Customer Reviews

Definitive Collection

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From a British perspective, this collection is truly definitive. Perry had 26 UK hits between November 1952 (when UK charts began) and 1973. All of them appear in chronological order on the first CD here. Of course, Perry would have had many more UK hits had there been charts prior to 1952. (Yes, there were sheet music charts, but we'll ignore them.)

Perry had many hits in America that didn't make the UK charts, even after 1952, but most of the big ones are here. His many classics include Don't let the stars get in your eyes, Magic moments, Catch a falling star, Delaware, It's impossible, And I love you so, For the good times and Walk right back, all huge UK hits. They are all on the first CD here together with many other great songs.

The second CD contains 23 tracks that were chosen by the compiler and he seems to have done a good job, attempting to cover as wide a range of his other songs as possible. This CD includes No other love, a major American hit which was not released in Britain. Instead, Ronnie Hilton (a British singer) covered the song and had a UK number one hit with it. In the fifties and sixties, it was common practice for British singers to have UK hits with covers of American songs. Two of Perry's American hits from the 1940's are featured, but only as re-recordings. Temptation is from a 1974 album while Prisoner of love is a live version, recorded in Las Vegas. This CD also includes brilliant covers of Wind beneath my wings, Can't help falling in love, You light up my life, Some enchanted evening, Close to you, My cup runneth over, In the still of the night, I've got you under my skin and two Beatles songs, Yesterday and Here there and everywhere. The CD closes, appropriately, with You are never far away from me - the song that Perry often closed his shows with.

Perry Como does not get as much attention these days as Dean Martin and Andy Williams but his music is every bit as good as theirs. This collection proves it.

This 2 CD Set, which is a mixed effort, contains on the First Disc many of Perry Como's UK Chart Hits. The Second Disc in particular includes an interesting selection of songs from albums and singles - a number of which make their CD debut here - notably "Love Don't Care (Where It Grows)".

The term "Definitive" used for this collection is misleading. "It's Impossible" to create a "Definitive Collection" of Perry Como with only 2 CD's. There are many songs missing from this collection that define Perry Como; including major hits like "Till The End Of Time" and true portrayals of the real Perry Como, such as "Look To Your Heart".

The sources for this CD are not what is desired. Records have been used ("Idle Gossip" for example, has been sourced from a 78 rpm record, although a Release Master copy could have easily been obtained). Some thought has gone into the track listing and sequencing, but the sources and mastering are unexceptional and unacceptable.

What really needs to be done is competent re-mixing and re-mastering of the complete Como albums with their respective session recordings.

I am a big Perry Como fan. I grew up on "Catch A Falling Star." When I saw this CD, I had to have a copy of it. It is indeed an impressive line-up of songs. Lots of his hits are here and several other good songs. The CD is a good one. However, I stop short of saying it is terrific. I was disappointed. Not very much of it was in Stereo or really great quality. Yes, I realize the recordings were from LONG ago but we live in the technological age. Aren't albums redone, re-recorded, tweeked etc. all the time to improve them? Also, these songs must have been recorded somewhere more recently in Stereo. I would have enjoyed it much better if that would have been the case. Songs are still good, though. If you are not a Stereo buff as I am, do not care about the headphones and Stereo separation and quality, this CD will do very well.

Approx. two weeks ago, I used this "review process" to say I had never received this order. I heard back from Zoverstock in the UK that it had been shipped and must have not made it through the delivery system. They were kind enough to take my word that the item hadn't been received and said they would ship another. It arrived today and I am very happy with both the CD and the folks from whom I purchased it. Thank you Amazon. Thank you Zoverstock.

This was a nice selection. Many that I consider to be a great a representation of PC. I ordered this so that I can try to drum up interest in my son. As for the results, time will tell. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to others.