Fans of the immortal Doris Day got a surprise earlier this month when the somewhat-reclusive legend and active animal rights crusader announced plans to release a new CD collection, her 29^th studio recording, later this year. Entitled My Heart and possibly set for a UK release later this year courtesy of Day’s longtime label Columbia/Sony, the set will reissue  4 vintage recordings and debut 8 previously-unreleased tracks recorded circa 1985 with Day’s son, Terry Melcher, at the controls. From her longtime home in Carmel Valley, California, Day commented at her website, “These songs all mean so much to me…They bring back happy memories of my friends who appeared on TV with me, my animal friends, and most of all, my [late] son Terry.”

Doris Day’s Best Friends debuted in 1985 on cable television network CBN (Christian Broadcasting Network) and is, to date, Day’s last major on-screen appearance. The series of 26 half-hour programs was devoted to the friends nearest and dearest to Day’s heart, animals. While passionately advocating for animal welfare issues, Day used the talk show format to reconnect with celebrities such as Tony Bennett, Tony Randall, Kaye Ballard, Howard Keel, Robert Wagner, Leslie Nielsen and of course, Rock Hudson. Day engaged her son, renowned producer Terry Melcher, to serve as the program’s executive producer and musical director. Day and Melcher cut a number of pop songs for use on the show plus a new theme song. (Day didn’t perform the songs live on the show, but they were used over video montages.)

Many of the songs related to animals, and most were pop songs cast in a then-contemporary musical setting, unique among Day’s recordings. Day had largely stopped recording before the dawn of the 1970s, so it was a particular treat for fans to hear her still in such strong voice on this array of cover versions. Given his long history with the band, it’s no surprise that Melcher drew heavily on Beach Boys-related material. He brought in four Bruce Johnston compositions: his classic “Disney Girls,” “Heaven Tonight” (also recorded by Captain and Tennille) and two Johnston/Melcher co-writes, “The Way I Dreamed It” and the song that gives the new CD its title track, “My Heart.”  Melcher teamed with Mike Love and Bill House on the track “Make It Big,” and Day also cut a version of Billy Preston’s timeless “You Are So Beautiful,” long rumored to have been written, at least in part, by Dennis Wilson who performed it as a concert staple.

Hit the jump for a list of 16 tracks recorded by Day and Melcher, some of which may be selected for the upcoming CD release. One previously-unknown track, “Happy Endings,” has been confirmed to close out the CD, and it’s Terry’s own version of the Melcher/Johnston song recorded by the Beach Boys and Little Richard in 1987. Day has provided a new spoken introduction for the track. (This recording may actually pre-date the Beach Boys’, and may in fact be the demo.) You’ll also find songs by Paul Simon, Elton John and the Beatles among the possible selections for My Heart, and once the track listing is revealed by Day and Sony, The Second Disc will be here to provide it.

Songs from the television series Doris Day’s Best Friends (CBN, 1985)

1. Best Friends (Theme from Doris Day’s Best Friends) (Terry Melcher/Bill House)
2. At the Zoo (Paul Simon)
3. Crocodile Rock (Elton John/Bernie Taupin)
4. Daydream (John Sebastian)
5. Disney Girls (Bruce Johnston)
6. Everyone’s Gone to the Moon (Jonathan King)
7. Heaven Tonight (Bruce Johnston)
8. Make It Big (Duet with Terry Melcher) (Terry Melcher/Mike Love/Bill House)
9. My Heart (Bruce Johnston/Terry Melcher)
10. Octopus’ Garden (Richard Starkey)
11. Rescue Me (Carl Smith/Raynard Miner)
12. Ryan’s Roundup (Terry Melcher/Bill House)
13. Stewball (Traditional, arranged by Terry Melcher)
14. The Way I Dreamed It (Bruce Johnston/Terry Melcher)
15. Wildfire (Michael Martin Murphey/Larry Cansler)
16. You Are So Beautiful (Billy Preston/Bruce Fisher)