Beauty and the Beard is an album by Al Hirt and Ann-Margret released by RCA Victor in 1964. The album was arranged by Marty Paich and produced by Steve Sholes.[3]

Beauty and the Beard
Studio album by
Released1964
GenreJazz
Length32:36
LabelRCA Victor
ProducerSteve Sholes
Al Hirt chronology
Our Man in New Orleans
(1963)
Beauty and the Beard
(1964)
Sugar Lips
(1964)
Ann-Margret chronology
Bachelors' Paradise
(1963)
Beauty and the Beard
(1964)
Songs from The Swinger (And Other Swingin' Songs)
(1966)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Record Mirror[2]

The album reached No. 84 on the Billboard Top LPs chart in 1964[4] and #47 on the Cashbox Top 100 Albums.[5]

Billboard Magazine awarded the album 'Special Merit' in their review column, stating that the record was "a wild and woolly combination. Ann-Margret and Al Hirt dish out a togetherness-type swingers. Ann-Margret does the huffin' while Al Hirt does the puffin'...duo provides much listenable entertainment."[6]

In their review of the album, Cashbox praised the album as "delightfully entertaining...the trumpeter also turns singer here as he and the lark give good humoured readings of "My Baby Just Cares for Me", "Everybody Loves My Baby" and "The Best Man" and nine other lively tunes. Some brisk trumpet rides by Hirt add colour to the session."[7]

The album was reissued on compact disc in 2010 by Bear Family Records under the title Personalities - The Velvet Lounge. It contained three bonus tracks never before released.[8]

Track listing

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Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Best Man"Fred Wise, Roy Alfred3:16
2."Ma (He's Making Eyes at Me)"Sidney Clare, Con Conrad2:22
3."Mutual Admiration Society"Harold Karr, Matt Dubey2:43
4."Row, Row, Row"Jimmie V. Monaco, William Jerome2:24
5."Baby, It's Cold Outside"Frank Loesser3:33
6."Just Because"Joe Shelton, Sydney Robin, Bob Shelton2:43
Bonus tracks (2010 reissue)[9]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Mack the Knife"Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht2:33
14."I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate"Armand J. Piron2:59
15."Mama's Gone, Goodbye"Peter Bocage, Armand Piron2:28

Personnel

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  • Ann-Margret – vocals
  • Al Hirt – trumpet, vocals
  • Al Hendrickson – guitar
  • Fred Crane – piano
  • Lowell Miller – bass
  • Jimmy Zitano – drums
  • Red Norvo – vibraphone
  • Eddie Miller – tenor saxophone
  • Gerry Hirt – trombone
  • Pee Wee Spitelera – clarinet
  • Marty Paich – arrangements, conductor

Charts

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Chart (1964) Peak
position
US Billboard Top LPs 84
US Cashbox Top 100 47

References

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  1. ^ Beauty and the Beard at AllMusic
  2. ^ "Al Hirt, Ann-Magaret: Beauty And The Beard" (PDF). Record Mirror. No. 177. 1 August 1964. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  3. ^ Al Hirt, Beauty and the Beard. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
  4. ^ Al Hirt, Beauty and the Beard Chart Position. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
  5. ^ "Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Cash Box. No. 29 February 1964. p. 29. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  6. ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard Music Week. No. 25 Jan, 1964. p. 58. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  7. ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. No. 25 January 1964. p. 24. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  8. ^ "Ann-Margret CD: Ann Margret & al Hirt: Personalities - the Velvet Lounge (CD)".
  9. ^ "Ann-Margret CD: Ann Margret & al Hirt: Personalities - the Velvet Lounge (CD)".