Customer Reviews

Enjoy Yourself - Hits of Guy Lombardo

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Hailing from London, Ontario, Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians would have their first hit record in the fall of 1927. Incredibly, there would be 217 more charted hits over the next 27 years!!! The band would continue with live performances until 1977. What accounted for the enduring popularity of this outfit? After all, most of the critics dismissed Guy Lombardo's music as "trite and predictable" and dubbed him "The King of Corn". And many big band afficianados never really took him seriously either. But the record buying public loved him!! In fact, it has been estimated that over 100,000,000 Lombardo recordings have been sold!!!
Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians recorded for 4 different record labels over the years. This collection features 16 of his biggest hits on Decca between 1934 and 1954. These original recordings having been lovingly remastered for your enjoyment. There are 7 #1 hits here including ""Penny Serenade", "What's The Reason (I'm Not Pleasin' You), "Red Sails In The Sunset" and one of my all-time favorites "The Band Played On". The package also includes a nicely done 12 page booklet.
Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians were one of the most successful recording acts of the last millenium. This music should be included in any serious collection of 20th century American popular music. And while there are several discs currently available I feel that this is the best of the bunch. Recommended.

Though most of Guy Lombardo's top chart hits not included here, you may really ENJOY YOURSELF when you listen it. "Enjoy Yourself" is amazing, and "Red Sails In the Sunset" is beautiful. Moreover, Guy's version of "Harbor Light" may give you a different experience with Platter's version.

Don't know much about the other songs on the cd, but this remastered version of Enjoy Yourself (It's later than you think) is too funny. It's got great horns, a cha cha/latino sound and lyrics that will make you laugh out loud. If ever there was a warning song for fast paced career driven 90's people--this is it.

This is a band leader who, prior to the emergence of the national Billboard Pop charts in 1940, registered well over 140 hit singles on what then passed for such listing (such as the Record Buyers Guide), no less than 21 of them # 1 hits. Then, from 1940 to 1954 he added another 73, including three more # 1s. It is estimated that, in singles alone [78/45rpm] he has sold over 100,000,000, easily making his the most commercially successful big band of all time.

Critics back then loved to pan his music, calling him "The King Of Corn" but as Joseph F. Laredo [my favourite liner note writer] says in his seven pages "For each critic of the Lombardo band's approach, there must have been at least a thousand admirers of every description imaginable. Jazz purists and all hipsters who decry the Lombardo sound as terminally square will be tormented until the end of their days knowing that Louis Armstrong was an ardent Lombardo booster." He then goes on to quote Louis, who said in writing, "Guy Lombardo and his band has always been my favorite band ... [and that brother Lebert] has always been in my mind as my first chair man in my dream band if he ever leaves the Guy."

Obviously, any attempt to completely cover his hits would require a 10-disc box set, but this one, with excellent sound reproduction, offers up original renditions of some of his best from 1934 to 1950 and, in the insert, shows you recording dates and label details. Not one of the selections offered from tracks 1 to 16 finished lower than # 10 [that was track 1]. Number one hits are represented at tracks 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11 and 15, while # 2 hits are at tracks 8 to 10. The others were: track 5 [# 6], track 12 [# 7], track 13 [# 5], and track 14 [# 8].

The disc then finishes with a 1947 recording of his signature broadcast close-off tune, Auld Lang Syne, this one recorded in 1947 and which features a chorus, and at track 17 you get a 45 second clip of the same song with Guy wishing you a Happy New Year.

Just beautifully done from every angle and highly recommended for any fan of the "sweetest music this side of Heaven" - a description of their music derived from a review in 1928 by renowned critic Ashton Stevens. He called them "the softest and sweetest jazzmen on any stage this side of Heaven." All this is contained in Mr. Laredo's wonderful notes.

