Customer Reviews

Music for Lovers Only/Music to Make You Misty

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Unfortunately, in our era, mood music or easy listening music has been degraded to "elevator music." But in the 1950s some truly fine albums of romantic easy listening music were recorded and none was better than Jackie Gleason's first album, Music for Lovers Only. Gleason's concept was brilliant: mellow solos by the great trumpeter/cornetist Bobby Hackett accompanied by a smooth string orchestra, with no percussian to jar the romantic effect. In later albums Gleason added other instruments, but appealing as his later albums were, none was more successful than The original, Music for Lovers Only, which was the biggest selling LP issued to that time. The original version of this outstanding album was only a 10" LP with just eight songs. Consequently, its various reissues have added songs from other Gleason albums -- in this case, another winner, Music to Make You Misty. If you are at heart a romantic, I think you'll love this album.

Jackie Gleason was an accomplished comedian, actor, arranger, and composer. Among his many talents, his music will forever serve as his living legacy. He surrounded himself with gifted musicians, including Bobby Hackett's crisp, clear coronet and Toots Mondello's sultry, simmering sax. Jackie seldom used percussion in his works which perhaps explains the enduring and ethereal quality of these orchestrations.

Jackie understood better than most, that music gives expression to the soul. Through his quiet, intimate, and deeply moving arrangements, he touched the soul with a tapestry of emotions from reflection, to romance, to rapture. Close your eyes as you listen to his warm, mellow strains. Recall sentimental memories...the misty hours of the evening, soft candlelight, the tinkle of sparkling crystal...hushed whispers...sensual moments...forever suspended in time...

AS I WAS READING SOME OF THE REVIEWS FOR THIS WONDERFUL JACKIE GLEASON ALBUM, I WAS APPALLED AT SOME REVIEWERS TOTAL LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE RECORDINGS OF THIS PERIOD. I WILL TRY TO OFFSET THAT CONFUSION.

FIRST OF ALL, ALL POPULAR ALBUMS PRIOR TO 1955 WERE OF THE 10 INCH VARIETY....SO THE MOST ANY ALBUM COULD HAVE WERE 8 TUNES.

THE JAZZ ALBUMS OF THE TIME, HAD EVEN LESS BECAUSE OF THE LENGHT OF THE TRACKS. ONLY THE CLASSICAL ALBUMS WERE OF THE 12 INCH VARIETY, AND THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE OBVIOUS EXTENDED LENGHT OF THE COMPOSITIONS. I WILL EXPAND MORE ON THIS LATER AS FAR AS THIS CD IS CONCERNED.

NO 2, I AM SICK AND TIRED OF LISTENERS WHO BY ALBUMS OF THIS PERIOD OR EARLIER AND COMMENT THEY WERE DISSAPOINTED IT WAS IN MONORAUL AND NOT STEREO.
WELL, STEREO WAS NOT PUT IN POP ALBUMS UNTIL 1956 AT THE EARLIEST AND THEY WERE MOSTLY EXPERIMENTAL(SOME OF THE EARLY STAN KENTON TRACKS OF THE MID 50'S WERE IN STEREO BUT NEVER RELEASED UNTIL ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO). STEREO WAS NOT REALLY UNLEASHED TO THE MASSES UNTIL 1958. SO PLEASE DON'T TAKE STARS OFF BECAUSE YOUR EARS CAN NOT TAKE MONO. DEAL WITH THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE TIME PEOPLE.

THE FIRST LP "MUSIC FOR LOVERS ONLY" WAS THE 10 INCH LP. WITH 8 SONGS ONLY. THE LADY FROM GA WHO SAYS SHE HAS THE FULL 16 SONGS ON HER ALBUM, HAS A CAPITOL RE-ISSUE. IT'S NOT THE ALBUM AS ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED. SO WHEN YOU GET THIS LP , YOU WILL GET THE EXACT 10 INCH VERSION. THE REMAINDER OF THE CD IS THE "MUSIC TO MAKE YOU MISTY" AND THAT IS THE ORIGINAL 12 INCH RECORDING. NOW THAT LP MAY HAVE HAD 16 SONGS ON IT. IF SO, CC SHOULD HAVE ADDED THE EXTRA 4 TRACKS, HOWEVER, BEING THAT THE LP WAS ORIGINALLY RELEASED IN 1959, I AM PRETTY SURE THAT THE LP HAD ONLY 12 SONGS ON IT(WHICH WAS THE STANDARD BY THAT TIME). SO , IF INDEED THAT WAS THE CASE,CC WAS FAITHFUL TO BOTH ORIGINAL LPS.

