Tag: Farrell & Farrell

Bob and Jane Farrell, the married couple that make up Farrell & Farrell were responsible for some of the most memorable and successful pop music in CCM history. For two decades they toured the world and consistently released top selling albums, moving in many different musical direction while never leaving the safety net of worshipful tunes set to very accessible pop arrangements. Choices was the first of several very technologically driven pop albums where synthesizer and techno dance beat reigned supreme. Earlier works were more traditional 70’s and 80’s acoustic pop music with an occasional rock edge. After a live album the duo returned in 1984 with a new look and decidedly new sound. Influenced by the technology of the day and desire to reach a wider and younger audience, the couple embraced the new technology with abandon. The album starts off with what is probably the couple’s most recognizable song and biggest hit, Hosanna Gloria. An upbeat worship tune with electronic drums and keyboard string arrangement, the song became a long time favorite on Christian radio. “He Reigns” duplicates the success of the former. The song the best seems to use the technology is the hit, Get Right or Get Left. The popular jingoist bumber sticker chorus about the popular rapture view uses an electronic recorded vocals as well as instrumentation. The duo has re-released this album along with all of their earlier works on CD, which none of the early releases had seen before. Bob has proven to be a great songwriter over the years and for ten years or so they were amongst the best selling and most popular groups in CCM.

Contributor David Lowman – https://ccms500bestalbums.wordpress.com/

Tracklist
1 – Hosanna Gloria – 3:07
2 – He Will Always Make A Way – 3:55
3 – Get Right Or Get Left – 3:45
4 – Through Your Eyes – 3:46
5 – Ransome – 3:16
6 – He Reigns – 3:23
7 – The Greatest Of These – 3:08
8 – Choose To Love – 3:24
9 – Give Me The Words – 3:55
10 – He Is There – 3:24

Credits
Arranged By [Track Arrangements] – Carl Marsh (tracks: A1 to A4, B1 to B5)
Art Direction, Design – Joan Tankersley
Choir [Rock Choir] – Bob Farrell, Dana Key, David Mayo, Debbie Cathey, Jack Holder, Jayne Farrell, Jimi Jamison
Coordinator [Tour Coordination] – Pamela Muse
Drums [Acoustic And Simmons] – Chad Cromwell, John Hampton
Executive-Producer – Dan R. Brock
Keyboards – Carl Marsh, Ed DeGarmo, Keith Thomas
Layout – Lori Cooper
Lead Guitar [Electric], Rhythm Guitar [Electric] – Dana Key
Lead Vocals – Bob Farrell, Jayne Farrell
Management [Management / Direction] – Dan Brock Associates
Mastered By – Steve Hall
Mixed By – Ed DeGarmo (tracks: A1 to B2, B4, B5), Jonathan David Brown
Orchestrated By [Orchestration Conceived, Arranged And Performed By On The Fairlight CMI] – Carl Marsh
Photography By – Craig Stewart
Producer [Produced By] – Bob Farrell, Ed DeGarmo
Recorded By [Overdubs] – Brian Tankersley, Ed DeGarmo
Recorded By [Tracks] – John Hampton

Companies, etc.
Copyright (c) – Star Song Records
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Star Song Records
Produced For – Mint Productions
Distributed By – Word, Inc.
Recorded At – Ardent Studios
Recorded At – Rivendell Recorders
Mixed At – Rivendell Recorders
Mixed At – Weddington Studios
Mastered At – Future Disc
Published By – StraightWay Music
Published By – Warner Bros. Music
Published By – Bob Montgomery Music Inc.
Published By – Paragon Music Corp.
Published By – Yellow House Music
Pressed By – Monarch Record Mfg. Co. – △26434

Farrell & Farrell fans often consider this to be their best album. By the measure of fun this is definitely their best album. By the measure of CCM chart hits it was not strong. The lack of CCM magazine hits is a testament to it being a good album in my opinion. It is a fun pop oriented album and the track “People in a Box” received very heavy airplay. Personally I don’t think the track aged very good and I find it a tad annoying but then again it’s not in the 80’s anymore. The track was pretty good in the proper era. Degarmo and Key step in again to give this album their signature guitar and keyboards and adding the Farrell’s vocals is a very good combo. As I said the album only had the one CCM magazine hit. “Heart In The Right Place” only made it to #21 on the charts.

