A showmaster, a great musician, a west coast music crooner ….
In the 1970s, Peter Allen gained recognition both as a composer of romantic ballads such as “I Honestly Love You” and “Don’t Cry Out Loud” and, contrastingly, as a flamboyant stage performer. He learned to play the piano and began entertaining people at the pub in his small Australian hometown when he was still a child. By 1959, he was in Sydney, where he became a last-minute replacement in a duo appearing on the television show Australian Bandstand with guitarist and singer Chris Bell. The act was successful and the two became known as the Allen Brothers. In the early 1960s, they had an Australian hit with “My Secret” and toured the Far East. They were appearing at a hotel in Hong Kong in the spring of 1964 when Judy Garland saw them and was impressed. She got them bookings and brought them to London, where they were her opening act. She also introduced Allen to her daughter, Liza Minnelli, and the two became engaged. The Allen Brothers made their American debut at the Diplomat Hotel in Miami in December 1964, then moved to New York. For the rest of the 1960s, they appeared in clubs around the U.S., notably at the various Playboy Clubs. After a lengthy engagement, Allen and Minnelli married on March 3, 1967.
During the late 1960s, Allen became involved in the Greenwich Village music and theater scene, and grew disenchanted with the more conventional show business world represented by his professional partner and his wife. He and Minnelli separated during the holiday season of 1969 (though they were not divorced until July 24, 1974), and the Allen Brothers broke up in the spring of 1970. On June 24, 1970, Allen played his first show as a solo act at the Bitter End nightclub in Greenwich Village. He wrote songs for the Off-Off-Broadway La Mama Theatre Company, and made his Broadway debut on January 12, 1971, in Soon, a rock opera that played only three performances.
Allen became interested in the trend toward introspective singer-songwriters in the early 1970s, and in writing more commercial music. Employed as a staff writer at Metromedia Records, he co-wrote “Jennifer” with Carole Bayer Sager. The song was sung in the TV movie Getting Together by Bobby Sherman, who recorded it for Metromedia, and it became a Top 40 hit in the fall of 1971. Metromedia then commissioned Allen to record his own album, and he released Peter Allen in 1971, followed in 1972 by Tenterfield Saddler. Performers on New York’s club circuit began to sing songs from his albums, and he returned to performing himself with an appearance at the popular nightspot Reno Sweeney’s in 1973. In 1974, he and Jeff Barry wrote “I Honestly Love You,” a sad ballad that was recorded by Olivia Newton-John and became a #1 hit in October. With that, Allen was signed to A&M Records, releasing his third album, Continental American. In 1976 came Taught by Experts, which featured “The More I See You,” an easy listening chart entry.
The introspective style of much of Allen’s music was increasingly contrasted with his bold performing style, and in 1977 A&M issued a double live LP, It Is Time for Peter Allen, that showed off his concert work. Back in Australia, his recording of the frothy “I Go to Rio” (co-written with Adrienne Anderson) topped the charts. In the U.S., he made a cameo appearance in the movie musical Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in the summer of 1978. That fall, Melissa Manchester scored a Top Ten hit with another of his ballads, “Don’t Cry Out Loud” (co-written with Carole Bayer Sager). His version of the song was featured on his fourth A&M album, I Could Have Been a Sailor, which became his first LP to reach the charts in 1979. Early in the year, Pablo Cruise scored an American chart entry with “I Go to Rio,” and Rita Coolidge reached the Top 40 with a more typical Allen-Sager ballad, “I’d Rather Leave While I’m in Love,” at the end of the year. Meanwhile, Allen took his stage act to Broadway, appearing in his own show, Up in One, More Than a Concert. His fifth A&M album, Bi-Coastal, appeared at the end of 1980 and was another chart LP, with a single, “Fly Away,” also reaching the pop charts. In 1981, Allen headlined at Radio City Music Hall, where he danced with the Rockettes and rode a camel during “I Go to Rio.”
