I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket - Fred Astaire, Berlin, Irving
Puttin' on the Ritz - Fred Astaire, Berlin, Irving
I'd Rather Lead a Band - Fred Astaire, Berlin, Irving
The Way You Look Tonight - Fred Astaire, Fields, Dorothy
Let's Call the Whole Thing Off - Fred Astaire, Gershwin, George
Hoops - Fred Astaire, Dietz, Howard
Hang on to Me - Fred Astaire, Gershwin, George
I'd Rather Charleston - Fred Astaire, Carter, Desmond
Night and Day - Fred Astaire, Porter, Cole
Crazy Feet - Fred Astaire, Conrad, Con
Shall We Dance? - Fred Astaire, Gershwin, George
A Fine Romance - Fred Astaire, Fields, Dorothy
Top Hat, White Tie and Tails - Fred Astaire, Berlin, Irving
The Wedding-Cake Walk - Fred Astaire, Porter, Cole
Dig It - Fred Astaire, Borne, Hal
Just Like Taking Candy from a Baby - Fred Astaire, Astaire, Fred
I've Got You on My Mind - Fred Astaire, Porter, Cole
Let's Face the Music and Dance - Fred Astaire, Berlin, Irving
So Near and Yet So Far - Fred Astaire, Porter, Cole
Who Cares? - Fred Astaire, Gershwin, George
They All Laughed - Fred Astaire, Gershwin, George
Isn't This a Lovely Day? - Fred Astaire, Berlin, Irving
Slap That Bass - Fred Astaire, Gershwin, George
Cheek to Cheek - Fred Astaire, Berlin, Irving
This overview of Fred Astaire's stage and early screen career is mostly comprised of the studio tracks Fred recorded with various orchestras for Brunswick in the 1930s, but a couple of songs from Lady Be Good add Fred's si... more »ster Adele on vocals and George Gershwin on the piano, while Benny Goodman appears on two others. The Brunswick recordings can't replace the actual soundtracks--especially without Ginger Rogers--but they have their own charm and character, and are really quite enjoyable. Through it all, Fred displays the unerring sense of rhythm and the sympathetic expression of lyrics that made the best American songwriters produce great standards expressly for him, including "Night and Day," "Cheek to Cheek," "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," and "The Way You Look Tonight." --David Horiuchi« less
This overview of Fred Astaire's stage and early screen career is mostly comprised of the studio tracks Fred recorded with various orchestras for Brunswick in the 1930s, but a couple of songs from Lady Be Good add Fred's sister Adele on vocals and George Gershwin on the piano, while Benny Goodman appears on two others. The Brunswick recordings can't replace the actual soundtracks--especially without Ginger Rogers--but they have their own charm and character, and are really quite enjoyable. Through it all, Fred displays the unerring sense of rhythm and the sympathetic expression of lyrics that made the best American songwriters produce great standards expressly for him, including "Night and Day," "Cheek to Cheek," "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," and "The Way You Look Tonight." --David Horiuchi
"For months I had been searching for Smithsonian recordings of Fred & Adele Astaire in "Lady Be Good!" The recordings are apparently unavailable (even as we approach Fred's centennial).This CD has Astaire favorites from several of his RKO pictures (sans Ginger), songs recorded with Benny Goodman in the '40's, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin--too many great numbers to mention. Most amazingly, though, it has three songs recorded in the 1920's with his sister Adele; one from their vaudeville act and two from "Lady Be Good!" As an added bonus, George Gershwin is playing the accompanyment on the "Lady Be Good!" numbers! I was and still am in Astaire heaven and can listen to this CD every day. Fred taps on several numbers, by the way, which is an extra treat. I am almost appeased at not finding the Smithsonian recordings.The recorded quality of the songs is not perfect--they are not digitally remastered--but there's a certain charm about this and a feeling of live performance that allows you to listen to the words and music and not the recording equipment. I love it."