Tracklist
1 – Jump Up – 4:04
2 – People In A Box – 3:31
3 – Split Second – 3:33
4 – American Man – 3:51
5 – The Sting – 3:52
6 – Heart In The Right Place – 3:15
7 – Hungry Eyes, Thirsty Hearts – 4:06
8 – Shakedown – 4:27
9 – The Meek And The Mighty – 3:03
10 – I Belong To Him – 3:18

Credits
Arranged By [Arrangements By] – Carl Marsh
Art Direction – Dave Rogers
Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Farrell, Dana, Farrell
Drums, Percussion – Cromwell
Engineer [Engineered By], Mixed By – John Hampton
Executive-Producer – Dan R. Brock, Darrell A. Harris
Guitar [Additional Guitars] – Dana Key
Guitar [Guitars], Keyboards – Demus
Illustration – Jeff Sanson
Keyboards – Robins
Keyboards [Additional] – Carl, Ed
Mastered By – Howie Weinberg
Photography By – Dean Dixon
Producer [Produced By] – Bob Farrell, Ed DeGarmo
Vocals – Farrell, Farrell

Companies, etc.
Copyright (c) – Star Song Records
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Star Song Records
Distributed By – Word, Inc.
Produced For – Mint Productions
Engineered At – Ardent Studios
Mixed At – Ardent Studios
Mastered At – Masterdisk
Pressed By – Electrosound Los Angeles
Published By – StraightWay Music
Published By – Elenbee Music
Published By – Mint To Be Music
Published By – Paragon Music
Published By – Warner Bros. Music
Published By – Bob Montgomery Music Inc.

I’ll be honest about this album. I didn’t listen to it in the 80’s so this week was the first time I heard it. It’s actually quite good. I thought Farrell and Farrell were essentially an easy listening team but this album is in fact is a pop album. This was also their last album on Star Song before moving over to Dayspring (Word). Anyway I don’t know much about what the Farrell’s were up to in this period as little is actually written about them. Interestingly David Robbins provided some vocals on the album but was better known as a lead singer for Mastedon and X-Sinner. What was he doing on a pop album?

Tracklist
1 – Launch Window – 4:25
2 – Captain Video – 3:35
3 – Manifesto – 3:50
4 – The Possible Dream – 4:29
5 – Fair Companion – 3:35
6 – Corazon (Loving Heart) – 3:28
7 – First Love – 4:09
8 – Hidden Agenda – 4:07
9 – Hearts And Minds – 3:30
10 – People All Over The World – 5:27

Credits
Art Direction, Design – Dave Rogers
Bass – Jimmie Lee Sloas
Contractor – Nat Peck
Drums – Chad Cromwell
Engineer – Bill Whittington, Daniel Johnson, Danny Johnson, Dick Lewzey, John Hampton, Michael D. Clute, Pat Taylor, Steve Price
Executive Producer, Recorded By, Mixed By – Ron W. Griffin
Keyboards, Guitar – Michael Demus
Mastered By – Steve Hall
Mixed By – Niko Lyras
Orchestra – The London Studio Orchestra
Producer, Arranged By, Mixed By, Programmed By, Keyboards, Vocals – Carl Marsh
Producer, Vocals – Bob Farrell
Vocals – David Robbins, Jayne Farrell, Ron Hemby

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Star Song Records
Copyright (c) – Star Song Records
Mastered At – Future Disc
Pressed By – Electrosound Group Midwest, Inc.
Recorded At – OmniSound Studios
Recorded At – Ardent Recordings, Inc.
Recorded At – Sounds Unreel Studios
Recorded At – CTS Studios
Recorded At – The Bennett House
Recorded At – Downstage Studio
Recorded At – Stage III
Recorded At – Cotton Row Recording Studio
Mixed At – Cotton Row Recording Studio

Farrell and Farrell were for the main part a easy listening/light rock band but this live album offers a hint to their ability to do some Rock and Roll. Recorded live at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City this concert sounds like it was great. I normally wouldn’t normally listen to a Farrell and Farrell very many times but honestly this album is on my regular listening rotation. I actually wish I had been at this concert. Something that most would be surprised to hear me say given my penchant for Rock & Roll. So if you think Farrell and Farrell are a little to easy listening for you give this album a listen, you might be pleasantly surprised. Point of trivia about this album is that it was in part produced by Eddie DeGarmo which probably gives it the sound that I like it so much.

 

Title
1 – All You Need
2 – Let the Whole World Know
3 – After All Those Years
4 – Boundless Love
5 – Make Me Ready
6 – No Need
7 – Homesick Soldier
8 – You Keep Me Holdin’ On
9 – Jailhouse Rock
10 – Let the Whole World Know (Reprise)

Credits
Member Role
Leonard Ahlstrom Songwriter, Electric Guitar, Background Vocals
Brown Bannister Songwriter
John T. Benson Songwriter
Dan Brock Producer
Eddie DeGarmo Producer
Mike Demus Songwriter, Electric Guitar, Piano, Prophet V
Nancy Demus Bass, Background Vocals
Bob Farrell Producer, Songwriter, Acoustic Guitar, OBX, Percussion, Lead Vocals
Jayne Farrell Lead Vocals
Scott Hutsel Rhodes Piano, Arp Axe, Arp Pro, Arp Omni, Moog, Soloist
Alice Keister Songwriter
Shane Keister Songwriter
Bill Landers Songwriter
Dennis Louwen Songwriter
Tim Sheppard Songwriter
Lynn Williams Drums