Something for the Boys / I'm Your Girl

Something for the Boys / I'm Your Girl

The dozen tracks on this long-player are thematically linked to Joni James' (vocals) undying support for American troops serving overseas in the early '60s. In fact, Something for the Boys (1963) was initially conceived as a souvenir of sorts recalling the literally hundreds of performances that she had given to GIs during her visits to Korea, Japan, Germany, and more. She had become the darling of the State Department for her willingness and enthusiasm for making the often-arduous tours of various military bases and posts throughout the globe -- this, despite James' somewhat debilitating bouts of motion sickness. This disc contains a dozen sides which James personally selected from her most requested numbers. Even the album's opener -- a freewheelin' spin of Hank Williams' "Hey Good Lookin'" -- was specifically chosen, as it was also her standard show-opener. The remainder of the effort follows a similar pattern as the majority of her previous (and subsequent) albums with a variety of tunes ranging from the folky and lilting World War II-era classic "Lili Marlene" to James' breezy take on more concurrent pop balladry such as "Venus" and the moody and dreamlike "Make Someone Happy." While Jimmie Haskell's instrumental arrangements range from the slightly Spanish-flavored "Never on a Sunday" to the introspective "What Kind of Fool Am I," the modern listener may find the Jack Halloran Singers' choral accompaniment dated. Their occasional verbosity, which is specifically notable during the introduction to "Love Letters in the Sand," all but negates James' comparatively sumptuous solo vocals. This isn't the case across the board, as the ensemble lightly augments as well as provides affective co-leads on "Don't Cry Joe." Other highlights include a soaring interpretation of "Moon River" as well as "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart," which bests Vera Lynn's 1952 hit version. I'm Your Girl (1962) is a response to James' loyal enthusiasts who requested that the enormously versatile vocalist record a long-player of jazz-styled standards. Along with her husband and musical director, Anthony Acquaviva, James selected a dozen familiar pop melodies for a songbook of freshly arranged classics. She abandoned the immense orchestration found on her series of "100 Strings" releases for a smaller, yet equally effective backing combo under the direction of conductor and arranger Jimmie Haskell. His scores provide the vocalist with a light and airy instrumentation that perfectly complements James' rich and sensuous tonality. In many ways, I'm Your Girl is an apt companion to her collections that highlight the work of specific composers, such as Joni James Sings the Gershwins (1964) or My Favorite Things (1964), which focuses on the melodies and lyrics of Rodgers & Hammerstein. In fact, a quarter of the material on this platter comes from the Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart camp. Her beautifully empathetic voice quite literally caresses and illuminates "Heart and Soul," "Dream a Little Dream of Me," "I'll Walk Alone," as well as a few lesser-known sides such as "I Love You Much Too Much" and the project's title composition, "You're My Girl." ~ Lindsay Planer, Rovi
Country USA
Manufacturer Collector's Choice
Binding Audio CD
ReleaseDate 2003-06-10
UnitCount 1
UPCs 617742034523
EANs 0617742034523

Country	USA
Manufacturer	Collector's Choice
Binding	Audio CD
ReleaseDate	2003-06-10
UnitCount	1
UPCs	617742034523
EANs	0617742034523

Something for the Boys / I'm Your Girl

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