Album review: ANN-MARGRET – Born To Be Wild

March 27th, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

Cleopatra Records [Release date 14.04.23]

‘Born To Be Wild’ is what, at first look, is often called a novelty album. Bring together a one-time Hollywood (and musical) icon (of a certain era) and hook them up virtually with a whole cache of contemporaneous artists.

Ann-Margret was very much a fixation for pubescent males in the early sixties, along with French sex siren Brigitte Bardot and to a lesser extent Catherine Deneuve and Jane Fonda. Musically Ann-Margret duetted with Elvis in the 1964 film ‘Viva Las Vegas’ (and three others) giving her added credibility and screen presence but she also released several albums.

Cleopatra have now coordinated a veritable A list of contributors who grew up musically in the sixties and are old enough to have had her poster on their bedroom wall.

The music is based around rock/pop’s first two decades as you might expect, starting with a take on Bill Haley’s ‘Rock Around The Clock’ with Joe Perry (b.1950) and Jim McCarty (ex-Yardbirds, b.1943). Pete Townshend (b.1945) pays his respects with ‘Bye Bye Love’(Ann-Margret appeared in the ‘Tommy’ movie) and there’s even a “duet” with Cliff Richard (b.1940) on ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” Where he emotes in the closing refrains “I’m a fan…of Ann”.

Apparently Ann-Margret still rides a Harley Davidson so ‘Born To Be Wild’ is quite appropriate and here she is aided by The Fuzztones. Elsewhere there is the appearance of an old sparring partner (in the 1962 musical film ‘State Fair’) Pat Boone with a cameo from Rick Wakeman on ‘Teach Me Tonight’.

It’s a shame that this album didn’t revisit her 1961 single ‘I Just Don’t Understand’ which was covered later by The Beatles. It sounded pretty good back then and could have been nicely updated for a wider (rock) audience.

Vocally 81 year old Ann-Margret knows her range and whilst fairly monotone it’s certainly more listenable than – for instance – Marianne Faithfull and in terms of similar offerings infinitely superior to the likes of label-mate William Shatner.

Nostalgia and novelty combine in perfect harmony and the album may no doubt remind some of mis-spent youth and, frustratingly, a missing poster. ***

Review by David Randall

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)