The Vintage Recordings of Ukulele Ike: 1922-1944

Cliff Edwards | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 13, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2012
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Take Two
• ASIN: B0000250J9
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #278,564 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Homesick

2. I Want Somebody to Cheer Me Up

3. I'm Crying 'Cause I Know I'm Losing You

4. Half-Way to Heaven

5. That's My Weakness Now

6. Together

7. I Can't Make Her Happy That Old Girl of Mine

8. It Goes Like This That Funny Melody

9. Good Little Bad Little You

10. My Old Girl's My New Girl Now

11. Singin' in the Rain

12. I'll See You in My Dreams

13. Hush My Mouth If I Ain't Goin' South

14. Love Is Just Around the Corner

15. One Little Kis

16. Somebody Loves Me

17. It Had to Be You

18. Love Like Ours

19. Hold on to Your Heart

20. My Melancholy Baby

Editorial Reviews

This is a strong collection of Edwards' music, half from the '20s while the other half is from the '30s and '40s. Styles range from tight hot jazz with 'His Hot Combination,' a band which included Red Nichols and Miff Mole, to love songs backed by generic '30s vocal group the Eton Boys to pop-Hawaiian with Andy Iona and his Islanders. It's a tribute to Edwards' versatility as a performer that he shines no matter what the background. Leonard Maltin wrote the excellent liner notes full of personal reminiscences of Cliff by some of the artists who worked with him. Original recordings including rare unissued test pressings from 1944.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the 1st jazz singers, and a ukulele great, March 31, 2005

By 

Aaron - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Vintage Recordings of Ukulele Ike: 1922-1944 (Audio CD)

Cliff Edwards took a scat chorus on record before Louis Armstrong ever did, and he was a great "hot" vocalist often leading dixieland style combos(with his Hot Combination) in the 20's(several examples of that here). This cd also features Edwards exellent ukulele strumming, and novelty songs. This cd covers from the mid twenties thru the 1940's. Great music, and a great singer, and a superb ukulele player. A great CD!!! I can't wait until a complete set of his "Hot Combination" recordings comes out.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ukulele Ike was great, October 23, 2004

By 

Jmark2001 (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Vintage Recordings of Ukulele Ike: 1922-1944 (Audio CD)

In the twenties, there were a dozen or so people who became millionaires in show biz: Chaplin, Mary Pickford, D.W. Griffith, and Cliff Edwards (Ukulele Ike). It is difficult for most people today to relaize that this near-forgotten star was as huge as he was in the twenties. He was a great crooner and played the ukulele with great skill (he didn't strum it; he mastered it). Ike helped to popularize jazz and interpret it for mainstream America. He sang and crooned beautifully. Unfortunately, he couldn't change his style when swing came into vogue. He also gambled and drank a lot. He died in obscurity (alhtough he had a brief revival playing Jiminy Cricket in Disney's "Pinocchio.) These recordings are just a sample of work from his heyday. Excellent.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An artist that should be remembered, July 29, 2007

By 

Merbert "Merbert Music" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Vintage Recordings of Ukulele Ike: 1922-1944 (Audio CD)

Cliff Edwards should be remembered as the consummate artist that he was. Not only did he perform with precision, superb pitch and diction, but his interpretations of pieces reflected considerable individuality and depth. Edwards was able to take an old chestnut and deliver it with life and emotion. Songs like Somebody Loves Me and Together take on an amazing tenderness and bittersweet quality, then he takes a 180 degree turn and hits the listener a song that is raucous, wild and hot. His scat and freak singing can't be beat. And we mustn't forget how much music he got out of a little ukelele.