''Politely!'' is a 1958 album by

Keely Smith Dorothy Jacqueline Keely (March 9, 1928The reference work ''The Encyclopedia of Native Music: More Than a Century of Recordings from Wax Cylinder to the Internet'' gives Smith's date of birth as March 9, 1932. – December 16, 2017), professio ...

, with arrangements by

Billy May Edward William May Jr. (November 10, 1916 – January 22, 2004) was an American composer, arranger and trumpeter. He composed film and television music for ''The Green Hornet (TV series), The Green Hornet'' (1966), ''The Mod Squad (TV series), T ...

Reception

The initial ''Billboard'' magazine review from October 20, 1958 commented that "Miss Smith really has a way with a song. Her ballads are lush and lovely and she swings on the up-tempo tunes. ...Attractive cover drawing of the chick will attract". The album was reviewed by Dave Nathan for

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

who wrote that "The program balances up-tempo numbers and ballads with matching May orchestrations. The slower numbers are enhanced by strings, while the faster numbers feature Mays's trademark fluttering flutes juxtaposed with blaring brass". Nathan praised Smith's "...earnestness with which she delivered each song, regardless of tempo. This left the impression that she sincerely believed in each word of the lyrics".

Track listing

# "

Sweet and Lovely "Sweet and Lovely" is an American popular song of 1931, composed by Gus Arnheim, Charles N. Daniels, and Harry Tobias. Recordings of the song which charted in 1931 are: * Gus Arnheim & His Cocoanut Grove Orchestra with a vocal refrain by Dona ...

" (

Gus Arnheim Gus Arnheim (September 4, 1897 – January 19, 1955) was an American pianist and an early popular band leader. He is noted for writing several songs with his first hit being " I Cried for You" from 1923. He was most popular in the 1920s and 1930s. ...

, Jules LeMare,

Harry Tobias Harry Tobias (September 11, 1895 – December 15, 1994) was an American lyricist. Like his younger brother Charles, he is an inductee of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Born in New York City, United States, but raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, ...

) – 3:44 # "

Cocktails for Two "Cocktails for Two" is a song from the Big Band era, written by Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow. The song debuted in the movie ''Murder at the Vanities'' (1934), where it was introduced by the Danish singer and actor Carl Brisson. Duke Ellington ...

" (

Sam Coslow Sam Coslow (December 27, 1902 – April 2, 1982) was an American songwriter, singer, film producer, publisher and market analyst. Coslow was born in New York City. He began writing songs as a teenager. He contributed songs to Broadway revues, ...

, Arthur Johnston) – 2:53 # "

The Song Is You "The Song Is You" is a jazz standard composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was written for their musical '' Music in the Air'' (1932) and sung in that show by Tullio Carminati. In the subsequent 1934 film, the song was re ...

" (

Oscar Hammerstein II Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II (; July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was an American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer, and director in musical theater for nearly 40 years. He won eight Tony Awards and two Academy Award ...

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...

) – 3:11 # "

I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You) "I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You)" is a popular song with music by Fred E. Ahlert and lyrics by Roy Turk that was published in 1928. Versions by Nick Lucas, Aileen Stanley and, most successfully, Ruth Etting, all charted in America in 1929. ...

" ( Fred E. Ahlert,

Roy Turk Roy Kenneth Turk (September 20, 1892 – November 30, 1934) was an American songwriter and lyricist, who frequently collaborated with composer Fred E. Ahlert, with whom he wrote their popular 1929 song "Mean to Me (1929 song), Mean to Me", w ...

) – 2:10 # "

Lullaby of the Leaves "Lullaby of the Leaves" is a musical composition by composer Bernice Petkere and lyricist Joe Young. A Tin Pan Alley song first performed in 1932, the jazz standard is considered the biggest critical and commercial success of Petkere's composing ...

" (

Bernice Petkere Bernice Petkere (August 11, 1901 – January 7, 2000) was an American songwriter. She was dubbed the "Queen of Tin Pan Alley" by Irving Berlin. Biography Born in Chicago, Illinois, United States, she began performing in vaudeville as a child. "St ...

