Customer Reviews

Johnny Get Angry

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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.

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!

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.

THIS C.D. IS A WELCOMED ADDITION TO THAT WONDERFUL GIRL NEXT DOOR SOUND OF THE 50'S AND 60'S. SHE DOES A BEAUTIFUL RENDITION OF THE FAMOUS INSTRUMENTAL "THEME FROM A SUMMER PLACE". THIS IS A VERY TALENTED SINGER AND WAS WELL KNOWN ON PEPSI COMMERCIALS. HER STYLE WAS FAVORABLE TO THAT OF CONNIE STEVENS. SHE DOES A GREAT VERSION OF "ONE BOY" AND OF COURSE THE POPULAR TITLE SONG THAT WAS SUCH A BIG HIT "JOHNNY GET ANGRY". HER SINGING IS ALSO COMPARABLE TO THAT OF DODIE STEVENS WHOM I'M IMPATIENTLY WAITING FOR HER C.D'S TO COME OUT. BUY THIS ONE. YOU'LL LOVE IT!!

I've been waiting to get this album for a long long time.This is one of Joanie's best efforts.She is one of America's best singers and she proves it with this cd.Nobody sings ONE BOY better than Joanie

"Johnny Got Angry" consists of all original tunes written by Joanie's friend and fellow cartoon voicer, Will Ryan. Will is an Emmy nominated cartoon producer and composer, who has written songs for Disney, as well as singers Patti LaBelle and the Pointer Sisters.

This is the second of two new Joanie Sommers releases this year. The other features jazz/pop covers, while this one is eclectic in scope, leaning toward rock and novelty tunes. Subtitled "Songs That Should Have Been Written, But Weren't," the CD picks up where Joanie the pop star left off in 1964 when she hit the charts big time with "Johnny Get Angry."

The title song is a politically correct sequel (following 40 years of sexual enlightenment) to "Johnny Get Angry." In the new version, Joanie dumps her bullying he-main boyfriend, punctuated with the line: "I won't be seeing Johnny anymore....As for Johnny, he's dating Leslie Gore."

These days, Joanie is associated primarily with jazz vocals, but here she proves she still has the chops for rock and roll on songs like "Kid Galahad" and the Mersey beat tribute to the Beatles, "I'm Glad You Want to Hold My Hand."

Other highlights include the James Bond parody tune, "(Never Say Yes to) Dr. No," and an enchanting, multi-track confection (think: psychedelic Carpenters) called "Songs From an Alternate Universe." The album ends with a delightful song sung partly in Japanese (no doubt as a favor to her Japanese fans and Will Ryan, a collector of Joanie's Japanese album releases).

Because this album was released only in Japan, the price will probably be too steep for any but the most loyal fans. It's too bad more people won't get a chance to hear it, because it's one of those rare, enchanting albums that belongs in any fan's music collection.

1. Johnny Get Angry
2. Theme From A Summer Place
3. One Boy
4. Ruby-Duby-Du
5. I Don't Walk To Walk Without You
6. When The Boys Get Together
7. Memories, Memories
8. Since Randy Moved Away
9. Little Girl Blue
10. Wishing Well
11. Mean To Me
12. Shake Hands With A Fool
13. Goodbye Summer
14. If You Love Him
15. Don't Pity Me
16. Good-Bye Joey
17. The Piano Boy
18. Kiss And Run
19. I Need Your Love
20. Till There Was You

I finally have Joanie Summers' greatest hits - now I won't be angry, as Johnny should be.

Joanie Sommers had a sandy, rich voice that deserved better than she got. This album hints at what could have been. She was the voice of Pepsi ("Now it's Pepsi for those who think young" and "You're in the Pepsi generation") who flashed brightly for several years. Had she used her natural ability to build on her early efforts, she possibly could have become a fine crossover jazz singer with great staying power. As it was, this album, coupled with "For Those Who Think Young," is a showcase for the mismanagement of a short-sighted A&R man out to make a fast buck. The album is worth hearing and even owning, but it will make you wish that Joanie Sommers' unrequited talent had really made it.

The album pictured is "Johhny GOT Angry," a collection of NEW satirical songs by Joanie, not the old Warner Brothers singles. It was issued only in Japan.