Search - Various Artists :: Divas Exotica

An excellent compilation album!

02/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My son and I ADORE this delightful album. We commute 40 miles each day, and this album always puts us in such a great mood. We sing to every song! Nina Simone's "Feelin' Good" (bonus song) is SO amazing I had to go buy one of her albums. The ONLY song I sometimes skip is the first one, Ann-Margret's "Let Me Entertain You". It's not bad...just...boring. As for the other songs, some have good arrangements and are sung by REAL singers. Others aren't so good, but they're silly and fun and you just have to love the effort.This album is not for everyone. Your best bet is to listen to the samples. Believe me, if it's for you, you'll know right away."

Divas Exotica

Mrs. Deidre A. Southam | Sydney, Australia | 09/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love this album. So different and alternative. It is very amusing, uplifting and you can dance and sing to all the songs. Very seductive too if you are in the right mood."

MUSIC FOR SWINGING LOVERS ONLY

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 02/06/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's just too bad that Divas Exotica remains out of print; it's really a very good CD of some most romantic hits by talented female vocalists. The quality of the sound is quite good and I really like that artwork! I encourage you to consider picking up a copy of this CD especially now that it's so inexpensive; and maybe someday they'll bring this album back into print.



The names of the songs are listed correctly on the Amazon page here; but I shall also give you the names of the artists who sing them:



1. Let Me Entertain You - Ann-Margret

2. Don't Touch My Tomatoes - Josephine Baker

3. Near You - Marlene Dietrich

4. Teach Me Tiger - April Stevens

5. Je Me Donne Á Qui Me Plaît - Brigitte Bardot

6. Do Your Duty - Billie Holiday

7. Since Me Man Has Done Gone and Went - Maya Angelou

8. Go, Go, Calypso - Mamie Van Doren

9. Let's Misbehave - Eartha Kitt

10. That Makes It! - Jayne Mansfield

11. Jezebel - Edith Piaf

12. So Nice (Summer Samba) - Astrud Gilberto

13. Forbidden Fruit - Nina Simone

14. Heat Wave - Marilyn Monroe

15. Goldfinger - Shirley Bassey

16. Mama Eu Quero (I Want My Mama) - Carmen Miranda

17. La Molina - Yma Sumac

18. Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo - Sophia Loren

19. Feeling Good - Nina Simone



The album begins with Ann-Margret performing a very special rendition of "Let Me Entertain You." Ann-Margret delivers this with lots of sensitivity and she never misses a beat! What a romantic number for the start of this CD! There's also the incomparable Josephine Baker performing "Don't Touch My Tomatoes;" Josephine handles the complicated tempo and key changes like the pro she always was! I also like "Near You;" Marlene Dietrich sings this with all her natural grace and charm and I think you'll like "Near You" very much.



"Je Me Donne Á Qui Me Plaît" has some great music to go with Brigitte Bardot's vocals; the percussion works well for this tune. Brigitte may be singing in French but this tune is just as wonderful anyway! "Since Me Man Has Done Gone and Went" gets the royal treatment from Maya Angelou; I was not aware that Maya sang when she was younger but just one listen will tell you that Maya Angelou is quite the diva! Hooray for Maya Angelou!



Eartha Kitt does her usual outstanding job on "Let's Misbehave;" the piano arrangement is very well done and Eartha sings this with a certain romantic flavor that is unmistakably her own. Eartha's excellent diction enhances her performance, too. Jayne Mansfield also does great on "That Makes It!;" "That Makes It" has a great early rock and roll beat and Jayne sounds great when she sings this peppy little number.



Listen also for the incomparable Edith Piaf to deliver "Jezebel" without a flaw; Edith's voice sounds very strong and the backup singers do well--not that Edith ever could have needed it; but it sounds good anyway. Edith does "Jezebel" so well that it's easily a major highlight of this CD. I also like Nina Simone's version of "Forbidden Fruit;" this gets quite a fine arrangement and Nina proves her prowess as a chanteuse with just one listen to this song. Marilyn Monroe does a great job on "Heat Wave" even if the music should have been toned down a little.



Shirley Bassey performs "Goldfinger" which, I believe, comes from the James Bond movie of the same name; and there's also an outstanding rendition of "Mama Eu Quero (I Want My Mama)" by the great Carmen Miranda with some male singers on backup. Sophia Loren sings "Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo" with a very `60s sounding arrangement; and the CD ends well with Nina Simone performing "Feeling Good." "Feeling Good" is a strong bonus track and it makes a solid ending for this album. It will leave you wanting more!



Overall, Divas Exotica is a terrific CD for people who like classic pop vocals, lounge music and "retro" music from the 1950s and 1960s. It's also a great set of romantic songs that proves hard to match even today."