Customer Reviews

The Ethel Merman Collection

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On 13 October 1930 a former stenographer walked onto the stage, sang "I Got Rythm," and in the process held a single note for an incredible thirty-two bars. Her personality was larger than life; her voice was powerful enough to blow open a barn door at sixty paces; and in the era before sound systems you could hear every single word in the balcony back row. A star was born, and her name was Ethel Merman. She would hold Broadway in thrall for two decades.

In those two decades Merman would appear in a host of celebrated musicals, a handful of films, and introduce more great standards than you can count. There is no way a "best of" compilation can do her justice--but THE ETHEL MERMAN COLLECTION comes as close as any single disk collection can. Most of the great ones are here, along with several of her lesser-known but no less greatly performed titles.

Many of the songs are obvious. It would be impossible to have an Ethel Merman collection without including "You're the Top," "I Get A Kick Out of You," "Doin' What Comes Naturally," "Hostess With the Mostes" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses"--to name but a few, all of them great standards of the Broadway stage and all of them sung to perfection. Fortunately, the collection also includes a few you may not have previously encountered, such as "Eadie Was A Lady," "Make It Another Old Fashioned, Please," and two brassy duets with Ray Bolger, "Dearie" and "If I Knew You Were Coming I'd've Bake A Cake." But whether the song is a roundhouse punch or a simple throw away, Merman never gave less than one hundred percent--and she's very much there in every single note.

A few of the songs here could stand a remaster, and I was unhappy with the version of "There's No Business Like Show Business" that is offered here. But short of a box set or a wholesale purchase of all the available Broadway soundtracks, this is probably as good as it gets--and when you're talking about the legendary Ethel Merman, that is very, very good indeed.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer
With special thanks to Michael Wilk, who loaned me his CD

It's true, this IS a great CD and the best collection of Merman's songs I've seen. The 21 songs cover most of her career and contain virtually all of HER songs from "I Got Rhythm" to "Everything's Coming Up Roses." This CD proves, if it needed proving, that Merman had IT! I's great to hear the songs in essentially chronological order. My favorite songs are the relative unknowns: "Make It Another Old Fashioned Please" and the very witty "I've Still Got My Health." Just as Judy Garland was the queen of the Hollywood musical, Merman was the queen of Broadway. What did they have in common? TALENT!

Ethel Merman dated? NEVER. These are some of the greatest performances of a true genius of the popular song. The tracks include everything from "I Got Rhythm" (which, as the Merm used to say, "really put me on the map) to the comedy of "Dearie" to the stunning drama of "Rose's Turn." A wonderful collection. A superlative singer.

Great CD!!! If you like Ethel Merman, you'll find a little bit of everything. Some selections include: I got Rhythm, You're the Top, Anything You Can Do, Some People, and Everything's Coming Up Roses, are but a few of the 21 track selections. There's No Business Like Show Business is also on this CD. However, I was disappointed to find that the track was the final reprise of the ENTIRE cast recording from the movie. You'll have to buy the movie soundtrack to hear Ethel solo performing one of her signature tunes. Don't forget, some of these recordings are from 1940, so don't expect the high-tech quality of the 90's, none-the-less, the digital remastering is well done.

If there is one Ethel Merman CD you want to have I can't imagine you finding a better one. This has to be the ultimate. The songs you identify with Ethel Merman will be found here. The CD may appear to have a high price tag, but it is worth every penny. If you enjoy her voice she is the one you want to have sing these timeless songs. You will not be going out on a limb in buying this, nor will you be disappointed.

Ethel possessed an extremely powerful voice, well suited to up-tempo songs for which she is best remembered, yet also capable of singing tender ballads.

Ethel introduced many songs to the public that have since become standards, including the song that became her trademark - There's no business like show business. Among the other standards on this collection are I got rhythm, Life is just a bowl of cherries, I get a kick out of you, Its de-lovely, Doing what comes naturally, I got the sun in the morning and Anything you can do.

I particularly like If I knew you were coming I'd have baked a cake, a song I hadn't heard before I bought this collection. Eileen Barton topped the American chart in 1950, while Ethel's duet with Ray Bolger (the version here) peaked at a more modest 15.

This is a fine collection of Ethel's music, but my guess is that some of you may find this powerful soprano voice just too shrill. Ethel has the kind of voice you love or hate. I love it.

Ethel Merman may seem dated and relegated to show tune heaven, but these songs, these unrestrained "beltings" of the works of this century's most lyrical composers is truly a pleasurable experience. You want energetic emotion? Try "Rose's Turn". It makes you sorry you can't see the great lady on stage. There are some nice liner notes as well which give a good insight into one of the truly great ladies of the American stage. So, don't be so stuffy and don't worry about what your friends will say. Just enjoy the music. She is great!

If you want a well recorded and definitive CD of Ethel Merman, you should get this one. You would have to buy many individual CDs to get "the best", otherwise. Yes, she can!

Our family is not hardcore into vocal or Broadway artists, but after seeing Ethel Mermam (EM) on an old Muppets episode really sparked our interest. So we purchased this collection as a starting point, and we are glad we did. My two year old daughter loves this collection and will not listen to anything else for about two months now. The version of "I Got Rhythm" is well worth the price of addmission. Buy and enjoy!