Today, we're looking at another three of Demon Music Group/Crimson Productions' Gold collections!
Almost two decades after his death on May 12, 2001, Perry Como remains one of the most cherished voices in American popular song. Over the course of five decades at RCA Victor, the mellow crooner scored 131 chart hits in the U.S. alone, over 20 gold records, multiple Emmy and Grammy Awards, a Kennedy Center Honor, and sales of over 100 million records between 1945 and 1970. Perry's entry in the Gold series boasts 60 non-chronologically-sequenced songs on 3 CDs. While the collection touches on all aspects of Como's recording career, the emphasis is on his renditions of familiar pop favorites.
Many of the Italian-American legend's biggest hits are here, including "Temptation" (in its original 1945 recording), "A - You're Adorable," "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes," "Papa Loves Mambo," "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)," "Catch a Falling Star," "Magic Moments," "It's Impossible," "And I Love You So," and "For the Good Times." Among the other selections are songs more closely associated with Como's friend Frank Sinatra ("You Make Me Feel So Young," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Young at Heart"), classic showtunes ("It's a Lovely Day Today," "Send in the Clowns," "The Best of Times," "You'll Never Walk Alone"), movie themes ("The Way We Were," "Moon River"), and contemporary pop fare ("(They Long to Be) Close to You," "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head," "There's a Kind of Hush," "Killing Me Softly with Her Song," "We've Only Just Begun," "Michelle"). A few of the singer's seasonal classics are also here with "My Favorite Things," "Greensleeves," and "Ave Maria." In every setting, Como's relaxed, intimate, and warm voice made each song his own, and Gold is a fine introductory sampler of his understated and enduring art.
On the soulful side of the spectrum is a Gold entry from Gladys Knight and the Pips. The Atlanta, Georgia group began performing in 1952, signing in 1957 with Brunswick Records, and earning a hit in 1961 on Vee-Jay with "Every Beat of My Heart." Gladys, Merald "Bubba" Knight, William Guest, and Edward Patten hit the big time when they joined Motown Records in 1966 and scored such hits as "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "If I Were Your Woman," and "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)." Gladys and the Pips decamped Motown for Buddah in 1973, which is where this compilation - curated by Wayne A. Dickson of the Big Break, Hot Shot, and Groove Line labels - begins. Over 3 CDs and 51 songs, it spans the Buddah years as well as their subsequent period at Columbia Records.
At Buddah, Knight and the Pips scored a remarkable string of top 20 Pop hits, all of which are included here: "Midnight Train to Georgia" (No. 1 U.S. Pop & R&B/No. 10 U.K.), "I've Got to Use My Imagination" (No. 4 U.S. Pop/No. 1 R&B), "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" (No. 3 U.S. Pop/No. 1 R&B/No. 7 U.K.), "On and On" (No. 5 U.S. Pop/No. 2 R&B), "The Way We Were/Try to Remember" (No. 3 U.S. Pop/No. 6 R&B/No. 4 U.K.), "So Sad the Song" (No. 47 U.S. Pop/No. 12 R&B/No. 20 U.K.), "Baby Don't Change Your Mind" (No. 52 U.S. Pop/No. 10 R&B/No. 4 U.K.), and "Come Back and Finish What You Started" (No. 15 U.K.). Hits like "Landlord" (No. 3 U.S. R&B), "Taste of Bitter Love" (No. 38 U.S. R&B/No. 35 U.K.) and "Bourgie, Bourgie" (No. 45 U.S. R&B/No. 32 U.K.), all written and produced by Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, are also here.
Gold additionally includes a fine selection of equally worthwhile deep cuts such as the Burt Bacharach/Neil Simon co-write "Seconds" (intended for an abortive film version of the musical Promises, Promises), Barry Manilow and Marty Panzer's heartfelt "All the Time," and Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher's touching "You and Me Against the World," plus single mixes, a previously released session outtake, and extended 12-inch versions. Gladys' solo career is represented with a trio of tracks: "I'm Coming Home Again," "It's Better Than a Good Time," and "If You Ever Need Somebody." Phil Kinrade has remastered this fine selection of Knight and the Pips' classic years at Buddah and Columbia.
David Soul, the star of the television cop drama Starsky and Hutch, burst onto the music scene in 1976 when the ballad "Don't Give Up on Us," written and produced by veteran tunesmith Tony Macaulay, reached No. 1 on both sides of the Atlantic. Soul was no fly-by-night pop star, though; he had paid his dues as a recording artist for the MGM and Paramount labels before Starsky and Hutch propelled him to superstardom.
"Don't Give Up on Us" is, of course, among the 51 cuts on three discs here, both in its original version and 1999 remake. The British-American singer's two Private Stock albums (1976's David Soul and 1977's Playing to an Audience of One) are sampled on this collection as well as his 1979 Energy Records release Band of Friends, and even 1997's dAP Records title Leave a Light On. His chart entries (all written or co-written by the prolific Macaulay) are featured, further encompassing "Going in with My Eyes Open" (No. 54 U.S. Pop/No. 14 AC/No. 2 U.K.), "Silver Lady" (No. 52 U.S./No. 23 AC/No. 1 U.K.), "Let's Have a Quiet Night In" (No. 8 U.K.), and "It Sure Brings Out the Love in Your Eyes" (No. 12 U.K.).
Other highlights include a medley of Graham Nash's "Simple Man" and Paul Williams' "Waking Up Alone," Richard Kerr and Will Jennings' "I Can't Afford That Feeling Anymore," a pair of Charles Aznavour chansons ("Acapella" and "I Drink"), and Ry Cooder and Russ Titelman's "Tattler." With so much of Soul's catalogue out of print (and Band of Friends and The Best Days of My Life never having made it to CD in full), Gold is a welcome reminder of the actor-singer's way with a classic pop song.
