SEALED WITH A KISS
(Garry Geld/ Peter Udell)
Ventures: December 1967 LP $1,000,000 Weekend (US No.55)
Shadows: September 1990 LP/CD Reflection (UK No.5)
To describe this song as overblown and mawkish would be a kindness, even by early 60s pining teen idol standards, so much so that as an instrumental it is probably better entrusted to the lush tones of a large-scale orchestra. Both groups, one in the wake of Brian Hyland or rather perhaps of Gary Lewis & The Playboys and the other of Jason Donovan, do a fair job of reflecting the honied sentiment. The Ventures’ version sounds the more contrived and cloying of the two, Hank’s lead guitar affording incidental interest with its tonal variations.