Customer Reviews

The Four Aces - More Greatest Hits

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The Four Aces, one of the most popular vocal groups of the 50's, racked up hit after hit during the decade until the advent of rock and roll finally put a stop to their run. Although the changing public demand ended their recording success, their music remains as some of the best of the era.

This compilation complements the excellent MCA collection that is a mere sampling of the popular tunes from the Four Aces. Included among the 18 tracks here are 17 singles, 14 of which were in the top-100. If you're a Four Aces fan and already own the MCA piece, this collection is a natural second step.

Given the vintage of these recordings, the sound quality is excellent with all tracks save one having been taken from the first-generation mono master tapes. The eight-page liner notes booklet provides background on the group as well as info on the included tracks. A superb companion piece to the MCA collection.

This 1995 offering from Varese Sarabande, coming a couple of years after MCA/Decca put out their 18-track Greatest Hits album, provided the perfect companion to that initial release as it filled in several notable gaps.

For example, whereas that other volume jumps from Heart And Soul (# 11 in late 1952) to late 1953's Stranger In Paradise, thereby skipping over eight hits, this volume provide five of the eight: Just Squeeze Me (Don't Tease Me), which was the flipside to Heart And Soul and also charted at # 20; I'll Never Smile Again (# 21 in February 1953); The Organ Grinder's Swing (# 17 in Kune 1953 and its B-side, Honey In The Horn (# 24), both accompanied by Owen Bradley's orchestra); and Laughing On The Outside (Crying On The Inside) which made it to # 22 in November 1953.

This also provides the B-side to their 1954 smash hit, Three Coins In The Fountain, the classic Wedding Bells (Are Breaking Up That Old Gang Of Mine), a # 22 on its own in June 1954.

There are four non-hits here, tracks 6 (a failed single), 7 (an LP cut), 9 (the uncharted B-side to Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing), and 10 (the uncharted B-side to Melody Of Love (both hits in the other volume). In retrospect - and considering that this IS labeled, after all, "More Greatest Hits" - it would have earned 5 stars had they included four of the hits not provided in either volume. Such as, from their early years: Two Little Kisses (# 29 in March 1962); La Rosita (# 24 in January 1953); You Fooled Me (# 22 in March 1953); False Love (# 24 in August 1953); and So Long (# 26 in March 1954 and the B-side of Amor).

Those missing from their later years are: Of This I'm Sure (# 56 Billboard Pop Top 100 in late 1955 and the B-side of A Woman In Love); If You Can Dream (# 62 Top 100 in March 1956) and its B-side, The Gal With The Yaller Shoes (# 91 Top 100) - both from the film Meet Me In LAs Vegas); Dreamer (# 86 Top 100 in July 1956 and the flip of I Only Know I Love You); Someone To Love (# 47 Top 100 in December 1956 and the A-side of Written On The Wind); Bahama Mama (# 53 Top 100 in April 1957) and its B-side, You're Mine (# 76); The World Outside (# 63 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in December 1958); and No Other Arms, No Other Lips (# 74 Hot 100 in March 1959).

Combined, that's enough to come out with a third release titled "Even More Greatest Hits." In the meantime, enjoy this otherwise excellent volume with its four pages of liner notes written by Joseph F. Laredo in April 1995, and the discography of the contents on the reverse.