Released 60 years ago
The Shadow of Your Smile
Andy Williams · 1966
27 min · 11 tracks · country music
A lush blend of romantic ballads and upbeat jazz-inflected tracks showcasing Williams' smooth vocal delivery.
Top tracks — play these first
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The Shadow of Your Smile Start here — This title track combines poignant lyrics with a sweeping orchestral arrangement, illustrating Williams' ability to convey deep emotion through his smooth voice.
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What's New Pussycat — A lively rendition of the popular Burt Bacharach song, this track showcases Williams' playful side and highlights the album's varied musicality.
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I Will Wait for You — Featuring a haunting melody and heartfelt lyrics, this track exemplifies Williams' skill in interpreting romantic themes, making it a standout on the album.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album features strong vocal performances and varied arrangements but remains conventional in its genre.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a slow, lush orchestral arrangement on the title track, setting a romantic tone that persists through several ballads.
- Tracks alternate between slower ballads and more upbeat jazz-inflected songs, maintaining a dynamic flow throughout the record.
- Several tracks feature prominent string arrangements and smooth vocal harmonies, characteristic of Williams' style, enhancing the overall romantic feel.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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5/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- warm vocal delivery for romance
- short tracks for quick enjoyment
- carefree tunes for lighthearted moments
- smooth flow for dinners
Maybe skip if you
- prefer lengthy immersive albums
- seek high-energy listening experiences
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — This album features an Academy Award-winning song, enhancing Williams' recognition.
- Themes
- romantic longing· 1960s pop sentimentality· orchestral balladry
- Career context
- By the time 'The Shadow of Your Smile' was released in April 1966, Andy Williams was already an established artist, having enjoyed commercial success with several albums in the early 1960s. This album followed his hit record 'Andy Williams Sings Steve Allen', further cementing his role as a leading figure in the easy listening genre.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Perry Como· Frank Sinatra· Dean Martin
Tracklist
- 1 The Shadow of Your Smile Start here 2:13
- 2 The Sweetheart Tree 2:05
- 3 I Will Wait for You 2:30
- 4 The Ballad of Cat Ballou 2:29
- 5 What's New Pussycat 2:08
- 6 Rainin' 2:48
- 7 Lover Come Back to Me 2:21
- 8 Cute 2:17
- 9 After You've Gone 3:10
- 10 It's Only a Paper Moon 2:22
- 11 Liza 2:40
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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