{"product_id":"sweet-inspiration-images","title":"Sweet Inspiration \/ Images","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCilla Black\u003c\/strong\u003e was the best-selling, British female recording artist in the U.K. during the 1960s. An accomplished and truly popular song stylist, she continued her legendary association with Beatles’ producer Sir George Martin into the early 1970’s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe two classic albums that make up this deluxe 2-disc set were both Sir George Martin productions as they were her first two album releases of the 1970s; \u003cem\u003e‘Sweet Inspiration’\u003c\/em\u003e from 1970 and 1971’s \u003cem\u003e‘Images’\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCilla’s\u003c\/strong\u003e fifth studio album, 1970’s \u003cem\u003e‘Sweet Inspiration’\u003c\/em\u003e, reunited her with Manfred Mann star and respected arranger Mike Vickers. The result was an album of powerful pop tunes, many of which were written by some of the best songwriters of the day, such as Joni Mitchell (\u003cem\u003e‘Both Sides Now’\u003c\/em\u003e), Les Reed (\u003cem\u003e‘Dear Madame’\u003c\/em\u003e), Jackie DeShannon (\u003cem\u003e‘Put A Little Love In Your Heart’\u003c\/em\u003e), Lennon \u0026amp; McCartney (\u003cem\u003e‘Across The Universe’\u003c\/em\u003e) and Elton John \u0026amp; Bernie Taupin (\u003cem\u003e‘I Can’t Go On Living Without You’\u003c\/em\u003e) which \u003cstrong\u003eCilla\u003c\/strong\u003e recorded in 1969 before Elton’s own ascendency to super-stardom!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlso included is \u003cstrong\u003eCilla’s\u003c\/strong\u003e rendition of the title song from the movie \u003cem\u003e‘The April Fools’\u003c\/em\u003e, which had been penned by crack song-writing team Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and a spirited and jubilant interpretation of \u003cem\u003e‘Rule Britannia’\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHer next album, her sixth, employed again both Mike Vickers as musical arranger and Sir George Martin as producer. For 1971’s \u003cem\u003e‘Images’\u003c\/em\u003e album, Sir George Martin, together with \u003cstrong\u003eCilla\u003c\/strong\u003e and her husband and manager, Bobby Willis, shortlisted an impressive selection of then contemporary songs which included evergreen classics like \u003cem\u003e‘First of May’\u003c\/em\u003e by The Bee Gees, \u003cem\u003e‘Make It With You’\u003c\/em\u003e by Bread and \u003cem\u003e‘(They Long To Be) Close To You’\u003c\/em\u003e by The Carpenters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnother exceptional track which made the cut was \u003cem\u003e‘Your Song’\u003c\/em\u003e which was an out-take from \u003cstrong\u003eCilla’s\u003c\/strong\u003e previous LP \u003cem\u003e‘Sweet Inspiration’\u003c\/em\u003e. Notably, \u003cstrong\u003eCilla\u003c\/strong\u003e was the first person to cover this now revered song by the then upcoming singer-songwriter, Elton John.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOther album highlights are \u003cstrong\u003eCilla’s\u003c\/strong\u003e deft cover versions of Paul Simon’s \u003cem\u003e‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’\u003c\/em\u003e and Paul McCartney’s \u003cem\u003e‘Junk’\u003c\/em\u003e which Paul had only himself released the year before on 1970’s \u003cem\u003e‘McCartney’\u003c\/em\u003e album – his first ever solo album!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SFE","offers":[{"title":"CD | x2","offer_id":50448678977867,"sku":"1088703","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/7d7e253d-8782-4f58-a169-e8dd308baafc_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727095034","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/de\/products\/sweet-inspiration-images","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}