Search - Frankie Yankovic :: Happy Wanderer

Good for its age

Bill Smythe | Chicago | 05/12/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The ten selections on this CD were originally recorded in the late 50's and early 60's, and are from several different vinyl LPs. The material is decent enough (Frankie Yankovic is almost always superb), but Sony, alias Columbia, has the wrong idea. Instead of snatches from several albums, complete versions of Frankie's BEST albums should be re-released. From the Columbia label I recommend Friendly Tavern Polkas, Movie Time Polkas, and Polka My Way. To go back a little farther, into the monophonic era, TV Polkas and Polkas in Hi-Fi would be excellent choices. Instead, Sony has chosen to re-release only All-Time Great Polkas (Frankie's least meritorious Columbia effort ever) and Greatest Hits (already a compilation when it was first released in about 1968). Let's have some of the better ones instead. I must admit, however, I like having the title tune, The Happy Wanderer, on CD. Valderee, Valderah -- everyone remembers this one."