The Frankie Laine Collection [Import]

Frankie Laine | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 28, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Import
• Label: Sony/Columbia
• ASIN: B00027EFDO
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #21,097 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #53 in Music > Imports > Broadway & Vocalists

Track Listings

1. Rawhide (Album Version)

2. Gunfight At The O.K. Corral (Version 2)

3. Sixteen Tons

4. Wanted Man

5. High Noon (Album Version)

6. Bowie Knife

7. Along The Navajo Trail

8. Cool Water (Album Version)

9. City Boy

10. Cry Of The Wild Goose

11. Call Of The Wild

12. Rocks And Gravel (Early In The Mornin') (Album Version)

13. Misirlou

14. Riders In The Sky

15. 3:10 To Yuma (Version 2)

16. Hanging Tree

17. Mule Train

18. On The Trail (Album Version)

19. Moonlight Gambler (Album Version)

20. North To Alaska

See all 60 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Three CD set from the popular vocalist of the '40s and '50s who successfully straddled the line between Jazz vocalist, crooner and Western singer. After his initial success as crooner and Jazz vocalist in the mid-to-late '40s, Laine switched gears when he signed up with Columbia Records and began recording Country & Western Pop. Laine's husky baritone was a perfect match for tracks like 'Rawhide', 'Gunfight At The OK Corral', 'Sixteen Tons', 'High Noon' and other like-minded audio treats. While sales remained good in the States, his popularity increased in the UK and Europe, who adored his Easy Listening musical tales of the dusty roads of the Old West and the aching pains of a broken heart. This triple disc set features 60 of the finest of his '50s recordings for Columbia

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great compilation of Frankie's music, April 3, 2009

By 

Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Frankie Laine Collection (Audio CD)

This British set is compiled from Frankie's recordings that are now owned by Sony, beginning in 1951. All the songs that charted in Britain are here except for a few minor hits, as well as re-recordings of some of his earlier Mercury hits. It is worth pointing out that Frankie often re-recorded his old hits to take advantage of technology that was improving rapidly in the fifties, and I'm not sure if all the later hits are original recordings. The original release dates given in the track listing are sometimes several years later than the date that the song hit the charts. People who must have the original recordings may decide not to buy this set on that basis, but those people will have to check any Frankie Laine compilation carefully.

Record sales charts only started in Britain in November 1952, before which there were only sheet music charts; however, Frankie's American chart success began in 1947. Among his early American hits (on Mercury) represented here by re-recordings are That's my desire, Mam'selle, Shine, That lucky old sun, Mule train and The cry of the wild goose. The last three of these all made number one in the American charts. Frankie had plenty of lesser American hits on Mercury, so dedicated fans will want a compilation of his Mercury recordings to get those hits as well as the original recordings of the ones featured here via re-recordings.

Frankie switched labels in 1951 and his records were then released on Columbia in America, but on Philips in Britain. His early American hits for his new label included Jezebel, Rose Rose I love you, The girl in the wood (a belated UK hit in 1953, having been an American hit in 1951), Jealousy, The gandy dancer's ball and When you're in love, all featured here. With the launch of the UK charts, High noon, Sugar bush (with Doris Day) and many other singles charted in both countries, though none of Frankie's wonderful duets with Jo Stafford charted in Britain and they're not featured here either, though they can be found elsewhere. Despite those records failing to chart, Frankie's solo recordings were very popular in Britain, often charting higher than they did in America. I believe, Tell me a story, Where the winds blow, Hey Joe!, Answer me (later revived by Barbara Dickson), Cool water and A woman in love (not to be confused with other famous songs titled Woman in love) were among the biggest UK hits and you'll find them all here.

The first CD of this set mainly focuses on Frankie's cowboy songs, with the love songs dominating the other two discs. As an introduction to Frankie's music, this is brilliant. I already had the cowboy songs on a couple of Bear Family compilations (On the trail and On the trail again) so I'm pleased att the way this set was compiled. If I play this soon after I play the other two compilations, I can simply skip the first CD to avoid repetition. Where Frankie's music is concerned, my next task is to look for a compilation of his Mercury recordings, but meanwhile this set has all the songs that really matter, even if some of them are re-recordings.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cowboy way, February 8, 2007

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This review is from: The Frankie Laine Collection (Audio CD)

Frankie Laine was mainly known for Pop hits in the 50s and 60s, now looked at as "eldermusik". But this album showed his folk music side, taking some very old songs, updating them slightly, and providing good music. If you like the Old West, this is a must have, along with Marty Robbins' western album. Just good cowboy music, minus the country twang, about real cowboys' lives. Very good listening including some pop.

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars " NOT THE ORIGINAL VERSIONS", April 5, 2007

By 

Tommy A. Land "music collector" (Kenosha, Wis.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Frankie Laine Collection (Audio CD)

Stay away from this set if you want the original versions for these are all later re-recorded versions. I bought this mainly for one song called " Don't Make My Baby Blue " and was throughly disgusted when I heard it. I have the original on a 45 record and believe me the cd version is definitely different. None of the songs on this set are the original.