Tony Orlando long before his groups WIND and DAWN with two very good 1961 singles on EPIC written by Carole King & Gerry GOFFIN and Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann and suddenly it is 1961 all over again.
@@keeshond8 I agree with you about the orchestration, the US version was more voice oriented whereas Billy's voice was slightly lost in Paramour's arrangement. However it makes me realise Billy Fury had a better voice.
@@winemeister I believe it was orchestrated by Ivor Raymonde, rather than by Norrie Paramor who was contracted to EMI at the time (although he had recorded for other labels and was to eventually set up his own.) What you’re saying is that you liked the tone of Billy Fury’s voice, preferring it to Tony Orlando’s, not that it was necessarily that strong, and I tend to agree with you. The orchestral arrangement with those cutting strings at the beginning of Billy’s version was a master stroke, although the overuse of echo and balance of the backing singers did seem to overwhelm his voice a couple of times later in the song.
@@keeshond8 Thanks so much for that info. Billy had a very special voice, powerful when he needed it to be so. Halfway to Paradise was a perfect example, and you've clearly thought through the effect that the orchestra in the back had on the song. Thank you.
Two great songs,two great songwriting duos,one great singer. Halfway To Paradise written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin hit number 39 back in the late spring/early summer of 1961 and Bless You written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil hit number 15 back in the late summer/early fall of 1961 and the artist is Tony Orlando before Tony Orlando and Dawn!!!
@@danielmoroff6179 Carole King didn’t record Halfway To Paradise. British pop singer Bill Fury recorded the song at the same time Tony Orlando’s version was on the Billboard charts and Bill’s version hit number three on the British charts. Seven years later in 1968,American pop balladeer Bobby Vinton remade Halfway To Paradise and his version hit number twenty-three on the Billboard charts.
I gotta say that I like Billy Fury's version better than Tony's - but that's no slight to Tony. Fury's version was released in the UK around the same time as Tony's was in the US (April-May-June 1961), but Fury's got to #3 and stayed on the charts there for 23 weeks - which is Beatles-level chart performance. It's an excellent Gerry Goffin-Carole King song, done well by both performers, but Carole arranged Tony's record, so you'd have to suppose that that was the way she meant it to be performed.
To each his own, I guess. Billy's voice isn't as powerful but I have to admit this stereo mix on RU-vid sounds pretty good. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mCuKlGxanW4.html
@@sonnysoldies5288 Sometimes, it can come down to which version you heard first. If you like the song, it'll stick with you, no matter whose version it was - I guess.
There are those who would say that Billy Fury's version of this song was better, but not me. This version by Tony Orlando is the best! Just sayin'!!! Yet, another winner by the writing team of Carole King and Jerry Goffin! Wow!!!
@@sonnysoldies5288Fury didn't have a strong voice😂 He blows this version out the water and listen to When Will You Say I Love You and It's Only Make Believe. Nearly every song Billy covered he bettered although he was a good song writer and should have gone down that route.
His 2 greatest songs. Notice who wrote them!! Too bad he morphed into singing that sleazy crap later on. May I NEVER hear that yellow ribbon thing again.
@@doreenpeto8659 You must be from England because hardly anyone in the U.S. has even heard of Billy Fury let alone his version of any song.. I do agree he had quite a career over there along with Cliff Richard.
You must be from England...no way is Fury's version even close to Tony's but we are all entitled to our opinions. I have Fury's version and his voice can't compare.
@@sonnysoldies5288 Why must I be from England? Because Billy fury was British? Britain had some great singers.. Billy fury had a great voice unfortunately he had bad management, but I stand by what I say Billy fury’s voice was much better
