Customer Reviews

The Very Best Of Ed Ames

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4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
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This album has the best of Ed Ames' hits. He had one of the most powerful and beautiful voices of the 20th century. I saw him at the Hollywood Bowl in 1971 (I was a young teenager)and at one point, he sang without any amplification, and it could be heard all the way to the back of the audience! While he recorded some 30 albums for RCA as a solo act in the 60's and 70's, only 3 of those complete albums have been released so far on CD (His Christmas album should DEFINITELY be re-released next). So, for either the collector, or the person new to his warm and moving style, this is the pick of his best. "My Cup Runneth Over", his biggest single hit, still shows off his ability to sustain a long note powerfully with great warmth, and the anthem "Who Will Answer", though corny by today's standards (think "In the Ghetto" type of sincerity) is still compelling with Ed's restrained, yet "anger beneath the surface" vocal. The album also shows off the growth changes in his style after leaving his brothers' act in the early 60's to pursue a solo career: "Try to Remember", from "the Fantastiks", is the earliest hit on the album; his style here is still leaning classical. "Changing, Changing" was the most recent hit, compare his "swingin' vocals" (for the 70's) to "Try to Remember". Whatever your musical taste, buy this one; you won't be disappointed!

The Very Best Of Ed Ames is a fine CD that gives us twenty of his wonderful hits and ballads. This may not have every last one of his best; but as a single CD compilation it really stands out as being one of the better ones. The quality of the sound is excellent and the artwork is very nicely done.

The CD opens with Ed Ames singing his heart out on "Try To Remember" from The Fantasticks; Ed delivers this with so much feeling that it really makes a stunning beginning for this album. Ed's voice never sounded better and the music that accompanies him fits in perfectly with his vocals, too. "A Man And A Woman" is a tender song about love; Ed Ames bats this straight out of the ballpark with his flawless delivery and this impresses me quite a bit. Wonderful! Similarly, there's a wonderful rendition of "My Cup Runneth Over;" "My Cup Runneth Over" is a tender number about love and Ed delves into this ballad to make it a very special number. This ballad is a very moving one indeed!

"It Seems A Long Long Time" gets the royal treatment from Ed Ames who sings this with passion and there's also "One Little Girl At A Time;" "One Little Girl At A Time" has great harmonizing and it's one of the stronger love ballads on this album. The music is also very pretty. "Who Will Answer" puts Ed Ames squarely in the spotlight and you will like this touching ballad even though it's not exactly the happiest tune on this CD. In addition, "The Wind Will Change Tomorrow" has a stunning melody that is somewhat Latin or Caribbean in its own way; and Ed Ames sings this so well it seems he was born to sing this number! The percussion also helps to mark the beat on "The Wind Will Change Tomorrow."

"Son Of A Travelin' Man" has Ed singing with a strong backup chorus and the musical arrangement is also extremely lush without drowning out Ed! This upbeat tune really stands out as one of my very favorites by Ed Ames and just one listen will tell you why! I predict that you will enjoy "Son Of A Travelin' Man" very, very much. "Changing, Changing" has a fine melody and Ed Ames showcases the operatic qualities of his voice on numbers like this one. There's also "All My Love's Laughter;" this ballad gets a fine treatment from Ed Ames and this will impress you quite a bit.

Listen also for Ed Ames to do a wonderful job on "Two For The Road;" this ballad is a moving one and it's very beautiful at once. The CD ends strong with Ed Ames performing "Timeless Love;" "Timeless Love" is a great love song that strikes me as being especially beautiful. Great!

Ed Ames remains one of the best male vocalists of the twentieth century even though he is sadly somewhat forgotten. I recommend this for his fans and people who enjoy classic pop vocals.

We first became acquainted with this man's smooth and beautiful baritone on the Time-Life Treasury of Christmas album. Being too young to remember hearing him first-hand, we bought this CD to sample more of his talent. It was a wonderful investment, full of gorgeous songs. Mr. Ames's forte is ballads, and this collection has some of the best ever written. There isn't a bad song in the bunch and the recording quality is excellent.

The first two songs are sung in a deep and dramatic way that is fine for their style. "Try To Remember" and "A Man And A Woman" are both done in this more theatrical mode, showing that Mr. Ames can really belt out his vocals. The rest of the tunes are rendered in a more natural way that really shows off his range and control to the best advantage. The album contains a nice variety of musical styles from slow ("Let Me So Love") to faster ("Apologize"), country ("Blue Side Of Lonesome") to spiritual ("Who Will Answer?"). Our personal favorites include "Time, Time", "Let Me So Love", "All My Love's Laughter", "Timeless Love" and the beautiful "My Cup Runneth Over". This last song is probably the finest version of the tune ever made, showing off Mr. Ames's vocal talents, especially his almost uncanny breath control and dynamics.

Mr. Ames was part of a singing quartet of brothers whose harmonies are now the stuff of legend; he had a successful career with them before forging off on his own. Unfortunately, singers like this just don't seem to happen anymore. If the listener wants to hear a rich and pure baritone, then this CD will nicely fill the bill. In this day and age of mediocrity, this is about as good as it gets.

The Very Best of Ed Ames is a CD that gives us quite a few of Ed Ames' best hits. It still runs a tad short; so they could have--and should have--included at least two more songs to make this a more substantial release. I will take off one star for that because this irks me; however, the sound quality is very good and the artwork is very nicely done.

