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From the Vault...
06/13/2010
#1207 |
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info
Johnnie Ray
"16 Most Requested Songs"
© Columbia/Legacy Records<
Year of Release: 1991
Rating:
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track listing
Cry
Walking My BabyBack Home
All Of Me
Whiskey And Gin
Let's Walk That-A-Way
Don't Blame Me
The Little White Cloud
That Cried
Just Walkin' In The Rain
(Here I Am) Broken Hearted
Tell The Lady
I Said Goodbye
Why Should I Be Sorry
Glad Rag Doll
Hey There
Please Mr. Sun
Such A Night
As Time Goes By
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Johnnie Ray
"16 Most Requested Songs"
As a child, I would see Johnnie Ray records at garage sales. His most famous #1 hit, "Cry"
and it's B-side, "The Little White Cloud That Cried" was a 78 rpm record I had. I have been a
huge fan of his music, and every Johnnie Ray record I would find at the many garage sales was a must to
have.
His compilation of Cry
was from Bear Family Records. Taken from their 5-cd box set of the same name, this particular Cry
compilation had 31 songs. Other CDs I have are his Here And Now, and this week's review, 16 Most
Requested Songs. Having these three compilations of his music has a few duplicates, yet each one in
their own right has many of Johnnie Ray's great music.
Comparing 16 Most Requested Songs to Here And Now : Only songs are "duplicates" : "The
Little White Cloud That Cried," and his duet with Doris Day, "Let's Walk That-A-Way." On the
31-track Cry : Only three "duplicates" : "Just Walkin' In The Rain," "The Little White Cloud
That Cried," and "Cry." Not too bad in overlooking all three compilations.
Yet the 31-track Cry is quite the best compilation in Johnnie Ray's most famous hits, 16 Most
Requested Songs is more of a Frank Sinatra'ish compilation. Many of the songs here were not his most
famous, yet in comparing the styles here, there are some fitting Sinatra, Ray's own style himself (of course),
and the typical Easy Listening, most preferably a big-band style. And Johnnie puts his own style to
make it even more enjoyable and making all of these songs his own. His versions of "Hey There" (most
famous by Rosemary Clooney), and the classic "As Time Goes By" are just as great as the famous artists
who recorded them previously.
There isn't one bad song on this compilation, and there wasn't any bad song recorded at all from Johnnie
Ray. He may not have been as popular as a Sinatra, or his Rat Pack fellows. He may not have been a Tony
Bennett either. But for those of you who remember him, he was just as great as the most famous crooners
of his time. Johnnie left us in 1990 of liver failure, yet he left behind a great career in music, putting
his own name on Big-Band, Easy Listening music. He lived up to his nicknames, of "Mr. Emotion," "The
Prince Of Wails," "The Cry Guy" to name a few. He was a great singer, a great entertainer. He, as well
as other crooners along with him, would pave the way for future crooners, such as Harry Connick Jr. and Michael
Buble. If you haven't discovered him, please do so. If you like this kind of music, you will agree, Johnnie Ray
was one of the greatest "crooners" that would ever sing in Popular Music.
© WSVNRadio.net. All rights reserved.
Review or any portion may not be reproduced
without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
Columbia/Legacy Records
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