''The Smothers Brothers Play It Straight'' is the ninth album by the

Smothers Brothers The Smothers Brothers are Thomas ("Tom" – born February 2, 1937) and Richard ("Dick" – born November 20, 1938), American folk singers, musicians, and comedians. The brothers' trademark double act was performing folk songs (Tommy on acoustic gu ...

(released February 15, 1966 on

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...

). As the title indicates, the folk comedy duo were singing the songs "straight" (well, "Almost"). Like the B-side of their second album, '' Two Sides of the Smothers Brothers'', the recording was done in a studio instead of on stage. The album cover shows Tom standing with his guitar and Dick sitting on a stool with his bass lying behind him. There is also a chicken eating chicken-feed, which could be a representation of Frank, Tom's wagon pulling chicken who is discussed on ''

Mom Always Liked You Best! ''"Mom Always Liked You Best!"'' is the eighth comedy album by the Smothers Brothers (released August 17, 1965 on Mercury Records). It reached number 39 on the ''Billboard'' Pop Albums chart. The album was recorded at The Troubadour, Los Angele ...

''.

Track listing

#"Lark Day" (2:47) - Sung by Tom & Dick #"

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a 1957 folk song written by British political singer-songwriter Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger, who later became his wife. At the time, the couple were lovers, although MacColl was still married to his ...

" (3:10) - Sung by Dick #" Yesterday" (2:31) - Sung by Dick #"Little Sacka Sugar" (1:54 ) - Sung by Tom #"Someone to Talk My Troubles To" (3:11) - Sung by Tom & Dick #"Wanderlove" (4:12) - Sung by Dick and written by

Mason Williams Mason Douglas Williams (born August 24, 1938) is an American classical guitarist, composer, singer, writer, comedian, and poet, best known for his 1968 instrumental "Classical Gas" and for his work as a comedy writer on ''The Smothers Brothers ...

, who performed it on his ''

The Mason Williams Phonograph Record ''The Mason Williams Phonograph Record'' is an album by classical guitarist and composer Mason Williams (with various accompaniment) released in 1968. It is Williams's most successful and most recognized album, and contains the instrumental "Clas ...

'' album #"Hound Dog Blues" (2:41) - Sung and written by Tom #" Down in the Valley" (3:58) - Sung by Tom & Dick, using their arrangement previously recorded on ''

The Smothers Brothers at the Purple Onion ''The Smothers Brothers at the Purple Onion'', released May 1, 1961 on Mercury Records, is the first album released by the Smothers Brothers and established their reputation as folk music satirists. The Purple Onion was a celebrated comedy and m ...

'' #"The Write of Songs" (2:41) - Sung by Dick #"

Silver Threads and Golden Needles "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" is a country song written by Dick Reynolds and Jack Rhodes. It was first recorded by Wanda Jackson in 1956. The original lyrics, as performed by Jackson, contain a verse not usually included in later versions, w ...

" (2:25) - Sung by Tom #"People Change" (2:43) - Sung by Dick #"They Are Gone" (2:34) - Sung by Tom & Dick #"Almost" (5:34) - Dick tries to sing it...

Personnel

*Dick Smothers – vocals,

double bass The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...

*Tom Smothers – vocals, guitar *David Carroll – conductor *Mason Williams – musical director *Warren Baker, Dick Reynolds – arrangements

External links

Complete Smothers Brothers discography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smothers Brothers Play It Straight 1966 albums Smothers Brothers albums Mercury Records albums