line up 1 (1973-80)

- Dianne Lee (aka Dianne Littlehales) -- vocals

- Lennie Peters (aka Gary Hall), aka Leonard George Sargent)

  (RIP 1992) -- vocals

- Dianne Lee (solo efforts)

- Lennie Peters (solo efforts)

- Lennie Peters and Melody

- Price and Lee (Dianne Lee)

Genre: pop

Rating: 1 stars *

Title:  We Can Make It

Company: Philips

Catalog: 6308 165
Year: 1973

Country/State: Islington, North London, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: UK pressing

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 1717

Price: $10.00

Born Leonard George Sargent, under the stage name Lennie Peters, he started playing keyboards on the London club scene.  

Blinded by a pair of accidents (a car accident took the sight in one eye and a brick blinded him in the other), Peters had a decent enough voice and in 1963 he started his recording career with  a pair of singles for the British Oriole label:

- 1963's 'And My Heart Cried' b/w 'For a Lifetime' (Oriole catalog number 45 CB-1887)

- 1964's 'Let the Tears Begin' b/w 'Love Me Love Me' (Oriole catalog number CB-1956)

Over the next six years he struggled on the club circuit, performing with little recognition throughout the country.  In 1966 he reappeared on Pye Records, releasing a one-shot single:

- 1966's 'Strangers In Paradise' b/w 'Behind My Smile' (Pye catalog number 7N 17085)

Three years later he released another single on the small Gemini label:
-1970's 'Here We Go Again' b/w 'For A Lifetime' (Gemini catalog number GMS 002)

In 1970 Peters met dancer Dianne Littlehales (aka Dianne Lee).  Peters management company suggested he start working with Lee and the pair cobbled together a club act.  Originally known as Peters & Melody, they quickly modified the name to Peters & Lee.  The pair's initial break came when they won a series of seven appearances on ITV's musical talent show Opportunities Knocks (imagine an early version of American Idol).

Based on their television successes Philips signed the pair to a contract.  Produced by John Franz, 1973's "We Can Make" pulled together material from their earlier ITV performances ('All Change Places', 'I'm Confession'', 'Let It Be Me', and 'All I Ever Need Is You'), along with new studio tracks.  As non-writers, the pair were at the mercy of Franz who wasted little time pulling together a mixture of popular covers and lesser known tune; all given an MOR sheen.   If you ever heard one of the their ITV performances, you'd have a clear understanding of the fact this was material aimed at maximizing sales to moms, dads, uncles, aunts, and grandparents.  This stuff was about as cool and happening as a buying an umbrella.  The funny thing was Peters actually had a decent voice, occasionally sounding like a second-rate Las Vegas lounge act singer.  Lee simply wasn't much of a presence; usually relegated to background vocals, harmony vocals, and echoing Peters phrasing.   Admittedly she was easy on the eyes which may have been the reason for her being there in the first place.   

Were there any good songs on the album?  Nah, but there were a couple of decent performances with their cover of 'Take To the Mountains' and 'Good Morning Freedom ' being at least listenable.   Funniest review I stumbled across for the album: "Lennie Peters is blind, Diane Lee is not. I can understand why Lennie might have gone with this cover, but what's Diane's excuse???"

"We Can Make It" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) All Change Places   (Garfield - Gold) - 

As mentioned, 'All Change Places' was one of the songs they performed on ITV's Opportunity Knocks.  As far as these guys went, this one wasn't half bad; kind of a heavily orchestrated, middle class slice of social commentary.   rating: *** stars

2.) I'm Confessin'   (Dougherty - Raynolds) - 

Hard to understand why they'd take a bluesy number and turn it into a throwaway slice of pop - about as soulful as a McDonald's commercial.  rating: ** stars

3.) Take To the Mountains  (Hazard) - 

Thanks to the rock backing, 'Take To the Mountains' was probably the album's closest thing to a conventional, top-40 pop hit.   Surprisingly decent ...   rating: *** stars

4.) Turn To Me   (Blackburn - John Franz) - 

Co-written by producer John Franz  (probably explaining how it got on the album), 'Turn To Me' was nothing more than cocktail lounge schlock.  Hideous.   rating: * star

5.) There They Go   (Harold Dorman) - 

The album's strangest tune, 'There They Go' managed to take Harold Dorman's forgotten classiic and turn it into the lamest reggae tune you've ever heard.   This one should put your three old to sleep in a heartbeat.   rating: * stars

6.) We Can Make It   (Ivor Raymonde - Tony Hiller) - 

The Brotherhood of Man had the original hit (itself a pretty lame performance), but this heavily orchestrated version was sappy beyond all belief.  You also got an opportunity to hear just how limited Lee's little girl voice was.  rating: ** stars

(side 2)
1.) Let It Be Me   (Gilbert Becaud - Pierre Delanoe - Mann Curtis) - 

One of the few tunes where Lee actually did more than hang around on backing vocals and harmonies.  Unfortunately their cover of of this pop chestnut was simply cloying.  If you've got to hear this tune, at least drag out The Everly Brothers version.   rating: ** stars

2.) Cryin' In the Rain   (Carole King - Howard Greenfield) 

Another lame reggae-fied cover ...  rating: * star

3.) Good Morning Freedom   (Roger Cook - Roger Greenaway - Hammond - Hazlewood) - 

Blue Mink had the original hit ...  this one at least displayed a little bit of energy and was the one spot where Lee showed a touch of talent..     rating: *** star

4.) Cryin' Time   (Buck Owens)

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz    rating: *

5.) Never My Love   (Donald Addrisi - Richard Addrisi) - 

You have to wonder why they would have bothered covering this old Association hit, especially since they gave it a slowed downed arrangement that was guaranteed to make any listener drowsy.  rating: * star

6.) Welcome Home   (P. Blackburn - J. Dupre  - S. Beldbone) - 

The tune they were best known ...  The song serves to capture their strengths and weakness. - bouncy, radio-friendly melody that should have appealed to grandparents everywhere.  To my ears it was nothing more than forgettable mid-'70s MOR pap, but it was immensely popular in the UK, topping the charts (as did the parent album).   YouTube has a clip of them performing the tune on The Top of the Pops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww4v2cP-MDo

The tune was released as a single throughout the world, including the US:

- 1973's 'Welcome Home' b/w 'Can't Keep My Mind On The Game' (catalog number Philips catalog number 40729)

Only 60, Peters died of bone marrow cancer in October 1992.