Bev Bevan's CD review

VARIOUS ARTISTS: Honey And Wine (Ace)

THIS is the second foray by the Ace record label into the huge folio of Goffin and King compositions, celebrating one of the most lauded songwriting partnerships of all time.

As a youngster Gerry Goffin developed a taste for Broadway musicals and began creating songs in his head.

He enrolled at college to study chemistry and it was there he met 17 year-old Carole King, a keen amateur songwriter in search of a lyricist. They hit it off straight away, penned a few songs together and dropped out of college to get married.

In 1960 they joined Carole's friend Neil Sedaka at New York's Aldon Music as staff songwriters, and within two years became the most successful songsmiths in the country.

Amongst original versions of songs included here are Bobby Vee's Go Away Little Girl (before Steve Lawrence got his hands on it), and The Rising Sons' Take A Giant Step (later covered by The Monkees).

Not to be missed is Nancy Wilson's No Easy Way Down, which Dusty Springfield included on her brilliant Dusty In Memphis album.

There's also the US hits Oh No Not My Baby by Maxine Brown, Gene McDaniel's Point Of No Return, and Gene Pitney's Every Breath You Take.

Over this side of the pond there are UK successes Pleasant Valley Sunday by The Monkees and Up On The Roof by The Drifters.

There are also overlooked gems such as Chuck Jackson's I Need You, Freddie Scott's Brand New World and Jody Miller's very non-politically correct He Hit Me And It Felt Like A Kiss.