Customer Reviews

50th Anniversary

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For a good 30 years it was impossible to find anything by the Andrews Sisters in record stores. Then MCA did an anthology and POW what an explosion. Now, 50 years after the Andrews' heydey, virtually every record store has an Andrews Sisters SECTION. In their years with Decca, Patty, Maxene and Laverne recorded every kind of song imaginable and it's amazing how well it all holds up. Their records percolate, carbonate, sparkle. Their musicianship and blend was amazing--they worked very hard on every vocal arrangement they ever did--and their arranger Vic Shoen was brilliant in fashioning accompaniments which actually let the Sisters perform a capella with instrumental accents between the lines (on ballads the usual accompanying orchestrations were used). Patty Andrews has one of the best voices of all time in pop music and actually Maxene and Laverne were lead singers, too, but the wise decision was to establish and nurture a distinctive, consistent sound for the public to indentify. Patty recorded excellent solos, very different from the group's fare, mostly serious, deep ballads. Maxene recorded an excellent solo album and Laverne could have done one. This collection serves as a great introduction to a body of work unsurpassed and still thoroughly enjoyable.

I first encountered The Andrews Sisters in Abbott and Costello's "BUCK PRIVATES", which featured the energetic BOOGIE WOOGIE BUGLE BOY and BOUNCE ME BROTHER WITH A SOLID FOUR, both of which are included in this sparkling must-have CD.
The Andrews Sisters managed to be so unswervingly upbeat through such an uncertain period in American history. Their joyful enthusiasm shines in this collection of some of their most popular songs. It is no wonder they were wildly popular with American servicemen, and their positive energy is so relevant now at this period in our history.
I cannot listen to this collection without tapping my feet, moving my torso and singing along! If you are in the mood for a good, fun listening experience, this CD is for you!

If you don't alreay own this. You have no idea what you are missing. A couple of my favorites on this cd are 'Beat me Daddy 8 to the Bar' and 'Corns for my Country' two songs I had never heard until I bought this cd. I bought the cd for 'Dont Sit Under the Apple Tree' and 'Boogie Woodgie Bugle Boy'. Those 4 songs are great. Another great song on this cd is 'Rum and Coca-Cola'.

This is a very good collection of some of the Andrews Sisters best material, with tracks 1 thru 13 being simply magic. There's also Volume Two of this series that's worth picking up. Both Volumes 1 and 2 have good sound quality and nice booklets. There's also a great collection called "Selection of Andrews Sisters" which gives you a bunch of great tunes that aren't on these two volumes.

PS: THE ANDREWS SISTERS NEED A DECENT BOX SET!!!

i grew up listening to the andrew sisters on my parents' 78 rpms... i listen to chuck cecil every weekend to hear 'the swinging years' and now, having this collection, i experience time-and-space disorientation every time a song on my cd ends and i do Not hear chuck tell me who/what/where/when the song was recorded. nice, when i've been there -- right There -- while the song was playing.

The Andrews Sisters were a real life sister act with Patty (born 1918); LaVerne (1911 - 1967) and Maxene (1916 - 1995); and they wowed audiences throughout their very long career! True, they did have a breakup in 1953 when Patty embarked on what was to be a short lived solo effort; but the sisters reunited in 1956. They were particularly flexible performers, too--managing to outdo many of their contemporaries in in swing, boogie-woogie, jazz, folk music and more.

This album gives us songs they were especially well known for performing, including the classics "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen;" "Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar;" "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy;" "Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me)" and "Rum And Coca-Cola" which remains a special favorite for my father. There are other tunes that they do a great job on, such as "Gimme Some Skin My Friend;" "Bounce Me Brother with a Solid Four;" "Pagan Love Song" and "'Way Down Yonder in New Orleans."

Overall, I recommend this CD for any fan of the Andrews Sisters; and it makes a fine starter CD for people just discovering their beautiful artistry.

Thank you, Patty, LaVerne and Maxene!

I bought this collection of Andrews Sisters songs for my father-in-law. (He has fond memories of listening to them during World War II.) He is thrilled with the number of selections included, as well as the quality. I'm glad I purchased this CD.

Great old time music - a must for 40s/50s fans. (Brings back memories for older relatives.)

While the title implies that there is more than one cd, and there is indeed only one, it is packed with my favorite songs, and some new favorites that I had never heard before!

The Andrews Sisters recorded so many great songs over a long period of time from the mid-30's to the mid-60's when Laverne passed away, that until there is a box-set, no collection can be ideal. The closest for me is "The Best of the Andrews Sisters- 40 Greatest Hits" which covers their most successful, and their most lovable songs from the late '30's to the mid '40's. Most other collections are just okay, as they all seem a random mix of tunes. This 50th Anniversary Collection, now over 20 years old, is another really good source. I suppose that since there was an anniversary theme, all but the last three songs, have a similar vibe--upbeat, great harmony and musicianship, with touches of the Andrews Sisters' humor that they communicated through their music. All of the songs contain a real big-band sound, all with 40's swing, and that contagious dixieland sound that their musical arranger Vic Schoen was great at. Most of the songs on this collection are pretty familiar and are found on other collections, except for "Tuxedo Junction" with a tempo and the sisters' phrasing like from a deep South honky-tonk (wonderful) and "Corns For My Country" reflecting some WWII ethos and the sisters' humor. You really feel like the songs were chosen with a purpose in mind. Where the collection veers off is the last three songs. A duet with Danny Kaye with whom they did a few silly recordings and another with Al Jolson. The Jolson song "The Old Piano Roll Blues" is fun, especially since the sisters apparently had a piano like that when they were kids, but it somehow doesn't fit on this record. The final song really veers off from where the album begins. "I Can Dream Can't I?" is essentially a solo by Patty from around 1950 with backing by her sisters in just a couple of verses. It's a beautiful song, with male back-up singers and lots of strings, made more beautiful with Patty's voice. Patty, who could belt out a song with clarity and perfect pitch, could also do a ballad like no one else. She uses shadings in her voice to convey the emotions expressed in the lyrics like an a great actress conveying feelings in her face. Patty is to me, the greatest voice of the 20th century, and so far, the 21st century. But, and here's a big one, it doesn't quite fit on this collection.

Two other bits of interest, it comes with a nice insert which includes some photos of the sisters I've never seen, including one seemingly from the early or mid-thirties. The insert also includes well-written brief pieces by Patty, Maxene and their arranger, Vic Schoen. It is nice to read about the sisters' positive feelings about their career and how it developed--especially Patty's saying that if she could do it all again, she would. We'd listen again, Patty! It's also nice to know that even though the sisters contributed to this project separately, they were at least working on the same project again. The release of the collection also lead to at least a partial reunion of their relationship. Finally, the booklet concludes with a dedication and photo of Laverne stating her years as 1913-1967. Bios confirm that she actually born in 1911. Publicity for the sisters fudged on their ages for years. Perhaps the sisters decided to shave off a couple years in the dedication as an act of love for Laverne. Overall, I'd recommend this collection- it looks great and sounds great, and no collection of Andrews Sisters music can let you down.