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It's Getting Better

"It's Getting Better" is a song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil that was a sunshine pop hit single in 1969 for Mama Cass.

"It's Getting Better"
Single by Mama Cass
from the album Bubblegum, Lemonade, and... Something for Mama
B-side"Who's to Blame"
ReleasedMay 1969
GenreSunshine pop
Length3:00
LabelDunhill Records
Songwriter(s)Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil
Producer(s)Steve Barri
Mama Cass singles chronology
"Move in a Little Closer, Baby"
(1969)
"It's Getting Better"
(1969)
"Make Your Own Kind of Music"
(1969)

Overview edit

The song describes the singer's satisfaction with a love relationship that is down-to-earth rather than extravagantly romantic, a subgenre of love song exemplified by the Jerome Kern/ P. G. Wodehouse composition "Bill". Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil had previously written the similarly themed "He's Sure the Boy I Love", a hit for the Crystals in 1963.

The earliest evident recording of "It's Getting Better" was by the Vogues for their August 1968 album release Turn Around, Look at Me (Reprise Records). Also in 1968, the song was featured on the Leonard Nimoy album The Way I Feel (Dot Records) released that October. The first evident single release of "It's Getting Better" was by Pierre Lalonde on the Montréalais label Disco Prestige in September 1968 with the track's parent album: Introducing Peter Martin, being released that November.

In March 1969, the Will-O-Bees, a New York City-based trio (Janet Blossom, Steven Porter, and Robert Merchanthouse) who recorded a number of Mann-Weil compositions, had a single release of "It's Getting Better" on the SGC label (Screen Gems Columbia). Overall 1969 saw the release of several single versions of "It's Getting Better" but only Cass Elliot's was by an established artist at that time, the other versions being by Ronnie Buskirk, Freddie Gelfand, and P. K. Limited. The song has since been recorded and covered by many well-known artists around the world including UK singer and ex-cruise star Jane McDonald. [1]

"It's Getting Better" has also been recorded by Richard Barnes, the Günter Kallmann (de) Chorus, Louise Morrissey, the Popinjays, Kevin Rowland and John & Anne Ryder. Bobby Rydell recorded the song for his 1976 album release Born With a Smile, his sole album released after 1964, and his version was issued as a single in 1977.[1][2] Jane McDonald's rendition of "It's Getting Better" can be heard on her 2010 concert album Live at the London Palladium. A Swedish rendering of "It's Getting Better" by lyricist Stig Anderson entitled "Det Känns Bara Bättre" was cut by Anna-Lena Löfgren in 1970.

Cass Elliot version edit

Background edit

"It's Getting Better" had been recorded by Cass Elliot for inclusion on her June 1969 album release Bubblegum, Lemonade, and... Something for Mama, which was produced by Steve Barri and arranged by Jimmie Haskell. The Wrecking Crew (James Burton on guitar, Hal Blaine on drums, Larry Knechtel on keyboards, and Joe Osborn on bass) — who'd regularly backed the Mamas & the Papas — were among the instrumentalists on the album.

"It's Getting Better" was issued as the second advance single in May 1969 following the release that March of "Move in a Little Closer, Baby", a single reminiscent of the Mamas & the Papas sound which reached a Billboard Hot 100 peak of #58 (#30 Canada). Steve Barri would recall that "Move in a Little Closer, Baby" was "one [album track] [Elliot] wasn't too thrilled about...but she loved 'It's Getting Better'".[3]

Elliot herself did convey reservations about "It's Getting Better", stating in a September 1969 Melody Maker interview that while pleased with the single was rising toward the UK Top Ten - "It shows I am being accepted on my own and that is something I've worried about ever since I left the Mamas & Papas" - "musically, though, it's not quite what I want to be doing. It doesn't satisfy me, It's a good recording for what it is, but you wouldn't exactly call it social commentary and musically it's not very complicated." Elliot further told Melody Maker - regarding "It's Getting Better" or perhaps the overall focus of its parent album - "Bubblegum music is very pleasant to listen to...but it's like they say about Chinese food: half an hour after tasting it you are hungry again", although she did concede "maybe [bubblegum] is what I am supposed to be doing [since] my voice is very light...I just can't sing heavy material".[4] Elliot would be less easygoing in her 1971 summation of her 1968-1970 tenure with Dunhill Records, saying she had been "forced to be so bubblegum that I'd stick to the floor when I walked."[5]

