Customer Reviews

Cocktail Hour: Eddie Cantor

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Not all the songs have survived well here,but there are enough good stuff to satisfy anyone with a nostalgic ear.Among the highlights are the original version of MAKIN'WHOPPEE as it was done in the show in 1928;THE AUTOMOBILE SONG is also fun to hear.With AL JOLSON,EDDIE CANTOR came to symbolize a whole area of AMERICAN culture that we should not forget.These collections have one major drawback for music lovers:it seems that for them,nobody write or compose songs,so they must come from the sky or something.Who wrote who?You must know your AMERICAN songbook rather well to know who wrote HUNGRY WOMEN for instance.

What a great CD! You'll be singing along in no time. Cantor's lyrics are timeless and very humorous. Many classic songs here including "Makin' Whoopee", "Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider", "If You Knew Susie", "Ma, He's Making Eyes at Me", "Yes, Sir! That's My Baby", and many others. This music really brings you back to the golden age of radio. Put away those old scratched up 45's from the 30's and buy this CD. Suprisingly, the audio quality is very good. They must have remastered this CD because the vocals are bumped up and most of the hissing is filtered out. If you know Eddie Cantor, you'll love it! If you don't know of him, you should! (Ask your grandparents.) This double CD is a great collection of his music. (Big Band with vocals) I hate to say it but, Eddie Cantor could possibly be the "grandfather" of rap music. Take a listen yourself! You'll be hooked!

It is really great to hear again recordings that I thought were long lost. Listening to these recordings and orchestratons, it is evident that some were lifted from his movies, possibly from radio programs and a few from his bio, "The Eddie Cantor Story". The recordings undoubtedly span a period from the mid-30's thru the early 50's. Without liner notes, it is difficult to know when individual recordings were made. I believe this is what I found most disappointing about this two-cd set. For the price, liner notes and a discograpy should have been included. And for this reason, I will make no further purchases of the "Cocktail Hour" series. If, however, you are not a collector as I am and purchase cds strictly for musical content, these offerings are very well produced. I'm sure you will enjoy them. If you have been looking for a cd of Eddie Cantor recordings that are next to impossible to find in any other packaging, buy this cd. I believe some of this material was available many years ago in the old Decca catalog on a single Decca LP which is a very rare find. And to my knowledge, it was never re-issued by MCA. I have been searching for years for it. Many of the recordings found on this two cd set feature some great big-band orchestrations which only enhance Eddie Cantor's performance.

Eddie Cantor could take a song and infuse it with so much energy and passion that he invariably made it his own. Cantor delighted millions with his vocal talents; and this awesome two CD package gives us twenty eight of Cantor's songs.

The first CD starts off with "Mandy." Eddie sings this to perfection with all his might; and "Mandy" shines in Eddie Cantor's competent hands. The horns and strings bolster this number, too. The musical arrangement sports that 1920s/1930s flavor to it and the chorus supports Eddie very well. Great! "Okay Toots" starts off with an early jazz flavor to it and Eddie delivers this with panache and sensitivity. "Okay Toots" is a sweet number that you will enjoy.

"Makin' Whoopee" remains an Eddie Cantor standard; and Eddie performs this with all the style of a true master! No wonder Winston Churchill loved this number--it's humorous and it shines like gold in Cantor's hands. "Look What You've Done" lets Eddie sing of his one true love--who lets him down and moves on, hurting his feelings. Eddie massages the lyrics to "Look What You've Done" like the master he was! "When My Ship Comes In" gets the royal treatment from Cantor as he sings of a situation in which he's not exactly wealthy. As Cantor dreams of becoming wealthier, the poor people in those Great Depression days identify with the lyrics to "When My Ship Comes In."

"Yes, Sir! That's My Baby" explores the joy Eddie's character feels when he sees his one true love. This relentlessly upbeat and happy number celebrates the joys of true love. Eddie delivers "Yes, Sir! That's My Baby" like a pro; and the horn solo in the middle of this number shines like gold! In addition, "Making The Best Of Each Day" starts with an organ flourish and Eddie performs this flawlessly with a great arrangement for piano. The lyrics encourage the poor during the Great Depression to remain optimistic and take one day at a time.

The second CD continues the great numbers. Eddie performs "Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider" with style; he sings of his true love Ida and how he loves to spend time alone with her. I love it! The musical interlude works wonders for "Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider," too. "Ma (He Making Eyes At Me)" lets Eddie sing a song from a woman's point of view; Eddie's excellent diction makes this number better than ever. Eddie sings this very, very well. Cute! I like the horn solo, too. "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down On The Farm" lets Eddie perform a march style number; Eddie Cantor sings this ballad with all his might to make it positively electric! The musical arrangement works well, too.

"Dinah" is an example of Eddie Cantor singing a standard song of the era; and Cantor never misses a beat. Cantor uses his fine vocal range to enhance "Dinah." "If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie)" gives us another example of Eddie singing a classic from the 1920s and 1930s; this jazzy number goes to new heights in Cantor's competent hands! The tempo changes make "If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie)" even better than I've ever heard it!

"Eddie Cantor's Automobile Song" is a solid novelty piece that lets Eddie sing of how badly he wants to own his first automobile. The number has a fair amount of surface noise; but the number is so good and Eddie's diction so clear that I will ignore this flaw. "Alabamy Bound," another great tune from the early twentieth century, gets the royal treatment from Eddie Cantor and the musical arrangement keeps up a quick pace--wonderful!

Unfortunately, the liner notes are non existent. The reverse of the single page cover has the timing of each number--and that's it. The artwork is good, however.

Eddie Cantor will always be fondly remembered by his fans and fans of vaudeville and musicals of the early 1900s. I highly recommend this CD for those people; and people who want a solid introduction to Eddie Cantor would do well to start with this two CD set.

Enjoy!