London,Julie Collection 1955-62 CD

Best-known for her classic 1955 Top 10 hit "Cry Me A River", Julie London was a fine sultry-voiced jazz and pop singer, who enjoyed her greatest popularity during the "cool" era of the late '50s and early '60s - Billboard magazine named her as the most popular female vocalist of 1955, '56 and '57. Although she sang as a child with her parents' vaudeville act on radio, the first decade of her career from 1945 was as a Hollywood movie actress, becoming a popular pin-up girl of GIs, and appearing with the likes of Gary Cooper. Beginning her recording career in 1955, she scored a hit with her first release for Liberty, "Cry Me A River", and over subsequent years released around twenty singles for the label, as well as having a regular output of concept albums, showcasing her smoky and sensuous vocal style with a mixture of sophisticated pop and mainstream jazz material. This great-value 58-track 2-CD collection comprises her debut recordings on an EP recorded for the Bethlehem label (the tracks were later released as singles by Liberty), and all her A and B sides for Liberty through to 1962, some of which came from her LP releases, plus selected tracks from the seventeen albums she released during those first important years of her recording career. As well as "Cry Me A River", it includes what was one of her best-known recordings, her vocal version of the jazz cha-cha "Desafinado (Slightly Out of Tune)" from 1962. "Cry Me A River" has been revived by many high-profile artists over the years. Julie London is an artist who has not received the accolades she deserved as a sophisticated jazz/pop singer to compare with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Peggy Lee, and this collection will help underline her distinctive talent.

1. Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child 2. A Foggy Day 3. Don't Worry 'Bout Me 4. You're Blas? 5. Cry Me a River 6. S'wonderful 7. Baby, Baby, All the Time 8. Shadow Woman 9. September in the Rain 10. Lonely Girl 11. Tall Boy 12. Now, Baby, Now 13. The Meaning of the Blues 14. Boy on a Dolphin 15. It Had to Be You 16. Dark 17. I'd Like You for Christmas 18. Saddle the Wind 19. Tell Me You're Mine 20. The Freshman 21. It's Easy 22. Voice in the Mirror 23. Blue Moon 24. Man of the West 25. My Strange Affair 26. Come On-A My House 27. Must Be Catchin' 28. Something I Dreamed Last Night 29. Comin' Through the Rye 30. Makin' Whoopee 31. It's a Blue World 32. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning 33. Time for Lovers 34. Send for Me 35. Evenin' 36. Sanctuary 37. Every Chance I Get 38. My Darling, My Darling 39. My Love, My Love 40. (Slightly Out of Tune) Desafinado 41. Where Did the Gentleman Go? 42. Laura 43. How Deep Is the Ocean 44. June in January 45. Bye, Bye Blues 46. If I Could Be with You 47. Daddy 48. I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan 49. Mad About the Boy 50. Cuddle Up a Little Closer 51. When I Fall in Love 52. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home to 53. Around Midnight 54. Yes Indeed 55. Why Don't You Do Right 56. Sophisticated Lady 57. Love Letters 58. Love on the Rocks