Search - Irving Berlin :: Irving Berlin In Hollywood (Film Score Anthology)

Fine single CD compilation

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 05/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Irving Berlin In Hollywood has twenty-five wonderful songs and ballads by the great Irving Berlin that ever performed in Hollywood pictures. There are even a few outtakes on this CD which makes it all the more valuable; and the sound quality is excellent considering the age of these recordings. The artwork is very tastefully done and the liner notes are well written, too.



Ethel Merman starts things off with a song named "The Hostess With The Mostess" from Call Me Madam. Ethel's excellent diction bolsters her performance and that big band musical flavor really works wonders for this ballad. I love that horn work! Betty Hutton and the MGM Chorus perform "I've Got The Sun In The Mornin'" from Annie Get Your Gun; Betty has a great voice even though not everybody was her fan. Betty belts this out and she really does it up right! In addition, Al Jolson performs a shorter version of "Blue Skies" from The Jazz Singer;" this is easily a major highlight of this album, and Jolson aces this number seemingly without any effort. He was THAT talented!



Ethel Merman returns to sing one of my very favorite Irving Berlin tunes entitled "(We're Having A) Heatwave;" "(We're Having A) Heatwave" was a number Josephine Baker liked to perform when she was in Europe and elsewhere and Ethel Merman's version is every bit as good! Great! "A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody" comes from The Great Ziegfeld; and Allan Jones performs this for Dennis Morgan who was apparently dubbed for his singing. Allan Jones sings this with panache; and this too is another of my very favorite Irving Berlin melodies even if this version by Allan Jones isn't my favorite version. There's also "You Can't Get a Man With A Gun" by Betty Hutton; she delivers this with a lot of energy and that's terrific!



Judy Garland and Howard Keel do a magnificent job on "They Say It's Wonderful" which was an outtake from Annie Get Your Gun before Judy was replaced by Betty Hutton. Judy sounds great and it's too bad she was replaced by Hutton--but, that's show biz!



Fred Astaire sings a heavenly version of "Cheek To Cheek" from the movie Top Hat; I believe he sang this to Ginger Rogers in a scene they did together. Judy Garland and Howard Keel come back again for a rousing rendition of "Anything You Can Do" from Annie Get Your Gun; and "Let's Face The Music and Dance" features Fred Astaire crooning sweetly as he dances with Ginger Rogers in a scene from Follow The Fleet. Judy Garland sings "Easter Parade" with panache and I'm very impressed!



The CD ends well with "Alexander's Ragtime Band" from the movie of the same name; and this awesome number makes a fitting, energetic ending for this album.



Sure there may be a few numbers missing here because of what Amazon calls "licensing difficulties;" but this is still a very strong single CD compilation of some of Irving Berlin's best work. I highly recommend this for fans of classic pop vocals and people who like songs from classic movies will be charmed by this album as well.

"

Worth it for Ethel Merman Alone!

Bluebird | 06/05/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The work of Irving Berlin is still as fresh as ever, and I have a new appreciation for the late Ethel Merman based on her swingy, energetic rendition of "Marching Along With Time," which was one of the best musical numbers to wind up on the cutting room floor -- thankfully, it was resurrected and we can enjoy it today. Today's youthful swing fans should hear it and realize what the truly hot stuff really sounds like!"

This cd is a great patchwork of artists

Bluebird | 02/19/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i enjoy listening to this gay music all through the day and i even play it while i have dinner parties!"