Customer Reviews

My Dad / Lollipops & Roses

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4 star:		(6)
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The two albums contained in this CD were recorded at a special time in American popular music-the period from the time Elvis left for the army and the advent of the Beatles. For some of us at least, this period was a reprieve from the primitive and elementary noise that is inherent in so much rock and roll. This was a time when artists like Jack Jones, Steve Lawrence, Dinah Washington, and Sarah Vaughan all made the charts. Musical arrangements were often lush and included full orchestration with strings, and vocal chorus. Even teenage stars like Paul Petersen utilized this style, and here he succeeds wonderfully with his exuberant personality shining through. For the most part the songs are upbeat, and Paul's youthful style is charming. Much of the My Dad album is comprised of Paul's interpretation of standards. We've heard these songs before, interpreted by finer musicians. However, these versions are loads of fun to listen to; The background vocals on "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" are a gas. Some rock and rollers may find this music "square" or "boring", but if you grew up in the early sixties, enjoy American popular music of the pre-Beatles variety, and long for simpler, gentler times, you will surely be entertained by this CD.

It would be nearly impossible to find these songs on 45's in mint condition today! Here they are on one great CD. I have the original vinyl LPs and have listened to them ever so carefully over the years and now, here's the whole collection on one CD. And they sound just great! The original charted versions of his hits! Paul Petersen was such a talent, how nice to know he grew up with his head screwed on straight and now helps child actors and former child actors, through a support group, "A Minor Consideration". He is also an author. If you like this type of music from the 1960's, you will enjoy this collection, which includes the beautiful "My Dad", which he actually sang in an episode of The Donna Reed Show. This is a great buy. I recommend adding it to your 60's music collection.

On of the "problems" of trying to get some of the hits you remember from your youth in the Sixties is that a lot of times singles never made it on their way to albums (think of all the hits that are collected on the two volumes of the Beatles's "Past Masters" CDs, although in that case it had something to do with the difference between the British and American versions of their albums, but you get the idea). That is why if you had to choose between the 23 tracks on "My Dad/Lollipops and Roses," which contains the two albums Paul Petersen released in the early Sixties and the 19 tracks on "The Best of Paul Petersen," you might want to go with the latter. The difference would be two of Petersen's singles that achieved minor chart success, "Amy" (#65) and "The Cheer Leader" (#78).

Paul Petersen was initially a Mouseketter but was sent to the recording studio by the producers of "The Donna Reed Show," on which he played son Jeff, along with Shelley Fabares who played sister Mary. It was Fabares who had the big hit with the teenage love song "Johnny Angel," which went to #1 on the charts in early 1962, but Petersen had his own short but spectacular recording career staring with "She Can't Find Her Keys," a novelty ditty that he sang on a January 1962 episode as part of a dream sequence where Jeff was dreaming he was a teenage recording star out on a date. His recording of the song went to #19. Over the next couple of years Petersen had several minor hits, all of which are found on this CD: "Keep Your Love Locked" (#58), "Lollipops and Roses" (#54), and his biggest hit "My Dad" (#6) about Dr. Alex Stone (Carl Betz).

Petersen does a decent job and while it is clear he was never especially serious about his singing career, anymore than was Fabares, he also did not take his audience for granted. Despite the title of this collection, "Lollipops and Roses" came out in 1962 with "My Dad" following in 1963. The primary appeal of this CD is going to be nostalgia rather than musical, but there is nothing wrong with that for fans "The Donna Reed Show."

Paul Petersen sang with heart and soul even when he wasn't completely interested in being a famous singer. This CD gives us all of the tracks on two of Paul's record albums entitled My Dad and Lollipops And Roses. Great!

The CD track set begins with Paul singing "My Dad." Paul sings this without a superfluous note; and his excellent voice can express the subtlest of nuances to make "My Dad" a strong ballad. The female backup chorus and the strings compliment Paul Petersen's vocals very well. "Try A Little Tenderness" starts with a great musical flourish and Paul sings this ballad sweetly without missing a beat! "Try A Little Tenderness" also has a female backup chorus and the strings are used again without interfering with Paul's sublime vocals. Excellent! Moreover, listen for a bossa nova rendition of "I Only Have Eyes For You." Paul sings this like the pro that he was in that recording studio!

"You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" gets the royal treatment from Paul Petersen as he sings this flawlessly to an early '60s beat. The percussion, female backup and musical arrangement help "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" along, too. Listen for some fine early '60s jamming on this number, too! "Goody Goody" also gets an early '60s rock flavor to it and Paul sings this very well; "Making Whoopee" also gets a fine early '60s rock flavor to it--but the song is great and somewhat amusing just as always. Paul sings "Making Whoopee" to perfection. I like how Paul is able to use his voice to make subtle changes in tempo and keys; his talent was clearly undervalued.

"She Can't Find Her Keys" is an unusual name for a song; but the catchy melody works nicely and this hit for Paul displays his strong ability to sing very well. "Lollipops And Roses" has a flavor that is part early 1960s rock mixed with something akin to bubblegum music; and somehow this makes "Lollipops And Roses" a good number. Paul sings "Lollipops And Roses" well, all the while using his voice to express even the subtlest of nuances in the vocal arrangement. Moreover, "Love Me Tender" sounds wonderful in Paul Petersen's competent care; the guitar arrangement fits in well and Paul delivers "Love Me Tender" sweetly and perfectly to make his rendition a most romantic one. Great!

The CD ends with a rockin' duet with Paul and Shelley Fabares; they sing "What Did They Do Before Rock 'N' Roll" which tells of their shock that any music but their early '60s type of rock and roll could ever please anyone. This cute duet works well while Paul and Shelley sing this to perfection; "What Did They Do Before Rock 'N' Roll" ends the CD very fittingly.

The liner notes give us the cover artwork for the two record albums released here on CD entitled My Dad and Lollipops And Roses; and we get a good essay by Mark Marymont.

Paul Petersen may have had a short career as a singer; but people undervalue him. Paul sounds wonderful when he sings and it remains a mystery to me that he didn't go higher on the charts with his great songs. We still remember Paul Petersen fondly.

Thank you, Paul!

I have ordered this CD basically for two songs of which I remember listening to as a pre-teen, "My Dad" and "Little Boy Sad." Almost 30 years later, on Father's Day '87, I gave to my own dad a collage of "fathering" photos with a cassette of "My Dad" in the center. He loved it and treasured it the rest of his life.

Paul modestly downplays his ability as a singer, but it's hard for me to imagine anyone doing a better job on this beautiful ballad. "Little Boy Sad" is an upbeat, mesmerizing tune that Paul also does a great job on. Although I am not familiar with most of Paul's recordings, if any of the remaining tracks on this collection are as enjoyable as these two, then I'm in for a treat. In the meantime, Paul, if you ever read these words, I would like to say "thank you" for the fine work you have done not only as an actor and singer, but in educating the public on the plight of child actors. The world is certainly a better place because of you, my friend.

GREAT CD EXCELLENT SOUND I RECOMMMEND THIS TO ANY ONE WHO LIKES 60,S MUSIC

I' ve wanted this CD for a long, long time. I have played it mor than 50 times since I received it. Its Playing on my laptop right now!

I love this CD. It reminds me of the good old days. I smile and sing along....Perfect song for a daughter to have the song played at a wedding.

I love this CD. I listen to it almost every day. It brings me back to my youth and happy days.

The title songs brings back great memories of MY DAD who passed away already 40 years ago. I'm sorry he never heard it.