Customer Reviews

The Best of Connie Francis: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Connie Francis was the Maria Callas of Pop music. Her incredible popularity in the 1950's and early 1960's was unmatched.... she was the girl every father wanted for a daughter and every boy wanted for his girl. Her singular, sing-songy, heartbreaking voice was very similar to that of the great Patsy Cline's, partly in fact that not only did they both have that little "cry" in their voice, that almost no one can do successfully, but also in that they could take pretty much any material, no matter how minor, and make it good, sometimes great. But fame and popularity are usually followed by heartache, and Connie Francis' career was no exception. It was dominated and controlled, we later learned, by her domineering and controlling father, who made her every career decision, based on what he and the industry perceived to be her good-girl image. He famously kept a hawk-like watch on his precious commodity/daughter, including destroying the relationship with the person that she always referred to as the love of her life, Bobby Darin. Her career waned in the 1960's, due mostly to changing musical tastes, but she had forever carved out a solid niche as one of the most popular girl singers of the 20th century. She continued to perform in public, mostly in smaller venues. It was while appearing in such a place, in Westbury, New York, that the now famous, very violent sexual assault occurred , forever changing her life.
The great career, and, apparently, the great voice had ended. Bad marriages and bad business decisions followed, along with family tragedies. She retreated from public life, save for the occasional tabloid intrusion. Further publicity surrounded not only her lawsuit against The Westbury, where her assault occurred, but that the trauma of that event had caused her to permanently lose her voice. Her behavior was reported to be increasingly erratic. She further withdrew. She did not reappear for years, until she authored her auto-biography, where many of the facts from her pained past came to light. Anyone who saw her comeback on Dick Clark's show around this same period will never forget it. This girl that was so loved by so many had her voice back, and the audience reaction and the tears in Dick Clark's eyes were a natural, spontaneous, honest reaction to a totally unstaged, rare outpouring of genuine affection, that had more to do with sincere appreciation than in maybe the perfection or imperfection of her voice. About 10 years or so ago, a group of my friends and I saw that she was appearing in Ft.Lauderdale, so we thought we'd have a laugh and go see her, it'd be fun in a campy kind of way....very "Where The Boys Are." Well, any preconceived thoughts about the reasons why we were attending quickly gave way to awe at the way this lady had this audience in the palm of her hand from the moment she swept onstage. It wasn't a performance...she was there amongst friends that she knew loved and admired her. When she introduced her mother to the audience from the front row, then proceeded to sing one of her greatest hits, "Mama", directly to her in a voice that reached the heavens, well....there was not a closed jaw nor dry eye in the house, and the standing ovation that sprung up on the last incredible notes was only a reflex to true greatness. I have had very few moments like this in live performing, and I've seen alot of them. This is the kind of reaction and loyalty Connie Francis elicits, due not only in that she represents nostalgia for an increasingly bygone time and innocence, but that her natural talent and beautiful voice brought joy to so many, from grandmothers to teens to the troups in VietNam. This 20th Century Masters Collection is a good place not only to reacquaint yourself to the voice and songs that will undoubtedly bring a big smile to your face and a tear to your eye, but also for those not acquainted with this voice that was such a big part of Pop music , and allows her to remain one of the biggest selling female artists of all time. Though Connie Francis leads a very private life, and has been out of the spotlight for many years, her inherent dignity and musical legacy will always insure a big spot in the hearts of those millions that her music touched. God Bless you Dear Lady, and thanks for all the joy.

The worst tragedy of Connie Francis's is that her lifetime's calamities have come to overshadow her fine music for many among the general public. Hers is a grand and powerful voice to be matched with Patsy Cline's: the sound is true, the self-harmonizing is beautiful, and the songs that made her famous (many of which were old Tin Pan Alley standards which were old-fashioned even in her heyday) hold up beautifully over the years. This is not an album for a Connie Francis aficionado but for someone more casually interested in becoming familiar with her work. The classics are all here, from such sentimental favorites as "Who's Sorry now?" and "Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart" to such rockers as "Stupid Cupid." Bravissima Connie!

Today we have Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.....well, back in the day there was Connie Francis and Brenda Lee. Like their modern counterparts, both girls churned out hit after hit. While Lee was quite good and had her share of awesome material *I'm Sorry, Emotions, All Alone Am I*, Connie Francis had the superior voice and more upbeat songs.

This collection captures some of her best material from the late-50's and early 1960's. It has the upbeat teenybopper anthems "Stupid Cupid" *my favroite*, "Lipstick On Your Color," and "Vacation." But then again, it also has the beatiful ballads that she pulled off just as well such as "Among My Soveniers", "Where the Boys Are" and "Who's Sorry Now."

