Rosie Solves the Swinging Riddle

Rosemary Clooney | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 17, 2011)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA Bluebird
• ASIN: B00024I3DA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,285 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars give these two a spotlight !!!, March 24, 2008

By 

Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Rosie Solves the Swinging Riddle (Audio CD)

Rosie Solves the Swingin' Riddle! is an excellent CD that features both Rosemary Clooney the vocalist and Nelson Riddle as both conductor and musician. The quality of the sound couldn't be better; and the CD artwork is very good. The artwork essentially comes from the original record album release.

The CD starts with a hot rendition of "Get Me To The Church On Time." Rosemary Clooney aces this completely; and Nelson Riddle sounds so good with his buddies! This big band style arrangement works wonders for this number from My Fair Lady; and I know you're going to enjoy this ballad. "Angry" puts Rosemary front and center with another Nelson Riddle arrangement from heaven! "Angry" has Rosemary Clooney singing her best; and the percussion that imitates the sound of tap dancing gives the number a very "smart" sound. I love it!

"I Get Along Without You Very Well" features Rosemary swinging brightly to enhance this number with all her might; and listen also for "You Took Advantage Of Me." Rosemary sings "You Took Advantage Of Me" with panache and every note is just right. Indeed, Rosemary never sings a superfluous note! The brass on "You Took Advantage Of Me" works well for this tune as well.

"Some Of These Days" gets a faster tempo than I'm used to; but it still holds its own very well. Rosemary and Nelson combine forces to make "Some Of These Days" a highlight of this album. Listen for a particularly full, lush musical arrangement by Nelson Riddle on "Some Of These Days." "Shine On Harvest Moon" benefits from the brass and the percussion; and when Rosemary sings this it truly takes flight! "Cabin In The Sky" shines like gold when Rosemary sings this with heart and soul; although I don't remember this tune from the movie of the same name--the same name might be a coincidence.

"Without Love" is so stunning when Rosemary Clooney and Nelson Riddle team up to perform this classic tune; and the album ends so nicely with them performing "The Theme From Return To Payton Place." Terrific!

There's just no doubt about it--for Rosemary Clooney and Nelson Riddle fans, this CD is a must have! I highly recommend it. People who enjoy classic pop vocals will also cherish this one for years to come.

Thank you, Rosemary and Nelson! We will never forget you!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get swinging with Rosie and Nelson, June 9, 2004

By 

Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Rosie Solves the Swinging Riddle (Audio CD)

This is one of my favorite Rosie albums, which gained her a lot of credibility at a time when she needed it to shake off the image of novelty pop singer. The title may suggest a set of high-energy uptempo songs and the first song, a foot-stomping version of Get me to the church on time, fits that bill exactly. However, what you actually get is a nice mix of tempos, with plenty of ballads, although even they swing. You would certainly be able to dance to this album if you wish.

The songs are well-chosen and suit Rosie well. Some of them are reasonably well known, but none of them have been over-recorded. It is incredible to think that Shine on harvest moon was written in 1909, and was therefore half a century old even when Rosie recorded this album. It stands the test of time well, and still sounds great now.

Perhaps the best known songs here are I get along without you very well and April in Paris, but every song here is a real gem. Rosie and Nelson were both in top form when they recorded this album.

This is a very different album from Love, a very smoochy colloection of torch songs recorded at around the same time, but released a couple of years later (also available from Amazon.com). Between them, they show just how versatile Rosemary was.

My copy of this album is the original CD release. This new edition has been re-mastered so it should sound even better. Furthermore, two extra tracks have been added.

This is a brilliant collection by a lady who continued to make great music until the end of her life. She will be sadly missed, but her music will live forever.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the Best!!!!!!!, October 8, 2004

By 

Martin P. Janda (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Rosie Solves the Swinging Riddle (Audio CD)

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this album!! I listen to it all of the time, even at the gym. Not only is Rosemary's voice fantastic, but Nelson Riddle and his orchestra are rockin'!!
I'm a late-blooming Rosie fan. Most people my age (42) grew up with very different musical tastes. My parents got me hooked on adult-contemporary when I was a kid. My dad actually had a band and played much of this music. It's so refreshing to hear 44 year old music sound so refreshing instead of the Britney, Christina, et. al. garbage being recorded today.
Rosie strikes me as someone I would have liked to have known. That seems to shine through her beautiful voice.