Search - Jo Stafford :: You Belong to Me (Dig)

Representative collection, nicely priced.

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 09/01/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you choose not to spring for the 4-disc 110+ tune set, "Jo Stafford's Greatest Hits," this one is a sensible alternative, priced attractively for Amazon Prime customers. The emphasis is on Stafford's most popular recordings, but there are 25 of them, making for a fairly representative collection of her many-faceted career. At least half of the tunes might fall into the category of "period-piece ephemera," but nonetheless the whole provides the charming evocation of an era that wasn't afraid of sentiment, even if overly obvious and occasionally taking a religious turn. Stafford's effortless yet assured and reassuring elocution makes her a better bet for performing some of these songs than many of the period's vocal stars, whose histrionics would no doubt make some of this material sound sappy if not intolerable.



If this collection should whet your appetite for more, Stafford made a couple of jazz recordings, though they're increasingly scarce. She can be heard playing the "girl vocalist" alongside Frankie Sinatra the "boy vocalist" on some priceless (to me) dance medleys by the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (The CD's "Learn to Croon" and "I'll Be Seeing You" are fine documentations of a fascinating period). And her salient satirical wit needs to be experienced by picking up one of the recordings under Jo's alternate identity, Darlene Edwards.



Although Jo is remembered by the general public for the title song, a "selective" audience has placed one of her recordings above all others: "Haunted Heart." It's the one song by her that has captured the interest of jazz sophisticates, and even America's leading operatic diva, Renee Fleming (you'll have to look elsewhere for it)."

You Belong To Me, Jo Stafford

Gordon L. Frantz | 05/21/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Arrived within a reasonable time, excellent condition.

Outstanding music performed by one of the best female singers of my era"

GOOD AUDIO

Donald R. Talend | Illinois | 03/23/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is as was described. Audio quality is excellent and song selection is good."