Complete a Sides & B Sides [Box set, Import]

Frank Ifield | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 9, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Box set, Import
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Emd Int'l
• ASIN: B0007YH7FK
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #158,685 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Lucky Devil

2. Nobody Else But You

3. Happy-Go Lucky Me

4. Unchained Melody

5. Gotta Get a Date

6. No Love Tonight

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Nobody's Darling But Me

2. You Don't Have to Be a Baby to Cry

3. Confessin (That I Love You)

4. Waltzing Matilda

5. Mule Train

6. One Man's Love

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. I Guess

2. Then Came She

3. There'll Be Another Spring

4. Don't Be Afraid

5. No One Will Ever Know

6. I'm Saving All My Love (For You)

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Music - Beautiful Voice, November 14, 2005

By 

Music Lover "Marge" (Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Complete a Sides & B Sides (Audio CD)

Frank Ifield has an amazing voice and uses it with wonderful results. On the Complete A & B Sides there is not a bad recording although there are some songs that are his alone even though they might be a cover of another artist's song. Some of the really great ones like "Paradise" and "I Remember You' are unforgetable but to listen to "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" shows the true beauty of his voice. Frank has a tremendous range and control of his voice and uses it with great effect. My only complaint is that he did not do recordings of Gospel and Spirituals. With that voice it would have been priceless.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still a lady killer!, January 10, 2007

By 

J. Samuels Richards "leevmgessin" (Sydney,Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Complete a Sides & B Sides (Audio CD)

What can I say about Frank and his wonderful range of songs.His voice covers a great range from love songs to slightly quirky numbers.Good listening at a dinner party for over 40's.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A country singer at heart, November 10, 2005

By 

Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Complete a Sides & B Sides (Audio CD)

Just to clarify the title - it is actually the complete UK A-sides and B-sides, together with four German versions of his UK hits and a 2004 re-mix of his biggest hit. Frank's Australian recordings from the fifties can be found on a budget compilation (Sings country and classics), which is also on the EMI label.

Frank was born in England but raised in Australia, later to return to the UK to establish his singing career - a pattern subsequently repeated by Olivia Newton John. Whereas Olivia eventually based herself in America, Frank remained in the UK, playing the small country music circuit long after his pop successes were a distant memory. Country music has never been huge in Britain but it has enjoyed a reasonable level of support especially since the seventies. In the sixties, Frank Ifield discovered - as did the husband and wife team of Miki and Griff - that there was no significant following for the music. Frank, together with Miki and Griff, George Hamilton IV and a few others, helped to change that.

Like Miki and Griff, Frank had to compromise his music to get it heard but anybody listening to it will realize that Frank is a country singer at heart. A look at the track listing will show that Frank liked to cover country songs, although many pop singers also did that in those days.

Frank started his UK chart career with a couple of minor hits (Lucky devil, Gotta get a date) in 1960 but then disappeared from the charts until the summer of 1962, during which time he released several excellent singles including Tobacco road (later a hit for British R+B group the Nashville Teens). Those early UK recordings were done with a view to commercial success although they weren't like Frank's Australian recordings.

In 1962 and with only one single to be recorded before his contract expired, Frank decided he would be himself. At least he'd show EMI what he was really like. The result is an object lesson to all singers as Frank recorded a 1940's show song (I remember you) in a pop-country style. It became the first of three consecutive UK number one hits. Of course, EMI hastily renewed Frank's contract and allowed him more freedom to choose what he recorded.

Next came Lovesick blues, a song dating back to the 1920's but generally regarded as a Hank Williams classic - indeed, many make the mistake of thinking Hank was the original writer. Frank's version is very distinctive. The B-side (She taught me to yodel) also proved extremely popular and was for a time credited as a second A-side.

Wayward wind (a cover of the fifties classic) followed, then came a UK number four hit (Nobody's darlin' but mine) and a further number one (Confessin'). Frank then had another minor hit (Mule train) in October 1963. In the summer of 1964, Frank had one last top ten hit (Don't blame me) followed by six further minor hits up to the end of 1966. After that, he disappeared from the charts completely until a he had surprise minor hit in 1991 on a different label (The yodelling song), which is an old song (She taught me to yodel) with a different title.

Frank has been unable to sing since 1986, after which he returned to Australia. In 2004, I remember you was re-mixed to include steel guitar. Frank had originally wanted to record the song with a steel guitar but was unable to find a top player in the UK and ended up using a Hawaiian guitar (the steel guitar's ancestor) instead.

Frank did much to improve the status of country music in Britain. He may have compromised his sound to appeal to pop music fans, but so have plenty of others. If you just want the hits, a single CD is available (Essential Frank Ifield), but this collection is well worth the extra cost.