, Joe Young) – 2:17 # "

On the Sunny Side of the Street "On the Sunny Side of the Street" is a 1930 song composed by Jimmy McHugh with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. Some authors say that Fats Waller was the composer, but he sold the rights to the song. It was introduced in the Broadway musical '' Lew Lesli ...

" (

Dorothy Fields Dorothy Fields (July 15, 1904 – March 28, 1974) was an American librettist and lyricist. She wrote more than 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films. Her best-known pieces include " The Way You Look Tonight" (1936), "A Fine Romance" (193 ...

Jimmy McHugh James Francis McHugh (July 10, 1894 – May 23, 1969) was an American composer. One of the most prolific songwriters from the 1920s to the 1950s, he is credited with over 500 songs. His songs were recorded by many artists, including Chet Baker, J ...

) – 3:00 # "

I Can't Get Started "I Can't Get Started", also known as "I Can't Get Started with You" or "I Can't Get Started (With You)", is a popular song. It was written in 1936 by Vernon Duke (music) and Ira Gershwin (lyrics) and introduced that year in the revue ''Ziegfeld Fo ...

" (

Vernon Duke Vernon Duke ( 16 January 1969) was a Russian-born American composer and songwriter who also wrote under his birth name, Vladimir Dukelsky. He is best known for " Taking a Chance on Love," with lyrics by Ted Fetter and John Latouche (1940), "I ...

Ira Gershwin Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershovitz; December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the ...

) – 3:25 # "

I'll Never Smile Again "I'll Never Smile Again" is a 1939 song which became a 1940 ''Billboard'' chart-topper by Tommy Dorsey written by Ruth Lowe. It has been recorded by many other artists since, becoming a jazz and pop standard. The most successful and best-know ...

" (

Ruth Lowe Ruth Lowe (August 12, 1914 – January 4, 1981) was a Canadian pianist and songwriter. She composed the first ''Billboard'' top 80 song "I'll Never Smile Again". Early life Born in Toronto but raised in Glendale, California, Lowe returned to h ...

) – 3:06 # "S'posin'" (Paul Denniker,

Andy Razaf Andy Razaf (born Andriamanantena Paul Razafinkarefo; December 16, 1895 – February 3, 1973) was the American lyricist of such well-known songs as " Ain't Misbehavin'" and " Honeysuckle Rose". He was also a composer, poet and vocalist. Biograph ...

) – 2:38 # "

East of the Sun (And West of the Moon) "East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)" is a popular song written by Brooks Bowman, an undergraduate member of Princeton University's Class of 1936, for the 1934 production of the Princeton Triangle Club's production of ''Stags at Bay''. It was ...

" (

Brooks Bowman Brooks Bowman (October 21, 1913 – October 17, 1937) composed the song "East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)" which has become a jazz standard. Biography A native of Cleveland, Ohio, he graduated from University School in that city, but ha ...

) – 3:25 # "

All the Way All the Way may refer to: Film and television * ''All the Way'' (1998 film), an Australian comedy directed by Marque Owen * ''All the Way'' (2001 film), a film directed by Shi Runjiu * ''All the Way'' (2016 film), an adaptation of Robert Schenk ...

" (

Sammy Cahn Samuel Cohen (June 18, 1913 – January 15, 1993), known professionally as Sammy Cahn, was an American lyricist, songwriter, and musician. He is best known for his romantic lyrics to films and Broadway songs, as well as stand-alone songs premie ...

Jimmy Van Heusen James Van Heusen (born Edward Chester Babcock; January 26, 1913 – February 6, 1990) was an American composer. He wrote songs for films, television, and theater, and won an Emmy and four Academy Award for Best Original Song, Academy Awards for ...

) – 3:04 # "I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody (Like I'm Loving You)" (

Raymond B. Egan Raymond Blanning Egan (November 14, 1890 – October 13, 1952) was a Canadian-born American songwriter of popular music. Many of his songs have appeared in films and musical theatre. He often collaborated with composer Richard A. Whiting. Early ...

, Roy Marsh, Thomas Pitts) – 1:48

Personnel

– vocals *

–

arranger In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchestrat ...

*Jim Jonson – cover illustration * Voyle Gilmore – producer

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1958 albums Albums arranged by Billy May Albums produced by Voyle Gilmore Capitol Records albums Keely Smith albums