This is a great collection from a chick who placed quite a bit of tunes on the charts. For the slightly older generation, I'm sure she's still fondly remembered, but from mine, she should be appreciated.

Though one can't fault the tracks that are included here, it's disappointing to find this collection seems to have replaced the splendid "The Very Best of Connie Francis, Vol. 1." Given that the original 1963 "Very Best of" had 15 tracks, and the CD reissue had *21*, the 12 titles on this disc are a paltry offering.

There are quite a few top-40 hits missing, including the truly stellar Sedaka/Greenfield penned "Fallin'," the torchy "You're Gonna Miss Me," Paul Anka's "Teddy," and the title tune from 1963's "Follow the Boys."

This current release may be easier to buy (and have a better booklet), but a used copy of "The Very Best Of, Vol. 1" is the better spin.

IN THE 50'S "AMERICAN BANDSTAND" AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY LAUNCHED A GROUP OF WELL POLISHED ITALIAN KIDS AS AMERICA'S TEEN IDOLS. THEY WERE PAUL ANKA, FRANKIE AVALON, FABIAN,MARK VALENTINO, BOBBY RYDELL, FREDDY CANNON, ANNETTE AND CONNIE FRANCIS. OF ALL THESE KIDS CONNIE FRANCIS WAS THE MOST NATURALLY TALENTED. OUR PARENTS EVEN LIKED HER, BECAUSE SHE WAS TURNING THEIR ERA TUNES INTO POP RECORDS ("AMONG MY SOUVENIRS", "IF I DIDN'T CARE", "CAROLINA MOON" ETC.)CONNIE HAD A DISTINGUISHED SORT OF NASAL VOICE,BUT SHE CARRIED HER TUNES BEAUTIFULLY. SHE WAS SLIGHTLY MORE MATURE THAN THE OTHERS.SHE SANG GREAT ROCK 'N' ROLL SWING-STYLE SONGS LIKE "STUPID CUPID",'EVERYBODYS SOMEBODY'S FOOL" ETC. ALL HER SONGS WOULD END UP ON THE TOP TEN CHARTS. SHE HAD IT GOING. YOU'LL REALLY GET THE FEEL OF THE 50'S AND 60'S WITH THIS WONDERFUL C.D. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND IT!!

Connie Francis' reign as the queen of the pop charts in the late 50s and early 60s is the gist of this ubiquitous "Millenium Collection". Actually, this is pretty standard Connie Francis 101. This is sure to please the casual fan or the casually curious. Kudos to Universal Music Group for a splendid package! The smashing photos contained on the cover are a real eye-catcher. Kudos to the same for considering Miss Francis worthy of such a wonderful re-issue.

Connie Francis possessed a wonderful voice when she was in her prime in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Her rich, warm and vibrant voice attracted much deserved attention wherever and whenever she performed. Connie performed later on in her life but the songs on this CD do indeed represent her very best work.

The CD starts off with one of Connie's signature songs entitled "Who's Sorry Now?" Connie breathes new life into this much older song; and her voice charms you as Connie expresses every little nuance in all the lyrics to this song. The musical arrangement reflects forethought; the chorus in the background adds a certain type of poignancy to this ballad. "Stupid Cupid," a song with a much more lighthearted set of lyrics, follows this. The melody is catchy and the arrangement again makes use of a chorus to enhance the beauty of the song. Connie sings this to perfection!

Other great ballads on this CD include "My Happiness" conducted by the very talented David Rose; the strings on this number complement the beauty of Connie's voice brilliantly. No wonder all of the songs on this track set charted very high! "Lipstick On Your Collar" boasts a somewhat happy, silly melody that belies the sadness Connie expresses as she sings of her man who cheated on her. "Among My Souvenirs" features Connie and the musicians in total harmony--fantastic! "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" deals with unrequited love; and "Where The Boys Are" explores Connie's desire to find her one true love.

"Mama" sports a beautiful musical intro; and Connie sings so sensitively about her late mother that you will invariably begin to think of your own mother. Many people will relate to this song; and the lyrics that are in Italian infuse this ballad with a bittersweet sentimentality that one rarely finds in even the greatest of ballads. Connie's voice is in perfect form; and the strings on this number add a certain dramatic effect that make you miss your own mother regardless of whether she is living apart from you or she has passed.

The CD ends very strong with the exceptionally upbeat "Vacation." I like how the remastering kept the slight echo effect of Connie's voice as she gleefully expresses the excitement of being young and free from school "under summer stars." This song packs such a wallop that you want to jump up and dance for joy just listening to it! The melody is so catchy that it is positively infectious; you won't forget this number anytime soon!

