Boy Meets Girl [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
First Time on CD for Legendary 60's Album featuring Johnnie Taylor, Eddie Floyd, etc. Pairing Up with Labelmates Like Mavis Staples and Carla Thomas, for a Great Series of Boy-girl Duets.

Boy Meets Girl,Various Artists,Ace/Stax,R&B/Soul

Tracks:

Bring Down the Moon
Waiting for a Star to Fall
Stormy Love
Is Anybody Out There in Love
Stay Forever
If You Run
One Street Dream
No Apologies
Restless Dreamer
Someone's Got to Send Out Love

Customer Reviews:

80s flashback!.......2007-05-30

As reviewed on my blog ([..])

Tuesday, May 29, 2007
"Waiting for a star to fall"

Last week, a song came on the radio that brought back a lot of old memories from my high school days. You know, the Stone Age!

Anyway, it was by a one-hit-wonder husband/wife duo called "Boy Meets Girl."

You socks are no doubt familiar with the one hit: "Waiting for a Star to Fall."

But, there are some other pretty good songs on the self-titled album, too.

I used to play it over and over again in the cassette deck of my old 1979 Honda Civic as I scooted around the dirt and cotton fields of West Texas. So many times in fact, that the tape wore out and the lyrics became warped and I eventually had to trash it.

Fortunately, nowadays, folks like me who are still lost in the 80s can now get the soundtracks to their youth on CD!

Mine arrived today, and I've really been enjoying the good non-warped quality of the sound. And, something I almost forgot: I no longer have to sit thru a song I don't like. I can just hit the "skip" button on my CD-player. Back in the day, you either had to endure it or try to time your "fast forward" button just right, and that was next to impossible.

Anyway, if there's anything that's better than modern technology, it's an old song on the radio . . .

Boy Meets Girl: Sammy Davis, Jr. & Carmen McRae on Decca

Average customer rating:

Take a generous mixture of Sammy and Carmen, stir well in front of a microphone, and stand back to watch the musical fireworks
Great Duet Singing and Songs
Power Sessions
A Young Sammy and Carmen
Classic Carmen and Sammy!

Boy Meets Girl: Sammy Davis, Jr. & Carmen McRae on Decca
Sammy Davis Jr. , and Carmen McRae
Manufacturer: Verve
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Verve | Verve Music Group | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Sammy Davis, Jr. Sings and Laurindo Almeida Plays
From Broadway with Love/Tender Loving Care
Hello, Dolly!
Complete Recordings
Our Shining Hour

ASIN: B0000658A4
Release Date: 2005-07-25

Tracks:

Happy To Make Your Acquaintance
Tea For Two
They Didn't Believe Me
You're The Top
Cheek To Cheek
Baby, It's Cold Outside
People Will Say We're In Love
There's A Small Hotel
A Fine Romance
The Things We Did Last Summer
Two Sleepy People
Who Cares
I Go For You
Summertime
A Woman Is A Sometime Thing
My Man's Gone Now
I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'
Bess, You Is My Woman Now
It Ain't Necessarily So
I Loves You, Porgy
There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
Oh, Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?
Oh, Lawd, I'm On My Way

Customer Reviews:

Take a generous mixture of Sammy and Carmen, stir well in front of a microphone, and stand back to watch the musical fireworks.......2007-06-10

Sammy Davis, Jr. and Carmen McRae certainly had different backgrounds: his career evolved out of the vaudeville circuit and Carmen's career was based upon much more formal music training. Nevertheless, their union sparks more than just plain old harmony on this generous "two-fer" CD. The "two-fer" CD is called a "two-fer" because it contains all the tracks from their record album entitled Boy Meets Girl as well as the tracks from their album entitled Porgy and Bess.

The CD begins with the twelve tracks from the 1957 LP entitled Boy Meets Girl; and "Happy To Make Your Acquaintance" charms you with its beauty. Their excellent diction and enthusiasm electrifies this number and already you're dying for more.

You won't be disappointed as you listen along, either. The track set continues with the classic "Tea For Two." Sammy and Carmen sing the rarely heard opening verse and the musical arrangement makes great use of the piano and horns. Sammy also interjects clever, witty side comments to make this number even better than I've ever heard it! Excellent! "You're The Top" boasts a great musical arrangement and Sammy and Carmen sing this to perfection. Once again, the rarely heard opening verses enhance the beauty of this number. When Sammy Davis, Jr. and Carmen McRae sing these numbers, you can tell they ARE in love--with their music, of course, as they were two of the very best in the business.

