Search - Frankie Avalon :: Frankie Avalon - 25 All Time Greatest Hits

Robert R. (flicknife) from CHICAGO, IL
Reviewed on 12/24/2009...

Kinda schmaltzy...but hey...it's Frankie!

Expanded anthology of Avalon's hit-making years

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 05/30/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Avalon is often relegated to the status of pretty-boy teen-idol who, along with Fabian, Bobby Rydell and others, stood in for Elvis during his residency in the Army. But listening to this 25-track collection, it's clear that there was never any intention (by either Avalon or his management) to position the crooner as a rock 'n' roller. These hit singles, B-sides and non-charting album tracks show him to be a balladeer through-and-through; a handsome, capable pop Sinatra (though, surprisingly, Avalon fashioned himself more after Perry Como).His first two hits, 1958's "De De Dinah" and "Ginger Bread" featured a nasal delivery that was dropped on the romantic follow-up, "I'll Wait For You." The ensuing string of hits, peaking with the chart-topping "Venus" and continuing through 1962's "You Are Mine," displayed tremendous charm. Non-threatening charm, to be sure -- how worried could parents be about a singer who covered "Tuxedo Junction"? -- but charm, nonetheless.It's no surprise that Avalon was a favorite with adolescent girls (and a bane to the boys who chased them), singing puppy-love fare such as "Just Ask Your Heart," "Why," and "Too Young To Love," as well as romantic dreams like "A Perfect Love." Even the pathos of "Don't Let Love Pass Me By" was aimed more squarely at stirring his fans' romantic daydreams than motivating their pity.The hit singles "Bobby Sox to Stockings" and "A Boy Without a Girl" (#8 and #10 A- and B-side of the same single!) are smoothly arranged, with polished backing vocals and polite drums that push the tempo without becoming raucous. The Don Costa arranged "You Are Mine" is spectacularly dramatic, and the sophisticated horn charts of "Swingin' on a Rainbow" lean to the Bobby Darin side of Las Vegas.As the '50s turned into the '60s, Avalon's music followed him into his burgeoning film career. The title song from "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" wasn't a hit, but features a fantastic production to accompany the movie's plot. And closing this collection are a pair of tunes, "Beach Party" and "Don't Stop Now," from Avalon's first AIP beach party film. (Sadly missing is his stupendous turn as The Potato Bug, a fictional British Invasion pop star, from the film "Bikini Beach.").The twenty-five tracks expand upon Varese's earlier collection, 1995's "The Best of Frankie Avalon," making this a significantly more complete anthology of Avalon's original sides. Those looking for more early material can fill in non-hit tracks with See for Miles' "The EP Collection.""

This Is All You Need!!!

Thomas J. Diehl | Rensselaer, NY United States | 02/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great cd set. People think this is just an expanded version of Varese's last Frankie Avalon cd set, theyre highly mistaken.



The tracks on this cd were ALL taken from the original first generation tapes where available, the master they used for Venus on this cd corrects the dropouts found on ALL previous cds, and the tape they used for this cd hadn't been played in over 40 years.



This cd also has some tracks in first time stereo, plus the very first cd issue of the original hit 45 rpm version of Two Fools. The later stereo version (which sounds totally different, but probably recorded around the same time) is on plenty of other cds, and varese was going to use it for this cd until myself and a few others persueded them to use the original 45 version.



At the time, I had been told that no 3-track tape exists for the original 45 version, so i assumed at the time that they were going to go with the mono version of the song because of it. When the discussion of using the mono hit vs. the stereo remake, the people who asked for the true 45 version on cd were given a lot of crap from those who wanted to have the song in stereo on the cd.



Well, the original 45 version of Two Fools made it onto this cd. That alone should make this cd worth buying as the 45 version is definitely superior to the later stereo re-recording. As an added bonus the 45 version does actually appear in a narrowed 2-track stereo mix, which should make the cd a winner for both those who wanted the 45 version on cd, and those who wanted the song in stereo on cd.



If you purchase this cd, there is not a need for any other Frankie Avalon hits package. If you own any other Frankie Avalon hits packages, throw them out and buy this one."