Hughie Mac Sings Some Great Songs Pt. 3.

Philadelphia’s serenader and prolific recording artist, Hughie Mac, turns back time with is song choices, but keeps the energy high in the delightful Hughie Mac Sings Some Great Songs Pt. 3. There’s a reason these songs are timeless and Mac’s adoration for the songs that defined American music for the past 100 years is one of caring and devotion.

With 32 total songs, it’s hard not to be set adrift to Mac’s charming affections and clear-as-day vocals. Local folks know Mac for his various restaurant gigs and nightclub appearances throughout the years, but fans new to the Mac “mania” will find his swooning renditions of “Desperado”, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” “Beyond The Sea” and “Lonesome Town” just as moving as the originals.

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In “Desperado” the piano has a bit more brightness. Mac vocal delivery ‘breathes in’ when he sings the lyrics you been ridin’ fences for so long now, oh, you’re a hard one, I know that you got your reasons, these things that are a pleasin’ you, can you hurt you somehow, he abides by the song’s natural nuances and convictions. He peppers just the right about amount of inflection on ‘reasons’ and ‘you’. “Desperado” was written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey and performed by The Eagles. Linda Ronstadt famously performed the song on her 1973 album, Don’t Cry Now. Mac might lack the beauty Ronstadt provided the song, but he certainly takes the song to heart.

I also enjoyed his cover of “Hello Mary Lou”. He has this sort of smoky tone to his voice, and while it’s not as crisp as the legendary crooner, Ricky Nelson, “Hello Mary Lou” is still a fun ride. The music bed is spot on and he didn’t lose any of the orchestration’s upbeat (and downbeat) quirks. He may not have James Burton playing lead guitar, but Mac displays admirable efforts. “hello Mary Lou” is the second Nelson cover on the collection, with “Lonesome Town” being the first.

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Mac covers another Bobby Darin tune (besides “Beyond The Sea”) in track 29, “Dream Lover”. He even has an under-layer of siren-singing ‘wah-wah-wah’ while he sings every night I hope and pray, a dream lover will come my way. Again, he stays true to Darin’s original arrangement and tempo. And, coincidentally or not, Nelson sang “Dream Lover” on his lone Saturday Night Live appearance in February 1979. Mac rightfully so chooses his songbook to fit within his song range.

With so many songs to choose, and so many colorful wells to keep drawing from, Hughie Mac Sings Some Great Songs Pt. 3 is an ideal Spotify playlist for any weekend. It makes for a great party setting, and while the social distancing might keep friends and families apart, songs like these are why folks will stay together. These songs are sentimental in nature, but Mac draws upon the rich timbre in his voice to bring not only a wave of nostalgia, but a stream of joy. These songs make the listener feel alive and happy.

Samuel Pratt