Customer Reviews

Golden Hits

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Long before Bette Midler hit the scene, Sarah Vaughn was known as "The Divine One," and for good reason. Her voice is like clarity of mind; it's the soft, gentle breeze of summer upon which all of the sweet scents of the earth are carried; it's the sound that put the stars in the sky. And I envy anyone who has not yet experienced her music, because that moment of discovery is still ahead of them-- a moment after which all of the sounds of the world will somehow be forever changed, and in a good way, because the sound of Sarah is to the ear what sugar is to the tongue. So wait no longer. Delve into "Sarah Vaughn's Golden Hits," which will provide a transporting experience for established fans and "newbies" alike.

This album contains arguably the best versions ever recorded of some of the classic songs of all time, beginning with "Misty," which opens the album. But more delicacies await, all of which make this collection a veritable feast for the senses (yes, all of them, not just the ear; this is music you can taste, smell and feel). "Autumn In New York" and "Moonlight In Vermont" will take you to another place and time, and you can call it what you will because it will be a place of your own choosing, and timeless; that is the effect of Sarah Vaughn's incredible voice. And that's just an example of the magic of this album.

Call this a "sampling of Sarah," and know that while these songs are some of her best, the exciting thing is knowing that there are plenty more where this came from, more songs issued from that same unique well of excellence, waiting to take you on even more delightfully ethereal journeys born of one of the purest sounds ever recorded.

There are some of her "pop" hits represented here, as well, such as "The Banana Boat Song," "Broken Hearted Melody" and "Smooth Operator," which are indicative of her wide range and appeal. One of the incomparable talents of our times, Sarah Vaughn may be gone, but thanks to albums like "Sarah Vaughn's Golden Hits," her music will be with us forever, and so will she. Such talent cannot and will not ever be forgotten.

Compiling this album initially was an afterthought at Mercury. The C.D. version completes what the album started by adding signficant tracks the L.P. should have included. The new liner notes by Will Friedwald are insightful and intriguing. As for the music, it is divine start to finish. And how wonderful to have Sassy's magnificent and legendary duet with Billy Eckstine, "Passing Strangers," on C.D. You will be amazed at the sheer breadth of the material here--this woman could sing, and did sing, ANYTHING brilliantly. There's so much here, and maybe some gems you've never heard, such as "C'est La Vie."

Absolutely NOBODY had as much control, mastery and complete understanding of the first instrument like Sarah Vaughn. The passing of this monumentally gifted artist 10 years ago was truly the end of an era, and left a void that can never be filled. This is SINGING. On such standards as "Autumn in New York", "Misty" and "Whatever Lola Wants" her range of expression and emotion with a lyric is simply staggering. My mother Sharron owns this classic on vinyl and regularly blesses me with repeated plays of her favorite "Broken Hearted Melody" and then just lets me drift away into musical euphoria with the rest of the selections. There is not a wasted moment on this LP and it is especially rewarding to lovers of big band, swing and traditonal jazz as the numerous bands that accompany her provide brilliant backing on every number. No music collection is complete without someting by the divine Ms. Vaughn, and for my money, this is the best place to start! TIMELESS!

Miss Vaughan, I believe , possessed one of the greatest vocal instruments of all time. She had a range and sweetness of tone that should have been the envy of ANY singer. This collection is an excellent offering of just a little of the magic this great lady was capable of. Miss Vaughan could not only sing a very tender ballad ("Autumn in New York")with the best of them, but could also sing jazz like no one else ever could ("The Bannana Song"). One of the most beautiful songs recorded by anyone is Miss Vaughan's "Eternally". Just listen to her as she molds each phrase, each word and makes it her own. This is what REAL singing is all about! The word "Diva" is used so much these days to describe such undeserving talents such as Diana Ross or Madonna. Well folks, this is a REAL Diva. How can one listen to Madame Sarah sing "Misty" or "Tenderly" and not be swept away to another dimension or not feel the fun in such songs as "Smooth Operator" of "Lullaby of Birdland" (another all time classic)? Miss Vaughan was definitely one of the greatest singers (not just female singers) of all time. A truly monumental talent who left us all too soon. Listening to this CD makes one happy just to be alive. Buy it!

Have you ever heard something that just seemed to make your head spin? This was my first experience with Sarah Vaughan. I know this album represents the more popular sounding side of Ms. Vaughan's vast output of work, but I can't wait to experience all of it. Today, it seems like most of our outstanding vocalists knows one dynamic - screeching loud. Even on the ballads. This sampling Sarah Vaughan demonstrates that she was an expressive interpreter of pop as well as jazz music, and the sound of these recordings is remarkably clear considering when they were recorded. Autumn in New York, Misty, and Moonlight in Vermont are my favorites. When I bought this, I hoped the collection would be as good as the ones Capitol put together of Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole, but it exceeded my expectations. After I go buy the two boxed sets of her recordings, I'll start on Billy Eckstine. If you want a good, well mastered collection to start your Sarah Vaughan collection, this is a good choice.

