Al Martino Capitol Collectors Series

1 rating: 4.0

1992 audio CD release

All of Martino's major hits -- "Here in My Heart," "Take My Heart," "I Love You Because," "I Love You More and More Every Day," and "Speak Softly Love" (the love theme from The Godfather) -- are included on this comprehensive 25-track compilation, along … see full wiki

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Still the best available collection of one of America's great crooners.

Dec 10, 2008

by drifter51
posted in Music Matters

Rating:

Imagine my surprise this past summer when I picked up my local newspaper and read that Al Martino would be the headliner at an Italian-American festival in our fair city. When I checked our calendar I discovered to my great dismay that a previous commitment would preclude my wife and I from attending this huge outdoor concert. We were so disappointed because Al Martino is pretty much the last of his generation still performing. He is 81 now and from all reports can still belt out a tune. In 1992, Capitol records released "Al Martino: Capitol Collectors Series". This single disc 25 track anthology remains the finest collection of this legendary performer.
Al Martino grew up in Philadelphia and was a childhood friend of the great Mario Lanza. He too dreamed of a career in show business and his career was launched after winning first prize on Arthur Godfrey's popular "Talent Scouts" television program in 1952. His very first record on the tiny B.B.S. label "Here In My Heart" went all the way to #1 on the Billboard charts in the summer of 1952. Shortly thereafter, Al signed a deal with Capitol records and he managed to hit the charts 3 more times over the next couple of years. For a variety of reasons discussed in the excellent liner notes Al Martino would not have another hit record for a decade. In 1963 Al Martino recorded a pop cover of Eddy Arnold's country hit "I Love You Because". The record was an immediate smash and Al was on his way to a decade and a half of chart success. You will find just about all of Al's biggest and best hits on "Al Martino: Capitol Collectors Series". Enjoy once again Al's marvelous rendition of "Painted, Tainted Rose" from 1963. "I Love You More and More Every Day" would prove to be one of Al Martino's biggest hits ever. That one is included here as well. Among the other favorites you will find here are "Daddy's Little Girl", "Mary In The Morning" and a tune that I heard for the first time in a very long time "Think I'll Go Somewhere And Cry Myself To Sleep" from the spring of '66. What a great record! And no Al Martino collection would be complete without a pair of his biggest hits.
"Spanish Eyes" remains Al Martino's most memorable tune and his rendition of the Italian favorite "(Alle Porte Del Sole) To The Door Of The Sun" was a surprise hit shortly after Al's appearance as singer Johnny Fontane in the motion picture "The Godfather". Meanwhile, don't forget to sample the rather curious five minute plus "disco" version of "Volare"! The liner notes were highly critical of this 1975 hit. I must admit I kinda like it! In addition, there are a whole host of some of Al's less well known singles included as well. Much to my disappointment, his 1966 recording of "The Wheel of Hurt" (also a big hit for Margaret Whiting that year) was not included in this collection. I always loved that tune and was astounded to discover that it did not make the cut.
"Al Martino: Capitol Collectors Series" comes with a wonderful 16 page booklet that includes an extremely interesting biography of the artist and detailed chart information on each tune. This is a disc I have been threatening to buy for years and I am glad that I finally got around to it. These are all the original Capitol singles you would remember from the radio. No cheesy re-recordings here. Highly recommended!

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