Search - Ethel Merman :: The Ethel Merman Collection

The Legendary Ethel Merman

Gary F. Taylor | Biloxi, MS USA | 09/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"On 13 October 1930 a former stenographer walked onto the stage, sang "I Got Rythm," and in the process held a single note for an incredible thirty-two bars. Her personality was larger than life; her voice was powerful enough to blow open a barn door at sixty paces; and in the era before sound systems you could hear every single word in the balcony back row. A star was born, and her name was Ethel Merman. She would hold Broadway in thrall for two decades.



In those two decades Merman would appear in a host of celebrated musicals, a handful of films, and introduce more great standards than you can count. There is no way a "best of" compilation can do her justice--but THE ETHEL MERMAN COLLECTION comes as close as any single disk collection can. Most of the great ones are here, along with several of her lesser-known but no less greatly performed titles.



Many of the songs are obvious. It would be impossible to have an Ethel Merman collection without including "You're the Top," "I Get A Kick Out of You," "Doin' What Comes Naturally," "Hostess With the Mostes" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses"--to name but a few, all of them great standards of the Broadway stage and all of them sung to perfection. Fortunately, the collection also includes a few you may not have previously encountered, such as "Eadie Was A Lady," "Make It Another Old Fashioned, Please," and two brassy duets with Ray Bolger, "Dearie" and "If I Knew You Were Coming I'd've Bake A Cake." But whether the song is a roundhouse punch or a simple throw away, Merman never gave less than one hundred percent--and she's very much there in every single note.



A few of the songs here could stand a remaster, and I was unhappy with the version of "There's No Business Like Show Business" that is offered here. But short of a box set or a wholesale purchase of all the available Broadway soundtracks, this is probably as good as it gets--and when you're talking about the legendary Ethel Merman, that is very, very good indeed.



GFT, Amazon Reviewer

With special thanks to Michael Wilk, who loaned me his CD"

A Great Recording By a Great Star!

Gary F. Taylor | 08/17/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's true, this IS a great CD and the best collection of Merman's songs I've seen. The 21 songs cover most of her career and contain virtually all of HER songs from "I Got Rhythm" to "Everything's Coming Up Roses." This CD proves, if it needed proving, that Merman had IT! I's great to hear the songs in essentially chronological order. My favorite songs are the relative unknowns: "Make It Another Old Fashioned Please" and the very witty "I've Still Got My Health." Just as Judy Garland was the queen of the Hollywood musical, Merman was the queen of Broadway. What did they have in common? TALENT!"

Brilliant Performances from the Unforgettable Merman

Gary F. Taylor | 10/17/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ethel Merman dated? NEVER. These are some of the greatest performances of a true genius of the popular song. The tracks include everything from "I Got Rhythm" (which, as the Merm used to say, "really put me on the map) to the comedy of "Dearie" to the stunning drama of "Rose's Turn." A wonderful collection. A superlative singer."