 |  | "The Best" as determined by the Capitol balance sheets. |  |
Better this were titled "Peggy Lee's Biggest Sellers for Capitol." It represents none of her activity for Decca, when she established herself as a class jazz act in the '50s, it omits some of her best things for Capitol, pre- and post-Decca (including "The Shining Sea"), and it passes over her career 1971-1991. If I had to go with just one, it would be the British import, "The Best of Peggy Lee." And if her creative accomplishments mean as much to you as her "hits," the "Best of the Decca Years" is more satisfying.
August 11, 2007Highly recommend this to anyone who thinks they may be a fan, or could be one.
July 21, 2007Peggy Lee has a smooth, rich voice, and her sultry style pairs beautifully with the lyrics.
April 3, 2007Don't need to say much - I am not an audiophile but I love Peggy Lee so I am very pleased by this recording of many of my favorites. Can't really go wrong with this.
March 21, 2007I remember hearing "Fever" on the radio as a child, and thinking "are they allowed to play stuff like that on the radio?". The seduction in her voice was alluring and mysterious, you could almost see steam in the air.
While singing "Waiting for the Train to Come In", her super-laid-back drawl lets you see a woman by the tracks at the train station, the words being sung are the thoughts going through the woman's head, waiting for her man to come home.
Although I prefer the Mills Brothers' rendition of "I Don't Know Enough About You", with their wonderful harmony, Peggy's version still stands on its own merit, and is a welcomed addition to the CD.
The majority of the tunes on this disc are a sampling of the popular songs during the 40's and 50's, almost a condensed time capsule. "Happiness is a Thing Called Joe" is her cover of a song from the all-Black movie musical "Cabin in the Sky" (1943), starring Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson as Little Joe.
And last, and definitely not least, "Is That All There Is". A masterpiece in matching words to supporting music. I bought this CD specifically for this song. I remember hearing it when it was released in 1969, and it stopped me in my tracks. Stunningly written and performed, especially when compared to the mindless "bubble gum" pop music of that period. Even to this day, it's a creepy and beautiful song, and in my opinion, her best.
March 8, 2007More reviews at Amazon.com ...
(18 reviews)