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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perry's final album for the RCA Victor Records Label!, February 16, 2000
This is Perry's final album for RCA recorded in February, 1987. It was a joint production of Perry's own company ( Roncom ) and his talented conductor Nick Perito. All of the songs were arranged and conducted by Perito and the overall recording quality is superb. Recorded at Evergreen Studios, Burbank, California, the final album was mastered in New York by RCA's Jack Adelman. Two of the songs "The Best of Times" and "You're Nearer" are new versions of earlier recordings, the latter having been recorded almost twenty years earlier for Perry's beautiful album "Look To Your Heart" RCA LSP-4052. Amazingly, Perry's re-recording of "You're Nearer" is a virtual mirror image of the original performance . . . demonstrating very little change in Perry's voice at age 75 than when he was merely 56 at the time of the original recording. The highlight of this album is surely "The Wing Beneath My Wings" which could easily have been Perry's last "Gold" single had BMG been more attentive to business . . . or so the story goes! But that song and this whole album are Como classics nevertheless! This is Perry's only album released simultaneously on vinyl and compact disc. Strangely, BMG has not re-released even one of Perry's popular music albums in the CD format within North America . . . though many of them have been re-released in Japan. Buy this CD quickly before they decide to eliminate it as well!
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mr. C's Great Swansong, January 5, 2001
By A Customer
I agree with my compatriot below that "The Wind Beneath My Wings" is a great record and could have been a hit - coming two years BEFORE Bette Midler's platinum record of it. Still, I think some of the other fine recordings on this album deserve attention too. "Do You Remember Me" is a wonderfully sentimental ballad well-suited to the septuagenarian Como. "Bless The Beasts And The Children" is a song with a message; in my view, there's a clearly discernible argument here in favour of the humane treatment of animals. It should be remembered that Como was always a devout Catholic. It was rare that Como ever touched material with a social message, but it's nice that he chose to do so for his last album. "My Heart Stood Still" is, of course, a key entry from Rodgers & Hart in the Great American Songbook, but Nick Perito's arrangement is unusual, even a bit quirky in comparison to other more grandiose arrangements, such as that by Nelson Riddle for Sinatra. Como clearly understands the low-key arrangement and sings it effectively. The key performance on this album, however, is, in my view, "That's What Friends Are For", in which Perito opts for an up-tempo big-band arrangement, very different from the arrangement in the best-selling recording in which Stevie Wonder's harmonica is central. This recording proves how well Como could swing - something he unfortunately never did often enough. The female vocal chorus on the track sounds somewhat anachronistic, but, otherwise, it's an outstanding recording, reminding us that although he may not be making new records any longer, we can always count on him to be there for us through the records he made!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Pat On The Back To Perry!, February 29, 2004
"Perry Como Today" is an excellent album for all Como fans. Perry Como was in 1987 between the 2nd and 3rd of Feburary crooning his heart away on his 5th and final RCA Victor album of the 1980's and his last studio album ever to be recorded!
This CD contains many superb recordings, including 'Making Love To You' - a meaningful ballad, 'Sing Along With Me' - A happy-go-lucky tune, 'The Wind Beneath My Wings' - a defining Como song which he actually recorded 2 years before Bette Midler had success with it, and, 'The Best Of Times' - A triumphant, knees-up tune! (This is a different version and NOT the same as the 1983 single release, which has a slower start and has a longer running time!)
It's not just the tracks on this album that make it special, this was another first for Mr. C, his first album to be also originally released on CD.
Perry was also 74 (75 that May) and what a way to finish off a recording career with such an excellent album - absolutely superb! Perry did continue to perform for another decade or so after this! Perry's version of '(The) Wind Beneath My Wings' is the most definitive version ever! He sings with pure passion, true meaning and his phrasing is superb! It brings a tear to the eye! This song also became a popular request during Perry's final performing years and a signature tune of his. We Como fans think he dedicated it to his wife, but he also used it in a very moving tribute to Bing Crosby at The Boston Pops!
He rekindles a couple of old classics such as: 'My Heart Stood Still'.
Another great reason to get this album is it shows Perry, still going at 75, with an album! What an achievement! His voice is a good as ever!
His voice is as golden as ever!
My final thought is, buy this album, before it's too late. Amazon unbelievably have this album in brand new original stock, buy now!
God Bless You
Perry!
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