1974-1980 Laughter In The Rai [Best of]

Neil Sedaka has been one of America's greatest composing forces in popular music for more than 40 years, beginning with his silly first hit "I Go Ape" and "Stupid Cupid," written for Connie Francis. These late '50s hits would transform Sedaka from a Brill Building ghost writer to a bona fide teen pop sensation of his own, as he would score smash after smash until 1963, including "Next Door to an Angel," "Stairway to Heaven" (long before Led Zeppelin would come up with an entirely different song of the same name), "Oh! Carol," "Calendar Girl," and the #1 song from 1962 that would become his early-career hallmark, "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do." But The Beatles and the British Invasion spelled doom for Sedaka's bubble-gum pop, and the hits stopped coming. He continued to write hits occasionally for other performers, until a visit to England in the early '70s hooked him up with the guys that would become 10cc ("I'm Not in Love," "The Things We Do for Love") and an introduction to Elton John. Neil convinced Elton to sign him to his Rocket Records label and put together an album of his early-'70s Britain recordings along with some new songs he had recorded in America. Hence the album "Sedaka's Back" would be released in late 1974, and by early 1975, Sedaka would have his first #1 song--"Laughter in the Rain," the title cut of this album--in 13 years. "Sedaka's Back" is indeed the focus album in this wonderful compilation album. "Laughter in the Rain: The Best of Neil Sedaka, 1974-1980" picks up where his first career ended and gives us the hits he recorded during these years, songs he wrote and recorded that went on to be big hits for other artists, and other personal favorites of Sedaka's as well as highlights of his best compositions during these years. The title cut kicks off the album along with "The Immigrant" and "That's When the Music Takes Me," the other two Top 30 hits from "Sedaka's Back." Also included are his biggest-selling American hit ever, the #1, certified-gold smash "Bad Blood," that features the unmistakable voice of Elton John on backing vocals, as well as his Top 10 slowed-down, ballad version of "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," both from the album "The Hungry Years." Luckily, the title cut is also included here, and it's one of my all-time favorite Sedaka compositions. It was released as a single in 1976 by Wayne Newton, but it didn't become a major hit. Always a successful composer for other artists, also included here are his versions of "Love Will Keep Us Together" and "Lonely Night (Angel Face)"--both hits for The Captain and Tennille--and "Solitaire," a hit for The Carpenters. Other later recordings included here are his Top 20 dance hit "Love in the Shadows"; another Top 40 collaboration with Elton John, the funky "Steppin' Out"; the countrified "Number One With a Heartache"; the bouncy, organ-flavored "You've Gotta Make Your Own Sunshine"; several recordings that were not released in the U.S. that are paeans to his early days in rock 'n' roll; and finally from 1980, what would become his last Top 20 hit on the Billboard pop singles chart, "Should've Never Let You Go," a beautiful ballad duet with his very talented daughter Dara, who is now a professional singer. Curiously absent from the titles in this collection, though, is "Amarillo," which was a mid-chart hit for Sedaka in 1977. "Laughter in the Rain" has 20 great cuts from six of Sedaka's most productive years, and it's great to hear these recordings in full CD stereo, not from the scratchy 45s that were played on AM radio when these hits were first released. A year after this CD was released, Sedaka released "Tuneweaver," an interesting compilation of note-by-note re-recordings of his '60s hits; new interpretations of some of the '70s hits included here in "Laughter in the Rain," including an R&B-flavored duet version of that title (again, with daughter Dara), as well as the slowed-down, ballad version of "Love Will Keep Us Together" (probably trying to repeat the success of his "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" reworking); and some of his new compositions. But for those who are purists at heart and long to hear "Laughter in the Rain," "Bad Blood," "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," "Love in the Shadows," and "Should've Never Let You Go" from the man who ruled the pop charts in the mid- and late-'70s, this is the definitive collection. My high-school years come alive when I hear these songs. Maybe they will for you too. Enjoy!

Rating: ***** (out of 5) Bob Bourbeau

Neil Sedaka is one of the most prolific singer-songwriter artist there is along with Carole King. He had a hot chart streak from 1958-1963 then kind of disappeared in the era of the Beatles. However, like Jefferson Starship (formerly Jefferson Airplane), The Bee Gees, and Cliff Richard, Neil had a mid-1970s resurgence on the pop charts. This collection consists of this time period and is a great highlight of his second fertile era.

All the hits (1974-1980) are here which includes his two #1 hits ("Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood") along with the slow version of "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", which was #1 in 1962 with the upbeat, faster version. However, I like ballads so I like the 1975 version better. Rounding out the hits are "The Immigrant" (which was a song for John Lennon according to some sources), "That's When The Music Takes Me", "Love In The Shadows", and "Should've Never Let You Go" with his daughter. The only other father-daughter combination to have a Top 40 hit is the Frank-Nancy Sinatra hit "Somethin' Stupid" as far as I know.

Overall, this is enjoyable collection for the fans especially since I don't hear too much of his music on the radio.

Excellent overview of his 70's music. Should be noted that "Standing On The Inside" is the single version and is somewhat different than the LP (remember those) version. Sedaka has a real talelnt for creating a melody you cannot forget!