Dino Paul Crocetti, or Dean Martin as we all know him, member of the original Rat Pack, was one of the greatest performers of his time. I purchased this CD in Virgin some time ago now, so I don't know what the going rate online for this album currently is. There are many places you can look for cheap CDs but it isn't my job to list websites, but to review this compilation CD.
First of all, I'm not sure how many young people Dean would appeal to. I think the younger generation ought to be introduced to him and this album is the perfect introduction. It has all his number one hits, some obscure songs and my personal favourite, Volare. Sadly, this compilation is not remastered in any way, but in some ways it adds to the closeness you feel while listening to the album. You feel he is in the same room with you. I think this album is excellent value for money. There aren't many albums boasting such a numerous amount of well known songs, 30 so to speak.
The track listing is as follows:
1. Ain't That A Kick In The Head 2. That's Amore 3. Memories Are Made Of This 4. Just In Time 5. Sway (Quien Sera) 6. I'd Cry Like A Baby 7. Volare (Nel Blu Di Pinto Di Blu) 8. Under The Bridges Of Paris 9. Love Me, Love Me 10. If 11. Mambo Italiano 12. Let Me Go, Lover! 13. Standing On The Corner 14. You Belong To Me 15. Powder Your Face With Sunshine (Smile! Smile! Smile!) 16. Innamorata (Sweetheart) 17. I'll Always Love You (Day After Day) 18. Kiss 19. You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You 20. Return To Me (Ritorna-Me) 21. The Door Is Still Open (To My Heart) 22. Houston 23. Send Me The Pillow You Dream On 24. Everybody Loves Somebody 25. In The Chapel In The Moonlight 26. I Will 27. Little Ole Wine Drinker, Me 28. Somewhere There's A Someone 29. In The Misty Moonlight 30. Gentle On My Mind
I'd just like to say that there is nothing cheap about this album, only its price. The accompanying booklet is good quality with an interview with his daughters Deana and Gail, a mini-biography and Stevie Van Zandt (from Sopranos) giving a preface. There is also a listing at the back which details all his hits and their chart position. The CD is nicely printed, and the whole thing is designed in tasteful silver and black.
There is a good selection of all his hits, mostly English and some italian songs like "Ritorna a Me" and "Mambo Italiano". Other songs are from his movies like "Innamorata". Anyone who has heard of his name will instantly recognise his songs. A particularly famous one is "Sway" with its exotic sounds and sweeping string orchestra. Another of my favourite.
In summary, I think this is an excellent tribute to Dean Martin at an excellent, affordable price, which would serve well to introduce many more people to his talents. There really isn't anything to criticize as Capitol records have managed to cram 30 songs onto one CD which has a running time of 77 minutes.
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