Andy Williams' Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (American album)

Andy Williams' Greatest Hits Vol. 2
Compilation album by
Andy Williams
ReleasedJune 1973 (1973-06)
Recorded1959,[1]
1966−1972[2]
Genre
Length35:36
LabelColumbia
Andy Williams chronology
Andy Williams' Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (CBS)
(1972) 		Andy Williams' Greatest Hits Vol. 2
(1973) 		Solitaire
(1973)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[3]
BillboardTop Album Pick[4]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[5]

Andy Williams' Greatest Hits Vol. 2 is a compilation album by American pop singer Andy Williams that was released in June 1973 by Columbia Records.[4] This collection follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, Andy Williams' Greatest Hits, in that it is not limited to his biggest and most recent hit singles, although his final two US Top 40 entries ("(Where Do I Begin) Love Story" and "Speak Softly Love (Love Theme from 'The Godfather')") were included.[6] It also has an album track not released as a single ("The Impossible Dream (The Quest)"), a couple of hits from his time with Cadence Records ("Lonely Street" and "The Village of St. Bernadette"), two other singles that could have been included on the first volume ("In the Arms of Love" and "Music to Watch Girls By"), and two Easy Listening chart entries that never made the Billboard Hot 100 ("Home Lovin' Man" and "Music from Across the Way").[6][7]

The front and back cover design for the LP (by Anne Garner and Norman Seeff) shows Williams as he is bursting through a wall-sized collage of black-and-white images from various periods of his career, mainly involving the Williams Brothers and his variety program. While the front cover does not show the one foot that it would seem he is standing on, the back cover depicts the front cover setpiece as seen from the reverse angle behind him and is shot so that neither foot is touching the floor, as if to suggest that Williams is literally flying through the wall.

The British CBS album of the same name had only three of its 12 tracks in common with those on this album and used a different cover photo and design.[8]

This U.S. release made its first appearance on the Billboard Top LP's & Tapes chart in the issue dated July 7, 1973, and remained there for five weeks, peaking at number 174.[9] it also debuted on the Cashbox albums chart in the issue dated July 7, of that year, and remained on the chart for 7 weeks, peaking at number 137[10]

This album was released on compact disc for the first time by Columbia Records in 1989.[3] A Columbia 3-CD box set including this album along with the US versions of Andy Williams' Greatest Hits and his 1971 album Love Story was released on August 12, 1997.[11]

  1. ^ "The Cadence Era: "Canadian Sunset" brightens Andy's disk career". Billboard. 1967-11-11. p. AW-20.
  2. ^ (2002) Album notes for The Complete Columbia Chart Singles Collection by Andy Williams [CD booklet]. New York: Sony Music.
  3. ^ a b c "Andy Williams' Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 - Andy Williams". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Billboard's Top Album Picks". Billboard. 1973-06-23. p. 76.
  5. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 1498. ISBN 9781846098567. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  6. ^ a b Whitburn 2009, pp. 1059–1060.
  7. ^ Whitburn 2007, p. 295.
  8. ^ (1972) Andy Williams' Greatest Hits Vol. 2 by Andy Williams [album jacket]. London: CBS Records 65151.
  9. ^ Whitburn 2010, p. 844.
  10. ^ Hoffmann, Frank W (1988). The Cash box album charts, 1955-1974. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. p. 406. ISBN 0-8108-2005-6.
  11. ^ "Greatest Hits/ Greatest Hits, Vol. 2/Love Story". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 16 August 2011.