How Deep Is The Ocean

Who's Sorry Now
Connie Francis
With Orchestral Accompaniment
Cover Photograph: Robert Randell
MGM Records E3686
1958

From the back cover: No rise to stardom in the vocal field has been so swift – and so inevitable – within the last few years as that of pert, piquant Connie Francis. If ever the golden results of a success story were deserved, it is so in the case of the delightful young song stylist from Newark, N. J., who has come rapidly to both national and world-wide fame.

An honor student at her high school who was awarded a scholarship at New York University, Connie's interests centered on philosophy, psychology and logic – in fact, she still plans attending night school at Rutgers University to get a degree, hoping to find her true field of concentration during the course of further study. But, the teen-age miss with the beguiling voice and a fabulous sense of what to do with a song also loved music – and music might well still win out in her life. That is: if the clamoring of millions of fans have anything to do with her final decision.

Connie caught the "music bug" while writing and producing a musical in high school. This activity balanced neatly with her work as editor of the school newspaper. The fact that she made a successful appearance on NBC-TV's "Startime" at the age of twelve probably had much to do with the fact that she took a suggestion to try for a spot on "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scout" a few years later. Winning on the video contest, she found herself in demand for such other important TV shows as the Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey "Stage Show" and guest appearances with such personalities as Milton Berle, Martin & Lewis, and Dick Clark.

Connie's record career began sensationally on MGM with "Freddy," a winsome, wistful song that attracted more attention than most first record releases. And, a string of ever increasingly more-popular releasees culminated in her phenomenally successful waxing of "Who's Sorry Now?", the record hit which is featured here and lends its name as title to this collection. At the time this album collection was issued, the disk had passed the fabled million mark in sales and Connie had received a "Golden Record" – one of diskdom's most coveted awards.

Who's Sorry Now
I'm Nobody's Baby Now
It's The Talk Of The Town
I Miss You So
I Cried For You
Heartaches
I'm Beginning To See The Light
My Melancholy Baby
You Always Hurt The One You Love
How Deep Is The Ocean
If I Had You
I'll Get By

Voices In Love - The Four Freshmen

 

Time Was

Voices In Love
The Four Freshmen
Arranged and Conducted by Dick Reynolds
Capitol Records ST1074
1958

From the back cover: Seldom has any vocal group boasted more plentiful musical talent. Bob Flanigan handles the upper vocal registers, plays trombone, and doubles on bass. Don Barbour, the second voice, plays guitar; his brother Ross sings the third part and plays both trumpet and drums, Ken Albers rounds out the group, singing bass and blowing trumpet and mellophone. Their instrumental touches drift all through the album, creating surprising accents wherever they fall.

From Billboard - October 20, 1958: The group has another likely dual-market pop and jazz click with their latest package. Backed by lush strings, they have a highly attractive sound on a fine selection of tunes. This is one of their best. Number include "Warm," "It Could Happen To You," and "In The Still Of The Night." A really fine album with excellent potential.

I've Always Chasing Rainbows
There Is No Greater Love
Moonlight
It Could Happen To You
Out Of Nowhere
In The Still Of The Night
I'll Remember April
While You Are Gone
Warm
Time Was (Duerme)
You're All I See
I Heard You Cried Last Night (And So Did I)

Richard Crooks Favorites

 

Rio Rita

Richard Crooks Favorites
Cover: Saul Mandel
RCA Camden CAL 217
1955

From Billboard - April 23, 1955: Richard Crooks is now represented by five LP's on the Camden label. The fine tenor voice still carries some charm when rendering the old standards – "Rio Rita," "I Bring A Love Song," "Neapolitan Love Song," etc. But frankly, the disk's sound, as expected, does not measure up to current top quality.

I Bring A Love Song
In My Garden
Rio Rita
Neapolitan Love Song
You Will Remember Vienna
One Alone
Only A Rose
For You Alone
How Lovely Are Thy Dwellings
Smilin' Through
Good-Bye

Gershwin Cuban Overture - Andre Kostelanetz

 

Cuban Overture

Gershwin Cuban Overture
Andre Kostelanetz and His Orchestra
Columbia Records CL 783 (reissue)
1955

From Billboard - April 26, 1952 (ML-4481): The combination of Gershwin and Kostelanetz has always been a good one, and this is no exception. On one side is the first recording of the composer's "Cuban Overture." It's strange that this has never before been available because the music is brilliant. It was composed in 1932 after a brief vacation by Gershwin in Havana. The overture itself is in three parts. After an opening burst of dazzling color, the music slows in tempo portraying the spirit of a night in the tropics. The third section is a glorious rumba. The other side contains selections from three of Gershwin's musical scores, including the ever popular "Porgy And Bess." The performance of the Kostelanetz ork is up to its usual high standards. The disking will appeal to all who like Gershwin and the light classics.