A #13 Easy Listening hit, "It's Getting Better" peaked at #30 in August 1969 during what was then considered an unusually lengthy 19-week run on Billboard's Hot 100. Only five other 1969 releases had longer chart runs on the Hot 100.[6] The single's regional success was staggered, and it reached the Top Ten in several markets, ranking as high as #2 in Minneapolis-Saint Paul and San Diego.[7] Its estimated U.S. sales were 500,000 copies.[8]

Cass Elliot made her first solo appearance on American Bandstand belatedly promoting "It's Getting Better" on its broadcast of November 8, 1969.

Elliot's "It's Getting Better" had a more pronounced chart impact in the UK, reaching #8 in October 1969 and selling almost 100,000 copies. The single bested the UK chart performance of Elliot's signature song, "Dream a Little Dream of Me" (#11), which had lost some popularity to a rival version by Anita Harris.[8] In Ireland, where "Dream a Little Dream of Me" had reached #13, "It's Getting Better" reached #3.

"Dream a Little Dream of Me" and "It's Getting Better" would be Elliot's only charting singles in the British Isles. In the U.S., "It's Getting Better" was the fourth of Elliot's seven solo Billboard Hot 100 appearances and her second Top 40 hit after "Dream a Little Dream of Me".

In Australia, Cass Elliott's "It's Getting Better" charted concurrently with a version by Paul Jones, these singles peaking at respectively #53 and #52. Produced by Jones himself and arranged by Tony Visconti, the Paul Jones version was featured on his album Inside My Music Box and was released concurrently as a single with the Cass Elliott version in both the UK and Ireland without reaching the chart in either territory.

In the wake of the success of "It's Getting Better", Elliot's next two singles were recordings of Barry Mann-Cynthia Weil compositions: "Make Your Own Kind of Music" — which like "It's Getting Better" had been recorded by the Will-O-Bees in 1968 — and a new song, "New World Coming". Although both songs are now considered soft rock classics, their original chart success was fairly mild: "Make Your Own Kind of Music" peaked at #36 (Elliot's third and final solo Top 40 appearance) (#20 Canada), and "New World Coming" peaked at #42[2] (#22 Canada).

In 2011, Cass Elliot's "It's Getting Better" was employed in a television advertisement for Nestea.

The song was also featured in Season 4 Episode 8 of abc's LOST, "meet kevin johnson".

Chart performance edit

Cover versions edit

Bobby Rydell covered "It's Getting Better" on his 1976 LP Born with a Smile.[15]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "It's Getting Better by Popinjays". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 19 September 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Bubble Gum, Lemonade &.... Something for Mama". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 September 2009.
  3. ^ Fiegel, Eddi (2005). Dream a Little Dream of Me: the life of 'Mama' Cass Elliot. London: Sidgwick & Jackson. p. 300. ISBN 0-283-07331-4.
  4. ^ Melody Maker 27 September 1969 "Mama Cass Elliott [sic] Makes It On Her Own" by Bob Dawbarn p.7
  5. ^ Los Angeles Times 5 December 1971 "Mamas & Papas: four rugged individuals getting back together" by Nat Freedland p.705
  6. ^ Billboard Hot 100 Charts – The Sixties/The Seventies, Record Research Inc, 1990
  7. ^ "ARSA". Las-solanas.com. Retrieved 19 September 2009.
  8. ^ a b Coxhill, G (25 October 1969). ""Mama Cass Hates Hypocrisy"". Caseelliot.com. NME. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  9. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  10. ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  11. ^ "The Irish Charts". Irishcharts.ie. October 3, 1969. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  12. ^ "Mama Cass Elliot". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  13. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  14. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1969/Top 100 Songs of 1969". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  15. ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved September 27, 2023.