THE MUSIC OF COURSE IS TOP NOTCH, IT IS NOT MUSZAC OF ELEVATOR MUSIC. UNFORTUNATELY, NO ONE UNDER 40 WOULD EVEN KNOW ALBUMS LIKE THESE EXIST ...IT'S TO THEIR DETRIMENT AND OF COURSE, I BLAME THE RADIO PROGRAMERS....BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.

Unfortunately, in our time mood music has justifiably become known as "musical wallpaper" or "elevator music." However, this was not always so. In the '50s some really good mood albums were made. In my opinion, those by Jackie Gleason with trumpet solos by Bobby Hackett were the best. The first Gleason/Hackett album was "Music for Lover's Only. It was originally issued as a 10" LP with four songs to a side and was the biggest selling LP record at that time. Later other songs were added and it was re-released as a 12" LP. The current CD contains all eight of the original songs from "Music for Lover's Only" plus other songs, including those from "Music to Make You Misty." If you like old-fashioned romantic music, you'll love this CD.

The instant you put this into your CD player, your world is transformed. The stress in your shoulders begins to fade and your body begins to sway as you are transported to another place and time...

Those of you not old enough to remember when music sounded this good. This was romance, baby. The great one made music for lovers. If you watch old movies or movies set in the fifties and sixties you've probably heard this type of music played on the soundtrack. Oh, the hot nights, the hot dames. Man, what a time that was.

i had one of these albums as a teen, and always enjoyed it. since puchasing it in cd, i have continued to enjoy listening to the great one. his muic is truly beautiful and relaxing. i wish they would put some of his other work on cd. some groups or singer with much less talent have all their stuff , old and new on cd, and a great one like this is very limited.he recorded 35 albums,and i think a lot of people would enjoy his work.luckily, i still have a vinyl collection!

Jackie Gleason's orchestrations of the Old Standards, although recorded in the 50s, will ALWAYS be fresh and romantic! The lush strings and the wonderful trumpet of Bobby Hackett provide my wife and me with VERY happy, romantic times and memories!

Jackie Gleason delighted in being both an arranger of fine music; and he composed music as well. This two-fer CD gives us all the tracks from two of Jackie's earliest albums: Music For Lovers Only (with 8 songs because this was a 10 inch 33rpm record from 1952) and Music To Make You Misty. Great!

The track set begins with "Alone Together." The strings are beautifully arranged and the horns work wonders for this number. "My Funny Valentine" continues in the same magnificent vein; the strings are arranged to bring out the poignancy of the ballad and I predict that you will enjoy "My Funny Valentine" very much. Moreover, "I'm In The Mood For Love" opens with the strings playing without a superfluous note; and when the brass comes in this number takes flight!

"The Man I Love" features Jackie Gleason's fine arrangement of this classic Gershwin tune. The strings enhance the natural beauty of this number and I love how Jackie uses those horns in his arrangement! In addition, "I'm Thru With Love" gives us yet another classic love ballad made all the more stunning by Jackie Gleason's arrangement. The strings and the horns carry the bulk of the melody.

"I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan" gets the royal treatment from Jackie Gleason's musicians; they play with all their heart and soul to make "I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan" a truly special, fresh experience. This two-fer album ends well with "Thinking Of You;" this passionate ballad gets a sensitive arrangement especially for the strings. Excellent!

The liner notes have miniature replicas of the reverse of each record album jacket; and the artwork impresses me, too. We get the song credits as well.

Jackie Gleason's genius shows through unmistakably on this fine two-fer CD of many of his spectacular arrangements. I highly recommend this fine album for fans of mood music and instrumentals from the 1950s.

Enjoy!

This album is really great. It is really historic as well. Came out in 1952, smash hit. This music is pefect to calm the nerves of post wwII vets. The thing that I like about this album is how unpretendous it is.Everthough it is know probably thought as "musacish" by the unexperienced ear, this record has an edge. An edge almost tragic. The first thing I though of when it began to spin was a sad, melancholy Marilyn Monroe, boozing and taking pills. It has that sad quility. GREAT album! It's sound can only be sumed up as lovely!