Customer Reviews

Bonanza: Ponderosa Party Time - TV's Original Cast (1959 - 1973 Television Series)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This set is a great piece for any collector of Bonanza items or each fan of the series. The songs are mostly western type, but you just have to sing along. Lorne Greene, Michael Landon, Dan Blocker and Pernell Roberts are doing a great job together and you really feel like joining them on the Ponderosa.

The song selections are an enjoyable and singable mix of ballads, country-westerns, and poetic tales. Best of all is the dialogue and the by-play among the Cartwrights...you feel as if you're sitting on the stone hearth of that huge fireplace in the Ponderosa Ranch, just part of the family. The entire cast sings, and sings well, as do the backup singers and musicians. The Christmas selections are exceptional, featuring traditonal favorites, as well as stories and songs that are unique to the CD...get ready to shed a few tears over the poignancy of Ben and his boys celebrating the season. This is a musical retreat to that rare place that defies time...it's like being at the Ponderosa!

There are 4 CDS to this set and being a fan of Bonanza since childhood, I think the hefty price is well worth the first and fourth CDs alone.

The first CD contains 2 "Ponderosa Parties", namely Ben's Birthday Party and A Christmas party. The songs are a mixture of traditional ballads and songs made specifically for the CD and all are excellent, especially the tear jerker" My Sons, My Sons" rendered beautifully by Lorne Greene. But the most appealing part of CD1 is the banter than flies among the four Cartwrights. I feel as if I am actually sitting on the hearth of that great stone fireplace, listening to Ben and his boys tease each other and share the joys of family and friendship. But fans of Adam beware: he makes only one appearance at the Christmas party but is featured many times in the birthday party, as are all the Cartwrights.

CDs 2 and 3 are devoted solely to the magnificent voice of Lorne Greene who renders his ballads and folk tunes in a deep, resounding, mellow voice. This however is more Lorne Greene than I'll ever need, but still, it's a "nice to have", especially if you long to hear the voice of "Pa" once again.

CD4 is excellent due largely to the talents of Pernell Roberts whose voice is exquisite. The first part of the CD is actually a re-mastering of his LP "Come All ye Fair and Tender Ladies" and is a collection of love songs and ballads with womens's names in the titles. I had never heard of most of these before, but they have now become favorites ("Maryann" being my favorite. No dialogue on the Pernell Roberts part of the CD, but then, none is needed.

Now the last part of CD4 was a surprise to me. It contains tales and songs by Dan Blocker. Dan tells a good tale but talks rather than sings his songs. This was more history lesson than music lesson but still entertaining.

For the Little Joe/Michael Landon fans, there is no CD dedicated to him, which is surprising, since he has a nice voice. Fans of Little Joe will have to content themselves with CD1 on which he sings a soulful "Shenandoah" among others.

The quality of all the CDs is excellent and the content is too if you are a fan of Bonanza. The set is pricey and you can only judge it's value by determining how much you'd like to hear the voices of the Cartwrights. For me to feel as if I were home at the Ponderosa, the price was right! Enjoy!

If you are a fan of Bonanza, don't pass this up. CD4 which is Pernell Roberts (Adam) singing is absolutely amazing. His voice is so smooth. I find myself listening to that CD more than the others. It makes the whole package worthwhile. Lorne Greene sings Ringo in English and a separate track of Ringo in French. He also does a lot of old west songs as does Dan Blocker on his CD. Michael Landon does a nice version of Shenendoah and Crazy Love.

You will love this collection and the book that comes with it is very informative amd has some nice pictures.

After waiting quite awhile before purchasing this item, I was richly rewarded. It is wonderfully put together with interesting information on the original tv series and wonderful cast photos. Pernell Roberts and Lorne Greene have wonderful deep voices and Dan Blocker contributions are heartwarming. Michael Landon's infectious giggle can be heard with clarity. The Christmas CD is a joy. Perhaps the most rewarding for me was the cheerful Cartwright chit chat which brings these wonderful characters back to the Ponderosa. Anyone remembering the series with fondness will love it.