Carmen and Sammy infuse "Cheek To Cheek" with a high octane energy as they sing this number as if their lives were on the line! You become convinced no duo could perform "Cheek To Cheek" better than Sammy and Carmen can here.

Other gems include "A Fine Romance" which gets a royal yet playful treatment from Sammy and Carmen; they sing like artists scratching to be heard and we get the all the benefits on numbers like "A Fine Romance!" "Baby, It's Cold Outside" offers more of that magical chemistry between Sammy and Carmen; and the horns on the musical arrangement work very well.

The CD also gives us a bonus single track entitled "I Go For You." Carmen and Sammy sing this love ballad with panache and a playful togetherness that charms you instantly. The cha cha rhythm makes "I Go For You" even better, too!

Then the CD gives us the ten tracks from Sammy and Carmen's 1959 record album entitled Porgy And Bess. Carmen performs "Summertime" with great sensitivity in a fairly serious mood. Sammy then comes in on the next track entitled "A Woman Is A Sometime Thing." Sammy performs "A Woman Is A Sometime Thing" with great feeling and a degree of sensitivity I rarely hear. His voice is rich, warm and full of masculine charm. "My Man's Gone Now" features Carmen performing this ballad with strength as she sings of her terrific angst over her lost love. Carmen even makes her voice tremble to convey her vulnerability which, ironically, makes her interpretation of "My Man's Gone Now" all the more powerful and commanding.

Other great numbers from the Porgy And Bess track set include the touching and memorable "Bess, You Is My Woman Now" performed by Sammy Davis, Jr.; and "It Ain't Necessarily So" gives us Sammy singing at his best with a great male backup chorus. "I Loves You, Porgy" yields yet another sublime duet between Sammy and Carmen; "I Loves You Porgy" lets Sammy Davis, Jr. and Carmen McRae sing of the love Porgy and Bess have for each other and how they may have to fight for their love and happiness together.

The CD ends with "Oh, Lawd, I'm On My Way." Sammy sings this uplifting ballad to perfection. The chorus in the background adds to the beauty of the number, too.

The liner notes feature an essay about Sammy Davis, Jr. and Carmen McRae by Wil Haygood; and the photos of Sammy and Carmen together are very nicely done. You also get miniature replications of the artwork for both the front and the back of the record album covers, too.

I truly have difficulty imagining a world of entertainment without the fine contributions of Sammy Davis, Jr. and Carmen McRae. They sang passionately with all their hearts and souls. We are much better off for them sharing their fine artistry with us. I highly recommend this "two-fer" CD for fans of both Sammy Davis, Jr. and Carmen McRae; and people who enjoy classic pop vocals will cherish this CD for many years to come.

Great Duet Singing and Songs.......2007-03-28

This single CD combines two previously released albums featuring Sammy Davis, Jr. and Carmen McRae - "Boy Meets Girl" and "Porgy and Bess," recorded on various dates in 1957 and 1958, twenty-three tracks in all. The tracks from "Boy Meets Girl" feature some nice standards from Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern and Hoagy Carmichael, among others. Track 13 is a previously unreleased song, entitled "I Go For You," and it's a great duet tune, featuring witty lyrics and great singing. It's a very catchy number, and listening to it makes me wonder what other unreleased gems the record execs have kept hidden in the vaults away from prying ears. The tracks from "Porgy and Bess" are similarly excellent. It all adds up to a disc worth owning if you want to hear two great vocalists teaming up at their peak.

Power Sessions.......2006-07-01

Two albums and twenty-three tracks, and not a shaky performance among them. I had no idea that Carmen, who would soon be doing the jazz club circuit with no more than a piano trio, had recorded these two sessions with Sammy, who would soon be doing Vegas cabarets with Sinatra-sized orchestras in tow. The pair are an absolutely winning combination--vocally, musically, personally--so respectful of each other's professionalism that there are no impediments to sheer music-making.

The first 13 tracks showcase Carmen's unforced, pellucid diction, jazz-influenced lyricism and relaxed dramatic style; the last 10 are pretty much all Sammy, effectively incorporating his musicianship and acting ability within lush and lavish orchestra textures that would overwhelm a lesser voice. He demonstrates why during this time and immediately afterwards he would be considered the hottest all-around talent on the American entertainment scene.

As for the music, can it really be true that at this time the revival of Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" brought it back into the pop culture mainstream? Let's hope a similar revival doesn't await "Chorus Line," "Cats" and "The Lion King."

