Customer Reviews

Yankee Doodle Dandy

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

For years I have been delighted by the incredible series of wonderfully produced soundtracks from Turner Classic Movies and the people at Rhino Records. Their releases just seem to get better and better. From the start, I hoped that they would focus their talents on an album of YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, by gum, they've finally done it.

The immortal James Cagney and his portrayal of George M. Cohan are lovingly presented here, in a complete soundtrack that even includes an outtake and some rehearsal tracks! According to the liner notes (which are very well written, by the way), this CD has been assembled from a combination of the best surviving original materials, and the sound is remarkable for recordings that are 60 years old.

If you are one of the many who have the old bootleg CD on "Hollywood Soundstage" records, you can happily toss that piece of garbage in the trash can where it belongs. This release is truly glorious, and comes at a time when we cannot have too much patriotism.

This album is terrific from start to finish, and highly recommended!

I haven't been able to see this movie on TV since Turner bought it (don't get TCM), but if you've seen the movie several tims, as I have, listening to this CD is very nearly as good as watching it all the way through. (I'm so delighted with it that I'm even willing to forgive TCM for putting a paper ad inside with the disc.)

Monumental effort must have gone into this soundtrack, given the age of the original recordings. The tracks here are crisp, clear, and bright, with no evidence of how long ago they were first put down. The editors were also generous in their inclusion of dialogue that ties some of the tracks together (for example, we hear the man tell Johny Jones to watch for the skyrocket, then we hear the skyrocket as it leads into "Give My Regards to Broadway"). There are a couple of places where the endings are slightly abrupt but this is because, in the movie, the music fades into extended dialogue.

The only bit of dialogue I expected to hear in a song, but didn't, is in "Over There" near the very end of the film, when Cagney/Cohan has fallen in step with the soldiers going off to WWII, as they're singing "Over There", when the soldier nearest him says something like, "What's wrong, old timer, don't know the words?" and Cagney says, "Seems to me I do" and starts singing along. That's minor and pales next to how wonderful the rest of this soundtrack is.

One of the biggest treats on this CD is that we get to hear some of Cagney's tapping, notably in "Give My Regards to Broadway", "You're a Grand Old Flag", and - one of my favorite moments in movie history - when he dances down the White House stairs to "Yankee Doodle" near the end).

The outtake is not a humorous one, simply a track they decided not to use. It and the rehearsal tracks are all just the performers voices with piano accompaniment. I especially enjoyed hearing Cagney rehearsing "You're a Grand Old Flag".

If you like Cagney, if you like Cohan's music, if you like movies "the way they used to make them", or if you're not ashamed to get a little choked up with patriotism once in a while, you will not be disappointed in this CD!

Finally! If you own that Hollywood Soundstage abomination of the "Yankee Doodle Dandy" soundtrack you can finally pitch it. Here is the real article. Rhino (Turner Classic Movies Music) lovingly restored the music from the beloved "Yankee Doodle Dandy" motion picture starring James Cagney. This soundtrack sounds astonishing considering it's 60 years old. It's very obvious some loving care was taken in it's production for which we all should be greatful. The liner notes also are great with informative text and wonderful photos from the movie. The marvelous George M. Cohan songs gives one goosebumps and bring tears to the eyes. We all need this type of patriotic pep rally, especially in these tough times. As I've said, this soundtrack belongs in every American's home just as much as that "Grand Old Flag"! I believe there are plans to release the movie on DVD, hopefully soon.

I am so very glad I bought this CD. I own the DVD of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and watch it all the time, so I almost didn't buy this, wondering if I really needed yet another CD.

Well, thank God I didn't pay any attention to that dumb idea!

If you love "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and Cagney, you just have to buy this soundtrack. It's like being able to take the movie with you anywhere ... it's not just the songs - as others have said - but also includes bits of Cagney's voice-overs, even the tap-dancing from the end of "Little Johnny Jones." And since the audio system in my car is better than my TV's, it all seemed even bigger, richer and better. (George M. would love that!)

Wonderful, wonderful stuff!

I have listened to this soundrack many times and each time is spectacular. I love old movies. After viewing the Yankee Doodle Dandy movie for the first time I fell in love with James Cagney and his acting. I'll let you know that I am only 15 years old and most of or all of my friends have never heard of any of the old movies or actors. I can only say what I know and I think that this would be an excellent purchase for anyone interested in hearing classic music the way Jim Cagney does it!!!! SO BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anybody who was a musical giant in the 1940s was involved in this rip roaring production of a orginal Dick Tracy musical, although many of the songs are based on melodies of the hits of the day. None of this matters though because the talent assembled here is staggering. Naturally, nobody could be Dick Tracy but Bing Crosby, king of the world in the 40s. Dinah Shore makes a sweet Tess Trueheart, Judy Garland as Snowflake, the Andrews Sisters as the Summer sisters and Jerry Colonna as the police chief. The bad guys lineup is spectacular too; Bob Hope as Flattop (he and Garland completely break up on their duet), Frank Sinatra as Shakey and Jimmy Durante as the Mole. Harry Von Zel and Frank Morgan round out the cast. I believe this was recorded especially for the troops in World War II on the Armed Forces network. This disk can be hard to find but it is well worth it. Ths music is great and the humor is uproarious.

I made an hour show with this soundtrack. It was a sensational hit with my listeners. The phone lit up in the studio. Cagney did a fantastic job in the movie and this CD, conveys it to you. If you saw the movie, I highly reccommend this soundtrack for your music library. You'll love it as I did and still use it.
Brian Lee Hart
WVUD Radio
Newark Delaware

What a joy it is to listen to this CD!! I almost didn't purchase it because of some other reviews, but I am so glad I did! The sound quality is just fine - it's exactly as I'd initially heard the show on satellite radio. There are a few abrupt edits, but I only noticed those after I'd listened to the CD about 5 or 6 times. Keep in mind, this was a live show done to entertain the troops, so it makes sense that some parts (such as extended laughter and/or clapping) would be edited out. You'll find yourself laughing all the way through this delightful piece of history; if you buy it for no other reason, buy it for the duet with Bob Hope and Judy Garland - you won't regret it!

This CD came out surprisingly clear and the humor would still hold today. Knowing all of this talent and also the storyline of the Dick Tracy comic strip made this an outstanding selection and it was very entertaining.

This "soundtrack" CD sounds like it was recorded off of someone's television set in the 1960s. The sound is awful and tinny, and this is very likely one of those dingy home made jobs that slimily surfaced on LP years ago.

Thank goodness a LEGITIMATE version is coming from the Rhino people from the real Warner Bros. soundtracks. THAT'S the version to buy. This is just a piece of garbage for uninformed
buyers...