Patti Page - 16 Most Requested Songs

fine Patti Page album of her hits recorded in the 1960s

Sixteen (16) Most Requested Songs is a Patti Page CD that tries its best to give us sixteen of her greatest hits. Unfortunately you can't really do that with just a single CD; but this one does stand out as one of her better single CD compilations. The quality of the sound is excellent and the artwork is typical for this CD series. I must admit they could have done a better job with that rendering of Patti on the front cover of the artwork. However, this is a minor disappointment.

The track set begins with Patti performing "Tennessee Waltz." Unfortunately, this is not my favorite rendition of this ballad; there's a backup group of singers that is superfluous; Patti never needed that and even if it worked it doesn't go along with this tender ballad. "Gentle On My Mind" sparkles like gold as Patti sings this country flavored ballad with panache and all her heart and soul. Patti was meant to sing a great ballad like this! She delivers this flawlessly; and I could listen to her sing this tune again and again--and sometimes I do!

"Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)" is a beautiful tune which I first heard from Harry Belafonte; but when Patti sings this number she makes it all her own with her fine timing and diction. Patti's rendition of "Scarlet Ribbons" is THE definitive interpretation of this ballad! "Try To Remember," a song from The Fantasticks, is equally beautiful and although the chorus adds to the number Patti could easily have handled this all on her own. "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte" also features Patty front and center; and the strings work to great advantage on "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte."

"Days Of Wine And Roses" is a poignant ballad that Patti delivers with heart and soul; it's like listening to silk when I hear Patti sing this tune. "(How Much Is) That Doggie In The Window" is definitely a huge Patti Page hit; and I remember listening to this on the radio in the late `60s in my father's car. How I loved that song even way back then!

The album ends string with Patti singing "Just A Simple Melody;" Patti sings this with so much heart that you can tell she really wanted to give blood to make this song just right. Few singers could ever hope to emulate Patti's style on this number.

Overall, this is a fine Patti Page CD that gives us her best--but from a later time in the 1960s. Most of these tunes were hits for Patti in the earlier years of her career; and apparently they wanted her to redo them here. These renditions are still quite strong and Patti Page fans will want these alternate renditions for their collections. This CD is also a great place to start for casual fans. Of course, people who like classic pop vocals will love this album.
March 25, 2008

Certainly not the definitive Patti Page collection, but not unpleasant

The main thing one needs to know about this collection is that the recordings in it were made when Patti Page was recording for Columbia in the 1960s. So although there are a number of her big hits from the 1950s in the collection, they are not the original versions (made for Mercury), but remakes. She did, however, have some hits for Columbia, such as "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte," which are on here, and the CD includes her versions of a number of other singers' big 1960s hits, like "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," which sound just fine. Only one song on this CD is truly obscure, the last track, "Just a Simple Melody," which I had never heard before, but this is certainly NOT the "Patti Page's greatest" album that Columbia might make you think it is.

Nevertheless, nothing sounds bad. This album is really second-rate Patti Page, past her prime, but second-rate Patti Page is better than first-rate samples of many other singers. November 30, 2007

The WALTZ QUEEN DELIVERS - GREAT ITEM

Miss Page is one of the most versatile singers of all time. I know many folks that have this CD and they all love it. Even her current CDs of the 1990s and 2000 are fabulous. Her voice is deep and rich. She is still THE SINGING RAGE. Over 100 million records sold, she continues to sell today. YOU GO GIRL !!!

Dolfanrene April 25, 2007

Thank you

It has some good old songs on and will be a valuable addition to my CD collection June 27, 2006

If you like 'em with schmaltz . . .

I've only listened to a few tracks before storing in my to-listen-to-later stack. P.P. is a borderline case for me, but I like Tennessee Waltz. What we have here sounds like an overdone re-recording of 50s and 60s hits--heavy on the violins, choruses, and other syrupy forms of overproducing. Do I detect the heavy hand of Mitch Miller ladling on the schmaltz? Reminds me of the way the fun Sons of the Pioneers were sugared o'er in their later years. June 9, 2006

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