A Young Sammy and Carmen.......2005-09-14

A number of years ago I heard their recording of ,"There's A Small Hotel", recorded in the fifties on Decca. A great rendition of the Rodgers and Hart classic and rarely done as a duet. The album was out of print for decades and has just been reissued.This disc contains two LP's, "Boy Meets Girl" and their interpertation of "Porgy and Bess". The "Porgy and Bess", is a beautiful arranged and performed recording. The, "Boy Meets Girl", is spotty. Sammy resorts to a Jerry Lewis voice in some of the numbers, he's having fun, but it doesn't hold up. I love his voice so I'm always happy when he get's down to business. Carmen sounds fantstic all the way through. For my money and well...yours, if you are considering purchasing this CD, the best part are, the ballads at the beginning and all the Gershwin at the end. Still a good buy, considering you couldn't get it until now.

Classic Carmen and Sammy!.......2005-09-05

Two classic LP's! The re-mastering job on this CD was first class. The first of the two albums, "Boy Meets Girl," features fun standards with Sammy 'hamming it up' while Carmen's voice is as wonderful as she always was. "Porgy and Bess" was a good concept with fine orchestrations and early 1958 stereo sound (except that some of the selections has the vocals a little low in the mix) but overall felt a little uneven in presentation. That's why I gave it four stars instead of five.

Average customer rating:

A Well-Orchestrated Journey Of Love And Emotions!

Reel Life
Boy Meets Girl
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Robbie Nevil
Living In Oblivion : The 80's Greatest Hits, Vol. 5
'80s Pop Hits
The Trinity

ASIN: B000008DPU
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Bring Down the Moon
Waiting for a Star to Fall
Stormy Love
Is Anybody Out There in Love
Stay Forever
If You Run
One Street Dream
No Apologies
Restless Dreamer
Someone's Got to Send Out Love

Customer Reviews:

A Well-Orchestrated Journey Of Love And Emotions!.......2003-02-19

I bought this CD for their one commercial hit wonder "Waiting For A Star To Fall"...little did I know it would become a permanent gem, a definite standout constantly in heavy rotation! This is simply the ultimate 80's love album. I was hooked from the first few bars of the opener "Bring Down The Moon", which features one of the most powerful laments on love I have ever heard: "If love's not forever I need to discover the spirit of romance and magic in living from day to day...". This in a nutshell sums up the way I have always felt about love! The instrumentation is fabulous too....pure 80's keyboards, danceable beats as well as a ballad here and there. The magic continues throughout the whole album, as George and Shannon succesfully trade off vocal duties and their own takes on relationships and love in general. The vocoder solo alone on "If You Run" makes this album worth your money, and "No Apologies" is in my opinion the best breakup song ever recorded. Although there are no real surprises here, this is a well-arranged, nicely written, and superbly produced package for the late 80's lovesong fanatic. I am really surprised that none of the other songs hit as big as "Waiting For A Star To Fall" because they are all very listenable. The last song on the album ends somewhat unexpectedly, leaving the listener longing for more, kind of like love itself!

Average customer rating:

Sounds of the Eighties: The Late '80s
Various artists , Tell It to My Heart - Taylor Dayne/Valerie - Steve Winwood/What I Am - Edie Brickell & New Bohemians/When Smokey Sings - ABC/Funkytown - Pseudo Echo/Out of the Blue - Debbie Gibson/Waiting for a Star to Fall - Boy Meets Girl/ , At This Moment - Billy Vera & Beaters/Could've Been - Tiffany/Jacob's Ladder - Huey Lewis & News/In Your Room - Bangles/Hungry Eyes - Eric Carmen , and Is This Love - Whitesnake/Wait - White Lion/Carrie - Europe/Just Between You and Me - Lou Gramm/I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) - Aretha Franklin & George Michael/Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley
Manufacturer: BMG Special Products TCD-785
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Sounds of the Eighties: The Early 80s- Take Two
Time-Life: Sounds Of The Eighties [80'S] - The Rolling Stone Collection - 1988-1989
All That Jazz

