Walker Brothers - MAKE IT EASY ON YOURSELF - (mono single version) (1965)

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NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED - (Smash 2000 & 2009) Formed in 1964 in Los Angles, Scott Engel and John Maus met Gary Leeds and called themselves the Walker Brothers. After two singles on the Mercury Records subsidiary label, Smash Records, the trio went to London under the suggestion of Leeds, who had recently toured there with P.J. Proby. He thought the groups R&B style would go over well on the other side of the pond. But, that second Smash Records single they recorded in January 1965 included some changes in the group and also the style of production that unbeknownst to the Walker Brothers, would propel them into a new and successful direction. Up until the release of that second single, 'Love Her', John Maus had been the lead vocalist within the group. Arranger, Jack Nitzsche chose Scott Engel's impressive baritone voice to sing the lead vocal and booked RCA Victor studio in Hollywood with a thirty-eight piece orchestra which provided an epic and lavishly arranged, 'Wall of Sound' backing track. Although shamefully not a hit in the United States, the record exec's at Philips Records in England were quite impressed with the groups talent. In June 1965, six tunes were recorded at the Philips Recording Studio in London, of which the Burt Bacharach and Hal David composition, 'Make It Easy On Yourself' was included. Producer Johnny Franz and arranger Ivor Raymonde were familiar with the Phil Spector production manual and surrounded the Walker Brothers with a twenty-five piece orchestra. The song was recorded live with the musicians, female background singers and the Walkers together in just forty-five minutes. Pressed and released in the United Kingdom in August 1965, it reached #1 there in September. In the United States, it was issued in September 1965 and peaked at #16 in December that year, ultimately selling over one million records world-wide. The big, heavily orchestrated ballads by the Walker Brothers would continue through to 1967 when the group decided to go their separate ways into solo careers. They reunited in 1974 and recorded new material, but by 1978, they had drifted apart. Gary is the only surviving member as John passed away in 2011, and Scott passed away in 2019.