Search - Les Paul & Mary Ford :: Les Paul & Mary Ford - All-Time Greatest Hits

Some Glaring Omissions!

Sam Bethune | Lincoln, Nebraska USA | 08/05/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a huge fan of Les Paul and after reviewing the track list on this CD, I don't see how anyone in their right mind could call it an "all time greatest hits" collection.



While tracks such as "Mockin' Bird Hill", "The World is Waiting for the Sunrise", and "Vaya Con Dios" among the duo's best loved and best known songs, I find the omission of "How High the Moon", one the their biggest hits, to be unforgiveable. Equally astonishing is why "Dry My Tears", the theme song of Les & Mary's 50s radio show, and "Cryin'", arguably the best song Mary Ford has ever sung, were excluded. I would much rather have had those tracks included in the disc than the cover version of Patti Page's "Tennessee Waltz", and the ersatz "Meet Mr. Callaghan". It's also hard to understand why the only Les Paul solo instrumental track on this disc is "Bye Bye Blues". "Lover", the song that propelled Les into the spotlight, and "Nola", a song that enjoyed worldwide popularity, were inexplicably left out.



While this is a decent collection of the work of Les Paul and Mary Ford, it is definitely NOT their all time greatest hits. The record label ought to be sued for false advertising."

Refreshing!

Mary McGrath | Culver City, CA. | 12/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've just discovered this pair, and I'm so sorry I haven't heard them until now. Being a jazz vocalist, I'm always looking for challenging material. I have a few CDs in this genre, but the styling, and caliber of the musicians puts my other CDs to shame. I suspect k.d. lang has borrowed styling from the likes of Mary Ford, as their voices seem to lilt in the same fashion. Les Paul's ability makes me wonder if there are more than two or three guitars playing simultaneously. Many of these cuts are very subtle in their exhibition of complicated material. For those so inclined to listen, it's an auditory adventure."

There Are Better Collections Around

Mary McGrath | 09/06/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This collection, which came out in 1990, is typical of early CD releases: 12 selections and either minimal liner notes or none at all. In this instance, however, there is a single page of text on the reverse of the cover photo providing some interesting background.



A much better bet is "The Best Of The Capitol Masters" as it contains all the same selections save one, plus eight more. Here, however, you do get the wonderful and hard-to-find Mary Ford interpretation of Smoke Rings which made it to # 14 in the summer of 1952 b/w In The Good Old Summertime [# 15].



And the price is certainly right."