When Carole Bayer Sager sat down with Burt Bacharach and Christopher Cross to write a theme song for the film comedy Arthur, she recalled a phrase from an unrecorded song she and Allen had written years earlier: “When you get caught between the moon and New York City.” It became part of the chorus of “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do),” which topped the charts for Cross in the fall of 1981 and won Allen and his fellow songwriters the Academy Award for best song.
Allen toured North America before returning to Radio City Music Hall in September 1982. Switching to Arista Records, he released Not the Boy Next Door in early 1983; it made the charts and spawned three adult contemporary chart entries, “You Haven’t Heard the Last of Me,” “Once Before I Go,” and “You and Me (We Wanted It All).” Allen continued to tour extensively, returning to New York for a run of sold-out performances at Carnegie Hall in September 1984 that were recorded for the 1985 Arista album Captured Live at Carnegie Hall. During the shows, Allen performed several numbers from the musical he was writing, Legs Diamond. Four years passed before the show was produced on Broadway, but Allen opened in it on December 26, 1988; it ran only 64 performances, but a cast album was recorded and released on RCA, which also issued Allen’s final album, Making Every Moment Count (1990). He died of complications from AIDS in 1992.
Discography
The Ultimate Peter Allen
Universal Music 2006
Tracks: Not The Boy Next Door, Don´t Wish Too Hard, Quiet Please The Lady Is On Stage, I´d Rather Leave While I´m In Love, Everything Old Is New Again, I Honestly Love You, I Still Call Australia Home (Single Version), Don´t Cry Out Loud, Tenterfield Saddler (Album Version), I Go To Rio, The More I See You, One Step Over The Borderline (Album Version), Bi-Coastal, She Loves To Hear Music, Once Before I Go, Continental American (Album Version), Fly Away, I Could Be A Sailor, Just Ask Me I´ve Been There (Album Version) & Love Crazy.
Musicians on the Ultimate Peter Allen album: Peter Allen and others.
The Very Best Of Peter Allen
Universal Music 2004
Tracks: Honest Queen, Tenterfield Saddler, Just Ask Me I've Been There, Everything Old Is New Again, I Honestly Love You, She Loves To Hear Music, I Go To Rio, Quiet Please There's A Lady On Stage, The More I See You, I Could Have Been A Sailor, Don't Wish Too Hard, Don't Cry Out Loud, I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love, One Step Over The Borderline, Fly Away, Bi-Coastal, I Don't Go Shopping, I Still Call Australia Home, You Haven't Heard The Last Of Me & Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do).
Musicians on the The Very Best Of Peter Allen album: Peter Allen and others.
Best Of Peter Allen
A&M Records 2001
Tracks: Bi-Coastal, Fly Away, I Go to Rio, Don't Cry Out Loud, Everything Old Is New Again, The More I See, I Honestly Love You, I Could Have Been a Sailor, Quiet Please There's a Lady on Stage, I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love & Just a Gigiolo.
Musicians on the Best Of Peter Allen album: Peter Allen and others.
Singer Songwriter - The Anthology
Polygram Records 1999
Tracks: Honest Queen, 5 O'Clock in La, The Lives of Me, Dixie, Tenterfield Saddler, Just Ask Me I've Been There, Pretty, Pretty, I Go to Rio, Back Doors Crying, I Honestly Love You, This Time Around, Just a Gigolo (Schoner Gigolo) (Reprise), (I've Been) Taught by Experts, Harbour, Six-Thirty Sunday Morning/New York I Don't, Planes, I Could Have Been a Sailor, Two Boys, Angels With Dirty Faces, I Still Call Australia Home, Love Crazy, She Loves to Hear the Music, Everything Old Is New Again, Interesting Changes, I Honestly Love You, Continental American, The Natural Thing to Do, The More I See You, As Time Goes By, Intermission/I Honestly Love You, Don't Wish Too Hard, Don't Cry Out Loud, Tenterfield Saddler, Puttin' Out Roots/This Sideshow's Leaving..., I Go to Rio ["Extended Version"], Quiet Please, There's a Lady on Stage, Audience, If You Were Wondering, Don't Leave Me Now, I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love. We've Come to an Understanding. Paris at 21, One Step over the Borderline, Fly Away, Bi-Coastal, I Don't Go Shopping, Hit in the Heart, I Could Really Show You Around, Somebody's Angel, Simon, Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do), Not the Boy Next Door, Once Before I Go, Sure Thing Baby, Waltzing Matilda, Come Rain or Come Shine, The Rain, the Park and Other Things.