All three titles are out now from Demon/Crimson. You'll find the track listings and order links below.
Perry Como, Gold (Crimson CRIMCD661, 2020) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
CD 1
- Magic Moments
- Papa Loves Mambo
- Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes
- Delaware
- Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)
- Love Makes the World Go Round (Yeah Yeah)
- Kewpie Doll
- Tomboy
- Mandolins in the Moonlight
- Moon Talk
- Catch a Falling Star
- Glendora
- Juke Box Baby
- Tina Marie
- Walk Right Back
- Caterina
- It's a Lovely Day Today
- Dream On, Little Dreamer
- I've Got You Under My Skin
- The Most Beautiful Girl
CD 2
- Idle Gossip
- And I Love You So
- Wanted
- It's Impossible
- For the Good Times
- More
- I Know
- I Think of You
- I May Never Pass This Way Again
- I Want to Give
- (They Long to Be) Close to You
- Michelle
- We've Only Just Begun
- Smile
- Moon River
- Where Is Love?
- The Way We Were
- Feelings
- We'll Meet Again
- Send in the Clowns (Live)
CD 3
- Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head
- There's a Kind of Hush
- You Make Me Feel So Young
- Young at Heart
- The Best of Times
- To Know You Is to Love You
- Till the End of Time
- Someday I'll Find You
- You Light Up My Life
- The Very Thought of You
- You'll Never Walk Alone
- A You're Adorable
- I'm Always Chasing Rainbows
- Greensleeves
- Temptation
- My Favorite Things
- Killing Me Softly with Her Song
- He's Got the Whole World in His Hands
- Bless This House
- Ave Maria
Gladys Knight and the Pips, Gold (Crimson CRIMCD665, 2020) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
CD 1
- Where Peaceful Waters Flow
- Midnight Train to Georgia
- I've Got to Use My Imagination
- Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me
- On and On
- The Makings of You
- Welfare Man
- I Feel a Song (In My Heart)
- Love Finds Its Own Way
- The Way We Were/Try to Remember
- Seconds
- The Goings Up and the Comings Down
- Money
- Part Time Love
- Georgia on My Mind
- You and Me Against the World
- Feel Like Makin' Love
- Alone Again
CD 2
- Make Yours a Happy Home (Alternate U.S. Single Mix)
- So Sad the Song
- Nobody But You
- Baby Don't Change Your Mind
- Home Is Where the Heart Is
- I Love to Feel That Feeling
- Love Is Always on Your Mind (12-Inch Version)
- Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right
- The One and Only
- Come Back and Finish What You Started
- It's Better Than a Good Time
- All the Time
- It's Up to You (Do What You Do) (7-Inch Version)
- I'm Still Caught Up with You (7-Inch Version)
- I'm Coming Home Again
- If You Ever Need Somebody
CD 3
- Landlord
- Taste of Bitter Love
- Bourgie Bourgie
- Still Such a Thing
- Forever Yesterday (For the Children)
- I Will Survive
- I Will Fight
- Baby Baby Don't Waste My Time
- A Friend of Mine
- Save the Overtime for Me (12-Inch Mix)
- When You're Far Away (12-Inch Version)
- You're Number One (In My Book)
- Hero (Wind Beneath My Wings)
- Ain't No Greater Love
- My Time (Body Slam Mix)
- Till I See You Again
David Soul, Gold (Crimson CRIMCD649, 2020) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
CD 1
- Troubadour
- (The) Wall
- 1927 Kansas City
- Topanga
- Rider
- Black Bean Soup
- Don't Give Up on Us
- Piper
- Mary's Fancy
- I Wish I Was
- Fools for Each Other
- Nobody But a Fool or a Preacher
- Dancin' Jones
- Bird on a Wire
- That's Enough for Me
CD 2
- Simple Man/Waking Up Alone
- To a Heart That's True
- It Sure Brings Out the Love in Your Eyes
- I Can't Afford That Feeling Anymore
- Jazzman
- Silver Lady
- Money
- How Can You Tell You Got It (If You Don't Ever Give It Away)
- Tattler
- Beachwood Blues
- Surrender to Me
- Maybe We Can Work It Out
- Going In with My Eyes Open
- Distant Shores
CD 3
- Acapella
- Tomorrow Child
- Carlito
- Dreamers
- Let's Have a Quiet Night In
- Goodbye Gatsby
- Mean Old Woman
- Can't Change My Heart
- I Drink
- You're a Woman Now
- Our Lives
- Tearing the Good Things Down
- Don't Give Up on Us (1999)
- The Dutchman
- Simple Life
Zubb says
Yet another Perry Como compilation that glaringly omits his Top 40 recording of "Seattle".
Endre says
My thoughts exactly! Great song and one of Mr. Como’s best.
RecordSteve says
At least "Delaware" is on it!
Doug says
What’s the thinking on this Como set as opposed to Sony’s “Real” or “Essential” sets?
Endre says
Who knew David Soul had three discs worth of “greatest hits”!
Mark H. says
Looks like the Knight package excludes her Motown years. Strange, since UMe owns both sections of her career.
Definitely doesn't live up to the tag's "All the hits" line...
Joe Marchese says
Hi Mark, the Gladys set is licensed from Sony, hence only her Buddah and Columbia years are represented.
Mark H. says
Sorry - my mistake. I was remembering the "Essential Collection" disc, which was published by UMe, but apparently was cross-licensed.
Still, it's not "all the hits"...