Golden Years of Helen Forrest : I Had the Craziest Dream [ORIGINAL RECORDINGS REMASTERED] 4CD SET [Box set, Import]

Helen Forrest | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 23, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set, Import
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Jasmine Music
• ASIN: B0000C669Q
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #84,143 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Night Over Shanghai

2. Deep In A Dream

3. I Won't Tell A Soul

4. Monday Morning

5. Summer Souvenirs

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. I Can't Resist You

2. Nobody

3. The Man I Love

4. More Than You Know

5. Yes, My Darling Daughter]

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Long Ago And Far Away

2. Look For The Silver Lining

3. Time Waits For No One

4. It Had To Be You

5. Together

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Till We Meet Again

2. Waitin' For The Train To Come In

3. In Love In Vain

4. All Through The Day

5. Here I Go Again

See all 26 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

This box set compiled and produced by Geoff Milne is a huge collection from one of the most popular of female big band singers and includes both broadcast and studio material dating back to 1938. As a link to the already released The Golden Years of Dick Haymes, Let the Rest of the World Go By on JASBOX 9-4 we are given all 18 Decca duets which Helen and Dick recorded together and one broadcast track People Will Say We re in Love . The box is worth its price for these recordings alone but as we know Helen had a great career singing with Artie Shaw, Harry James and Benny Goodman as well as solo hits. The sound quality is bright and clear and this is an outstanding set of 97 vocals! See also: JASMCD2545 - The Voice Of The Big Bands JASMCD2550 - Sweeter As The Years Go By JASMCD2559 - Volume Two - Sweet And Simple

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant but not definitive, March 30, 2009

By 

Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Golden Years of Helen Forrest : I Had the Craziest Dream [ORIGINAL RECORDINGS REMASTERED] 4CD SET (Audio CD)

If you are looking at this set thinking that it must be the ultimate Helen Forrest collection containing all her big hits, you'll be disappointed. Nevertheless, this is a fine collection that showcases Helen's talents superbly. It is worth noting that Helen refused to sing up-tempo songs, which didn't always help her career, but she was brilliant at what she did. And while four CD's of ballads might sound a bit excessive, half of the music here was recorded in the big band era, with the other half being in a more lush, orchestral style. Thus, there is plenty of variety in the arrangements, with many mid-tempo songs among the slower songs.

Helen's earliest recordings were with Artie Shaw in 1938 and 1939. Jasmine previously released two single compilations of Helen's music with Artie Shaw, both of which I bought and reviewed some years ago. The first CD here begins with 21 of these recordings but omits their two number one hits (They say, Thanks for everything), though some of their big hits together (notably Deep in a dream, I poured my heart into a song) are here. Still, Helen's music with Artie was all brilliant so I'm not complaining for myself. Others may resent buying this then having to buy two other compilations to plug important gaps in their collection. CD 1 ends with two tracks (I'd be lost without you, A ghost of a chance) recorded in 1940 with Lionel Hampton, Nat King Cole and his trio. There is no mention of these two tracks in the liner notes, but they are worth a listen.

The first ten tracks from CD 2 are taken from Helen's recordings with Benny Goodman in 1940 and 1941. Several great female singers took their turn singing with Benny's band including Mildred Bailey, Helen Ward and Martha Tilton, but Helen didn't like just being a bit-part singer and quit after just a year in his band. It turned out well for both, as Helen signed for Harry James while Benny recruited Peggy Lee as Helen's replacement. Several of the hits that Helen had with Benny only feature Helen singing the chorus so, since this is a compilation of Helen's music rather than Benny's, they've been overlooked. The featured tracks here are those on which Benny gave Helen greater exposure (especially The man I love, More than you know, My sister and I)..For the hits where Helen was only a bit-part singer, look for a Benny Goodman compilation.

The remaining 13 tracks feature Helen's recordings with Harry James, all made between 1941 and 1943. Helen and Harry had four number one hits together but only two (I don't want to walk without you, I had the craziest dream) are included here, the other two (Mister five by five, I've heard that song before) are omitted. Some lesser hits are included (notably But not for me, Skylark, I remember you) but also noteworthy is You made me love you. Originally a million-selling top five instrumental hit for Harry James in 1941, the version here features Helen's vocals and was used in the soundtrack of Private buckaroo.

Helen subsequently pursued a solo career. Her first solo record (Time waits for no one) was a number two hit (Time waits for no one) but none of her other solo recordings charted. However, Helen recorded a lot of duets with Dick Haymes and together they charted ten hits. CD 3 and CD 4 cover Helen's solo and duet recordings from 1944, with all the charted hits included. Helen's last chart entry was in 1946 but she continued recording great music until the period covered by this set ends in 1950. Thereafter, Helen's recordings were sporadic but she had already proved that she was a brilliant ballad singer. While one might have expected her to succeed as a solo singer (especially given the quality of her solo recordings), that didn't happen, but her legacy of band recordings with Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and Harry James, together with her duets with Dick Haymes, ensure her place in history.

While this is not a definitive collection, it is a great showcase for Helen's music. If you haven't got any of her music, start here and if you want more, look for those other Jasmine compilations with Artie Shaw and a relevant Harry James compilation.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love it!!, December 30, 2003

By 

E. C Goodstein (Northern CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Golden Years of Helen Forrest : I Had the Craziest Dream [ORIGINAL RECORDINGS REMASTERED] 4CD SET (Audio CD)

I'm not at all a Helen Forrest expert, but I picked this up
on sale not long ago, & I'm really glad I did. 4 CDs, studio, radio & 'ballroom' recordings & I think a few fairly rare.
Seems a good cross section of her recordings with Goodman, Shaw & James, as well as Nat King Cole, Gordon Jenkins, Johnny Mercer & others, including a few also from films. The sound quality is really very good overall. Warm, compelling voice that sounds great in big band setting IMO. I love Jo Stafford, & think Helen similar caliber of singer (not that they sound exactly alike).

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Female Singer Ever, November 26, 2011

By 

GWCarver - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Golden Years of Helen Forrest : I Had the Craziest Dream [ORIGINAL RECORDINGS REMASTERED] 4CD SET (Audio CD)

Helen Forrest was simply the best female singer of all time. Although her hits are great, it is her covers on this collection that make it worth buying. Bea Wain's "My Sister and I" is a rather obscure tune, but one of my big band era favorites, and Helen Forrest brings a level of beauty to it that brings the song to another level, as she does with every song she sings. Someone suggested she was like the female Frank Sinatra. Although it isn't a perfect comparison, mainly because it really isn't fair to compare anyone to the great Sinatra, it is pretty close to the way I think of her.

Most of the best songs on this compilation I had never heard before, because they were all way before my time. It is hard to believe that the upbeat sounding "Night Over Shanghai", with Helen's voice soaring beautifully during her chorus, is actually about the Japanese bombing Shanghai prior to Pearl Harbor. The lyrics are a little mysterious unless you know that. The song was recorded in 1938, so she was probably with Artie Shaw at the time.

So, how did I end up finding Helen Forrest and the rest of the wonderful singers and bands from the 30's and 40's? I asked my mother what kind of music she listened to when she was in high school, and she insisted it was rock and roll. So, I did a little research to find out what kind of music was being played in 1938, when she was 16, and it was Swing. Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and Harry James played swing, and Helen Forrest sang for all of them. Everyone danced holding hands or each other at that time, all they way until "The Twist" changed everything. Maybe that is what confused her.

I think by now I have everything Helen Forrest put on vinyl or was transcribed from radio performances, and I think this comp is your best bang for the buck.