"My Cup Runneth Over" starts the CD with Ed Ames singing brightly; his voice is in excellent form and his voice has operatic qualities as well. Impressive! The melody is very pretty and "My Cup Runneth Over" makes a good start for this album. In addition, Ed Ames does a great job on "Try To Remember" from The Fantasticks. "Try To Remember" shins bright when Ed Ames sings it to perfection--and beyond! "Try To Remember" is easily a major highlight of this album; and I predict that you'll like it very much.

"All My Love's Laughter" features Ed squarely in the spotlight--and that's quite all right by me! The strings enhance the musical arrangement and Ed never sings a superfluous note! Ed Ames truly delves into this ballad to be able to infuse it with so much more feeling than the average recording artist ever could; and this amazes me. Great! "They Call The Wind Maria" has a bouncy melody to it that's actually rather catchy and this somewhat country flavored ballad is certainly another highlight of this CD.

"Who Will Answer" has Ed singing much higher in his broad vocal range; this moving ballad is quite memorable even though it's not exactly the most upbeat song I've ever heard. "Son Of A Travelin' Man" has a great beat and Ed Ames sings this like the crooner he always was! Ed Ames proves his talent with numbers like this and I really like "Son Of A Travelin' Man." In addition, listen for "There's A Kind Of Hush (All Over The World)." "There's A Kind Of Hush (All Over The World)" gets the royal treatment from Ed Ames who puts his own stamp on this ballad by playing with the tempo and making a few key changes--but make no mistake about it, this is still a very solid number.

"Changing, Changing" is a rich ballad with quite a stunning arrangement and when Ed sings this it takes off like a jet! The percussion on "Changing, Changing" work well, too. "Leave Them A Flower" also sounds very strong when Ed Ames sings it; and the CD ends very nicely with Ed Ames performing "When The Snow Is On The Roses." "When The Snow Is On The Roses" has a pretty melody and Ed Ames gives this all his efforts to make this ballad shine. It leaves you wanting more!

Ed Ames certainly sang with the best of them; and I recommend this album for his fans if they don't already have these numbers. The more diehard fan will want CDs more substantial than this one; this CD may best be geared toward the casual fan who wants a solid entry-level assortment of great songs by Ed Ames.

Ed Ames is an unrivalled singer among the greatest male singers. And for many reasons: his absolute professionalism, his deep humanity that transcends his singing, his emotional, tasty, gracious, evocative style, the conviction he puts in each song, viewed as a work in itself. His voice is like the seasons, being like a light breeze or capable of thundering. He has the classicism and elegance of Bing Crosby, but he can really belt! It must be said that he made over 30 disks, and therefore the songs of the CD, though representative, are far from exhausting all what he sang, changing each song, even the more modern one, into a definite standard. Ed Ames was a tremendous, impressive artist who must be rediscovered and considered as one of this century's greatest singers. He must not be seen just as one of those retro singers. He is a great and rare entertainer, capable of bringing joy or stirring the soul. BUY THIS CD and let's hope that his numerous other disks will be released as CDs too! He deserves the best!

I have been an admirer of Ed Ames since the 1960s when I was a teenager. I had the honor of meeting Ed four times; once backstage at Westbury Music Fair, twice backstage at the Ed Sullivan theatre and once backstage at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas. His voice is unmatched; his kindness towards his fans is unbelieveable. I am thrilled to once again listen to his rich voice in songs where you can understand every word. My albums are all scratched from repeated play and my 45 rpm of Who Will Answer crackles but this CD will live forever as will my love and admiration for this man. Ed, if you read this, God bless you and I hope you're still performing somewhere no matter what your age! Amy

i have enjoyed hearing ed ames for many years, first on albums then this cd. he has an excellent voice with feeling and clarity in his songs. i have this cd in my car and it will never get old. i hope he will follow up with another great cd soon. great work from the recording arrangement and most of all the talent of ed ames.

This 20-track compilation of Ames' RCA solo work is top-notch. It contains every top-100 pop charted single (7 in all) Ames had in the late 60's.

Every track is in true stereo and, as the original master tapes were used as sources, the sound quality is superb. Included in the package is a, albeit somewhat meager, four-page liner notes booklet with background on Ames' career and a detailed track listing.

If you're an Ames fan, this is a must. This was by far the best CD available on Ed Ames when it came out and still holds that distinction.

In my opinion, Ed Ames ranks among the best male singers of our time. RCA did a magnificent job in showcasing his very best work (I've admired his singing since my childhood); however, I'd love to see his early albums reissued on CD.

I just received this as an early Christmas present and I love it. The audio is very clear and the remastering was superbly done. My only complaint is not really with the CD, but the lack of ther music by this man. Ed Ames has a wonderful deep baritone voice and he can really sing beautifully. It is a shame that his albums are not available on CD. I am lucky to own about a dozen of them, but some are showing the signs of age now. Some of his best material, I think, is on his later albums for RCA (1969-1972) and this period is left out on this CD. He did some great covers of popular songs of that period (Get Together, Bridge Over Troubled Water, I Am I Said, Country Roads, One Tin Soldier, Desiderata, Alfie, Games People Play and many more). Also, where is Mary In The Morning ? That is one of his best songs I think. RCA has long overlooked the beautiful voice of Ed Ames and we need more CD's by him.