[2018-10-26] VA "Bob Stanley And Pete Wiggs Present State Of The Union: The American Dream In Crisis 1967-1973" (Ace UK)

Linda · **Posted:** Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:25 am

Description
By mid-1968 there was a growing consensus that something had gone horribly wrong with the American dream. The nation’s youth had loudly made their feelings clear, but now the older, pre-Beatles generations began to look at the country – with urban riots, Vietnam, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy – and wonder what the hell was happening.

This album includes rare classics (The Beach Boys’ ‘Fourth Of July’), lost masterpieces (Roy Orbison’s seven-minute ‘Southbound Jericho Parkway’), and forgotten gems by some of the biggest names in the business (Elvis Presley’s ‘Clean Up Your Own Back Yard’).

Reactions to America’s existential crisis ranged in subject matter from divorce (Frank Sinatra’s ‘The Train’) and the break-up of the nuclear family (The Four Seasons’ ‘Saturday’s Father’), to eulogies for fallen heroes (Dion’s ‘Abraham Martin and John’), sympathy for Vietnam vets (Johnny Tillotson’s ‘Welfare Hero’), the church’s institutional racism (Eartha Kitt’s intense ‘Paint Me Black Angels’), and even questioning the ethics of the space programme (Bing Crosby’s terrific ‘What Do We Do With The World’).

Compiled by Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs, State Of The Union follows on from their highly acclaimed English Weather and Paris In The Spring compilations. With clear parallels between today's fractured country and the USA fifty years ago, this is a fascinating condensation of what Americans were thinking when they turned on the TV, or the radio, or simply walked down Main Street in 1968.

Tracklist
1. Clean Up Your Own Back Yard - Elvis Presley
2. Brand New Day - Della Reese
3. Abraham, Martin And John - Dion
4. The Train - Frank Sinatra
5. Saturday's Father - The 4 Seasons
6. 4th Of July - The Beach Boys
7. Wine In The Wind - Anita Kerr & The Anita Kerr Singers
8. What Do We Do With The World? - Bing Crosby
9. Lord Of The Manor - The Everly Brothers
10. Hitchhiker - The Four Preps
11. Paint America Love - Lou Christie
12. Mr Businessman - Ray Stevens
13. Paint Me Black Angels (Angelitos Negros) - Eartha Kitt
14. Southbound Jericho Parkway - Roy Orbison
15. Questions - Bobby Darin
16. This Crazy World - Paul Anka
17. Take A Letter Maria - Mel Torme
18. Cherrystones - Eugene McDaniels
19. Some People Sleep - The Tokens
20. Cardboard California - Buddy Greco
21. Do You Believe This Town - Dean Martin
22. Welfare Hero - Johnny Tillotson
23. Save The Children - Teresa Brewer
24. Revolution - The Brothers Four

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H63Q3S1/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07H63Q3S1/?tag=imwan-21

Glenn S. · 30 Oct 2006

Interesting concept and track listing, especially coming from a couple of Brits (Wiggs and Stanley are the two gentlemen in my avatar.)

Rick A · 23 Jul 2006

I love the label ACE's thoughtfulness and originality in their releases. True music lovers make-up their staff.

Momo · 22 Jun 2007

I've really enjoyed other collections compiled by Bob Stanley, particularly the winter collection from a few years ago. Just got Stanley and Wigg's Paris CD and am looking forward to putting it on.

[2018-10-26] VA "Bob Stanley And Pete Wiggs Present State Of The Union: The American Dream In Crisis 1967-1973" (Ace UK)

Who is WANline