For Swingin' Livers Only

Allan Sherman (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 7, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Collectors' Choice
• ASIN: B003SWFLU6
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #165,311 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars +1/2 - Mid-60s song parodist returns to his Jewish roots, September 8, 2010

By 

hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: For Swingin' Livers Only (Audio CD)

After gaining fame with his 1962 debut My Son the Folk Singer and launching a #2 hit with 1963's "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh!," Allan Sherman embarked on a series of high-profile projects and guest spots. By the time he recorded this 1964 release, the mood of the nation had changed radically with the assassination of JFK; the light-hearted parody that felt so effervescent in 1963 seemed a shade more superfluous in the shadows of 1964. In an effort to reconnect with his original audience, Sherman reintroduced the Jewish-rooted humor he'd largely abandoned over the course of several albums. His clever writing and ear for a tune were still sharp, but the record buying public wasn't as hungry for silliness as they'd been two years earlier. Stories of gluttony, in-laws, modern pharmaceuticals, subway conductors and Jewish Lotharios are still funny, but what was once party entertainment - Sherman having honed his act in impromptu performances at friends' homes - was now performance laden with expectations. There are many nice moments here, including the memorably anti-consumerist "The Twelve Gifts of Christmas," but five albums along, the change in national zeitgeist seems to have dimmed Sherman's fire. Collectors' Choice straight-up reissue includes new liner notes by Dr. Demento. 3-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2010 hyperbolium dot com]