Greatest Hits – MRS MILLER*

Downtown/The Shadow Of Your Smile/A Hard Day’s Night/Dear Heart/Chim Chim Cher-Ee/These Boots Are Made For Walkin’/A Lover’s Concerto/Let’s Hang On/Catch A Falling Star/Gonna Be Like That/My Love

A mid sixties curiosity. The tone-deaf Elva Miller was an easy target for the pundits. Not only could she not sing, but she was safely middle aged at a time when the cult of youth was becoming dominant in the music industry. This being 1966 her songs had both a proper structure and a catchy tune (which she ruined). In future years many music pundits would be uncritical, often reverential, towards artists who were unable to sing, and who made no claims to be able to do so. However, unlike Mrs Miller, such artists were promoted as the cutting edge of musical fashion, despite possessing zero musical talent. (US:15)

"Mrs Elva Miller blasts onto the music scene in 1966 with this revolutionary debut. The impeccable diction found in her singing style is probably due, in part, to the fact that she has listened to opera recordings very closely. The collection of current hits is sung in the manner that only this new star can sing them. She has a sound and style all her own."

"This is not only way 'off beat' and 'makes cats howl' but is just downright ghastly. People who think that this terrible timing, warbling singer is 'funny' are clearly sniffing glue."

"This LP could some day show its worth in music teaching. With all her joyful singing, Mrs. Miller has put together a brilliant catalogue of all the things a musician in general, and a singer in particular, should not do. No more theory, just let the students listen."

"You have to hear this to believe it. Definitely from the 'so bad its good' camp. Mrs. Miller hits all the right notes so perfectly wrong."

"There was no one who sang like Mrs. Miller, for which I'm sure many people are grateful. At the same time, she was a true original - that warbling, off-key vibrato, the dreadful timing, the astonishing whistling breaks - she was instantly identifiable."

"Mrs. Miller is lusciously awful. No one can resist smiling and dancing as she tortures the standards. She forgets words, warbles like crazy and sounds just terrible."