Musicians on the Singer Songwriter The Anthology album: Peter Allen and others.
Very Best Of Peter Allen
A&M Records 1998
Tracks: I Honestly Love You, Pretty Pretty, Everything Old Is New Again, The More I See You, She Loves To Hear The Music, Shy As A Violet, This Time Around, I Go To Rio, Harbour, Six Thirty Sunday Morning, I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love, I Could Have Been A Sailor, Don't Wish Too Hard, Two Boys, Don't Cry Out Loud, Tenterfield Saddler, Fly Away, I Don't Go Shopping, When This Love Affair Is & Just A Gigolo.
Musicians on the At His Best album: Peter Allen and others.
The Boy From Oz
Polygram Records 1998
Tracks: Give My Regards to Broadway [Instrumental], I Go to Rio, Don't Wish Too Hard, Quiet Please, There's a Lady on Stage, I Honestly Love You, Fly Away, One Step over the Borderline, Don't Cry Out Loud, Everything Old Is New Again, Tenterfield Saddler, I Could Have Been a Sailor, Bi-Coastal, The More I See You, I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love, She Loves to Hear the Music, Just Ask Me I've Been There, I Still Call Australia Home, Discovery [Instrumental] & Give My Regards to Broadway [Instrumental].
Musicians on the Boz From Oz album: Peter Allen and others.
The Very Best Of Peter Allen
A&M Records 1997
Tracks: I Go To Rio, Don't Wish Too Hard, Quiet Please, There's A Lady On Stage, I Honestly Love You, Fly Away, One Step Over The Borderline, Don't Cry Out Loud, Everything Old Is New Again, Tenterfield Saddler, I Could Have Been A Sailor, Bi-Coastal, More I See You, I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love, She Loves To Hear The Music, Just Ask Me I've Been There & I Still Call Australia Ho.
Musicians on the The Very Best Of Peter Allen album: Peter Allen and others.
At His Best
A&M Records 1993
Tracks: One Step over the Borderline, If You Were Wondering, I Honestly Love You, Just Ask Me I've Been There, She Loves to Hear the Music, Just a Gigolo, I Don't Go Shopping, I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love, Everything Old Is New Again, Bi-Coastal, Don't Cry Out Loud, Quiet Please There's a Lady on Stage, I Could Have Been a Sailor, Don't Wish Too Hard, Tenterfield Saddler, Fly Away & I Go to Rio.
Musicians on the At His Best album: Peter Allen and others.
Peter Allen
A&M Records 1991
Tracks: Just A Gigolo (Schöner Gigolo), Everything Old Is New Again, I Honestly Love You, Continental American, She Loves To Hear The Music, I Go To Rio, This Time Around, Don´t Wish To Hard, Don´t Cry Out Loud, I´d Rather Leave While I´m In Love, Two Boys, Bi-Coastal, Fly Away, I Don´t Go Shopping & When This Love Affair Is Over.
Musicians on the Peter Allen album: Peter Allen and others.
