From the cherished Christmas carol, the sincere warmth of the spiritual, the cheer of the drinking song, to the tenderness of the love song, Fred Waring was the delineator, the innovator, the voice and interpreter of the language of 1960s youth in song. This all-accompanied, 2 CD, 2-lp compilation, originally released on Reprise in 1964, tours the world's greatest popular love songs. Composers and authors of course include Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, the Gershwins, Hammerstein and Jerome Kern, and we have the contrast of the studio-recorded lp, "To You Forever," and the live "In Concert" lp. The 11 songs on "Forever," smooth and sweet as you please: "You Do Something to Me," "Embraceable You," "All of You" and "All the Things You Are"-are listed in the dictionary under "Romantic." "In Concert" features an intro to the audience by Fred, and is a lively collection, from folk tunes like "Mr. Frog A Courtin'" and "On Top Of Old Smokey," spirituals like "Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic," and show tunes like "Hello, Dolly" to movie tunes like "Chim Chim Cher-ee" and "Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious" from "Mary Poppins." This is entertainment! |