The liner notes have wonderful color photos of Connie and you also get an essay about Connie written by Joseph F. Laredo.

Connie Francis dominated the charts for several years in the late 1950s and early 1960s--and for good reason, too. Hers was a young, fresh voice that expressed so many emotions precisely the way people experienced them in real life. People could relate to Connie for her energy as well as the topics of which she sang.

I highly recommend this CD for fans of Connie Francis and people who enjoy classic pop vocals will treasure this CD, too.

I remember as a child my mother use to play these songs on a record because in those days CD's were not yet realesed. Everytime I am going to sleep she used to play them. These songs even play in my mind up until today. It's sad to know that such a good singer just faded out of the music business. I also remembered when school was closing for summer vacation everyone use to call on the radio station and ask the announcer to play VACATION we also use to sing it V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N we are going to have a bawl. No more school for 8 weeks staight. The other songs are so relaxing example BREAKIN IN A BRAND NEW HEART like I said i use to listen to them in the night before I fell asleep. Such good days they were. Oh connie where have thou gone.

OK. What "seasoned" person does NOT remember Connie Francis? Come on. Step right up. Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero, an Italian girl born in 1938, and from Newark, NJ BLASTED her way through the late 50s and early 60s with that powerful and very beautiful voice and a string of hits. She has some gorgeous songs on this album, 12 tracks in all, totaling somewhere around 30 minutes--not very long but great songs.

A very beautiful song is "Mama," sung in Italian and then in English. If it doesn't make you cry, you need sensitivity training. This song alone is worth having the album for.

Of course, there is "Where The Boys Are," from the movie of the same name. The song brings back memories of Ft Lauderdale, Florida during Spring vacation. Fortunately, I had a cousin down there so I went down when I was 17 and spent about 2 weeks with her. I remember I kept looking for that club with the big fish tank from the movie and nobody down there knew anything about it--must have been Hollywood BS. Yes, the place was MOBBED with people and No, I did not get into any trouble. Anyway, the point is that I had fun and this music brings back fond memories like that. Many of us danced to "Who's Sorry Now" and "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" in school dances, when we were not dancing to the Temptations and the big-brass groups. "Stupid Cupid," "Lipstick on Your Collar" and "Vacation" were cute songs, too. Other great songs were "My Happiness," "Among My Souvenirs," "Everybody's Somebody's Fool," "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own," and "Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart".

I had to grab this CD back from my 34 year old son long enough to rip it to my Gizmo (MP3). Even he likes it. He has the same broad-based love of music as his Momma.

This is a beautiful CD and a "STROLL" down Memory Lane. (OK. Who remembers the dance "The STROLL" and will ADMIT it?--for the young whippersnappers, that was in the same time period as this CD.)

Trying to cover this remarkable lady's musical career [# 1 female pop vocalist from 1958 to 1963] in a 12-selection CD is like trying to write the definitive history of R&R on the back of a matchbox cover.

From her first hit in December 1957 - a # 93 in a duet with Marvin Rainwater on The Majesty Of Love - to her last in 1983, the # 84 Country hit There's Still A Few Good Love Songs Left In Me, she put 76 hit singles onto the Billboard Pop Top/Hot 100 charts, saw 29 of them cross over to the Adult Contemporary (AC) charts and eight to the R&B charts, AND added three Country hits for good measure. No to mention selling EPs and LPs in the millions.

The 12 chosen by the producers of this volume were all Top 10 pop hits between 1958 and 1962, and five of them represent the R&B crossovers - tracks 1, 3, 4, 5 and 8 and, with the exception of tracks 3 and 8 which peaked at # 11 R&B, were also Top 10 hits on those charts. Love songs may have been her specialty, but make no mistake about it, she could handle a R&R tune with the best of them at the dawning of that era, as you will see from this small sampling.

Contemporary rock culturalists, including those who govern the R&R Hall of Fame, tend to smirk at, and dismiss as silly fluff, the efforts of early artists like Connie and Pat Boone. But in this they are dead wrong, for one can only rightly judge and assess any cultural component within the context of its time. And the way Connie (and Pat) approached their craft was no different than any of the others from that era that the Hall of Fame has chosen to honour - that is to say, to deliver their songs with an intent to appeal to the fun and innocence in the human soul.

This is as good a place as any to start if you have never actually experienced any of Connie's music. If you know her well, you should seek out the multi-CD set Souvenirs, one of the best such compilations ever produced. And see and hear for yourself why this lady is way overdue for induction into the R&R Hall of Fame.