Legs Diamond
EMI Records 1990
Track: Prelude, When I Get My Name in Lights, Speakeasy, Applause, Knockers, I Was Made For Champagne, Sure Thing Baby, Speakeasy Christmas, Charge It to A. R., Only an Older Woman, Only Steal From Theives, When I Get My Name in Lights (Reprise), Cut of the Cards, Gangland Chase Ballet, Now You Don't Now You See Me, The Man Nobody Could Love, Say It Isn't So, All I Wanted Was the Dream & Finale
Musicians on the Legs Diamond album: Peter Allen and others.
Making Every Moment Count
RCA Records 1990
Tracks: Tonight You Made My Day, Making Every Moment Count, When I Get My Name In Lights, Nobody Can Break Us Up, I Could Marry The Rain, See You In Springtime, So Much Depends On Love Today, Why Not?, I Couldn´t Have Done It Without You & Love Don´t Nee A Reason.
Musicians on the Making Every Moment Count album: Peter Allen, Harry Connick, Jr., Melissa Manchester, Grady Tate, David Buskin, Darryl Tookes, Donna Delory, Vaneese Thomas, Dennis Collins, Rick Baptist, Angela Cappelli, Brad Cole, Luis Conte, Louis Cortelezzi, Michael Cruz, Joseph Davis, Steve Ferrone, Irwin Fisch, Diane Garisto, Grant Geissman, Dan Higgins, Michael Jay, Zev Katz, Harry Kim, Mark Leggett, Don Markese, Andy Martin, Marty Nelson, Rick Palombi, Larry Saltzman, Jim Saporito, Steve Thornton, Eric Troyer, Ben Wolfe, Mona Lisa Young, Mark Berger, Claude Gaudette, Steve Holtman, Martika, Spiro Poulos & Friends In Christ Choir.
Peter Allen
A&M Records 1988
Tracks: Just A Gigolo, Everything Old Is New Again, I Honestly Love You, Continental American, She Loves To Hear The Music, I Go To Rio, This Time Around, Don´t Wish Too Hard, Don´t Cry Out Loud, I´d Rather Leave While I´m In Love, Two Boys, Bi-Coastal, Fly Away, I Don´t Go Shopping & When This Love Affair Is Over.
Musicians on the A&M Gold Series "Peter Allen" album: Peter Allen and others.
Captured Live At Carnagie Hall
Arista Records 1985
Tracks: Not the Boy Next Door, Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do), I Could Have Been a Sailor, You Haven't Heard the Last of Me/Fade To Black, Easy on the Weekend, Knockers, All I Wanted Was the Dream, Fly Away/I Go to Rio, Everything Old Is New Again, Irving Berlin Medley, Only Wounded, Come Save Me, Somebody's Angel, Harbour, Don't Cry Out Loud, Quiet Please, There's a Lady on Stage, Once Before I Go, As Time Goes By & I Honestly Love You/Audience.
Musicians on the Captured Live At Carnagie Hall album: Peter Allen, Michael Braun, Louis Cortelezzi, Nikki Gregoroff, Michael Holmes, Kooster McAllister, Larry Saltzman, Dian Sorel and others.
Not The Boy Next Door
Arista Records 1983
Tracks: Just Another Make-Out Song, Not the Boy Next Door, You'll Always Get Your Way, You and Me (We Had It All), Fade to Black, Somebody's Got Your Love, You Haven't Heard the Last of Me, Easy on the Weekend & Once Before I Go.
Musicians on the Not The Boy Next Door album: Peter Allen, Victor Feldman, Ronnie Scott, David Foster, Joe Chemay, Michael Boddicker, Vinnie Colaiuta, George Doering, Russell Ferrante, Steve Forman, James Haas, Clydene Jackson, Charles Johnson, Jon Joyce, Julia Tillman Waters, Neil Stubenhaus, Fred Tackett & Maxine Willard Waters.
