“You’re an actor, you can sing, now let’s record some tunes.” That’s probably how it went for all those sixties’ film icons like Richard Chamberlain, Albert Finney, Richard Harris, and even Dirk Bogarde (though admittedly he only spoke the words).

“It’s merchandising, baby, this could be another career for you. Today the album, tomorrow Las Vegas!”

David Hemmings could sing, well, that is he had sung, and to great acclaim. Okay, as a boy soprano, but it was with the English National Opera, in a production of Benjamin Britten’s Turn of the Screw. Very impressive. And Hemmings had also performed with a handful of folk bands in the early sixties before hitting it big as an actor in Blow Up.

So, it must have seemed like a win-win proposition to have Hemmings record a selection of tracks with his musical pals Roger McGuinn (guitar), Chris Hillman (bass) and Ed Thigpen (drums) for an album David Hemmings Happens. Happens? Well, it was the sixties.

To be fair it’s not bad, and opens with the rather impressive “Back Street Mirror” before going onto Tim Hardin’s “Reason to Believe,” and on side two, Bill Martin’s “After the Rain.”

In between is a selection of songs (some co-written by Hemmings) that vary in quality, ranging form the stream-of-consciousness ramblings of “Good King James,” “War’s Mystery” and “Talkin’ LA,” to “Anathea,” which Jarvis Cocker rates as one of Hemmings’ best recordings.

That said, at times the actor in Hemmings tends to take over proceedings, and the singer’s left behind. Yet, it’s certainly no “dud,” but an interesting collaboration between Hemmings, McGuinn, and Hillman, that brings out another side to this iconic star.

01. “Back Street Mirror”
02. “Reason to Believe”
03. “Good King James”
04. “Bell Birds
05. “Talkin’ L.A.”
06. “Anathea”
07. “After the Rain”
08. “War’s Mystery”
09. “The Soldier Wind”
 

 

 
Bonus: Dirk Bogarde Lyrics for Lovers with music by Eric Rogers, better known for composing the soundtracks to the Carry On… movies!