by JT GriffithThe kitsch enthusiast or novelty seeker will get a kick out of Ray Conniff's 1974 album The Way We Were. Known primarily for orchestral versions of contemporary pop songs, his recordings during the late 1960s and early 1970s by himself and as Ray Conniff and the Singers included many straightforward recordings of current pop hits. This 1974 collection, sans singers, includes songs by Paul Simon, Elton John, Helen Reddy, and music from Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Serpico, and The Way We Were. This fun easy listening album has good track listing and includes a guest vocal appearance (on the title track) by Jackie Ward, of the Jackie Ward Singers, who performed with the Partridge Family.