That's Just the Way I Want to Be  

From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

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That's Just the Way I Want to Be is a 1970 (see 1970 in music) album by Blossom Dearie. It is noteworthy among her recordings in that, for the first time, the focus is on Dearie as a songwriter with her co-writing nine of the album's 12 tracks). She took the opportunity to pay tribute to some of her well-known contemporaries: John Lennon (the object of her praise in "Hey John"), Georgie Fame and Dusty Springfield. The last song, "I Like London In The Rain", contains an opening breakbeat that has been sampled by hip hop producers.

Track listing

1. "That's Just the Way I Want to Be" – 3:48
2. "Long Daddy Green" (Blossom Dearie, Dave Frishberg) – 3:23
3. "Sweet Surprise" – 3:18
4. "Hey John" – 3:31
5. "Sweet Georgie Fame" (Dearie, Sandra Harris) – 3:24
6. "Both Sides Now" (Joni Mitchell) – 3.19
7. "Dusty Springfield" (Dearie, Jim Council, Norma Tenega) – 1.55
8. "Will There Really Be a Morning" (John Wallowitc, Emily Dickinson) – 3.07
9. "I Know the Moon" – 3:28
10. "Inside a Silent Tear" (Dearie, Peter King) – 2:16
11. "Yesterday When I Was Young" (Charles Aznavour, Herbert Kretzmer) – 5:11
12. "I Like London in the Rain" – 2:39

All songs by Blossom Dearie and Jim Council, except as indicated.

Personnel

• Blossom Dearie – piano, vocals
• Ian Carr – flugelhorn
• Jeff Clyne – bass
• Harold McNair – flute, tenor saxophone
• Daryl Runswick – bass
• Ray Warleigh – flute
• Spike Wells – drums
• Kenny Wheeler – trumpet
• The Ladybirds – voices
• The Hooray String Section – strings
• Brian Gascoigne – orchestrations