Perry-Go-Round

Performer: Perry Como
Artist: Dinah Shore; Brenda Lee
Distributor: City Hall

Notes: Contains 20 tracks. The back cover on this 20-song import reads "previously unreleased performances," but the buyer doesn't learn until opening the package that these are recordings of live television and radio shows from the late '50s. The sound quality is tinny and the performances are sometimes rough, although there are a few interesting oddities such as a duet with a very young Brenda Lee on "Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries." There are three medleys, including one that is performed as a duet with Dinah Shore. Shore joins in on a couple of other individual tracks and even gets a solo turn on "Come Rain or Come Shine." "Juke Box Baby" receives a more middle-of-the-road treatment in this live version and is completely stripped of whatever vague rock & roll-isms the studio recording possessed. Perry-Go-Round is an item for Como completists; the shaky television performances and so-so sound quality significantly reduce its general appeal. ~ Greg Adams The name Perry Como is synonymous with mellow crooning. Starting his singing career in the 1930s, he became a household name in the 1950s, the time of these television and radio broadcasts. His style, patterned on Bing Crosby, is deep, mellifluous and romantic. It's as if Como has been genetically designed for such ballads as "I Love You Truly" and "You Made Me Love You," where the snail's-pace tempos suit his lazy voice. Yet he is also adept at quicker rhythmic numbers. "Round And Round" shows that his seemingly lethargic larynx could swing in a special way, with an innate sense of time. "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes," is typical of the music that Perry popularized with his relaxed baritone shuffling along. There's a few duets with Dinah Shore, another icon from the same era. Their easygoing rapport is natural on "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby."

One of the most prolific and successful pop vocalists of the 20th century, Perry Como had a multi-decade string of hits that began in the 1940s and didn't really slow down until the '70s. His smooth, easygoing "crooner" style was influenced by Bing Crosby, but Como incorporated that influence into a sound all his own. Como's amiable appeal translated well to television, and he was as much a presence on TV (especially his famous Christmas specials) as on record, in addition to making numerous film appearances in the '40s and '50s. Perry Como died in 2001.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25