The four tall (all six-footers), healthy-looking young singing brothers were a standout quartet even back in their grammar school days, but hit their stride, and the charts in the late 40s and through the 50s. This CD combines 2 lps in one bargain-priced CD, effectively giving us twice as much great music for our money. The first, a 1956 lp with Hugo Winterhalter and His Orchestra, features 12 (accompanied) hits, like "It Must Be True," "Ol' Man River," "That's The Way Love Goes," "Gotta Be This Or That," "Anniversary Song," "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" and "Not You, Not I." The 1958 space-race inspired "Destination Moon," with Sid Ramin and His Orchestra, features another 12 (accompanied) winners, the title tune, "Moonglow," "East of The Sun," "No Moon At All," "Music From Out of Space," "Stella By Starlight," "It's Only A Paper Moon," "Beyond The Blue Horizon" and others. Powerful harmonies, great solos, memorable hooks in every tune-this CD is a truckload of big-fun 50s pop!

Songlist: It Must Be True, The Alphabet, Ol' Man River, Noche de Ronda, That's the Way Love Goes, Why Do I Keep Lovin' You, Gotta Be This or That, Anniversary Song, Love, Your Magic Spell Is Everywhere, I Can't Give You Anything But Love, I'll Never Get You Off My Mind, Not You, Not I, Destination Moon, Clear Out of This World, Moonglow, East of the Sun, Count Every Star, No Moon At All, I'm Shooting High, Music from Outer Space, Stella by Starlight, It's Only A Paper Moon, The Starlit Hour, Beyond the Blue Horizon

Vic, Gene and Joe Ames were born and grew up in Boston, and the rich harmonies that made them international celebrities were in evidence as early as grammar school, when they began singing together. They won prizes in virtually every amateur contest they entered; then they were booked at the Fox and Hound in Boston for a week, were held over 3 months-and were on their way to a long career as pop singing stars with a slew of gold records. A compilation of two lps from the early 1960s, "Hello Italy!" is their debut LP for Epic Records, and a cinch for the multilingual Brothers, who could read or converse in 6 languages. Some favorites on "Hello" (all accompanied and in Italian) are "Fontana di Trevi" (Three Coins in the Fountain), "Corrin Corrina" (Corrine, Corrina), "Volare" (Nel Blu DiPinto Di Blu), "Luna Milinconica" (Blue Moon), "Ritorna A Me" (Return to Me), "Nastri Rossi" (Scarlet Ribbons) and "Arrividerci Roma." "Knees Up!" is not a typo, but the title of one of the songs on this collection of wonderful fun and nonsense from the talented Brothers. Some favorites here are "I'm Walking the Floor Over You," "I'll Lend You Everything I've Got Except My Wife," "If I Had My Life To Live Over I'd Live Over A Grocery Store," "Take Your Finger Out of Your Mouth I Want A Kiss From You," "When It's Night Time In Italy It's Wednesday Over Here," and the touching ballad, "Where Can I Find A Bookie." 24 popular vintage hits from the celebrated Ames Brothers, whose smooth, rich harmonies fill this generous CD. By the way, Mother Brown had just turned 100, and "Knees Up" refers to dancing, but you knew that!

Songlist: Fontana Di Trevi (J. Styne), Corrin, Corrin (J.M. Williams), Dammi Dammi Dammi (D. Di Minnio), Fiamma D'amor (B. Green), Volare (D. Modugno), Luna Malinconica (L. Hart), Ritorna A Me (D. Di Minnio), Chi Sara? (E.L. Poletto), Nastri Rossi (J. Segal), Ciao Ciao Bambina (D. Modugno), Tre Campane (J. Villard), Arrivederci Roma (P. Garinel), In the Middle of the House (B. Hilliard), I'll Lend You Everything I've Got Except My Wife (J. Havez), If I Had My Life To Live Over- I'd Live Over a Grocery Store (F. Davis), Knees Up! Mother Brown (H. Weston), Take Your Fingers Out of Your Mouth- I Want a Kiss from You (J. Schluster), When Banana Skins are Falling- I'll Come Sliding Back to You (A. Frazzini), Shut the Door- They're Comin' Through the WIndow (W. Ives), Where Can I Find a Bookie?- The Daily Double Blues (F. Davis), When it's Night Time in Italy it's Wednesday Over Here (J. Kendis), That Old Red Undershirt My Daddy Wore (F. Davis), When Grandma Got Her Teeth in Upside Down (H. Bruyninx), Two Ton Tessie (R. Turk)

