Much of the easy listening music of the 1960s and 1970s was very mediocre to say the least. There were a few notable exceptions – Matt Monro and Englebert Humperdinck immediately spring to mind. However there was one male artist that hovered magnificently above the rest – Andy Williams. Therefore it is with particular sadness that the author learned of his passing.

Andy Williams injected energy and charisma into the genre of easy listening music and to be honest the easy listening tag does not do the man justice. Whilst much of the easy listening music of the 1960s and 1970s had the blandness of hotel elevator music or musak as it’s sometimes called, Andy Williams brought a real vibrancy and dynamism to his easy listening songs. My introduction to Andy Williams was his 1970s TV show along with his 1974 Top 5 hit “Solitaire” and although perhaps never trendy, my affection for his songs has remained constant since those days.

After that Andy Williams remained in my subconcious; my love of his his music lying dormant until 1999 when his song “Music to watch girls by” was used to soundtrack a Fiat Punto car commercial on TV  and was then adopted by Diet Pepsi for a TV commercial. This trend continued in 2007 when his Xmas classic “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” was used in a Marks and Spencer TV commercial.

By becoming the darling of the London advertising agencies, Andy Williams was introduced to a younger digital generation. He became “uber cool” and at this point I felt comfortable enough to be seen in the easy listening section of HMV where I finally took possession of “Andy Williams Greatest Hits” in 2009. The words “Great” and “Greatest” are over used in the world of showbusiness, but not where Andy Williams is concerned. And to prove it here is a Top 5 Best Andy Williams Songs –

Top 5 Best Andy Williams Songs

1)  Home Lovin’ Man ( 1970 )

2)  Music To Watch Girls By  ( 1967 )

3)  Where Do I Begin ( Love Story ) ( 1971 )

4)  Can’t Take My Eyes Off You  ( 1968 )

5)  Solitaire  ( 1974 )

Which are your favourite Andy Williams songs and why? Let us know in the Reply box below.

Celebrate and immortalise Andy Williams in your home or office, by ordering your favourite Andy Williams vinyl record or CD; single, album or album cover; framed and mounted as a picture disc souvenir. You can also personalise it with an inscribed / engraved plaque……

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