Customer Reviews

Ginger Rogers & Fred Astaire : Volume 1 - The Gay Divorcee - Top Hat

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I love this CD. I love the musicals Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers did for RKO during the thirties, and this is like being able to watch them in my head while I drive. Their wit, class and style have never been matched. Both Fred and Ginger knew their way around a lyric, and they had such clever and literate lyrics to sing. We even get to hear Edward Everett Horton, Betty Grable and "Tonetti" :) I know the orchestrations aren't in the style we are used to hearing today, but they have a charm that never fades for me. If this is the sort of thing you like, then you'll like this CD a lot.

Chanson Cinema has released a number of volumes in this series, of which I have three:

Vol. 2 : Follow the Fleet + Swing Time

Vol. 3 : Shall We Dance + Carefree

They are all superb. The sound quality is great, considering that they were taken from the films. Of course, that also means that you get dialogue, incidental sounds, and the sounds of the dancing - a huge plus for fans of the movies, though perhaps a bit distracting for people who are more focused on the music.

(But if it is the songs that you are primarily interested, there are better choices of CDs - Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Gershwin, etc. all have excellent collections available.)

Vol. 2 is the most rewarding overall since both movies on it are very good, while vols 1 and 3 team a truly superb movie (Top Hat and Shall We Dance, respectively) with a lesser one.

As a side note, I agree that the version of "The Continental" on this CD is a bit tiresome. It would be in the movie as well, if it weren't for the great sets and beautiful dancing to distract. "The Piccolino" is much the same.

For any fan of Fred Astaire movies, these should be considered indispensible.

And if you know where to get the rest of them, let me know!

Fred Astaire's voice is irresistably charming, and Ginger Rogers' sultry vocals aren't too shabby either. This CD is very enjoyable. I am a jazz record collector, and in my opinion Fred can really swing with his limited but very charming and photogenic voice. This is an essential CD for any comprehensive jazz collectors music library. Recommeded.

You already know this is great music from watching the movies.

About the only downside to this particular CD is a 16 minute (!) long version of "The Continental". Ok, so that's how long it lasts in the movie, but it doesn't hold up to repeated listenings. Other than that, great stuff.