The Singer (Liza Minnelli album)

The Singer is the seventh studio album by American singer and actress Liza Minnelli, released in 1973.[1] It marked her first release under Columbia Records and was highly anticipated by the public.[1]

The Singer
Studio album by
Liza Minnelli
ReleasedMarch 1, 1973
RecordedLarrabee Sound Studios, Hollywood, California
GenrePop, vocal, traditional
LabelColumbia
ProducerSnuff Garrett
Liza Minnelli chronology
Liza with a Z
(1972)		 The Singer
(1973)		 Live at the Winter Garden
(1974)
Singles from The Singer
  1. "The Singer"
    Released: November 27, 1972
  2. "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight"
    Released: April 1973
  3. "Dancing in the Moonlight"
    Released: May 11, 1973
  4. "I Believe in Music"
    Released: August 24, 1973

The change in Minnelli's discography began on March 1, 1972, when the actress and singer signed her contract with Columbia Records.[2] In September 1972, recording sessions began for what would become The Singer.[2] Originally, fellow label artist Barbra Streisand was set to release an album with the same title, featuring the track by Walter Marks, but the project was shelved, allowing Minnelli to breathe life into an album that would become a significant part of her own musical journey.[2]

In 1972, the singer was at the peak of her career due to her role in the successful film Cabaret which earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress.[3] During the same period, her television special Liza with a Z not only garnered high ratings but also won four Emmy Awards.[4] The soundtrack was certified gold (similar to the aforementioned film soundtrack) by the Recording Industry Association of America.[5]

Therefore, the challenge with The Singer was to make it a showcase comparable to her previously mentioned projects.[6] The title track, "The Singer," bears resemblance to songs from Cabaret, and there is a sense of Liza's acting prowess in her renditions of tracks like "I'd Love You to Want Me" and "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight."[6]

The early 1970s were indeed a period when singer-songwriters were on the rise, and the album's tracklist features songs by artists such as James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Mac Davis, and Carly Simon.[6] The selected songs are mostly summer hits from 1972 and 1973.

The album was promoted through full-page advertisements in various magazines (such as Billboard)[7] and radio commercials.[8]

Commercial performance

Commercially, The Singer became one of the biggest commercial successes of the singer's career. It reached number 38 on the Billboard 200,[9] and spent 20 weeks on the same chart.[10] The single from the track "The Singer" reached number 42 on the adult contemporary chart in Canada, as published by RPM magazine.[11]

According to Clive Davis, the album sold 20,000 copies in advance in the United Kingdom, as published in Billboard magazine on May 26, 1973.[12]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
BillboardFavorable[13]

The reception from music critics was largely favorable. William Ruhlmann of the website AllMusic stated that the tracklist consisted of songs that seemed to have been chosen based on what was popular during the summers of 1972 and 1973.[14] Despite this, he gave it a three out of five-star rating and wrote that it seemed like the singer gave her best in her interpretations of the songs.[14]

The critic from Billboard magazine selected "Oh, Babe, What Would You Say?," "I'd Love You to Want Me," "Where Is the Love?," and "Dancing in the Moonlight" as the standout tracks and considered the vocals clear and convincing while capturing the vibrant essence of the singer.[15]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Believe in Music"Mac Davis3:37
2."Use Me"Bill Withers3:39
3."I'd Love You to Want Me"Lobo3:36
4."Oh, Babe, What Would You Say?"Eileen Sylvia Smith3:31
5."You're So Vain"Carly Simon3:30
6."Where Is the Love?"Ralph MacDonald, William Salter3:49
7."The Singer"Walter Marks2:31
8."Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight"James Taylor3:51
9."Dancing in the Moonlight"Sherman Kelly3:19
10."You Are the Sunshine of My Life"Stevie Wonder2:36
11."Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me"Mac Davis2:52
Total length:36:14
Expanded Edition (bonus tracks)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Mr. Emery Won't Be Home"Bob Stone2:48
13."All That Jazz" (From Chicago)John Kander, Fred Ebb3:05
14."My Own Best Friend" (From Chicago)John Kander, Fred Ebb3:10
15."Me and My Baby" (From Chicago)John Kander, Fred Ebb1:53

Personnel
  • Engineered by Lenny Roberts
  • Arranged by Al Capps
  • Vocals arranged by Marvin Hamlisch
  • Art direction by Ron Coro
  • Photography by Alan Pappé
  • Recorded and overdubbed at Larrabee Sound, Hollywood, Ca.

Charts
Chart (1973) Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[16] 45
UK Albums (OCC)[17] 45
US Billboard 200[18] 38

References
  1. William Ruhlmann. "Liza Minnelli - The Singer (AllMusic Review)". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
  2. Wimmer, Martin (September 12, 2021). Clockwork Liza: Star and Artist: The Career Achievement of Liza Minnelli. BoD – Books on Demand. p. 168. ISBN 978-3-7543-4624-2. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  3. "The 45th Academy Awards (1973) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  4. "Liza with a "Z"". PBS. Archived from the original on March 7, 2007. Retrieved March 31, 2009.
  5. "Liza Minnelli - USA - Music recording sales certification". RIAA. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
  6. "Liza Minnelli - The Singer: Expanded Edition". Cherry Red Records. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  7. "The Singer [AD]". Billboard. Vol. 38, no. 10. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. March 10, 1973. p. 5. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  8. "Store P.A used". Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 13. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. March 31, 1973. p. 64. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  9. "Liza Minnelli - USA - Albums - The Singer". AllMusic. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
  10. "Liza Minnelli". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  11. "Liza Minnelli - Canada - Singles - Adult Contemporary - "The Singer". RPM. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
  12. "From the music capital of the world: London". Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 21. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. May 26, 1973. p. 55. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  13. Billboard Magazine Review-Liza MInnelli The Singer. March 17, 1973. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
  14. "Allmusic Review". Retrieved August 29, 2012.
  15. "Pop picks: Liza MInnelli - The Singer". Billboard. March 17, 1973. p. 60. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  16. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4816". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  17. "Liza Minnelli | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  18. "Liza Minnelli Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
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