LET THE 20's ROAR, AND LET EYDIE SING!
Giovanni | Chicago, IL | 01/25/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Once again, Japan has given us another of Eydie Gorme's earlier albums on a wonderful import CD. As with the rest of her albums now released in Japan, they are available in miniature LP styled sleeve for nostalgia's sake, but what makes that good for collectors and music fans alike is it gives us an exact replica of the original LP complete with liner notes. It also gives us a complete replica of the wonderful music that made up this LP way back when...and nostalgia is the theme here as the title would indicate. Recorded some 30 years after the Roaring 20's had their final roar, its a mixed bag of golden oldies from days long past. Eydie sings them all with style that could have gone over just as well back then as it did when she recorded this album...or when you hear it for the first time. Don Costa was the primary arranger (as usual on Eydie's albums) but commandeered Marion Evans and Buddy Bregman to do a few charts for him here as I will note later. Don's arranging/engineering "ploy" on the opening track WHEN THE RED RED ROBIN (Comes Bob Bob Bobbin' Along) evokes a smile, as well as harkens one back to those roarin' 20's indeed, but then Eydie comes in and gives this old song an "update". (Costa was commissioned for the great Connie Francis by Connie herself when she did her "Connie And Clyde" album, a similar collection of 20's tunes tastefully conveyed by Connie and Costa and one I would reccommend highly) While no one could ever steal MY MAN from "La Streisand", Eydie's version is a little more like Billie Holiday's reading, less the pathos, compliments of a somewhat smoky yet swingin' Costa chart. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, ever the Gene Kelly theme, gets a sunny treatment here by Eydie and a nice ad lib tag on the ending. One of my favorites here is Fred Fisher's anthem to "my home town" (no, really, it is!) CHICAGO. Buddy Bregman's chart leads us all over town where the man danced with his wife, then puts a great trick ending on the song and Eydie follows along superbly. Torch songs aren't missed here in this overall happy tune collection. MY BUDDY, the old WW I song surely will warm your heart and make you misty, especially if you have someone in the service right now. As with all the "good" music written so long ago, the sound may be "out", but the emotion behind it will always be "in". Great, evocative reading.
Eydie's version of TIPTOE THROUGH THE TULIPS, a catchy tune suggesting a little frolicking that was so risque at the time, becomes a fun-filled romp through those aforementioned flowers. Anyone who was particularly a fan of Al Jolson's would love this album, since most of these songs were sung by him back in those days, songs like BACK IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD, but considering he co-wrote it, why not? Eydie didn't co-write it, but she swings it like that great ol' back gate leading to YOUR own backyard. Wherever you are, this is a great CD to add to your collection."
Elevates the Roaring 20s
Jim Holtz | Madison, Wi United States | 04/23/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Eydie Gorme's 3rd album belongs along side the excellant! Only 3 of her 25 don't ! She takes very dated songs & gives them a timeless feeling. Please don't get upset when listening to 1st minute & half of the 1st track. She does that part in old 20s style but the rest of the music is in dateless 50s & 60s fashion. Just like Judy, Eydie has the voice of & for all ages! With doing the verse of Who's Sorry Now, Gorme has made it a completely different tune from the Connie Francis hit. The former's version is a mature torch song while the latter's is just an early Rock & Roll dittie. That maturity runs all through the 12 selections. With I Wanna Be Loved by You, Eydie mixes satire with sophistication! My Buddy, Let's Do It, & My Man are the songs that get "respect" from the "respected" vocalists. Still, here Eydie does those 3 & 9 less seriously taken songs in a way that would make one think the 20s were the most artistic decade for the Amercian Songbook. She did My Man before Steisand & both do completely different but compelling versions. To close it's nice to know that Eydie could take fun & dated songs & turn them into artistic evergreens. One of many reasosn why she is the best!"
A remarkable album
Jim Holtz | 12/11/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Eydie introduced this amazing album on T.V. shows and on the Garry Moore Show sang a medley of three songs recorded for the album and listed in the Schwann catalog for it but not in the final release. A stereo version followed the mono version AND IT'S A DIFFERENT ALBUM recorded at totally different recording sessions! Methinks this is the mono version as the stereo project didn't include all the songs--the opening trick number of "Red Red Robin" was dropped. I always hoped when it all hit C.D. someone woul dhave the brains to put on both the mono album and the stereo album PLUS the unreleased medley. No such luck, so far at least. The singng is magnificent, the arrangements terrific and the whole production history-making. This album was a big, big hit and stands the test of time perfectly. It's still sensational."
