Customer Reviews

Bobby Vinton's Greatest Hits

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Bobby Vinton made quite a career out of a very limited vocabulary of song titles, a worked within a fairly narrow prism of subjects and styles. Yet in so doing he was immensely successful, and this Polish Adonis ripped up the charts with a number of hits including his first smash "Blue Velvet", "Tell Me Why", and "There! I've Said It Again". He was on the top ten charts almost continually throughout the early 1960s, and I remember hearing "Mr. Lonely" (about a soldier far away from home) when I myself was in fact a soldier a long, long way from home in 1965. It was eons and eons ago.

I also remember hearing "Coming Home Soldier" about the same time frame, and being impressed with his awareness of how many of us were in fact coming and going. And he had quite a run of hits, also including "Please Love Me Forever", "Blue On Blue", and "I Love How You Love Me". He also hit the charts with "Roses Are Red (My Love", one of his biggest hits, and with a cover of Johnny Tillotson's smash hit "Take Good Care Of my Baby". I understand he still tours, although he must be a little long in the tooth for such stuff nowadays. This is all good music, and it is always a pleasure to listen to. Enjoy

Contains all original recordings between 1962 - 64, each one making the top 40. Obviously, Vinton's career was not the same after the British Invasion, but he did chart more hits well into the early 80s, and this CD does not include them. So as far as early hits go, this is a great CD, but for a more complete picture of Vinton, you'll need more.

In 1964 the Beatles started a remarkable run at the top of the Billboard pop charts. On February 1, 1964 "I Want to Hold Your Hand" became the #1 song in the U.S. and stayed there for seven weeks, at which point it was replaced by "She Loves You" for two weeks, and then "Can't Buy Me Love" for five weeks. I bring this all up because before that epic 14 week run, the artist who had been at the top of the charts for the entire month of January 1964 was Bobby Vinton, with his third #1 hit, "There! I've Send It Again!" The previous year Vinton had spent four weeks on top with "Roses Are Red (My Love" and another three with "Blue Velvet." Vinton had his last #1 near the end of 1963 with "Mr. Lonley," but by then the face of popular music had changed. Going into 1963 Vinton was well on his way to being the crooner for the Sixties, but then came the Beatles and the British Invasion. Despite suddenly being out of vogue, Vinton had a pretty good career throughout the decade. You might be surprised to find out that in the first decade of his career Vinton had 28 songs make it to the Billboard Top 40. The problem with this collection of his "Greatest Hits" is that it is a reissue of a 1964 collection, so while it has all of his #1 hits it is missing everything else he did for the next eight years or so. Even the 1966 follow-up to this album, "More of Bobby Vinton's Greatest Hits" misses the best of the rest as well. Interesting notes: It was not really until David Lynch's film "Blue Velvet" that the title song became the singer's signature tune and Vinton co-wrote "Mr. Lonely."

Curb's entry in Vinton's "Greatest Hits" catalog, (two other CD's Epic's original 1964 release and a Sony 1993 release share the title) this collection offers an engaging mix of old hits and new material. Highlights are many and include Vinton's latest major hit "The Last Rose" which climbed the country charts in 1991. This album also features the first digital version of "My Melody of Love" to be released. Vinton's 1974 smash re-ignited his career and led to his own televison show. This album contains some material from his now discontinued first Curb album including strong performances on "I Go To Pieces" and a must-hear "I've Always Loved You" which proves Vinton still has the pipes that sold 50 million records in his heyday.

Bobby Vinton is among my favorite male vocalists from the years before "The British Invasion." Bobby sang with such passion that you were instinctively drawn in to listen to him sing; and he always gave his adoring audiences nothing short of his very best. That's admirable! This CD focuses on the years 1962-1964 before "The British Invasion."

"Blue Velvet," a song written partly by Bobby Vinton himself, sounds as fresh and new today as it did the first time I ever heard it! The percussion and the chorus are great; but it's Bobby who carries this song and he makes it into a great short story about the woman he loves in her blue velvet dress. I predict that you will enjoy "Blue Velvet" very much.

