Ella/Things Ain't What They Used to Be (& You Better Believe It) (1991)

About this title: An amalgamation of two previous albums, the material here is predominately contemporary pop. Ella puts her Midas touch on compositions by Randy Newman, Bacharach/David, Harry Nilsson, and Lennon/McCartney, as well as some typical easy listening standards like "Black Coffee," "Things Ain't What They Used to Be," "Days of Wine and Roses," and "Manteca." Highlights are three Smokey Robinson compositions: "Get Ready" (where Richard Aplanalp's baritone sax replicates Melvin Franklin's bass part heard on the original by the Temptations), "The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game," and "Ooo Baby Baby." ... read more

Tracks:

1. Get Ready [Robinson]
2. The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game [Robinson]
3. Yellow Man [Newman]
4. I'll Never Fall in Love Again [Bacharach/David]
5. Got to Get You into My Life [Lennon/McCartney]
6. I Wonder Why [Newman]
7. Ooo Baby Baby [Robinson/Moore]
8. Savoy Truffle [Harrison]
9. Open Your Window [Nilsson]
10. Knock on Wood [Cropper/Floyd]
11. Sunny [Hebb]
12. Mas Que Nada [Deane]
13. A Man and a Woman [Barouh/Keller/Lai]
14. Days of Wine and Roses [Mancini/Mercer]
15. Black Coffee [Burke/Webster]
16. Tuxedo Junction [Dash/Feyne/Hawkins/]
17. I Heard It Through the Grapevine [Strong/Whitfield]
18. Don't Dream of Anybody But Me [Hefti/Howard]
19. Things Ain't What They Used to Be [Ellington/Persons]
20. Willow Weep for Me [Ronell]
21. Manteca [Fuller/Gillespie]
22. Just When We're Falling in Love [Jacquet/Russell/Tho]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.