Customer Reviews

Duprees - All-Time Greatest Hits

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Contrary to another reviewer's opinion, the Duprees' five biggest hits are beyond great, they're sensational! With apologies to the lovely Jo Stafford whose much earlier version of "You Belong To Me" belongs in a pantheon of the world's greatest love songs, but as great as Ms Stafford's version is, this one is something to behold. The harmonies backing up lead singer, Joe Canzano, are a thrill to hear -- augmented even more by that glorious saxophone that helped make this one of the greatest slow-dance tunes of 1962. After all these years, I'm still captivated by this magical rendition; no less so by any of the other four that follow the same formula of great harmonies with great saxophone backups. The Duprees really do prove the worth of that addage, "they don't make them like they used to."

You have to love the Duprees 5 best known hits, from You Belong
to Me, My Own True Love, Why Don't You Believe Me, Have You Heard
to It's no Sin. Their forte of taking an old standard and stylize
it with their signature sax harmonics produced but 5 worthy efforts, as noted. You have to remember, however, that Dion and the Belmonts did much the same with even greater success. The Duprees really missed a golden opportunity to duplicate their successes with Where Are You, Goodnight My Love, Two Different Worlds and especially the Eddie Fisher hit, I'm Yours, which literally cried out to be Dupree-ized, but wasn't. Too Bad! Thus,the majority of these 18 "Greatest Hits" are really not that great.

Wonderful Group!!!!! Great all-time favorites on this CD. Highly recommend this CD to all

These guys had a sound that was similar to other Doo Wop groups but with their own unique harmony and easy to listen to voices. Their harmony is as good as any of the top groups of that era and just a step below Dion and the Belmonts. Known more for their ballads it was certain that when one of them was played at a sock hop, the floor would be packed with slow dancers.

Every song on this CD is easy to listen too. Those that you'll remember (or if you weren't around in that era, the ones that were their biggest hits) You Belong To Me, Have You Heard, and My Own True Love are here and bring back memories of last dances. Why Don't You Believe Me has the sound of a slow big band era song but with Doo Wop harmony an performed with excellence.

This is a must add to any oldies collection because it reflects a sound that was unmistakable and this is one of the groups that made that sound a big part of early rock n roll. Good listening for Doo Wop and street corner harmony fans of all ages.

From the late summer of 1962 to February 1964 this Italian-American quintet from Jersey City put seven tunes into the Billboard Pop Hot 100 for the Coed label, three of which crossed over to the Adult Contemporary [AC] charts - and they are all here along with three of the flipsides. That, the sound quality, and the background notes makes this a 5-star compilation in my eyes.

Most of their material revisited hits from the past, but lead Joseph (Joey Vann) Canzano, along with Tom Bialablow, John Salvato, Mike Arnone, and Joe Santolo, gave those hits new life with their close harmonizing.

They began in 1962 with You Belong To Me, which had been a # 1 for Jo Stafford a decade earlier, taking it to # 7 Hot 100 that September b/w Take Me As I Am [tracks 1 and 2]. For their follow-up single later that year they used the melody of Tara's Theme from Gone With The Wind on My Own True Love which made it to # 2 AC/# 13 Hot 100 in November. The flipside, Ginny, is not included.

In 1963 they scored four times. I'd Rather Be Here In Your Arms was a minor hit, reaching # 91 Hot 100 in February b/w I Wish I Could Believe You. Gone With The Winf, inspired by, but not actually from the film, had been a # 1 for Horace Heidt & His Musical Knights way back in 1937. but their version struggled, reaching # 89 Hot 100 in April b/w Let's Make Love Again.

In September they returned to the Top 40 Pop with the Joni James # 1 hit from 1952, Why Don't You Believe Me? which reached # 10 AC/# 37 Hot 100 b/w My Dearest One. Another Joni James hit, Have You Heard? [# 4 in 1953], made it to # 8 AC/# 18 Hot 100 in December, b/w Love Eyes. Neither of those B-sides are included. nor is the flip [The Sand And The Sea] of their last Coed hit, (It's No) Sin. A # 1 for Eddy Howard in 1951, this levelled off at # 74 Hot 100 in February 1964. From Gone With The Wind to this record each was billed to The Duprees featuring Joey Vann.

In 1965 they secured a contract with Columbia, but the only hit there was Around The Corner which stalled that August at # 91 Hot 100 b/w They Said It Couldn't Be Done. Five years later they would have their final charter for the Colossus label with Check Yourself, a # 97 Hot 100 b/w The Sky's The Limit in May 1970 under the billing I.A.P. Co. [The Italian Ashphalt & Pavement Company].

It would have been nice for us completist collectors had these last two missing hits been included, but this clearly focuses only on their stay with Coed. A nice compact compilation of the offerings of yet one more American group buried by the British Invasion.

Songs to capture your heart. Original lead singer has a voice like velvet.

If you're into this kind of music, you'll probably find something to like from these particular "Jersey Boys." I saw a version of the group perform on one of the PBS oldies specials and was impressed with their smooth presentation. The material on this CD is heavy on standards -- "You Belong To Me" being the most well known. My favorite track is "Have You Heard." Good stuff.

The Duprees All-time Greatest hits is a must own for oldies lovers, even my son, within an age of music that is beyond me, will listen too. A truely great album that brings back the memories of long ago.

I bought this after I heard the group sing on the PBS doo-wop special. Once I played it through, I realized how many great songs they did, and that I had forgotten about. The CD is now stationed at Position #6 in my car's player...and I'm driving the wife nuts playing it over...and...over...and...over. The only negative is that the sound on their signature song is a little thin, but - just to be able to sit there at the song's end, and belt out YOU...BELONG...TOOOOOOO...MEEEEEE makes it all worth while!!!

Very good CD. Excellent recordings but it didn't have some of the hits I was hoping for. Those on it and others were great, however.