Search - Belmonts :: Very Best Of: Tell Me Why

The very best of the non-Dion Belmonts, circa 1962-1964

Lawrance M. Bernabo | The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota | 09/30/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"
"The Very Best of the Belmonts" Tell Me Why" is really just songs by the Belmonts and does not contain hits by Dion and the Belmonts. Despite the widespread association of Dion's name as the lead singer with the Belmonts that particular Doo Wop quartet only recorded for a couple of years. When Dion went solo in 1960 the Belmonts continued to record with modest success. What you will find on these 25 tracks are first tenor Angelo D'Aleo, second tenor Fred Milano, and baritone Carlo Mastrangelo (replaced by Frank Lyndon in 1962) taking over the vocal leads. The group was sometimes aided and abetted by other lead singers like Pete Barin and Buddy Christie (who usually sounded a lot like Dion DiMucci).



Collectible records presents the songs the Belmont recorded in 1961-1964 for their own label, Sabina. Six of these songs charted: "Tell Me Why (#18), "Come On Little Angel" (#28), "Diddle-Dee-Dum" (#53), a cover of Duke Ellington's "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" (#57), "I Need Someone" (#75), and "Ann-Marie" (#86). However, the Belmonts could never escape Dion's shadow. They were offered first crack at "The Wanderer" and passed on the song, which went on to become Dion's signature hit. Is it any reason that irony is the master trope of the universe? Surprisingly most of the tracks on "Tell Me Why" are in stereo, which helps to ac-cent-tchu-ate the Doo Wop harmonies of the Belmonts, their prime attraction as a music group. The tracks are not arranged in chronological order, so do not let that throw you into thinking you have picked up a collection of different Doo Wop groups; these are all the various instantiations of the post-Dion Belmonts. There are not a great group, even when they were fronted by Dion, but they were a good group. For the best of Dion and the Belmonts just pick up "Dion Sings His Greatest Hits."

The Belmonts without Dion....lead singer Carlo

Lawrance M. Bernabo | 02/21/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"ZIf you like Dion's solo works or Teenager In Love then tracks 1,2,4,8,9,13 and 22 are for you. They are all soundalikes of that "Dion Sound" and are the best tracks on this cd. The other tracks are slow ballady types, a couple country sounding songs! But this cd is worth every penny...the sound quality is great...almost all tracks in stereo...and with the great voice of Carlo Mastrelango(cousin of Johnny Maestro of the Crests) Also if you like this sound, pick up the Ace Cd "Carlo and the Belmonts"(avalible on Amazon) for the great track Little Orphan Girl...great solo song by Carlo featuring a group known as The Tremonts(became the Elegants a few years later).Anyway.......this is a good cd and you should buy it if you are a Dion fan"

Wow - Collectables Delivers ALL The Goods

Lawrance M. Bernabo | 08/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone perusing any of my other reviews may have noticed that - with a few exceptions here and there - I have repeatedly picked on Collectables for their habit of leaving off something substantial when putting out an artist's "best of" or "greatest hits" collection.



On this one, however, they deliver all the goods, providing both sides of the six hit singles they had for Sabina from 1961 to 1963. Using the track listings above they were paired this way: 1/18; 5/3; 2/19; 4/21; 8/17; and 16/11. Without Dion just two of the hits made the Top 40, but it also must be pointed out that Dion, on his own, also struggled a bit with just 3 of his solo cuts making the Top 40.



From Runaround Sue in 1961 - his first [and only] # 1 after splitting from The Belmonts - to Drip Drop [# 6 in 1963] he had 11 Top 40 hits with the backing of The Del Satins who, when all is said and done, sounded very much LIKE The Belmonts.



The Belmonts' last hit came in 1981 for the MiaSound label when Let's Put The Fun Back In Rock N Roll went to # 81 Billboard Pop Hot 100 b/w Your Mama Ain't Always Right. But Collectables can't be faulted for leaving this one off since it was a pairing with Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon.



A nice collection worth having."