Growing up in a family of Russian Jews from the Ukraine named Urick who settled in Massachusetts, the athletic Ames Brothers first landed a gig in NYC in the mid-40s with up and coming bandleader Art Mooney. Over their 15-year career the prolific Brothers notched up 50 U.S. Chart entries, 21 of them on the Coral label before signing with RCA Victor. Two generous CDs here, with 25 songs on each; most of the big hits on CD #1. Comfortable in many genres, they scored hits with top-40 pop like "Sentimental Me" and "Rag Mop," the country songs "Wagon Wheels" and "The Last Roundup," the religious-styled "Lovely Lady Dressed In Blue," the spiritual "Shadrack," the Hawaiian songs, Moon Of Manakoora" and "Hawaiian War Chant," the popular ballad "To Think You've Chosen Me, and novelty numbers such as "The Thing." There are of course standards such as "Stardust" and polkas like "Hoop Dee Doo." All are band accompanied, particularly nice are those recorded with Les Brown and his Band of Renown, "Undecided," "Sentimental Journey" and the wonderful "No Moon At All." There's too much good, entertaining stuff here to review, but the Brothers' trademark rich, smooth harmonies are consistently delightful throughout.

Songlist: A Tree in the Meadow w. Monica Lewis, You, You, You Are the One, Cruising Down the River, Rag Mop, Sentimental Me, Music, Music, Music, Stars Are the Windows of Heaven, Can Anyone Explain? (No, No, No!), Thirsty for You Kisses, Oh Babe, The Thing, The Wang Wang Blues, Hawaiian War Chant, Undecided w. Les Brown, Sentimental Journey w. Les Brown, I Wanna Love You, I'll Still Love You, Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart, String Along, My Favourite Song, No Moon At All, Can't I?, You, You, You, My Love, My Life, My Happiness, I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me, Tell Me A Story, Sing Me A Song of the Islands, Shadrack, I Love You Much Too Much, Only, Only You, and more

The four Massachusetts-born Ames Brothers were the first group to be featured on new Decca subsidiary Coral Records in the late 1940s, scoring their first smash hit with "Sentimental Me"/"Rag Mop" in 1949. This began a succession of major hit records that continued through the 1950s: "Can Anyone Explain?," "Stars Are the Windows of Heaven," "The Hawaiian War Chant," "Auf Wiederseh'n, Sweetheart," "String Along" "My Favorite Song" and "You, You, You." This 2 CD compilation (we love all the great music you get for your money on these remastered collections!), is a blend of recordings issued by Coral and RCA Victor. Disc 1 is their RCA output and includes several best-selling recordings: "The Man with the Banjo," "My Bonnie Lassie," "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" and "It Only Hurts for a Little While." Disc 2 is special because it features all Coral material, most of which are debuting on CD here. These include "Far Away Places," "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," the spirituals "Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho and "Who Built the Ark?", and all 8 tracks from their 1950 Christmas album, with 14 Christmas songs altogether. All these tunes are band-accompanied, and all feature the Brothers' bright, velvety rich, upbeat leads and harmonies. Great 50s stuff from one of the great vocal quartets!

Songlist: I'm Gonna Love You, It Only Hurts For A Little While, Wrong Again, The Cradle Song, My Bonnie Lassie, Southern Cross, So I Will, The Game Of Love, One More Time, The Next Time It It Happens, The Man With The Banjo, Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ra, Mercy Beaucoup, Forever Darling, Once Upon A Tune, I Saw Esau, My Love Your Love, Gotta Be This Or That, Let's Walk And Talk, I Got A Cold For Christmas, Time For Sleeping, If You Want My Heart, The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane, Sympathetic Eyes, That's The Way Love Goes, Autumn Leaves, Why Do I Keep Lovin' You, You And I, Sweet Brown Eyed Baby, I Hadn't Anyone Till You, and more

Four brothers named Urick - foreign-sounding names were frequently changed back then - began singing as kids and in their Boston neighborhood. It was at Franklin Field, a semi-pro baseball park, where they played their first gigs. Much dues-paying later, they were signed to Coral Records in 1948, and their first number one was "Sentimental Me." The Ames Bros. produced a clutch of hits throughout the 1950's: "You, You, You," "The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane," and many others. These are four young men you could bring home to mother - their romantic lyrics, sweetly orchestrated arrangements, and cheerful delivery epitomize the wholesome American optimism of this decade.

Songlist: You, You, You, I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me, The Man With The Banjo, The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane, My Bonnie Lassie, My Love, Your Love, Forever Darling, It Only Hurts For A Little While, Summer Sweatheart, I Saw Esau, The Game Of Love, Tammy, Melodie D' Amour, A Very Precious Love, Little Serenade, Pussy Cat, No One But You (In My Heart), Red River Rose, China Doll, Destination Moon