The Very Best Of Peter Allen
A&M Records 1982
Tracks: I Go To Rio, Don't Wish Too Hard, Quiet Please There's A Lady on stage, I Love You I Honestly Love you, Fly Away, One Step Over The Borderline, Don't Cry Out Loud, Everything Old Is New Again, Tenterfield Saddler, I Could Have Been A Sailor, Bi-coastal, More I See You, I'd Rather Leave While I'm in love, She Loves To Hear The Music, Just Ask Me I've Been There & I Still Call Australia Home.
Musicians on the The Very Best Of Peter Allen album: Peter Allen and others.
The Best
A&M Records 1982
Tracks: Bi-Coastal, Everything Old Is New Again, I´d Rather Leave While I´m Alone, Just Ask Me I´ve Been There, I Don´t Go Shopping, Don´t Cry Out Loud, i Honestly Love You & Fly Away.
Musicians on the The Best album: Peter Allen and others.
Bi-Coastal
A&M Records 1980
Tracks: One Step over the Borderline, Fly Away, Bi-Coastal, I Don't Go Shopping, Hit in the Heart, I Could Really Show You Around, Somebody's Angel, Simon, Pass This Time & When This Love Affair Is Over.
Musicians on the Bi-Coastal album: Peter Allen, Erich Bulling, David Foster, Steve George, Jay Graydon, Ed Greene, Gary Herbig, Jerry Hey, Ralph Humphrey, Steve Lukather, Dave McDaniels, Eugene Meros, Richard Page, Jeff Porcaro, Mike Porcaro, Lon Price, Jose Rossy, Carlos Vega, David Williams, Larry Williams, Richie Zito, Paulhino Da Costa, Gary Grant, Larry Hall, Lew McCreary, Bill Reichenbach & Louis Cortelezzi.
I Could Have Been A Sailor
A&M Records 1979
Tracks: I Could Have Been A Sailor, Don´t Wish To Hard, Two Boys, Angels With Dirty Faces, Don´t Cry Out Loud, If You Were Wondering, Don´t Leave Me Now, I´d Rather Leave While I´m In Love, We´ve Come To An Understanding & Paris At 21.
Musicians on the I Could Have Been A Sailor album: Peter Allen, Peter Allen, Marvin Hamlisch, JimMauelin, Rick Maratta, Ed Greene, John Tropea, Will Lee, Abraham Laboriel, Ray Parker, Jr., DanFerguson,David Spinozza, Richard Tee, Greg Phillinganes, Michael J. Boddicker, Jay Graydon, VictorFeldman, Larry Knetchel, Steve Schafer, Leland Sklar, Fred Tackett, Clydie King, Venetta Fields, Sherlie Matthews, Marti McCall, Paulhino Da Costa, Bruce Roberts, Dave Parlato, Mike Post, Geoff Howe, Dan Sawyer, Jim Pierce, Linda Dillard, Herb Pedersen & Joey Scarbury.
It´s Time For Peter Allen
A&M Records 1977
Tracks : Love Crazy, She Loves To Hear The Music, Everything Old Is New Again, Interesting Changes, I Honestly Love You, Continental Americal, Natural Thing To Do, More I See You, As Time Goes By, Intermission/I Honestly Love You. Don´t Wish To Hard, Don´t Cry Out Loud, Tenterfield Saddler, Puttin´ Out Roots/The Sideshow´s Leavign, I Go To Rio, Quiet Please There´s A Lady On Stage & Audience.
Musicians on the It´s Time For Peter Allen album: Peter Allen, Peter Donald, John Guth, Tim May, Dave Parlato, Rubin Rivera, Marshall Rosenberg, Fred Thaler & Michael Warren.
Taught By Experts
A&M Records 1976
Tracks: Puttin´ Out Roots, She Loves To Hear The Music, Back Doors Crying, I Go To Rio, Planes, Quiet Please There´s A Lady In Stage, This Time Around, More I See You, Harbour, /I´ve been) Taught By Experts & Six-Thirty/New York I Don´t Know.
