Born To Be With You

I think this was added to the list to show those who are unaware of Phil Spector’s criminal history that not everything he touches is gold.

Bed wettingly shit. A complete and utter disaster of a record that makes me want to strangle an infant.

You know the album just isn't good when the best song on it is a mediocre cover of a song that I like but not love. If I'm ever comatose, play this album because surely I'll wake up to turn it the hell off.

I think I'd rather listen to Morrissey than listen to this again.

ATTENTION APPLE MUSIC USERS: Apple Music has this record paired with Dion’s 1976 follow up, “Streetheart”. You only need to listen to the first 8 tracks. You’re welcome.

Was my familiar with Dion’s earlier work, but this was a pleasant surprise

Great easy listening. No special single song, but as a whole, just click play and sit back and enjoy.

Pretty easy to listen to. I’d probably put it on again as chill background music

I was expecting a Wall of Sound pastiche. Thankfully this is more a Dion album than a Phil Spector Doo-wop record. It was uplifting, almost spiritual. The saxophone breaks come close to stealing the show. The album drifted a little towards the end, before rescuing itself with a rousing Good Lovin' Man as the closer. Dion deserves wider acclaim.

Lots of love songs

A very nice listen. Had hints of maybe James Taylor mixed with John Lennon? A calm, but moving listen.

The very first note of this is a typical country-twang note... siiiiigh.... but hey wait, it's not country, and this actually sounds quite nice. The second song is nice too. In fact these are all really nice songs. He's got a nice voice, it's all quite heartfelt and there's some nice melodies and interesting ideas here. Real easy listening. It's consistently good all the way through. While it's not 100% my thing, the fact that there's 20 songs and not a single bad one is some achievement. 3.5/5 rounded up to 4

Great voice, great mellow album, can definitely hear the blues influence, especially in the first track (favourite).

What a strange selection for this collection. I've never heard of Dion, and am staggered to find out this was his 14th solo studio album, but having listened to it I'm not particularly surprised that it didn't make much of an impression when it was released. And very sad to find out (from Wikipedia) that Dion himself disowned the album due to Phil Spector's mangled production--Dion's description of the album as sounding like "funeral music" is spot on. (It also makes me wonder why any album that's been dismissed by its own artist was included in the project...) I *did* enjoy the bleak-but-hopeful "Your own back yard" and the simply-bleak "New York City song", perhaps because they were the two non-Spector-produced songs on the album. If nothing else, it's quite a contrast to his "Runaround Sue" jukebox days; in that sense it's a bit reminiscent to Dennis Wilson's solo album, albeit in a sort of reverse sense in terms of sobriety. The album also sounds like it should be played at a higher rpm or something, as if we're hearing it in slow-motion (or underwater). At least it's a pretty brief, unremarkable album. (2)

5/5 loved, maybe the best so far. Go on Dion.

I was like- why does Dion sound like this? And then song three- about being sober. Lol. Good for him, bad for music?

looks like Mulligan or O'hare. nowhere near as funny.

****

Hmm, I love this.

Awesome sentimental bops

Surprised. Never heard of this until now. I dig the Phil Spector sound. Solid vocals. Awesome.

Rains coming but 5. Never heard of this guy till now but this album for me is great. Not the best vocals but lyrics and music is right there.

beautiful and soothing classic rock that really makes you feel nostalgic and happy - i don't come across stuff like this often, but i really like it.

Beautiful ballads and songs that rock and move and make you want to dance. So many genres are spanned on this album with BeeGees, the Eagles, disco, and even Simon and Garfunkle adjacent songs. I have never heard of this singer, but what an excellent song writer. Production is outstanding with supremely awesome backing instruments. This album is a banger and feels like it could be the Guardians of the Galaxy Pt 4 soundtrack.

Amazing

I had never heard Dion's solo recordings, only his Dion and the Belmonts material. This album was fantastic! Very smooth, great emotional construction, I really enjoyed being introduced to this,.

Finally! 5

nice, love it!

10/10 didn’t know Id like an album like this as much as I did, but hey, these songs are actually really good

Slaps

Amazing! I loved the vocals.

I know some Dion from the 60s, but this was the first exposure to his later work. It was not what I would expect from a former teen-idol doo-wop star. Quite good!

loved!!

A poor man's John Lennon is one's first reaction, but one likes the deliberate, unhurried and thoughtful pace here. It is sort of baroque, as one would expect from Spector, but the effect is quieter and more contemplative than the peak of Spector of previous decades. "NYC Song" is mellow and likable –  this is chamber soft rock at a pretty advanced stage of evolution. "More To You" sounds like the Love Boat theme song. However, after drifting into Streetheart, one believes it to be the better record, top to bottom, because it grooves and swings mellowly, in prime '70s fashion. Hard not to like in the classic easy listening sense.

very nice i wanna listen to it more

Some great classic rock from a guy I have never heard on. Reminds me of Jackson Browne a bit.

