Search - Jo Stafford, Paul Weston and His Orchestra :: You Belong to Me - 54 Songs (2 CD Set)

Second ASV compilation of Jo's music

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 10/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Some years ago, ASV released a single CD of Jo's music (Coming back like a song 25 hits 1941 - 1947), containing many of Jo's big hits of the forties. This set, although a double CD, is a companion volume to that collection. It avoids all the hits available on that collection but Jo had plenty of others. Here you will find more of Jo's hits from the forties, together with some of her early fifties hits from Columbia.



If you've already got the boxed set (Yes indeed) covering Jo's music on Capitol and you've also got the best compilation of Jo's fifties music (Columbia hits collection), you'll have most but not all of the tracks here and on the other ASV collection. Out of this world, Ivy and White Christmas are available on the single CD while Say something sweet to your sweetheart, Sometime and Goodnight Irene are available on this set. These tracks are omitted from Yes indeed, but as that box contains four CD's and is devoted entirely to her Capitol recordings, there are many more tracks on that set that aren't on the two ASV releases.



All the Columbia hits included here can be found on Columbia hits collection. As this set only covers the period up to 1952, it misses out some later hits including Make love to me, Thank you for calling and Suddenly there's a valley. Perhaps ASV plan to release another volume some day although I doubt it - 1952 is about as far as they normally go.



If you've already got the first ASV compilation, this is an ideal way to expand your collection of Jo's music. If you haven't got any of Jo's music, buying the two ASV compilations will give you most of her hits including all the essentials.



Dedicated Jo Stafford fans may wish to buy all the compilations I've mentioned, together with the rarities collection (Jo Stafford on Capitol) just to have everything available - there are tracks on each that aren't available elsewhere - but it would involve a lot of duplication. Between these five compilations, every solo hit that Jo had during her time with Capitol is included at least once. Some of her duet hits with Gordon MacRae are missing and there are still some of her later Columbia hits not available on CD."

Say Something Sweet to Your Reviewer

tom lovatt | 03/19/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Staffors's voice has a creamy tonal beauty that make her singing immensely listenable. Her strength's as a singer are particularly evident in the many love song from the forties where the sultry yearning behind the lyrics and lush orchestration are a perfect medium for Stafford's lustrous tone and superb breath control. There is nothing forced or melodramatic in her approach to a song; she has none of the affectations common to many singers of the day and delivers a solid beautifully crafted performance on each piece. Frank Sinatra was one of her biggest fans and its not hard to hear why. My favourites? Autumn In New York; Walkin' My Baby; Haunted Heart; Georgia; Say Something Sweet to Your Sweetheart. There are some forgettable songs here that do no justice to Stafford's talent or the history of the popular song, but these are the exception. A great intro to an underated singer."