We're Not Children Anymore!
Stormy Hunter | Encinitas, California USA | 09/14/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In one sense, the other reviewer is right. This is about as steamy as pop music got in 1958. Abbe Lane's sultry voice delivers lyrics like "I may say no, no, no, but do it again.." with enough octane to make a mannequin breathe! The most wonderfully dated song here is "Femininity". Abbe sings "I want a family life, woman's career / but all that I get is a pinch on the rear..", She delivers such lines with a touch of braggadocio and Sid Ramin's meowing strings provide swingin' catcalls. The arrangements are superb (you can actually hear the heat rising in "Do It Again") and the Living Stereo sound has aged very well. Remastering by BMG Spain is excellent too. Grab this one while you can!"
ABBE'S HOT DOUBLE-UP ALBUMS ARE A REAL FIND!
A. POLLOCK | PLYMOUTH, DEVON United Kingdom | 03/08/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"With her well established exotic image, it's hard to realise Abbe Lane was actually a Brooklyn-born Jewish girl who began her career as a child actress and progressed through to singing with the Xavier Cugat Orchestra; marrying the band-boss, and following the obvious Latin music influences of cha-cha and rumba in her vocal repertoire. Filling such a niche ensured success and THE LADY IN RED combines two excellent albums Abbe recorded in 1958.
The first, BE MINE TONIGHT combines popular songs of the day - WHATEVER LOLA WANTS, ANNA and ARRIVEDERCI ROMA with standards or Latin-originated numbers like BABALU, NOCHE DE RONDA, OYE ME MAMA, GREEN EYES and TOO MARVELLOUS FOR WORDS. With backing by Tito Fuente, the brassy orchestrations heighten the Latin feel and it's hard to resist Abbe's sultry vocal style and her occasional move into Spanish and French lyrics which add to the catchy ambiance of the album which is said to be Abbe's most popular seller.
THE LADY IN RED contrasts the orchestrations of the first album with Sid Ramin's mainly string-underpinning approach towards standards DO IT AGAIN, AIN'T MISBEHAVIN', BREEZIN' ALONG WITH THE BREEZE, SOME OF THESE DAYS and others which are sometimes rendered in slower but effective mood tempos than usual although there is still an underlying Latin lilt present in the album's title number. Abbe also includes FEMININITY - a typical show and cabaret turn plus WE'RE NOT CHILDREN ANY MORE from the Broadway musical OH, CAPTAIN (1958) in which she starred. Bonus tracks THE MAN I LOVE and SOME OF THESE DAYS ideally fit this reissue concept.
UK-based Flare is responsible for this irresistible pairing of two top-notch albums that not only serves as a reminder of Abbe Lane's vocal talent but together make this collection a desirable purchase with excellent stereo remastering and attractive cover catching both the ear and eye.
"
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