Enjoyed this album very much.

This album surprised me in that it did not sound like 20 songs all by the same artist at the same point in their career. It sounded like a few different artists, or a “best of” album. Each song sounded fresh, for an easy listening experience, despite being 78 minutes long. This album also sounds very timeless and well produced. If you asked me to guess the year this came out, I don’t think I could.

I started at 4-stars, went to 3-stars, then wished there was a 3.5-star option. Since I’ve been taught to round up, I will.

Make the Woman Love Me // Your Own Back Yard // Only You Know // In and Out of the Shadows //

Funsies

Liked it

One of the most amazing voices in music.

Wow. I did not expect this album to sound like this at all. It’s plaintive and melancholy and just lovely. I was a little put off by that one song where he brags about not doing drugs like other people, but that’s me.

Kevin will be relating to New York City song soon enough

Phil Spector is incredible

Incredible! I found Josh Tillman‘s father 😍

Pivotal album in his career. Great addition to the list

Folksy with some Van Morrison vibes. Timeless in a way.

What a blast from the past! Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this music of my childhood.

Most of these songs could pass as 80’s TV intros but I don’t care, it’s fire.

The style isn't really unique or innovative, but it was well executed and easy to listen to

Prog rock, mellow Gotta be in the right mood for this one Whole album is good

First half of album this man is in pain. 2nd half is a bop. Surprised that this is the guy who sang wanderer. Album was a bit too long but it's good 7/10

I was a little disappointed to get this album at first because of the length and the fact that the songs that I really liked from him weren't on the album, but I ended up enjoying it a lot. There were a few songs that sounded familiar, as well. His voice and the music were very pleasant to listen to.

There's a quiet, melancholic warmth to this album. It feels like a hazy walk home on a cloudy evening. The production is spacious, almost ghostly. There's a Neil Diamond vibe in the reflective lyrics and vocals, with a bit more vulnerability. The songs are soft and slow, yet they carry a weight that lingers. It’s intimate and a little sad, but comforting too.

"Born to Be With You" is the 14th solo studio album by Ameican singer-songwriter Dion (DiMucci). Yes, that Dion. The album tracks were recorded in 1970 and 1974, with six of the eight songs produced by Phil Spector. A host of musicians were used. The album was initially met with indifference in the musical community and Spector shelved it for 12 months. In the 1990's, it started to receive wide-spread critical acclaim with several artists, including Pete Townsend and Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream citing its influence. Dion didn't like the album's sound, saying it sounded like a funeral dirge. The album opens with a cover of Don Robertson's "Born to Be With You." It stars out kind of country sounding with acoustic and slide guitars. Horns come in. A nice layered sound. Dion's voice is strong and spiritual. Good song. The narrator bears his soul in "Your Own Backyard." Acoustic guitar, bass and drums. A story of a man who lost everything to drugs and gets clean. This song would not be out of place on a 70's Stones' album. "Only You Know" starts slowly with an acoustic, prominent bass, drums and a tambourine. Horns and strings are added accentuating the melody. It's a love song; he needs to be with her. A beautiful sounding song. Spector brings his wall of sound on the closer "Good Lovin" Man." Horns, piano and female backing vocals. The tone is lightened up a bit. This would not be out of place in the late 50's and 60's. This is a really good album. It's soulful and spiritual. Dion vocal's are strong, spiritual and emotional at times. The music styles include ballads, folk, country and 50's to 70's pop. There's excellent musicianship with the guitars, drums, bass, strings and horns. Spector's arrangements and layering are top notch. The songs are either about relationships or down and out stories. A fun album that everyone should enjoy parts of if not all.

Hey Dion I thought you only did The Wanderer, this isn't half bad 1970s singer songwriter stuff. Shades of mid-70s Lennon and Simon.

Reminded me of Spriritualized, who I am very fond of.

I'm usually disappointed to see yet another 70s album pop up but this one was actually pretty cool. I liked the use of strings

I thoroughly enjoyed this. The type of white boy soul / pop that connects with my white boy soul / pop preferences.

Heat

I really don't get the hate for this album. Not sure it's my thing, but it's certainly competent. I absolutely love the Phil Spector sound. Everyone knows why he's a terrible human being, but man was he good at producing music.

Very good, if you are in the mood.

Man, this was really great. "New York City Song" and "Your Own Back Yard" were excellent.