I was very excited to find these albums available! It is well worth the price (I got mine from the marketplace for about $75.00). I was really anticipating the wonder of these recordings, and I was not dissapointed. All four men have beautiful voices all of their own that make up a warm, joyous listen. They are the Cartwrights that everyone remembers, and yet they have still managed to surprise us with a whole new wave of talent!
These fun albums will take you back to not only a time of timeless television, but of a time when actors were people of integrity and were famous not just because they fit/looked the part of a celebrity, but because they posessed real talent. The kind of talent that has withstood the test of time longer than any celebrity of today could get even close to.
Whether you're a Bonanza fan or a fan of one of the indevidual actors, you will love these albums!

I LOVE CD1 and CD4! CD1 is like being at the Ponderosa, listening to the 'boys' and 'Pa' banter back and forth!

There are TWO party mixes, first: Ben's Surprise Birthday party given by the 'Boys'. Second: The Christmas Party Special, which I was disappointed to hear only ONE song from Adam (Pernell Roberts), "The New Born King"...which he did beautifully!!
The music is good and I was surprised to hear that most of them could sing well. Hoss (Dan Blocker) always seems to be the comic relief person!

CD2 and CD3 are all Lorne Greene. It's nice to hear "Pa's" voice, but I'm sure I won't be listening to those two CD's all that often.

CD4 is my favorite!! Pernell's baritone voice is just wonderful!! I listen to this CD ALL the time! (Is it possible to wear out a compact disc from playing it too much?) His silky, deep masculine voice is just so soothing to listen to! (actually...I'm listening to it right now...)

The expensive price was definately worth it!
I highly reccommend it to anyone who is a Bonanza fan!

Just wanted to say that I listen to the Party CD and Pernell Roberts CD all the time. The music is fun and really does make you feel like your at the Ponderosa. It was worth the price for just those 2 cd's and the book that comes with it-great pictures and stories about the actors. Kind of hard to listen to that much of Lorne greene though as I really don't think he had that great of a voice. I wish Pernell Roberts recorded more songs as his deep voice is very enjoyable to listen to.

Awesome collection of just about everything the Cartwrights recorded(save for Dan Blocker's storytime album "Tales for Young 'Uns" and Michael Landon's pre-Little Joe singles). Lorne Greene's musical output during the course of the show is this collection's centerpiece, and his lively baritone seldom gives out on terrific songs like "Wagon Wheels" and a nice version of "Home on the Range"(but his French versions of "Sand" and "Ringo" are overdoing it just a bit). Michael Landon sounds great on "Shenandoah" and Pernell Roberts proved to have a lovely, balladeer-style singing voice, but the Gentle Giant, Dan Blocker, is by far the most irresistible as he joshes his way through some novelty numbers and historical musical pieces with John Mitchum. It's worth a listen for western music fans, a must for Bonanza buffs.

This collection is definitely worth the price if you are a fan of the show and/or western music. The liner note booklet is top notch like usual with Bear Family, the sound is great throughout the set from master tapes in stereo for all tracks but there are 2 French recordings of "Ringo" and "Sand" which are from disc dubs and are in mono.

Disc 1: "Ponderosa Party Time" and "Christmas On The Ponderosa" (both of these albums are by the cast) Both of these albums are parties in their own right and this disc is one of the main reasons why this boxed set is recommended.
Disc 2: "Lorne Greene's American West" and "Welcome To The Ponderosa" (both of these albums are by Lorne Greene)
Disc 3: "Portrait of The West" and "Lorne Greene: The Man" with French versions of "Ringo" and "Sand" as bonus tracks although chronologically, they should have actually been on Disc 2 as bonus tracks. These 2 discs are worth having if you are a Lorne Greene fan, especially for classics such as Five Card Stud and the major hit Ringo in both its original hit version and a version in French.
Disc 4: Pernell Roberts's "Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies" and Dan Blocker & John Mitchum's "Our Land-Our Heritage." Pernell Roberts does have a wonderful singing voice and his album is classic and Dan Blocker is a great narrator and his album ranks right up there with John Wayne's "America Why I Love Her" and as Gene Autry once said, "A Cowboy Is a Patriot" and this does ring true in this case as well.