Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Tangerine (2008 Digital Remaster)
2. Glow Worm (2008 Digital Remaster)
3. Say It Isn't So (2008 Digital Remaster)
4. Embraceable You (2008 Digital Remaster)
5. Square Circle (2008 Digital Remaster)
6. The Story Of Tina (2008 Digital Remaster)
7. Opus In Turquoise (2008 Digital Remaster)
8. Once In A While (2008 Digital Remaster)
9. Hernando's Hideaway
10. Be Honest With Me (2008 Digital Remaster)
11. The Shoemakers Serenade (2008 Digital Remaster)
12. Mad About The Boy (2008 Digital Remaster)
13. Brazil (2008 Digital Remaster)
14. April In Paris (2008 Digital Remaster)
15. A Room With A View (2008 Digital Remaster)
16. Candlelight (2008 Digital Remaster)
17. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me (2008 Digital Remaster)
18. Will You Always Call Me Sweetheart (2008 Digital Remaster)
19. No Orchids For My Lady (2008 Digital Remaster)
20. Patience & Fortitude (2008 Digital Remaster)
21. Peg O' My Heart (2008 Digital Remaster)
22. Keep An Eye On Your Heart (2008 Digital Remaster)
23. Taboo (2008 Digital Remaster)
24. You And The Night And The Music (2008 Digital Remaster)
25. Ray Anthony & His Orchestra

Disc 2:

1. Dream (2008 Digital Remaster)
2. Plink, Plank, Plonk (2008 Digital Remaster)
3. Lover (2008 Digital Remaster)
4. The Trees In Grosvenor Square (2008 Digital Remaster)
5. All Of Me (2008 Digital Remaster)
6. Dancing In My Socks (2008 Digital Remaster)
7. Beyond The Blue Horizon (2008 Digital Remaster)
8. I Only Have Eyes For You (Dames) (2008 Digital Remaster)
9. Lullaby Of The Leaves (2008 Digital Remaster)
10. On A Slow Boat To China (2008 Digital Remaster)
11. Bow Bells (2008 Digital Remaster)
12. Papa, Won't You Dance With Me
13. I'd Like To Get You Alone (2008 Digital Remaster)
14. Big Band Boogie
15. Candy (2008 Digital Remaster)
16. How Am I To Know (2008 Digital Remaster)
17. I Cover The Waterfront (2008 Digital Remaster)
18. Serenade Of The Bells (2008 Digital Remaster)
19. Mambo Murray
20. Samba, Lele (2008 Digital Remaster)
21. Seven Days' Leave (2008 Digital Remaster)
22. Swedish Rhapsody (2008 Digital Remaster)
23. Heartaches (2008 Digital Remaster)
24. If I Had You (2008 Digital Remaster)
25. The Lady Who Didn't Believe In Love (2008 Digital Remaster)
26. Harry Roy & His Band

Disc 3:

1. Cheek To Cheek
2. Harlem Nocturne (2008 Digital Remaster)
3. Surrender (2008 Digital Remaster)
4. S'Wonderful (2008 Digital Remaster)
5. Suddenly (2008 Digital Remaster)
6. Never Never Land (2008 Digital Remaster)
7. So Rare (2008 Digital Remaster)
8. How Lucky You Are (2008 Digital Remaster)
9. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
10. Don't Be A Baby, Baby (2008 Digital Remaster)
11. Vox Poppin' (2008 Digital Remaster)
12. I'm Glad There Is You (2008 Digital Remaster)
13. Little Things Mean A Lot (2008 Digital Remaster)
14. A Fella With An Umbrella (2008 Digital Remaster)
15. Choo Choo Special (2008 Digital Remaster)
16. Spring Is Here (2008 Digital Remaster)
17. The First Day Of Summer (2008 Digital Remaster)
18. Temptation (2008 Digital Remaster)
19. Fascinating Rhythm (2008 Digital Remaster)
20. Marie Elena (2008 Digital Remaster)
21. Come To Baby Do (2008 Digital Remaster)
22. On The Alamo (2008 Digital Remaster)
23. Pony Express (2008 Digital Remaster)
24. For Every Man There's A Woman (2008 Digital Remaster)
25. Walkin' Home (2008 Digital Remaster)
26. Harry James & His Orchestra

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14807 in Music
• Released on: 2008-03-10
• Number of discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Dimensions: .42 pounds

Customer Reviews

DANCING THROUGH THE FORTIES AND FIFTIES
Last year Avid brought out a 2-CD set called Ballroom Dancing - The Essential Collection. EMI Gold has now gone one better, literally, with a 3-CD set featuring 74 tracks from the forties and fifties. They've cast their net both sides of the Atlantic, and covered a wide variety of styles and dance rhythms. Since Amazon lists only the titles, I should tell you that the bands involved (in alphabetical order) are Ray Anthony, Les Brown, Jan Garber, Geraldo, Nat Gonella, Benny Goodman, Ken Hanna, Skitch Henderson, Woody Herman, Harry James, Stan Kenton, Sydney Lipton, Joe Loss, Enric Madriguera, Ken Mackintosh, Billy May, Lou Preager, Tommy Rogers, Edmundo Ros, Harry Roy, Jack Wallace, and Eric Winstone.

One small niggle is that both Nat Gonella tracks appeared recently on EMI Gold's 2-CD set dedicated to that artist. Given EMI's ease of access to Nat's recordings more care should have been taken to avoid that unnecessary duplication. There's also a photo captioned Benny Goodman, which looks to me more like Steve Allen, who played him in the film biopic.

Most of the tunes, and many of the versions in which they're presented here, will be familiar to anyone who grew up during the decades in question. In my opinion one or two of the more modern arrangements fail to enhance the original melody (Les Brown's extended version of "Lover" definitely outstays its welcome) but they are in the minority, and don't detract from the overall attraction of this set, which I've thoroughly enjoyed. Sound quality is excellent, with a spacious acoustic throughout, and at its budget price of just under £10 it can be recommended wholeheartedly.

ballroom dance music
This is a pleasant set of recordings by Victor Silvester, Joe Loss & Andy Ross. There are only 35 tracks on the two CD's but demonstrate the varying styles of the bands. However, if you already own 'Come Dancing' (EMI Gold) Silvester & Loss and 'Come Dancing' (MFP) Ross, you will already have these tracks, there is nothing new!!

First class examples of yesteryear dance bands
This three CD set is an excellent example of the dance bands of the greatest period of ballroom dance music. Well, in my opinion.

I'm still getting through the many tunes and bands available. If I was to be critical I might say that some tempos are a little fast unless you're a professional dancer. I say that as a experienced musician playing for today's ballroom dancers, some who are getting on in years and not quite so agile.

Nonetheless, the music is grand and brought back many memories of my youth when these were the bands I listened and danced to.

Good value for money, in my opinion, for the music alone.