This is what you will see in the credits section on the back of most pop albums. The orchestrators were the unsung heros of the music industry during the era when vocalists were backed by orchestras very often with string sections. The composer may write the melody, but it is the arranger who transforms that melody into something unforgettable. These are the people that come up with the instantly recognizable intros and the memorable musical hooks. Without the arranger, many songs would never have become the timeless hits we know of today.
Not all Easy Listening was recorded as background music. If that were that the case, there would be no need for large orchestras and high fidelity recordings. At low volumes these qualities would be immaterial. During the golden age of the format, Easy Listening music was recorded with large orchestras in world class recording studios by the top recording engineers. Part of the appeal for many fans of the format beyond the melody is listening to the unique orchestrations.
What do arrangers do?
The following is an excerpt on the subject by the legendary recording engineer Al Schmitt from his autobiography,"Al Schmitt On the Record The Magic Behind the Music."
I've worked with some of the great arrangers of all time: Henry Mancini, of course, but also Johnny Mandel, Pete Rugolo, Alex North, Billy May, Pat Williams, Claus Ogerman, Neal Hefti- who wrote the theme for the Batman TV series and the brilliant arrangement on Count Basie's song, "Little Darlin'," the one that is so slow. I recommend that you listen to the work of any of these arrangers; you'll learn a lot.
The writers, or composers, write the songs. They can sit at the piano or guitar, play the song and sing it. They are gifted with the ability to write great melodies and/or lyrics. Some of them are also arrangers. But in general, the arranger takes what the composer has done and figures how to do the song with the full instrumentation.
An arranger takes the song and sorts out the instrumentation: how many players, whether they'll use strings or brass, percussion, etc., and then writes out the notes and the charts. The arranger is truly one of the most important components of the recording. The arranger sets the tone and figures out what should happen in each section.
Then, the song goes from the writer playing the piano and singing, to a beautiful orchestra with, say, Barbra Streisand singing.
Just how important is an arrangement?
The arrangement makes or breaks the song. The arrangement is the difference between a hit and a flop.
An example is the song "(They Long To Be) Close to You," by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Scott McCormick writes in his blog "Fifth time's the charm: The Carpenter's smash hit, "Close to You":
"Before and after the Carpenters scored a massive hit with “(They Long To Be) Close To You,” others tried, but they all seemed to miss what Richard Carpenter figured out."
"“(They Long to Be) Close to You” is so associated with the Carpenters, one would be forgiven for not knowing theirs is a cover. In fact, theirs was the fifth attempt by otherwise successful artists to realize a hit." Scott's blog features the other versions of the song. Have a listen and you'll hear why they have all been forgotten!
Even Burt Bacharach, who is himself a fantastic arranger, didn't get that song right!
Quoting Dr. Richard Niles from Scott McCormick blog:
Bacharach’s arrangement and production of Dionne Warwick is fundamentally flawed. Richard Carpenter was being diplomatic and kind when he told me, “It’s a nice arrangement, it’s just not the right arrangement.”
Actually, Bacharach himself was more accurate when he called the arrangement “a mess.”
"One of the primary things an arranger must get right is the tempo and rhythm feel. As an arranger of hits for over 40 years, I can tell you that is at least 50% of the key to a great arrangement."
The Easy Listening Arranger-Conductors
While the Easy Listening format had its native orchestra leaders who devoted their careers entirely to the genre, many others were recording for the format "on the side." You may not recognize some of their names, but you’ve almost certainly heard their work. In fact, most of the era’s most memorable pop hits owe their success to the brilliance of these arrangers.
Take a close look at the liner notes on the albums by legends such as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Glen Campbell, Jim Reeves, Shirley Bassey, Petula Clark, Paul Anka, Liza Minnelli, John Denver, Neil Diamond, Anne Murray, Gordon Lightfoot, Elton John, Diana Ross and even Michael Jackson—and you’ll find names like Don Costa, Ralph Carmichael, Al Capps, Al DeLory, Mort Garson, Anita Kerr, Alyn Ainsworth, Les Reed, Johnny Harris, Arthur Greenslade, Lee Holdridge, Rick Wilkins, Nick de Caro, Nick Ingman, Jimmie Haskell among others.
Many other gifted arranger-conductors that also arranged for the format came from the film, radio, television and production music world. Remember the iconic theme for ABC’s Monday Night Football? That was the genius of Johnny Pearson. ("Heavy Action," KPM Music)
Here at Easy Music + Plus, you’ll hear the artistry of these remarkable musicians brought to the forefront as they weave their orchestral magic around the melody. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself turning up the volume and tapping your foot to a tune that grabs you.
Listen to this two part BBC special on "The Arrangers" with Richard Niles.