"Roses Are Red (My Love)" is a tender and somewhat melancholy love ballad that couldn't sound better than when Bobby sings it; and his excellent diction bolsters his performance. The chorus enhances the natural beauty of this number. "Mr. Lonely" may have referred to men fighting for their country overseas when this song was released; but I think that just about any man lonesome for his sweetheart can relate to this fine tune.

"There! I've Said It Again" is another highlight of this album; the melody is beautiful and Bobby sings this like a pro! Bobby sings with all his heart and soul; and the musical arrangement lacks nothing--it's THAT good.

"Rain Rain Go Away" has a singular beauty to it; and the guitar arrangement works wonders for this ballad. The album ends with "Tell Me Why;" and this passionate ballad makes a strong ending for this album. I love how Bobby's vocals describe his girlfriend and when Bobby sings "Tell Me Why" it pulls at your heartstrings and becomes a most memorable number.

The cover artwork is nicely done.

Bobby Vinton still tours today and that's terrific. His work on this disc proves this he is full of energy and the high quality control of Bobby's artistry makes him an iconic singer of the twentieth century. I highly recommend this album.

I received the product on time and it is fine. I really like Amazon because of the reasonable prices and quick service.

This is a wonderful recording of Bobby Vinton songs...the song Blue Moon is worth the price of the CD ...crystal clear vocals and music... will not disappoint.

Greatest Hits by Bobby Vinton is thirty-five minutes and sixteen seconds long and was released on April 16, 1995. Out of the fourteen songs on this cassette only five (less then half the songs) hit the charts. Now in my definition, a hit means that it reached the music charts in a least one or more music category and that it my main problem with this cassette. Granted the music on the Greatest Hits cassette is great, but I feel that I am being lied to. Therefore Greatest Hits only gets a B+.

Side One
Seventeen minutes and eight seconds

This Guy's In Love With You
Stand By Your Man
It's A Sin to Tell A Lie
Roses Are Red (My Love)
#1 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (four weeks at #1)
#1 U.S. Billboard Middle-Road Singles (four weeks at #1)
#5 U.S. Billboard Hot Rhythm & Blues Sides
#1 U.S. Cash Box Magazine Top Singles (four weeks at #1)
Sealed With a Kiss
#19 U.S. Billboard Hot 100
#2 U.S. Billboard Easy Listening
Born Free
The Shadow of Your Smile (Love Theme from "The Sandpiper")

Side Two
Eighteen minutes and eight seconds.

Georgy Girl
Sunrise, Sunset (From "Fiddler On the Roof")
Mr. Lonely
#1 U.S. Billboard Hot 100
#3 U.S. Billboard Pop-Standard Singles
#2 U.S. Cash Box Magazine Top Singles
Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?
Blue On Blue
#3 U.S. Billboard Hot 100
#2 U.S. Billboard Middle-Road Singles
#3 U.S. Cash Box Magazine Top Singles
Blue Velvet
#1 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (3 weeks at #1)
#1 U.S. Billboard Middle-Road Singles (8 weeks at #1)
#1 U.S. Cash Box Magazine Top Singles (three weeks at #1)
Love Theme From "The Godfather" (Speak Softly Love)

I got this CD for my mother-in-law, after she saw him at a concert. She plays it everyday.

Bobby Vinton at his best!!; his early great songs are here, from BLUE VELVET (my favourite), marvelous ballads like MR. LONELY, BLUE ON BLUE, OVER THE MOUNTAIN, TELL ME WHY and MY HEART BELONGS TO ONLY YOU; another beautiful numbers that I love so much are LET'S KISS AND MAKE UP (simply wonderful), THERE! I'VE SAID IT AGAIN (precious) and TROUBLE IS MY MIDDLE NAME (very pretty); this cd is an example of what an incredible singer and artist Bobby Vinton was. The songs are inspired, romantic, beautiful and great!!