Soeur Sourire - The Singing Nun (1963) Vinyl LP + Book & Watercolor • Dominique

Catalog Number: PCC-603

Record Grading: Excellent (EX), Sleeve Grading: Very Good Plus (VG+)

Condition Details:

10-page book attached to inner-gate. 4 water color pictures included. Vinyl plays with occasional crackles (play-graded). Gate-fold cover looks great; a few creases near edges; light-scuffing, slight discoloration with darker discoloration spots, and surface impressions (front/back/inner-gate); surface abrasions near left on front. Inner-sleeve is rice-paper backed poly. Spine is mostly easy-to-read with mild-wear. Shelf-wear along top/bottom-edge and corners. Opening is crisp with signs of light use and divots. (Not a cut-out.)

Tracks:

• Dominique
• Soeur Adele
• Fleur De Cactus
• Complainte Pour Marie-Jacques
• Je Voudrais
• Tous Les Chemins
• Plume De Radis
• Mets Ton Joli Jupon
• Resurrection
• Alleluia
• J'ai Trouvé Le Seigneur
• Entre Les Étoiles

About The Record:

The Singing Nun, aka Soeur Sourire (translated as "Sister Smile"), became a folk hero to Americans in late 1963 and early 1964. Her one-hit wonder, Dominique, interjected some much-needed innocence to a nation grieving the loss of its president. The entire album presents Sourire in a musically multicultural setting, accompanying herself on acoustic Spanish guitar (which she called "Sister Adele") while singing in French. The album as well as the song both shot to the top of the pop music charts during the second week of November 1963, with the album remaining in the top position for ten weeks – eventually being dethroned by Meet the Beatles. Known prior to international stardom as Sister Luc-Gabrielle, the songs she shared became so popular with locals visiting the Belgian Fichermont Convent that they were initially recorded with the intention of giving the records away to friends and guests. The enormously infectious charm of the tunes immediately won over not only the record company, but also the buying public. So successful was Soeur Sourire in her native Europe that Phillips Records began importing the disc to North America. The stateside response was equally as staggering, prompting a highly controversial appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show on January 5, 1964. Her interminably effervescent delivery and simple melodies make it easy to rationalize her effect on those souls confused and dismayed by recent world events. Several of the tunes found on The Singing Nun incorporate a small female chorus, to great effect. Dominique, Cactus Flower, and All the Paths are among those enhanced, inducing a more interactive and singalong-friendly environment. Soeur Sourire's musical gifts are undeniable and phonetically so well written and conveyed that the language barrier becomes reduced to the point of irrelevance. As might be anticipated, the material on The Singing Nun is sacred in content.