature enough to leave enough of an impact, and the latter is a touristy, Cornetto advert feel to it.

Rocks is by far the most nostalgic sound we’ve come across since 101 Strings and, God help us all, The George Mitchell Misntrells. It’s designed to soothe, but much like Val’s chair, it feels a little too comfortable, to the point that getting up afterwards might take more than a little effort. The title promises much- the idea of a 60s easy listening take on the newly emerging rock music is tempting in an ironic, Mike Flowers Pops sort of way, but that isn’t what we have here. One can only imagine that irony might be a bit beyond Val, bless him.

Score: 5/10

Tracklisting:

SIDE A

1.      Scarlet Ribbons

2.      If I Were a Carpenter

3.      Rainin’

4.      Hold Me

5.      Yesterday

6.      Small World

7.      He’ll Have to Go

SIDE B

8.      A Man Chases a Girl

9.      Visions

10.  Bella Rosa

11.  Lazy

12.  My Colouring Book

13.  The Folks Who Live on the Hill

14.  Take Me