#calcutta!

Deserted

No Quarter

Oh! Calcutta

I know, it is far fetched to claim that the easy listening instrumentals by Percy Faith and David Rose can be anything else than comfort food, but hear a wild theory about them that I shall try to prove with Lawrence Welk. He had a semi-eponymous variety show, where he and his guests played a multitude of musical idioms that were transformed in his champagne music style, so that they were made easily digestible to his audience. Sure, he favoured The Great American Songbook, although he also did compositions by The Beatles and I think that many in his following who wouldn't dare to listen to them found out through him what a good band they were. Moreover, his own work was much more surprising than many would acknowledge. This cut of his, for instance, seems to be sonically quite close to The Tornadoes, although Mr. Welk did not use any electronic instruments. Yes, he did pay attention to what the popular music of his time had to offer and his easy listening version of it gave some an incentive to check it.

Black Kermit's Lily Pad of Horrors II: Day 20_ Mountain King ~ Lawrence Welk and His Orchestra - from "Calcutta!" (1961)