Musicians on the Taught By Experts album: Peter Allen, Thom Rotella, John Jarvis, Judy Eliot, Jim Keltner, Chuck Domanico, Marilyn Baker, Jim Gordon, Jerome Richardson, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, Charles Larkey, Barry Lazarowitz, Herb Alpert, Herb Pedersen, Abigail Hanness, Rick Littlefield, Frank Maracco, John Thomas Johnson, Henry Sigsimonti, Gregory Connell, Jeanne Arnold, Christy Thompson and others.
The Songs of Allen & Sager (Promo)
The New York Times Music Corporation 1975
Tracks: Everything Old Is New Again, The Natural Thing To Do, The Lives of Me, Just Ask Me I've Been There, Jennifer, Long Time Looking, Tenterfield Saddler, Pretty Pretty, Will We Ever Find Our Fathers, Ah My Sister, Harbour, Planes, and Shy As A Violet.
Musicians on the The Songs of Allen & Sager album: Peter Allen, Carole Bayer Sager and others.
Continental American
A&M Records 1974
Tracks: Just A Gigolo, Everything Old Is New Again, Natural Thing To Do, Pretty Pretty, Continental American, Just Ask Me I´ve Been There, I Honestly Love You, This Side Shoe´s Leaving Town & Just A Gigolo (reprise).
Musicians on the Continental American album: Peter Allen, John Tropea, Jon Faddis, Marvin Stamm, Howard Johnson, Seldon Powell, Ernie Royal, Bill Watrous, Ralph MacDonald, David Nadien, Amanuel Vardi, Sue Evans, Julien Barber, Seymour Berger, Sam T. Brown, Alfred Brown, Garnett Brown, James Buffington, Francisco Centeno, Arthur Clark, Selwart Clarke. Harry Cykman, Joseph DeAngelis, Jonathan Dorn, Steve Gadd, Paul Gershman, Emanuel Green, Harry Lookofsky, Anthony Jackson, Jack Jeffers, Arthur Jenkins, Jack Jennings, Walter Kane, Harry Kohn, Phil Kross, Beverly Lauridsen, Charles Libove, Keith Loving, Joseph Malin, Daniel Moore, Kermit Moore, Gene Orloff, Matthew Raimondi, Romeo Renque, George Ricci, Bill Salter, Sol Schlinger, Billy Slapin, Andrew Smith, David Spinoza, Tony Studd, Richard Tee, Brooks Tillotson, Harold Vick, Frank Wess, Joseph B. Wilder & Peter Gordon.
Tenterfield Saddler
A&M Records 1972
Tracks: Tenderfield Saddler, More Than I Like You, Same Way I Came In, Good See You Up There, I Can Tell A Lie, Just Ask Me I´ve Been There, Cocoon, Harbour, Somebody Beautiful Just Undid Me & Other Side.
Musicians on the Tenterfield Saddler album: Peter Allen, Bill Keith, John Tropea, Richard Davis, John Hall, Richard Landis, Ralph McDonald, Bob Daugherty, Emanuel Green, Wells Kelly, Hugh McCracken, Don Payne & Al Rogers.
Peter Allen
Metromedia Records 1971
Tracks: Honest Queen, Where The Sun Never Shine, 5 O'clock In L.A., Glittering Zero, Lives Of Me, Dixie, Looking Thru The Eye, Six Thirty Sunday Morning, Heart Of Everything, Marriage, What Difference Does It Make & Spit Before You Swallow.
Musicians on the Peter Allen album: Peter Allen, Herb Bushler, David Horowitz, Mark Horowitz, James Johnston & Carl Lynch.
Album #1
Mercury Records 1968
Tracks: Ten Below, Next plane to London, Picture Me, Medley #2 Wizard of Oz, Puff The Magic Dragon, A Man and a Woman, Medley #1 Come Rain or shine, Rain The Park And Other Things, A Baby's Coming, Just Friends & Waltzing Mathilda.
Musicians on the Peter Allen album: Peter Allen, Chris Allen and others.