''Easy'' is a studio album by Nancy Wilson, released in May 1968 by

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...

. It features arrangements by Jimmy Jones and was produced by David Cavanaugh. The opening and closing tracks are composed by

Antônio Carlos Jobim Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim (25 January 1927 – 8 December 1994), also known as Tom Jobim (), was a Brazilian composer, pianist, guitarist, songwriter, arranger, and singer. Considered one of the great exponents of Brazilian mu ...

. In his review at

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...

, Stephen Cook praises Wilson's "sultry and assured delivery" but criticizes the charts by Jimmy Jones. Cook notes "a few standout tracks, like the assured and dramatic version of 'Gentle On My Mind' and the single 'Face It Girl, It's Over.'" The album reached #5 on the Hot R&B LPs chart and No51 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The single "Face it Girl, it's Over" peaked at No. 15 on the

Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...

chart and No. 29 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It is a longer edit (3:09) than the LP version and features a non-album track, "The End of Our Love," as the B-side.

Reissues

''Easy'' was reissued in 1978 by Capitol Records (Capitol SM-11802) but did not include the song "Walk Away." In 2016, the album was finally released on compact disc and in a streaming version by

Caroline Records Caroline Records is a record label originally founded in 1973. Initially founded in the United Kingdom to showcase British progressive rock groups, the label ceased releasing titles in 1976, and then re-emerged in the United States in 1986. ...

, in association with SoulMusic Records. It was paired with '' Welcome to My Love'', Wilson's previous album. The CD reinstates the song "Walk Away" and includes four bonus tracks from the ''Easy'' sessions.

Track listing

Side 1

# "

Wave In physics, mathematics, and related fields, a wave is a propagating dynamic disturbance (change from equilibrium) of one or more quantities. Waves can be periodic, in which case those quantities oscillate repeatedly about an equilibrium (r ...

" (

) - 2:45 # "Make Me a Present of You" (

Joe Greene Charles Edward Greene (born September 24, 1946), better known as "Mean" Joe Greene, is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1969 to ...

) - 2:49 # " Gentle on My Mind" (

John Hartford John Cowan Hartford (December 30, 1937 – June 4, 2001) was an American folk, country, and bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo, as well as for his witty lyrics, unique vocal style, and extensive k ...

) - 2:40 # "When I Look in Your Eyes" (

Leslie Bricusse Leslie Bricusse OBE (; 29 January 1931 – 19 October 2021) was a British composer, lyricist, and playwright who worked on theatre musicals and wrote theme music for films. He was best known for writing the music and lyrics for the films '' D ...

) - 2:56 # " Love Is Blue (L'Amour Est Bleu)" (

André Popp André Charles Jean Popp (19 February 1924 – 10 May 2014) was a French composer, arranger and screenwriter. Biography Popp was born into a family of German-Dutch background, in Fontenay-le-Comte, Vendée. He started his career as a church org ...

Pierre Cour Pierre Cour (5 April 1916 – 22 December 1995) was a French songwriter who wrote songs for several generations of artists. He wrote a number of successful songs in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Among those who recorded his songs are Dalida, Rog ...

, Brian Blackburn) - 2:10 # "Walk Away" ( Don Black,

Udo Jürgens Udo Jürgens (born Jürgen Udo Bockelmann; 30 September 1934 – 21 December 2014) was an Austrian composer and singer of popular music whose career spanned over 50 years. He won the Eurovision Song Contest 1966 for Austria, composed close ...

) - 3:44

Side 2

# "Face it Girl, it's Over" ( Andy Badale, Frank Stanton) - 2:37 # " The Look of Love" (

Burt Bacharach Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; born May 12, 1928) is an American composer, songwriter, record producer and pianist who composed hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. A six-time Gr ...

Hal David Harold Lane David (May 25, 1921 – September 1, 2012) was an American lyricist. He grew up in New York City. He was best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach and his association with Dionne Warwick. Early life David ...

) - 2:25 # "One Like You" ( Gene DiNovi,

Tony Velona Anthony Velona (November 16, 1920 – January 31, 1986) was an American author, lyricist, and composer. Velona was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. He wrote or co-wrote numerous songs including the 1955 hit ''Domani "Domani" (Italian for "tom ...

) - 3:44 # "Make Me Rainbows" (

Marilyn Bergman Alan Bergman (born September 11, 1925) and Marilyn Keith Bergman (November 10, 1928 – January 8, 2022) were an American songwriting duo. Married from 1958 until Marilyn's death, together they wrote music and lyrics for numerous celebrated telev ...

Alan Bergman Alan Bergman (born September 11, 1925) and Marilyn Keith Bergman (November 10, 1928 – January 8, 2022) were an American songwriting duo. Married from 1958 until Marilyn's death, together they wrote music and lyrics for numerous celebrated telev ...

, John T. Williams) - 2:30 # " How Insensitive (Insensatez)" (Jobim,

Vinícius de Moraes Marcus Vinícius da Cruz e Mello Moraes (19 October 1913 – 9 July 1980), better known as Vinícius de Moraes () and nicknamed O Poetinha ("The little poet"), was a Brazilian poet, diplomat, lyricist, essayist, musician, singer, and playwright ...

Norman Gimbel Norman Gimbel (November 16, 1927 – December 19, 2018) was an American lyricist of popular songs, television and movie themes. He wrote the lyrics for songs including " Killing Me Softly with His Song", "Ready to Take a Chance Again" (both with ...

- 3:04

2016 CD Bonus Tracks

# "The End of Our Love" ( Charles Singleton, Nancy Wilson) - 2:22 # "Anytime" (Herbert Lawson) - 2:19 # "Hurry Change (If You’re Coming)" (Arthur Feldman, Tennyson Stephens) - 4:02 # "No Easy Way Down" (

Gerry Goffin Gerald Goffin (February 11, 1939 – June 19, 2014) was an American lyricist. Collaborating initially with his first wife, Carole King, he co-wrote many international pop hits of the early and mid-1960s, including the US No.1 hits " Will You L ...

Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one o ...

) - 3:07

Personnel

* Nancy Wilson - vocals * Jimmy Jones - arranger, conductor * H. B. Barnum - arranger, conductor ("Face it Girl, it's Over") * David Cavanaugh - producer

References

1968 albums Nancy Wilson (jazz singer) albums Albums produced by Dave Cavanaugh Albums arranged by Jimmy Jones (pianist) Albums arranged by H. B. Barnum Albums conducted by Jimmy Jones (pianist) Albums conducted by H. B. Barnum Capitol Records albums {{1960s-jazz-album-stub