When a bustle of extra excitement penetrates the constant excitement of a busy record company, one can guess that something exceedingly big and out of the ordinary is happening. It happened at Capitol Records just several months before the recording of this album when a "memo" was delivered to all departments heralding the news that one of the most acclaimed and permanent names in the popular music industry had been signed to an exclusive recording contract...

Usually, when an artist is to make his debut with a label, it becomes the proud duty of those concerned to compose introductory notes that will help introduce the personality to the comforts of American listening rooms. But this is not "usually" . . . this is one of those times when tradition would seem redundant and inadequate; for Frankie Laine is a popular institution in himself ... a man whose vocal and emotional temper is familiar to all who have ever turned on a radio or T.V. set or played a record.

Nevertheless, a brief salutatory sketch of Frankie Laine´s complete involvement with the world of entertainment is in order. For instance, he´s the man who´s made headlines when summoned by the Queen of England to sing at her Royal Command Performance. He´s the man who´s moved hearts to singing and dancing in such film successes as When You´re Smiling, Rainbow ´Round My Shoulder, Sunny Side Of The Street and Meet Me In Las Vegas. He´s the man who´s helped make movie and television theme music a vibrant part of the lexicon of enjoyable listening with such arrangements as Gunfight At O.K. Corral and Rawhide. He´s the man who´s sold almost a hundred-million records of which no less than thirteen titles have been awarded coveted million seller "gold records." He´s Frankie Laine the song writer, the video dramatic actor and variety host, and even the autobiographer of a forthcoming book that´s already attracting bids from major motion picture studios.

Unquestionably, Frankie Laine is popularity personified, but his music, though contemporary in nature, enjoys the distinction of remarkable staying power. Such songs as That´s My Desire, Mule Train, Lucky 0l´ Sun, Jezebel, Cry Of The Wild Goose, High Noon and I Believe have paid the highest tribute that can be accorded an artist. They´ve become a permanent part of the American way with music...if not "folk" in authenticity, folk in the realization that they are compositions that people don´t care to forget with the passing of fads and fancies, some of which Frankie Laine played a major part in establishing. They are, in essence, Frankie Laine himself; music that reflects his expansive spirit, his vocal stylishness, and his feeling for the melodies of many diversified moods and moments . . . songs ranging from a rugged appraisal of the Moon light Gambler, to the lilting pathos of The Kid´sLast Fight, to the sincere inspirational feelings of the songs in this album.

Frankie Laine is one of the deserving super-stars whom everyone knows, recognizes and loves. It is indeed a pleasure and source of great pride for all of us at Capitol Records to send you this first of many thrilling examples of Frankie Laine at work... at pleasure: Frankie Laine singing songs of richness, reverence and beauty.