Customer Reviews

Anthology

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Marvelous musical memories by the McGuire Sisters, what more could you ask for? These ladies could really sing and swing! Phyllis, Dorothy & Christine McGuire are still going strong today and are top drawer in both Vegas & Atlantic City, if you can see them in concert you're in for a treat. Highly recommended!

Comparisons with other sister groups of the forties are often made, but are meaningless. They may have been influenced by the Andrews, the Boswells, the Dinnings or the Kings, or any number of other sister acts, but their style was very much their own.

The McGuires tackled a diverse range of material, from upbeat swinging song to tender love songs, and from jazz to country songs, yet all done in their trademark style, which was in some ways typical easy listening fifties pop, yet they didn't sound too much like anybody else. Despite the diverse sources of their songs, they all blend together very well.

Their two big #1 hits, Sincerely and Sugar time, are of course included, along with all the other hits that matter. Other reviewers bemoan the lack of minor hits, but all the songs included are brilliant. Perhaps Bear Family should do a boxed set, as they have done for other stars (and obscure singers) from the fifties. I would certainly be interested, though there are plenty of other equally deserving candidates for Bear Family to choose from.

This is a highly entertaining collection of music by three sisters who continued to have hits even after Elvis changed the face of popular music, and gives far more variety than any hits collection.

As a generation Xer, music that came before my time is very important to me. There is a whole world of it out there written for decades upon decades, performed and recorded for our listening pleasure. It is actual history. This is what people listened to and loved in the mid-20th century. And it is now on CD for us to enjoy forever. The McGuire Sisters were just one of several "sisters" groups that were around back then, and they were some of the best. Even today, many of their tunes are recognizable; not just for the music itself, but their rendition of it. If you like the McGuire Sisters, this is your ticket.

All the other reviewers have done a pretty good job of summing
up the McGuires' appeal, but I would like to add one comment--
these 3 women created the most beautiful harmonic blend of any
vocal group I've ever heard. Yes, some groups may be more
sophisticated, or more swinging, but no one has come close to
that vibrant, shimmering sound produced by Phyllis, Dottie and
Chris. The production is first-rate too. Just gorgeous!!

The McGuire Sisters provide a rare example of a specialized act working with a record label right on target with how to present them. Their recordings are consistently excellent and they recorded every kind of material imaginable, from beautiful ballads through goofy novelties through r & b and rock. Their trademark was three voices sounding as one, though they also were blessed with an outstanding lead voice in the vibrant Phyllis McGuire. This collection provides a thoroughly enjoyable overview, including the hits, but they left off (sob!) "Kiss Me And Kill Me With Love." Everything has trademarked Coral sound--very bright and expansive. The McGuires are still performing and touring. They look like ice cream cones--absolutely gorgeous--and their program is an amazement, including great standards such as "Lullaby of Birdland;" Broadway gems including "Memory" from "Cats;" special material; and many of their great hits (there are too many to fit into any one show). The sound is still vibrant and the quality topnotch start to finish. If they come your way do not miss them. Meanwhile, don't miss this delightful collection, which you will listen to over and over again.

This set brought back a lot of memories. I was just a little kid in the 50's, but I'm surprised at how many of their hits I remember, especially Sugartime and Ding Dong (my parents had the singles) The McGuires personified the fifties, but in many ways transcended their era. Most of their stuff still sounds fresh today and even the dated stuff (can there be a sillier song than Ding Dong?) is still fun. Its too bad all their singles arent included (I've thought of 2 more b sides not included: Banana Split and Since You Went Away to School from Sugartime and Ding Dong respectively) But there are few duds on here. I never realized how versatile they were, adept at singing many different types of song styles. Their harmonies are great and so are the arrangements. Great fun for old fans and people discovering this great girl group of the fifties who are still alive and kicking. You also might want to order their 36 All Time Greatest Hits set, sold at Yesteryear Music and other sites. There are less songs, but there is a better ratio of hits to album cuts. There are also several songs not on here (Banana Split and Just Because) There is no booklet included or pictures. I bought both!

It seems there are two types of "anthology" collections on the market - those that give you ALL of an artist's hit singles and those that don't. This is one of the latter.

From 1955 to 1961 The McGuire Sisters - Phyllis, Christine, and Dorothy - had 30 charted pop hit singles and so, in an "anthology" containing FIFTY selections, one might reasonably expect to see all 31 hits plus a few selected uncharted B-sides or LP cuts. This omits FOURTEEN charted singles! Way too many for those of us looking for the hits, and way too many to warrant more than 3 stars for something trying to pass itself off as an anthology.

For the record, those missing are: Doesn't Anybody Love Me? [the b-side of It May Sound Silly and a # 11 Billboard Top 100 "follow-along" hit in spring 1955]; Rhythm 'n Blues (Mama's Got The Rhythm - Papa's Got The Blues], the b-side of Something's Gotta Give and a # 5 "follow-along" in June 1955; Give Me Love (# 95 Top 100 in November 1955); My Baby's Got Such Lovin' Ways (# 32 on the Billboard "coming up (cu)" charts in January 1956 b/w (Baby, Baby) Be Good To Me (# 34 cu); Missing [# 44 Top 100 in March 1956 - and isn't that ironic?]; In The Alps [the b-side of Weary Blues and a # 63 Top 100 billed to Lawrence Welk And His Champagne Music and The McGuire Sisters]; Endless [the b-side of Ev'ry Day Of My Life and a # 52 Top 100 in October 1956); Peace [the b-side of Summer Dreams and a # 85 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in May 1959]; Livin' Dangerously (# 97 Hot 100 in January 1960); The Last Dance (# 99 Hot 100 in August 1960); Tears On My Pillow (# 12 Adult Contemporary (AC)/# 59 Hot 100 in summer 1961); Just Because (# 99 Hot 100 in November 1961); and Truer Than You Were (# 30 AC in March 1966).

The most harmonious, melodious, female trio of the 1950s and we fans who grew up with them now have to search around for fourteen of their hits. However, for those of you who were not around (or were too young) when they were at their peak, make no mistake, this is a 5-star collection.

Considering my age and the fact I was born decades after the popularity of The McGuire Sisters... I think the McGuire Sisters are great entertainment! 'Sugartime' and 'Ding Dong' are my favs.
First time I was introduced to the McGuire Sisters was when I saw the HBO movie called, "Sugartime".(Stars John Tuturo and Mary-Louise Parker, who portrays Phyllis McGuire) The movie was great and the music was fabulous!

Hi!.

Fantastic record, couldn't find it new so I took the chance and got it used (supported by amazon) it arribed Mexico city as espected on time and in the described condition, I mean almost new.
I'm glad I did it and of course I'll do it again!.

Mario Gasca

I was a teenager in the 1950s. When I heard one of the songs from the McGuire Sisters Anthology entitled, "Do You Remember?", I thought it was a good title for my review of their C.D.

The sound of the McGuire Sisters is one that I can compare in quality to the Andrews Sisters, The Four Lads, and The Four Freshmen, only to mention a few of the greats who mastered the art of close harmony.

Listening to their songs on "The Anthology of the McGuire Sisters" brought back a lot of fond memories from not only my high school days but college days and my "growing up years". Their music covered decades.

The quality of the music on their CD was as if it was just recorded yesterday. The sound is very clear and the orchestra was superb.

I will recommend this to anyone of any age with a Five Star review.

Bob Geluz
Gainesville, Virginia