Customer Reviews

Stritch

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a superb album. Anyone who loves Stritch would be a fool to be without this in their collection. I've been a fan of this album for years and have not grown tired of it yet.

Elaine Stritch has never been wasted in a musical number. Invariably, she adds intellegence, verve and panache, making the
bland, good (The object of my Affection), the good, great (That's my Boy), and the Great, Breathtaking (Are you having any Fun & You took Advantage of Me).
Alternately funny, sexy, wry and heartbroken, Stritch uses her superb instrument to its' fullest potential. This album reveals more than a great singer and actress at the top of her form, with every listening, you will find new dimensions.
During her long career, Elaine Stritch has impressed the likes of Robert Whitehead, Noel Coward and Stephen Sondheim with her tremendous talents. Buy this album to see what all the fuss is about!

Will raise your spirits high. Who else but Stritch could put out such an album? Such an eclectic assortment of tunes. If you love Broadway and Big Band music you will love this. Unique.

Listening to this recording now (as opposed to when it was recorded sometime in the mid 1950s) it sounds a bit campy. But you know, that's not a bad thing. I would guess that at the time it was released it sounded campy too. I think to expect less of Elaine Stritch would be foolish. Mind you these songs are not recorded without care are seriousness. They are simply fun, energetic and surprisingly sexy at times. Elaine Stritch will likely surprise you with the wonderful quality of her voice and good humour.

If you enjoy the vocalist/band arrangement style of the 50' and early 60s you will likely get a kick out of this CD. To be honest, as eclectic as my taste is I would likely have not purchased the disc myself. It was a gift--from Ms. Stritch herself. I gotta say, that woman gives a good gift and =still= knows how to sing a song or two.

WOW is all I can say! Elaine Stritch sounds like she is having fun singing these songs. Sadly this is her only recorded album...but what a voice before time, alcohol and cigarettes took their toll. She is extremely versatile--who knew Mama could scat with the best of them???? ("And The Angels Sing.") From her spot on impersonation of Carmen Miranda ("Are You Having Any Fun?"), her ballad rendition ("That's The Beginning Of The End"), the satire of "You Took Advantage Of Me", the attitude of "If"---I think you will enjoy this reording.

Contrary to what the "Okay, She Sings" reviewer says, this is PRICELESS early Stritch. And the arrangements are ANYTHING BUT boring. They were done by the beloved singer/actress, Portia Nelson -- and this is a collaboration NOT TO BE MISSED. If you love Stritch, this is an important and delightful part of the story.

I have always loved this addictive album, and had to get it on CD. Every song is well chosen, and Elaine knocks them all out of the ball park, whether ballad or uptempo. Her sense of enjoying the tunes is infectious, and the arrangements sparkle. She must love Jule Styne as much as I do, because she does several Styne tunes. Sounds like it was recorded yesterday. Too bad today's anemic show tune would-be singers lack her savvy. There's a reason Stritch is Stritch, and it's on this CD !

Broadway veteran released her one and only album 1955, and it far exceeded my expectations. This was released in what I call the "carefree decade of innocence" and this album really does reflect that. Elaine picked songs with topics that most people could relate to; the thrill of love on "The Object of My Obssession", to the bitterness of being used on "You Took Advantage of Me". In between, she delivers some fine moments: "That's the Beginning of the End" is a smoky lounge number that borders nóir, and "If", is an exotic tale about a woman singing to the man she just murdered. The latter's arrangement is particularly thrilling, with it's middle-eastern influence. This was of course the swinging era of swing, and Elaine belts with the best of them on songs like "That's My Boy", "And the Angels Sings" and "You're Getting to be a Habit with Me". As for her voice, well... It actually surprised me, quite a lot. She sounds like a mixture of Peggy Lee, Doris Day and Ethel Merman, but with her own unique characteristics thrown into the pot. I must admit that some of numbers sounded a bit weird being sung without the use of a vibrato, but she's got a lovely deep resonance. This album is most definitely recommended to all who enjoy fine singing by an even finer singer.

Highlights: "The Object of My Affection", "That's the Beginning of the End", "Easy Street" and "You Took Advantage of Me".

It's really interesting, listening to this recording, to hear Elaine Stritch's distinctive voice before all those cigarettes and vodka stingers added all the rasp. It's quite easy to see why she was the Merm's understudy for Call Me Madam, though I actually find her *less* abrasive than EM generally is. The songs are hilarious camp ("If" comes to mind... this is also where you hear the speaking voice and think, "My God, this really is Stritch!"), and if you are a musical stickler, be sure to listen to the humor to really understand the full value of them... the scatting on "And the Angels Sing" seems painful at first, but is great when recognized as just another facet of Elaine's comedic genius. Ms. Stritch sings it all with a wink. On the other end, "You Took Advantage of Me" is a great showcase for the vulnerability peeking out from underneath Elaine's hard-as-nails exterior. A must-have piece of Lainey's puzzle!

now she needs an arranger. I love Elaine Stritch but these songs for the most part sound the same. Elaine is often her own worst enemy and ends up just showing off (hey, I saw her years ago in Private Lives. That was ego run riot even the director, Charles Nelson Riley, walked out that night). Buy it if you must but there is better, older, wiser Stritch out there.