External links edit

  • Mama Cass - It's Getting Better on YouTube

getting, better, song, written, barry, mann, cynthia, weil, that, sunshine, single, 1969, mama, cass, single, mama, cassfrom, album, bubblegum, lemonade, something, mamab, side, blame, releasedmay, 1969genresunshine, poplength3, 00labeldunhill, recordssongwrit. It s Getting Better is a song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil that was a sunshine pop hit single in 1969 for Mama Cass It s Getting Better Single by Mama Cassfrom the album Bubblegum Lemonade and Something for MamaB side Who s to Blame ReleasedMay 1969GenreSunshine popLength3 00LabelDunhill RecordsSongwriter s Barry Mann and Cynthia WeilProducer s Steve BarriMama Cass singles chronology Move in a Little Closer Baby 1969 It s Getting Better 1969 Make Your Own Kind of Music 1969 Contents 1 Overview 2 Cass Elliot version 2 1 Background 2 2 Chart performance 2 2 1 Weekly charts 2 2 2 Year end charts 3 Cover versions 4 References 5 External linksOverview editThe song describes the singer s satisfaction with a love relationship that is down to earth rather than extravagantly romantic a subgenre of love song exemplified by the Jerome Kern P G Wodehouse composition Bill Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil had previously written the similarly themed He s Sure the Boy I Love a hit for the Crystals in 1963 The earliest evident recording of It s Getting Better was by the Vogues for their August 1968 album release Turn Around Look at Me Reprise Records Also in 1968 the song was featured on the Leonard Nimoy album The Way I Feel Dot Records released that October The first evident single release of It s Getting Better was by Pierre Lalonde on the Montrealais label Disco Prestige in September 1968 with the track s parent album Introducing Peter Martin being released that November In March 1969 the Will O Bees a New York City based trio Janet Blossom Steven Porter and Robert Merchanthouse who recorded a number of Mann Weil compositions had a single release of It s Getting Better on the SGC label Screen Gems Columbia Overall 1969 saw the release of several single versions of It s Getting Better but only Cass Elliot s was by an established artist at that time the other versions being by Ronnie Buskirk Freddie Gelfand and P K Limited The song has since been recorded and covered by many well known artists around the world including UK singer and ex cruise star Jane McDonald 1 It s Getting Better has also been recorded by Richard Barnes the Gunter Kallmann de Chorus Louise Morrissey the Popinjays Kevin Rowland and John amp Anne Ryder Bobby Rydell recorded the song for his 1976 album release Born With a Smile his sole album released after 1964 and his version was issued as a single in 1977 1 2 Jane McDonald s rendition of It s Getting Better can be heard on her 2010 concert album Live at the London Palladium A Swedish rendering of It s Getting Better by lyricist Stig Anderson entitled Det Kanns Bara Battre was cut by Anna Lena Lofgren in 1970 Cass Elliot version editBackground edit It s Getting Better had been recorded by Cass Elliot for inclusion on her June 1969 album release Bubblegum Lemonade and Something for Mama which was produced by Steve Barri and arranged by Jimmie Haskell The Wrecking Crew James Burton on guitar Hal Blaine on drums Larry Knechtel on keyboards and Joe Osborn on bass who d regularly backed the Mamas amp the Papas were among the instrumentalists on the album It s Getting Better was issued as the second advance single in May 1969 following the release that March of Move in a Little Closer Baby a single reminiscent of the Mamas amp the Papas sound which reached a Billboard Hot 100 peak of 58 30 Canada Steve Barri would recall that Move in a Little Closer Baby was one album track Elliot wasn t too thrilled about but she loved It s Getting Better 3 Elliot herself did convey reservations about It s Getting Better stating in a September 1969 Melody Maker interview that while pleased with the single was rising toward the UK Top Ten It shows I am being accepted on my own and that is something I ve worried about ever since I left the Mamas amp Papas musically though it s not quite what I want to be doing It doesn t satisfy me It s a good recording for what it is but you wouldn t exactly call it social commentary and musically it s not very complicated Elliot further told Melody Maker regarding It s Getting Better or perhaps the overall focus of its parent album Bubblegum music is very pleasant to listen to but it s like they say about Chinese food half an hour after