This is a very good overview of some career highlights for Young Sassy, but don't expect any information whatsoever about the players on a single song; or comments about chart position; nor do you get a single bit of information about the year, the producer or session that a particular song was recorded. What you get are excellent songs that are very eclectic and liner notes that tell us how great Sarah was.
Well, just who would buy this c.d. that did not already know that much?
If you want more information regarding the music try another collection.

This is an outstanding album. Contains "Autumn in New York" (in my opinion the best recording ever of this song), "Passing Strangers" with Billy Eckstein is sublime. All the tracks are outstanding. This is definitely a superb collection of songs.

I was first introduced to Sarah Vaughan from a compilation jazz cd from the Verve label. The song was Misty and since I haven't heard anyone sing that song any better than Vaughan. This cd contains most of her greatest hits but indeed she's song countless more. A few songs are okay but the majority are truly golden!

Sarah Vaughan possessed a voice with a remarkably broad range; and her audiences loved her for this wherever she went to perform. Sarah enjoyed challenges, too; on this CD she performs both "Autumn In New York" and "Moonlight In Vermont" in full range. Sarah makes it sound easy; but we know it really isn't quite that simple to sing the way Sarah sang. We are all better off for Sarah's sharing her talents with us on great albums like this one.

The tracks set starts out with a beautiful rendition of "Misty." The orchestration glistens as Sarah delivers this without singing a superfluous note. The musical arrangement relies on the strings and horn to carry the bulk of the melody; and they do not fail to disappoint. Sarah's voice is as rich, warm and vibrant as ever on this track; I predict you will love this rendition of "Misty."

The CD continues with "Broken Hearted Melody" with a male chorus backing up Sarah as she sways and sings this song to perfection! The melody may sound somewhat upbeat; but this stands in sharp contrast to the lyrics which explore Sarah's feelings about a love gone awry.

"Autumn In New York" boasts a beautiful intro by the violins; and when Sarah comes in you're in heaven. Sarah uses her voice to convey a certain intimacy and sense of vulnerability both at the same time; this number is a golden nugget shining brightly! Sarah hopes for a new love when she sings "Autumn In New York." She celebrates New York with this song, too. "Moonlight In Vermont" follows "Autumn In New York;" and Sarah sings this soulfully and wistfully. "Moonlight In Vermont" allows Sarah to deliver a pensive ballad and the orchestration is lush. Sarah's voice is in excellent form and the percussion enhances the beauty of this number.

"Whatever Lola Wants" gets the Latin treatment and a male backup chorus to accompany Sarah. Sarah sings of her ability to get "whatever (she) wants" because she, as Lola, is "irresistible" to men. This romantic ballad shines brightly with Sarah's voice, the orchestration and the backup chorus all combining to produce a high octane performance! When Sarah tells you to "give in," you can intuitively understand why.

"Lullaby Of Birdland" is yet another great song on this CD; the drums, percussion and Sarah's voice produce a winning ticket yet again! The flawless melody and lyrics are by Shearing and Foster; and the piano playing shines to perfection as well.

Equally important, this CD gives you six bonus tracks to enjoy. I have this album on LP in my collection; but the CD is much better for this reason alone! SMILES "Lover Man" begins with a brief but excellent piano solo; when Sarah starts to sing her voice captures all your attention as she sings this torch ballad about a man she loved; but he did not love her in return. The musical instruments play softly in the background to showcase Sarah's voice as its own musical instrument on "Lover Man." The next bonus number is the timeless classic "Tenderly" which Sarah sings passionately. Sarah's voice remains in excellent form as she displays her wide vocal range to bat this number straight out of the ballpark. "C'est La Vie" is about love that goes unrequited; and the CD ends with "The Banana Boat Song." This final number gets the predictable Latin treatment and Sarah is accompanied once again by a superb male chorus. Sarah sings about men who work hard and dream of an easier life without such hard work. This final number rounds out the CD very well.

The liner notes give you the song credits and the original liner notes for the record album when it was originally released. Will Friedwald contributes an excellent essay about Sarah Vaughan's unforgettable talent.

I highly recommend this CD for people who want to become better acquainted with Sarah's artistry. Sarah's fans will consider this CD to be a "must-have;" and people who enjoy classic pop vocals will love this CD, too. The extra six bonus tracks make this CD a very special one.

She has never sounded better. Originally produced in 1958 on Mercury Records. For all Jazz lovers, you will not be disappointed.