Johnny Get Angry

Joanie Sommers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 9, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Collector's Choice
• ASIN: B00005MHUO
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #219,318 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Joanie's biggest-selling album gathered many of the singles Warner had released up 'til the time of its release including her first chart hit, One Boy, and, of course, the monster title track that went to #7 and stayed on the charts 14 weeks. Other songs

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A classic snapshot of the transitional early 60s, February 14, 2006

By 

Michael B. Marshall "mikeymars" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Johnny Get Angry (Audio CD)

Amongst my large collection of vinyl, one of most treasured is my rare, original 1962 stereo copy of this Warner Brothers LP.

I love this record for two reasons. First, it is arguably the best single collection of Sommers material ever released on a single album, running from the upbeat "pop hit" ("Johnny Get Angry," a true time capsule of what American top-40 radio really sounded like just before being overrun by the British Invasion) to "Since Randy Moved Away," a classic girl group piece, to "Little Girl Blue," a beautiful, soft and slow Hart/Rodgers lounge ballad which wonderfully displays her jazz legacy.

Every style Joanie ever engaged in is represented on this album, and it's consequently a wonderfully engaging listen - a 40 minute variety show of an incredibly competent singer at the high water mark of her career. Yes, her subsequent "Softly the Brazilian Sound" 1965 LP is often viewed as her most capable effort, but "Johnny Get Angry" is the most varied and enjoyable.

Secondly, for the shrinking universe that still cares about recording quality, this is early Warner Brothers stereo studio work at its absolute best. The soundstaging on the recording is incredible, and listening on a good system, you can feel the pulse of the stand-up bass and actually hear Joanie taking some breaths. The CD release of the album doesn't quite capture all of that "micro-detail," but comes close enough. Bottom line: if you want the "wow, the singer is standing in my living room" experience, this recording delivers.

Unfortunately, Sommers competencies as a perfomer were always under-appreciated, and her post-1960 sound just didn't fit with the movement of the pop world towards "insightful singer-songwriters." Consequently, she quickly fell out of fashion after this LP was released (her TV appearances pretty much drying up by the late 60s), and I've found that even well-read music fans today are usually unaware of her.

So -- for those who appreciate pure singing and sound quality, and enjoy the sound of the early 60s -- meet Joanie on this CD.

You won't be disappointed.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pop Art!, June 25, 2002

By 

Allen Bardin (Columbia, SC United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Johnny Get Angry (Audio CD)

Joanie Sommers straddled the worlds of jazz and teen pop, with amazing success. This disc concentrates on her hit records, and it's a lot of fun. "One Boy" from BYE BYE BIRDIE was a big hit for Joanie, and her swirling version of "A Summer Place" is pure camp romance! Take yourself back to the beach, circa 1962 and have a ball with the tantalizing style of the Pepsi girl, Miss Joanie Sommers!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ONE HOT SOMMERS!, June 24, 2003

By 

Dennis Petticoffer (Orange, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Johnny Get Angry (Audio CD)

It's a shame Joanie Sommers has been relegated to "one-hit wonder" status. As this recording so eloquently illustrates, Joanie's fame as a singer of teenage pop songs was only one facet of her talent. First and foremost, she was (and still is) a great jazz and standards singer. This recording reveals both sides-- the teen anthems and the more sophisticated classics. In both cases she shines. This is as close as you'll get to a greatest hits collection by Miss Sommers. "Mean to Me," "Little Girl Blue," and "Theme From a Summer Place" are rendered with remarkable maturity from a singer of her age. At the same time, "Johnny Get Angry," "One Boy," and "Since Randy Moved Away" all rank as the finest teen love songs of the day. Joanie's voice and charm are truly distinctive. Grab this album quick, before it goes out of print.