tasting it you are hungry again although she did concede maybe bubblegum is what I am supposed to be doing since my voice is very light I just can t sing heavy material 4 Elliot would be less easygoing in her 1971 summation of her 1968 1970 tenure with Dunhill Records saying she had been forced to be so bubblegum that I d stick to the floor when I walked 5 A 13 Easy Listening hit It s Getting Better peaked at 30 in August 1969 during what was then considered an unusually lengthy 19 week run on Billboard s Hot 100 Only five other 1969 releases had longer chart runs on the Hot 100 6 The single s regional success was staggered and it reached the Top Ten in several markets ranking as high as 2 in Minneapolis Saint Paul and San Diego 7 Its estimated U S sales were 500 000 copies 8 Cass Elliot made her first solo appearance on American Bandstand belatedly promoting It s Getting Better on its broadcast of November 8 1969 Elliot s It s Getting Better had a more pronounced chart impact in the UK reaching 8 in October 1969 and selling almost 100 000 copies The single bested the UK chart performance of Elliot s signature song Dream a Little Dream of Me 11 which had lost some popularity to a rival version by Anita Harris 8 In Ireland where Dream a Little Dream of Me had reached 13 It s Getting Better reached 3 Dream a Little Dream of Me and It s Getting Better would be Elliot s only charting singles in the British Isles In the U S It s Getting Better was the fourth of Elliot s seven solo Billboard Hot 100 appearances and her second Top 40 hit after Dream a Little Dream of Me In Australia Cass Elliott s It s Getting Better charted concurrently with a version by Paul Jones these singles peaking at respectively 53 and 52 Produced by Jones himself and arranged by Tony Visconti the Paul Jones version was featured on his album Inside My Music Box and was released concurrently as a single with the Cass Elliott version in both the UK and Ireland without reaching the chart in either territory In the wake of the success of It s Getting Better Elliot s next two singles were recordings of Barry Mann Cynthia Weil compositions Make Your Own Kind of Music which like It s Getting Better had been recorded by the Will O Bees in 1968 and a new song New World Coming Although both songs are now considered soft rock classics their original chart success was fairly mild Make Your Own Kind of Music peaked at 36 Elliot s third and final solo Top 40 appearance 20 Canada and New World Coming peaked at 42 2 22 Canada In 2011 Cass Elliot s It s Getting Better was employed in a television advertisement for Nestea The song was also featured in Season 4 Episode 8 of abc s LOST meet kevin johnson Chart performance edit Weekly charts edit Chart 1969 Peakposition Canada Top Singles 9 31 Canada Adult Contemporary 10 7 Ireland 11 3 UK 12 8 U S Billboard Hot 100 13 30 U S Billboard Adult Contemporary 13 U S Cash Box Top 100 35 Year end charts edit Chart 1969 Rank U S Billboard Hot 100 14 55Cover versions editBobby Rydell covered It s Getting Better on his 1976 LP Born with a Smile 15 References edit a b It s Getting Better by Popinjays Secondhandsongs com Retrieved 19 September 2009 a b Bubble Gum Lemonade amp Something for Mama AllMusic Retrieved 19 September 2009 Fiegel Eddi 2005 Dream a Little Dream of Me the life of Mama Cass Elliot London Sidgwick amp Jackson p 300 ISBN 0 283 07331 4 Melody Maker 27 September 1969 Mama Cass Elliott sic Makes It On Her Own by Bob Dawbarn p 7 Los Angeles Times 5 December 1971 Mamas amp Papas four rugged individuals getting back together by Nat Freedland p 705 Billboard Hot 100 Charts The Sixties The Seventies Record Research Inc 1990 ARSA Las solanas com Retrieved 19 September 2009 a b Coxhill G 25 October 1969 Mama Cass Hates Hypocrisy Caseelliot com NME Retrieved 22 September 2009 Image RPM Weekly Library and Archives Canada Bac lac gc ca 17 July 2013 Retrieved 2016 10 02 Image RPM Weekly Library and Archives Canada Bac lac gc ca 17 July 2013 Retrieved 2016 10 02 The Irish Charts Irishcharts ie October 3 1969 Retrieved June 4 2023 Mama Cass Elliot Officialcharts com Retrieved December 6 2021 Joel Whitburn s Top Pop Singles1955 1990 ISBN 0 89820 089 X Top 100 Hits of 1969 Top 100 Songs of 1969 Musicoutfitters com Retrieved 2016 10 02 www allmusic com allmusic com Retrieved September 27 2023 External links editMama Cass It s Getting Better on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title It 27s Getting Better amp oldid 1177719008, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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