Search - Nancy Sinatra :: Nancy

Just bein' plain old Nancy!

Daniel J. Hamlow | Narita, Japan | 07/07/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As the decade drew to a close, America was facing a host of tumult in the form of Vietnam, the student movements, the Nixon administration, and the Manson murders. It was also one of Nancy's latter albums, and its sound was a deep contrast to the voices of anger and frustration rising to a fever pitch.After doing two genre albums, what's next? How about a summary of what Nancy Sinatra is all about? That is why the title Nancy is so apropos, as this album of various styles reflects who she is. There's pop ("Light My Fire"), blues ("Big Boss Man"), country ("Here We Go Again"), and torch songs ("Just Bein' Plain Old Me"). This is her mellowest album, which means her voice is at its best here, especially on the sentimental songs such as "God Knows I Love You," "I'm Just In Love" and "Memories." Yes, sweet and sentimental is the way I'd describe this album."Memories" that old standard "sweetened through the ages just like wine," is my big pick here. "Of lollipops and red brigades and twilights trimmed in purple haze" sums up some of the 1960's. There was the inoffensive, noncontroversial pop culture (lollipops), the more militant movements (red brigades), and the acid-psychedelia movement (purple haze)."Just Bein' Plain Old Me" means just what it says. She's content being who she is: "You'll never gonna hear me crying because I can't reach the sun./You'll never see me trying to change places with anyone"Other notes: "Long Time Woman" shows her loving and patient side, saying that all these one-night stands are nothing compared to the one who'll stay faithful forever. "Nice 'N' Easy" could've belonged to Sugar as a B-side single. "Old Devil Woman" shows her doing a touch of jazz with bass accompaniment. "Happy" is accompanied by a Doors-like organ and funky bass.The slavery or chain-gang blues of "Big Boss Man" about a sadistic boss is worth its entire five minutes, especially with the blues guitar and harmonica in the middle. So for those of you with bad supervisors, tell them "You ain't so big, you just talk, that's all."Hardcore Doors fanatics will probably want to hang her from the nearest tree and set fire to it when they hear what she did with "Light My Fire." It's been substantially slowed down, with piano and strings backing. Well, guess what? While nothing compares to the original version, I am also a Nancy Sinatra fan before being a Doors fan so lay off the matches, haters!There isn't too much variation in her version of Dusty Springfield's "Son Of A Preacher Man." Hardly surprising, as she covered "Wishin' And Hopin'" a few albums back.Tying with "Memories" for best song here is "Home." This stark tearjerker is her song for the soldiers in Vietnam, wondering if "there'll be a tomorrow/and will they ever see their home and their family/oh will ever be back home?" This is just Nancy singing, accompanied only by a guitar. The poignant final verse of this song captures just how many casualties incurred in that terrible conflict. "And every day some young man dies. And every night some young girl cries. He'll never hear his baby's laughter. He'll never ever see, his home and his family. Or what he's done for you and me. But I guess he's on his way back home.""

The mellow side of Nancy Sinatra...with strings

Daniel J. Hamlow | 05/17/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"By 1969, Nancy Sinatra's boots had plenty of walkin' and it was time for a new direction. Casting aside her "tough/cool" image for "lounge-cool", Nancy Sinatra recorded what is perhaps her finest album. Lee Hazelwood and Sinatra parted ways for this set and under the guidance of producer Billy Strange, Nancy displayed some of her most intimate vocals. From the haunting "Memories",to the lounge-cool classic "For Once In My Life", to country-pop splendor of "God Knows I Love You", Nancy showed she had the vocal muscle for any material. Nancy even pays tribute to her father and mother in this set, with the poignant "My Dad" and "My Mother's Eyes". A rare and wonderful album for every fan, old and new!"

Quiet thoughts come floating down.

Johnny Heering | Bethel, CT United States | 02/10/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This was Nancy Sinatra's last album for Reprise Records. Her career had taken a downturn at this point; it had been over a year since her last hit (which did turn out to be her LAST hit). One is tempted to say that the end of her working relationship with Lee Hazlewood caused her downfall, but the last two singles Hazlewood produced for her weren't hits, either. This album was produced by Billy Strange, who was probably best known for doing the arrangements of the songs for Elvis Presley's Comeback Special. The album has an eclectic mix of song styles; with country, rock, pop and blues. Yes, Nancy Sinatra sings the blues with "Big Boss Man", and actually does a credible job. There were two singles released from the album; "God Knows I Love You" and "Here We Go Again". Both songs barely cracked the bottom of the Hot 100, although they both were good songs, with the former being a great song. The album overall is very good with a handful of original songs and some well chosen covers of recent songs (plus the not-so-recent songs "My Dad" and "My Mother's Eyes", recorded as tributes to her parents). The CD adds four bonus tracks, which were all non-LP singles. I particularly like "Home", which is a touching song about lonely soldiers in Vietnam."