Had to look into who Dion is to confirm he is the same "Runaround Sue" / "I'm the Wanderer" guy from the doo wop era. Like a handful of other doo wop artists such as Ricky Nelson, he kept on trucking through the 70's trying to find his own stylistic way in the changing environments. There are a few knods to his doo wop past throughout such as the first drum beat, straight out of track 1. There's a comforting 70's rock feel to this, which is surprising considering Phil Spector produced it. Where he usually sounds larger than life, in this case he allows Dion's flickering introspection to light the way. These tracks are real reflective, like a man who never expected to live long enough to count the chips he's got left. Despite all that, it never lands as completely dour, there's a hopeful acceptance that feels balanced and easy to embrace. Bonus- Spotify has this grouped with a followup "Streetheart" which is total 70's AOR yacht rock stuff, although it's different vibe, is also totally awesome.

Discovered this album quite some years ago, and in my memory it was a 5-star record - after all some songs sound like a blueprint for a band like Spiritualized - but other songs are a bit less special. score: 8/10

I liked this more than I should. Won't come back to it, but he has his charm.

Enjoyed this - not an essential listen I'll revisit soon, but a mature set of songs with some fun production flourishes.

Like this more than I thought I would. There are a couple of songs I knew. A lot I didn’t. I’d put this on in the background, I think. 3 seems too low. 4 too high. But I’ll round up to 4.

This was weird in a wonderful 70s fever dream way. It reminded me of John Lennon's solo work - a fair amount of meandering with different genres and covers of songs. Honestly, I liked it. The album sounds like something my hip aunts & uncles would've listened to while chilling & smoking pot. I listened twice & I'll listen again. It's quirky enough to be interesting.

got better as it went, a little long

I know one Dion song off this album, Only You Know, but I'm not sure why. Perhaps it was a discovery playlist but it really reminds me of moving back to Brighton in 2017. Good song! I enjoyed plenty of this album but found it too long by the end. Too many songs that sound similar.. but overall nice solid song writing I'd say

Soft rock at a pretty high level, approaching but never reaching fully Spectorian shlock. "Only You Know" and "NYC Song" are lovely. Don't sleep on Streetheart, either. There are a few winning cuts there, too.

Ок. 4/8 – 50%

Well this was a surprise. Gonna add this into the list of artists worth a deeper dive into.

Interest grew with every listen and a fairly mundane listen at first became an intriguing pop baroque record with unusual song choices and an uneasiness just below the surface.

A mix of pop, country, crooner, folk. Not quite on a par with the classic 60s pop / do-wop for me (Runaround Sue is a certified BANGER) but certainly does enough to show why he's regularly listed as one of the best vocalists ever. Lovely stuff.

So I read the Wiki blurb, saw the album cover with a straight up goober, and saw it was a long one. Got busy and had to skip that day, and was always unexcited at the thought of eventually listening. Finally got around to it, and I got bit by judging a book by its cover. This is a fun album full of entertaining songs.

I came to understand Dion as more than "Runaround Sue" via, of all goddamned things, Mott the Hoople, and 1971's Brain Capers, an album I hold in the highest of esteem. They covered "Your Own Backyard", and I was really knocked out by the soulful humanity of the lyrics. So I was intrigued when this came up, and by the end of this Leonard Cohen-ish, collection, I can say I am a fan.

Very chill background music

This had some really fun tracks, and some boring ones.

Very nice timeless vibes to this. I was tempted to give it 5 stars because I would like to listen again, but it is definitely “pleasant” rather than “brilliant”.

Folk rock. Está bien. Un 4.

I probably should hate this but I didn’t. Cheesy fun

You know what I liked it

Liked this one I chopped off the streetheart bit that spotify had combined.

1/23/24. This record surprised me! I only knew Dion from a couple famous 50s songs, but each song here sounded big and in your face in a great way. Definitely will revisit.

Sweet

Good vibes only

Extremely easy listening

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Surprisingly I really enjoyed this album. It was so full of soul and character. I thought it was going to be boring and melancholy and it ended up way more extravagant than I could imagine.

I knew his 50s stuff but wasn’t aware of any of this style. Very much enjoyed it

Kind of surprising album here. Never would have picked this up before but I do like it! Title track has a great feel. Your Own Backyard… dig the vibe and vocals. Also New York City Song. At least 3.5 I feel.

Folk rock. Está bien. Un 4.

This is actually quite good, a lot better than I reckoned going into it. Reading about it and some of the perceived production issues have me wondering how good it could've been in that regard but in terms of composition and storytelling, I enjoyed it.

3.5

This was much different from everything else I've ever heard from Dion (The Wanderer and that's basically it). It was interesting to hear his voice used more for Elton john style ballads as opposed to 60s doowop music. I liked pretty much all of the songs and even listened to the extra tracks on Spotify but nothing stood out too much to list here really.

This was unexpectedly good.