Cuban Overture
Mine (from "Let Them Eat Cake")
Highlights from "Porgy And Bess:
Love Walked In (from "The Goldwyn Follies

Latin Dance Party - Latin All Star Dance Bands

 

La Clave

Latin Dance Party
Latin All Star Dance Bands
Palace M-650
Promenade 2204

Because this is a bargain basement budget label, I can only assume that the disc titled "Latin Dance Party" disc came together with the above "Latin Dance Party" titled jacket. The jacket and disc titles as well as the catalog numbers do not match (see track lists below). The catalog "matrix" number, hand etched on the vinyl reads "New SP 352, but "325" was scribbled out and replaced with "2204"

There is a listing I found online for "Perez Prado & Eddie Maynard - Dance Party Vol. 1" (a Parade label press listed as catalog number "SP 325" released in 1958). The track list matches the Promenade disc list.

Disc label titles (Promenade titles that match up with the actual songs on the disc):

Flamingo Cha Cha
Cha Cha No. 5
Blue Tango
Miami Beach Mambo
La Paloma
Neat Wave
Umpaquita Cha Cha
Cha Cha No. 8
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
Caribbean Mambo
Anvil Chorus
La Clave

Jacket label titles (Palace):

Seabreeze Cha Cha
Jungle Cha Cha
Lucky Mambo
El Choclo Tango
Josefina - Merengue
Good Luck - Cha Cha
Glow Worm Cha Cha
Race Track Cha Cha
Adios Muchachos - Tango
Isla Verde - Cha Cha
Cha Cha Romantico
Happy Go Lucky - Merengue

On The Beach At Waikiki - Burl Ives

 

The Moon Of Manakoora

On The Beach At Waikiki
Burl Ives
Decca Records DL 4668
1965

From the back cover: Backed by chorus and accompaniment under the direction of Owen Bradley, the artistry of Burl Ives shines through in a dozen Island-oriented songs. Most of them are classics, that one never wearies of hearing over and over: My Isle Of Golden Dreams, Drifting And Dreaming, Song Of The Islands (Na Lei O Hawaii), Queen Liliuokalani's tender Aloha Oe, Beyond The Reef, and the Maori farewell song. Now Is The Hour

Beyond The Reef
Song Of The Islands
Little Brown Gal
My Isle Of Golden Dreams
The Moon Of Manakoora
Hawaiian Bells
Drifting And Dreaming
On The Beach At Waikiki
Sweet Leilani
Keep Your Eyes On The Hands
Now Is The Hour
Aloha Oe

Nutcracker Suite - Andre Kostelanetz

 

Waltz Of The Flowers

Nutcracker Suite

Music of Tchaikovsky

Andre Kostelanetz and His Orchestra

Andre Kostelanetz conducting the Robin Hood Dell Orchestra Of Philadelphia

Columbia CL 730

1955

Overture

Danses Caractéristiques: March; Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy; Russian Dance (Trepak); Arabian Dance; Chinese Dance; Dance Of The Reed Pipes

Waltz Of The Flowers

None But The Lonely Heart - Op. 6, No. 6

Melodie in E-flat Major - Op. 42, No. 3

The Sleeping Beauty Waltz - Op. 66, No. 6

Barcarolle from "The Months" - Op. 37a

Andante Cantabile from Quartet No. 1 in D Major - Op. 11

Construção - Chico Buarque

 

Deus Lhe Pague 

Construção

Chico Buarque

Philips Series De Luzo

ESTEREO 6349 017

1971

Deus Lhe Pague

Cotidiano
Desalento
Construção
Cordão
Olha Maria
Samba De Orly
Valsinha
Minha História
Acalanto
Options

After Dark - Kitty Wells

 

Divided By Two

After Dark
Kitty Wells
HI-FI Decca Records DL 8888
1959

From the back cover: Early in Kitty's career she captured the ears and hearts of listeners as a vocalist over radio stations in Nashville, Knoxville, Shreveport, Raleigh and other cities. From some time she was featured on the popular Louisiana Hayride shows and has been a standout star for WSM's Grand Ole Opry show, as well as drawing sellout crowds at the many personal appearance dates she fills throughout this country and Canada.

From Billboard - June 1, 1959: Another great collection of ballads having to do with the seamy and sinful sides of life, sung as only Kitty Wells can sing them. All her typical haunting nasal quality comes thru on these tales of tragedy and heartbreak. Sample titles would be "He's Married To Me," "After Dark," "I Heard The Juke Box Playing," etc. Fans should dig this one.

After Dark
You Wild Life' Gonna Get You Down
You're Not Easy To Forget
I Heard The Juke Box Playing
Lonely Side Of Town
My Use To Be Darling
He's Married To Me
Honky Tonk Waltz
I'm Tired Of Pretending
Divided By Two
Beside You
They Can't Take Your Love

Patti Page Sings

 

Nobody Likes A Crybaby

Patti Page Sings

Mercury Playcraft PLP-1300

The Doggie In The Window

Arfie, The Doggie In The Window

Alfie Goes To School

Arfie Goes To The City

The Mama Doll Song

I Want To Be A Cowboy's Sweetheart

Nobody Likes A Crybaby

The Froggie Love Song

I Wanna Go Skating With Willie

Pretty Snowflakes