Customer Reviews

Sally: Pride of Our Alley

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Connoisseurs of naff music will revel in this superb album of easy classics. As a proud owner of the original vinyl LP (on the Page 1 label) I really never expected to find it resplendant on CD in all its digital glory. Fret ye not though kitsch lovers - you'll not be disappointed as our Gerry warbles his way through a wondrous selection of songs you used to love.

The King of Cool, Hip and Groovy kicks off with a heart rending version of 'WHISPERING'. A few verses in and up he shoots in the sort of falsetto that suggests his underpants are 4 sizes too small.

'IT'S A SIN TO TELL A LIE' we're all assured in tones so lofty that the upper ones can only be reached with a ladder, followed by the best track on the album, a funky version of that old Gracie Fields, wartime smash hit 'SALLY'. This track is so hot it burnt a hole in my CD player, through the floor and into a bucket in the lounge! Never one to understate the highest reaches of his voice, make sure that all your best crystal glasses are safe in time for the end note. I am still replacing windows after mistakenly upping the volume. Be warned!

Liberace's old theme tune is given the Monroe Magic next as he seduces us with 'I'LL BE SEEING YOU'. No fear of anything less than ultra-butch though from our Gerry, as the album cover suggests - he's all man! The tart in the background is obviously waiting for him (or other punters).

Next, the old Andrews Sisters classic (no chance of being accused of 'camp' here then!), "APPLE BLOSSOM TIME' is treated to the Monroe tonsils and it's hard to believe that the swinging lady threesome could ever have been bothered with it!

By this time it's clear that we are comfortably ensconsed in the land of tank tops and bri-nylon - the whole World seems to take on the subtle, bright orange glow of early 1970's fashion as the great man bursts through your speakers like a cricket ball through a plate glass window. Eventually we reach Gerry's biggest hit in the UK, 'LITTLE DROPS OF SILVER' - a barnstorming heart breaker backed with some really super-groovy girlie backing vocals. I am used to watching this twiddle round at 45rpm and 7 inches, and now can marvel at it whirling round at whatever a CD player whirls things round at. Like Gerry's bottle bottom glasses - science is awesome!

The World is a poorer place for the almost total disappearance of this vinyl virtuoso in trousers so tight that you can take an inspired guess as to his possible religion. What happened to him? Where is he now? Did he cop off with the woman on the album cover? We may never know . . . but in the meantime we have 'SALLY', the greatest Kitsch Easy Album ever made. If you are not wiping the tears out of your eyes (and ears) after his version of 'ANSWER ME' then you are probably stone deaf.

I emplore you all to purchase this CD, whether for someone you love or someone you can't stand, you won't be disappointed!

I have been a fan of Gerry's all my life - I have pretty much all of his material on vinyl - the "Sally" album, the "Red" album, "Bring Back the Good times" album, "The World of Gerry Monroe" plus all the singles. How I was looking forward to hearing Gerry's work on CD. Unfortunately I was disappointed with the terrible job that the producers did in putting this album together. The "masters" are old vinyl records - and the quality, equalisation, compression etc vary from track to track. I truly hope that some day, a company will do the job properly - access the master tapes and do a proper job. Get the CD for the music - it is great.

Apart from containing all his hits and more, this album reveals what a truly amazing unique voice the man had. Almost like a 1970 version of Jimmy Somerville but with more vocal talent in his little finger than Jimmy had in his whole scrawny body !

To correct the errors in the previous reviewers text...

Gerry had 6 UK hits all featured here..sally, cry, my prayer, it's a sin, little drops of silver and girl of my dreams. The title track "sally" was his biggest hit reaching number 4 in the summer of 1970 and "my prayer" was another top ten hit.

He lived in South Shields ,Tyne and Wear where he was happily married to Shirley and had a daughter Lisa and continued performing in Northern clubs until his untimely death in 1980 at the age of 49.

How do i know all of this ? because i was his next door neighbour for 7 years !

I was amazed to find this on CD, grab it while you can !