I purchased this CD with the intent to play Auld Lang Syne on New Year's Eve, but I had recognized a few of the other numbers such as Bell-Bottom Trousers and And The Band Played On, plus the title song, Enjoy Yourself. I found myself enjoying it so much I played it over and over again, day after day. When I did decided to put a different CD on, it did not take long for me to switch back to Guy Lombardo. The mix of instrumentals and vocals I thought was very appealing as well as the mostly upbeat tempo of the selections. I liked Dearie as it reminded me of my younger days, Penny Serenade and Harbor Lights. It encouraged me to buy a CD of Glenn Miller and also The Only Big Band CD You'll Ever Need which has various Big Band artists. My favorite will remain Guy Lombardo's Enjoy Yourself and would definitely encourage others who want to listen to something new give it a try.

I purchased this CD for my 90 year mother. She is very pleased with the CD and plays it everyday. Thank you for making the CD available.
Mary Polansky

Enjoy yourself. It's later than you think!
Enjoy yourself. While you're still in the pink!
The years go by, As quickly as a wink.
Enjoy yourself. Enjoy yourself. It's later than you think!

You never go to nightclubs and you just don't care to dance.
You don't have time for silly things like moonlight and a bike romance.
You only think of dollar bills tied neatly in a stack
But when you kiss a dollar bill it doesn't kiss you back.

Enjoy yourself. It's later than you think!
Enjoy yourself. While you're still in the pink!
The years go by, As quickly as a wink.
Enjoy yourself. Enjoy yourself. It's later than you think!

(Words and music by Carl Sigman & Herbert Magidson)

Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians truly set the standard for fine music for many, many years; they brought happiness to millions of people with their music and songs that remain quite beautiful and memorable at once. The quality of the sound on this CD is good; some tracks have a bit of surface noise but make no mistake about it--you'll still enjoy the music. In addition, the artwork is tastefully done.

There's so much great music on this album; every tune's a winner although I do have my favorites just as you will, too. The first track, "Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)" is catchy, memorable and just plain fun to listen to over and over again. I first heard this on a Guy Lombardo record album and the CD's digital format does justice to this opening number. "It's Love-Love-Love" has a sprightly classic Latin beat that I always love to hear; they sing this to perfection--and beyond while Guy and his band never let go of a single superfluous note! "Stars Fell on Alabama" gets the royal treatment even though there's some relatively minor surface noise here; you'll still enjoy it very much anyway.

"The Band Played On" is very well done; and how's about that brass? "Penny Serenade" is terrific; and there's still more to love with gems like "The Anniversary Song" that boasts an elegant and flawless piano arrangement; "Harbor Lights" with the horn section really helping the melody along; the very catchy "Managua, Nicaragua;" "Seems Like Old Times" which is one of my very favorite tunes on the album; the classic "Red Roses for a Blue Lady;" "Third Man Theme;" the very famous and ageless "Auld Lang Syne" and the closing track, "Guy Lombardo Wishes You A Very Happy New Year" that couldn't have been done any better!

Guy Lombardo was a masterful artist and His Royal Canadians made a mighty contribution to the soundtrack of people's lives back when they were performing together; and they still sound every bit as good today. I highly recommend this for any fan of classic pop music and classic pop vocals. Moreover, people just discovering the exquisite talent of Guy Lombardo will find this to be an excellent starter CD for their soon to be large collections of Guy Lombardo albums.

The sound quality is pretty good. I have no complaints. I especially enjoyed listening to "Bell Bottom Trousers" and "Seems Like Old Times" these are definite repeaters. It's also handy to have around the holidays as you get the traditional verison of Auld Lang Syne. A definite must for all you Glen Miller fans.

When I was little, I remember hearing about Guy Lombardo but like every kid I was half listening. Growing up, I still heard my parents talk about his hits and I remember family song fests where some of these songs were sung..although probably not well (smile). Now as I have developed an appreciation for the music from that era (because I was doing some research on the music of that time period); I discovered why the adults of the Lombardo decades were so enthusiastic about his sound. The lyrics are fun and the songs make you think that nobody on their death bed ever worries that they hadn't spent enough time at the office. Folks like ourselves who are working non-stop could take a page from the Lombardo book because it truly is later than we think. So enjoy yourself and give this album a listen. It will be like taking a walk down the memory lane of your parents or grandparents who enjoyed these songs so much.

Bentley/2007

Very enjoyable CD to listen to and dance to. I like hearing the old big band songs and I did enyoy it.