David Allyn's 'I Only Have Eyes for You'

For some time, I have been planning a survey of the early career of the great singer David Allyn (1919?-2012). But it might be best to first post one of the LPs from his greatest period, the late 1950s, when he was making records with the likes of Johnny Mandel and Bill Holman.

This Warner Bros. album from 1959 is less celebrated than those two immediate predecessors, but even so represents a level of achievement attained by just a few popular singers in the 20th century.

David Allyn

Before I discuss the album, let me address the matter of his name. Throughout his career, Allyn was known alternately as "David Allen" or "David Allyn." For his best LPs, such as this one, it was "Allen." But usually it was "Allyn." No matter, his real name was Albert DiLella.

As a singer, Allyn/Allen had it all: total involvement, superb intonation and diction, and great warmth. Many vocalists have been termed a "singer's singer," but he was truly worthy of the title.

The selections on this LP mix favorite standards ("You Go to My Head," "When Your Lover Has Gone") with less often heard, but well chosen selections ("Soon," "Ev'ry Time," "With Every Breath I Take," "You're Laughing at Me"). My favorite is the Burke-Van Heusen "It's Always You," possibly done in tribute to Allyn's early idol, Bing Crosby.

The lush backings are by David Terry, a Kostelanetz arranger who accompanied many singers of the time and made several instrumental LPs of his own. This transfer is from an excellent stereo pressing in my collection.

As a bonus, I've added Allyn's second single on the Warner Bros. label, comprising "Pleasant Dreams," a song he wrote with Steve Allen, and the rhythm tune "Here's the Way It Is." His first Warner single was "Drifting," which is included on the LP under discussion.

A good overview of Allyn's career can be found in the two-part interview he did with Marc Myers for the JazzWax blog. Incidentally, Myers claims that Allyn was 90 in 2009, when the interview took place. This would mean that he was born in about 1919 rather than the usually cited 1923. The earlier birth date does make sense - Allyn joined Jack Teagarden's band in 1940, and he told Myers that he didn't get serious about singing until he was 18 or 19.

The download includes several reviews and ads.

My upcoming two-part survey of Allyn's early career compiles his recordings with Teagarden and Boyd Raeburn  with all his solo efforts of the 1940s.