Spotlight On Al Martino (Great Gentlemen Of Song) - Al Martino

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...Al Martino's biggest claim to fame is that he was the first artist to have a UK No 1 single. When the very first Top 40 was published in November 1952, his "Here In My Heart" sat proudly on top of the pile. It's nice to think that whatever else can happen in your career, they can't take that away from you. What fun it is to look at that first chart. All those great singers like Mario Lanza (a close friend of Al's), Vera Lynn, Guy Mitchell and…..er, Max Bygraves with the immortal "Cowpuncher's Cantata". But we're getting off track somewhat so back to Mr Martino. He was born Alfred Cini in Philadelphia on 7/10/27 and began his singing career with help from Mario Lanza, the Italian-American opera singer. Indeed it was Lanza who passed over the opportunity to record "Here In My Heart" that allowed Al Martino his big... Read review

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Advantages: a wonderful return of an american master
Disadvantages: lyrics

...that in the horn, liquid bass and organ dynamic of “You,” as it also shows Green's grasp of diverse blues backgrounds from little Milton to the late, great Rufus Thomas. Mitchell's production is so good that it even masks Green's lyrical missteps, the only major flaw of the album. As you can probably see, I love Al Green to death, but even he can't fix such clichéd songs as “Million to One” and “Shining Star.” But they fail only in comparison to the staggering achievements that green has done on the album, and Mitchell's crack productions makes both songs listenable even in their own faults. But the stunner of the album and what makes it different from most Green epics is that its greatest songs are its blues ballads. They not only show the man in full command of his gifts, but also force us to look at a Green totally different from out... Read review

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Advantages: A whole hatful of Al - 12 tracks of enhanced madness!
Disadvantages: I skip a track or 2 to get to the 'even better' stuff

...Nelly. Liked this. 4. Party at the Leper Colony All my childhood leper jokes in one song! For those with a particular sense of humour 5. Angry White Boy Polka An Al speciality, a polka mix appears on every album. It's success depends on you knowing the selection of songs. He has done better polkas though. 6. Wanna B Ur Lovr Lenny Henry's Theopolis P. Wildebeest should be doing this song on tour...jam packed with so many cheesy chat-up lines, it looks like a pack of mini cheddars. 7. A Complicated Song Parody of Complicated... This one fits so well to the original, I often do it on karaoke (yep, sad enough to have remembered the words). 8. Why Does This Always Happen to Me I skip past this on the cd to get to 9 & 10. doesn't make it a bad song, just didn't appeal to me when there are other gems to get to. 9. Ode... Read review

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