Very Best of Perry Como [Original recording remastered]

Perry Como | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 25, 2000)
• Original Release Date: July 25, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B00004U38Q
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,935 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #37 in Music > Broadway & Vocalists > Classic Vocalists

Editorial Reviews

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So many wonderful songs, October 28, 2000

By 

Candace Scott (Lake Arrowhead, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Very Best of Perry Como (Audio CD)

It's a tragedy that most people under forty don't even know who Perry Como is and few have ever been exposed to his music. This album will introduce to some marvelous music, sung by the inimitable Perry Como. As a fan of Perry, Sinatra and Bing Crosby, comparisons to their voices is inevitable. Perry modeled himself closely after Bing and the influence clearly shows. His voice wasn't as deep and his range wasn't as great, but his voice was more mellifluous and mellow, particularly as he aged.

All of Perry's great 40's and 50's hits are included here, as well as two stellar songs from the 70's, "And I Love You So" (my personal favorite) and "It's Impossible." Como injected so much pathos and emotion in both these songs. He learned how to use his vocal instrument more effectively as he got older. My only regret is the omission of Perry's last great song, "Wing Beneath my Wings," one of the great swan songs in American music.

Perry Como's music is timeless and anyone of any age can enjoy it. No one else sang quite like him with that beautifully restrained, sweet, gentle style. I've seen Perry in concert several times and he was a beautiful man, inside and out. His voice mirrors his soul and this is a superb collection.

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "It's Impossible" to pass up Very Best of Como...., November 2, 2003

By 

Betty June Moore (Douglas, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Very Best of Perry Como (Audio CD)

RCA's The Very Best of Perry Como is a wonderful 21-song set which covers nearly 30 years of this barber-turned-crooner's career. I purchased this album one year after its release in July of 2000, and although I do love Como's voice and smooth delivery of such songs as "Papa Loves Mambo" (a Billboard Top 10 hit in 1954), I am fond of this record for sentimental reasons. When I was a girl growing up in Florida, my stepfather and I would either watch one of Como's TV specials or listen to his recordings on a record player. When I listen to "Some Enchanted Evening" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's "South Pacific," I remember watching Como perform this classic ballad on our black-and-white TV, my stepdad (a Navy veteran who served in the Pacific in World War II) at my side.
As I said earlier, this CD is a retrospective of Como's long and successful career, starting with the 1940s Swing Era hit "(A Hubba-Hubba-Hubba) Dig You Later" to his sweet, romantic "And I Love You So" from the 1970s. Some of my favorite tracks include Slim Willet's "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes," "Because," and an English language cover of Armando Manzaneros "Somos Novios," better known as "It's Impossible."
If you like Perry Como or want an album of easy listening music with one of the great talents of the genre, The Very Best of Perry Como belongs in your music library. I heartily recommend it.
Betty June Moore

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent retrospective of a singer who is often forgotten..., May 26, 2006

By 

Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Very Best of Perry Como (Audio CD)

Perry Como's voice was smoother than silk while oozing masculinity and a singular tenderness all at the same time. I agree with the reviewer who writes that it IS a tragedy that many younger people today have no idea who Perry Como was or what he did. Perry brought a great deal of sunshine into many people's lives for pretty close to half a century and he deserves a world of credit for that.

This CD is an excellent introduction to Perry's talent as well as a retrospective of Perry's very active singing career. The songs on this CD, as the author of the liner notes points out, all were number one hits or sold at least a million copies. Some feat!

The CD starts off nicely with the upbeat "I'm Gonna Love That Gal (Like She's Never Been Loved Before)," a fun celebration of romance. Other fun and playful songs about love include ""A"--You're Adorable" and "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)."

However, the CD highlights the type of traditional love ballad that Perry loved to sing so much. His rendition of "Some Enchanted Evening" is brilliant; and I liked his classic "It's Impossible," which is based on a Spanish song entitled "Somos Novios (We're Lovers)." The CD ends with the touching ballad "And I Love You So" written by Don McLean and recorded by Perry in early 1973.

The liner notes boast an extensive essay about Perry's professional career although they do gloss over the 1960's as does this album, unfortunately. There are some great color photos of Perry and you get the credits and recording dates for all the songs on this CD.

Although this CD has been in my collection for many years the quality of the sound has not diminished one bit. I would say that the quality of the sound is excellent. The digital transfers and audio restoration by Bill Lacey, Jim Crotty and Mike Hartry are very well done.

In short, this CD is a wonderful way to give younger people their introduction to the incomparable Perry Como. It is a terrific single CD retrospective, too. I highly recommend this for Como fans who want a single CD of his huge hits and fans of classic pop vocals. Thank you, Perry!