ASIN: B000NHZUD2

Product Description

R988-19 (BMG Special Products TCD-785) - Sounds of the Eighties: The Late '80s - Various Artists [1996] Tell It to My Heart - Taylor Dayne/Valerie - Steve Winwood/What I Am - Edie Brickell & New Bohemians/When Smokey Sings - ABC/Funkytown - Pseudo Echo/Out of the Blue - Debbie Gibson/Waiting for a Star to Fall - Boy Meets Girl/At This Moment - Billy Vera & Beaters/Could've Been - Tiffany/Jacob's Ladder - Huey Lewis & News/In Your Room - Bangles/Hungry Eyes - Eric Carmen/Is This Love - Whitesnake/Wait - White Lion/Carrie - Europe/Just Between You and Me - Lou Gramm/I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) - Aretha Franklin & George Michael/Never Gonna Give You Up - Rick Astley

Average customer rating:

Boy Meets Girl
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Stax UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

R&B | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004U35K
Release Date: 2000-08-07

Tracks:

Soul-A-Lujah
I Ain't Peculiar - Eddie Floyd, Cleotha Staples
Just Keep on Loving Me - Eddie Floyd, Mavis Staples
Ain't That Good
I Can't Stop - William Bell, Mavis Staples
I Thank You - William Bell, Mavis Staples
Love's Sweet Sensation
I Need You Woman
Never, Never Let You Go
Hold on This Time - Mavis Staples, Johnnie Taylor
That's the Way Love Is
It's Our Time - Pervis Staples, Carla Thomas
It's Unbelievable (How You Control My Soul) - Eddie Floyd, Mavis Staples
Piece of My Heart - William Bell, Mavis Staples
Leave the Girl Alone - Pervis Staples, Carla Thomas
I'm Trying - Eddie Floyd, Carla Thomas
Don't Make Me a Storyteller
Strung Out - Johnnie Taylor, Carla Thomas
My Life
It's Too Late - Johnnie Taylor, Carla Thomas
I've Just Been Feeling Bad - William Bell, Carla Thomas
All I Have to Do Is Dream

Album Details

First Time on CD for Legendary 60's Album featuring Johnnie Taylor, Eddie Floyd, etc. Pairing Up with Labelmates Like Mavis Staples and Carla Thomas, for a Great Series of Boy-girl Duets.

Average customer rating:

Bird In Hand.
Superb!

New Dream

Manufacturer: RCA/BMG
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pop Rock | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Wonderground
Reel Life
Boy Meets Girl
X-Men - The Last Stand (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B0006VBURU
Release Date: 2004-11-01

Tracks:

New Dream
Bird In Hand
I Love This World
Boy On My Mind
If Things Were Different
Flying The Cosmos
Animals In The City
Be True/ Soul Connection
Indigo Drums
Free
Mission
Everybody's Somebody's Baby

Album Description

RARE reissue of NEW DREAM!!!

NEW DREAM is the previously unavailable album from Boy Meets Girl. Never officially released in 1990, a few promotion copies found their way to the internet, where one actually sold for over $700! Now they are pleased to make a limited run available, complete with the four-page booklet.

The title song "New Dream" is a bright and hope-filled vision, and this album takes a decidedly aggressive musical approach. Featuring producers Phil Ramone, Arif Mardin and Joe Mardin (as well as an arrangement of "I Love This World" by Bootsy Collins), this is an exciting collection.

Customer Reviews:

Bird In Hand........2005-03-11

"New Dream" is the third of four albums by Boy Meets Girl. It was supposed to be released in 1991 according to Boy Meets Girl's website, but for some reason it was shelved. I know why. This isn't their best work. It's a stop-gap between the excellent "Reel Life" (1988) and even better, "The Wonderground" (2003).

The problem with "New Dream" is that it's over-produced. On the website, Shannon Rubicam admits that they went for an even bigger production than "Reel Life". Well, it's nice, but not quite as good. For me, I was not a big fan of the emerging hip-hop trend during that time period which, I think, groups like Bell, Biv and DeVoe were doing along with Guy, Bobby Brown, etc. There are a couple of tracks in that vein on this album which I did not care for. However, like every Boy Meets Girl album, there are some treasures such as the title track, "Bird In Hand", "If Things Were Different", "Be True/Soul Connection" and "Everybody's Somebody's Baby".

Perhaps the record company wanted another "Reel Life" or "Waiting For A Star To Fall" and when they didn't hear that on "New Dream" they might have wanted to shelve the album. Who knows. You know what, though? Shannon and George ought to be special guest judges on "American Idol", and those contestants ought to try performing a Boy Meets Girl song to shake things up a bit from the boring billionth rendition of a Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin or Marvin Gaye song!

Anyway, if you are just checking into Boy Meets Girl start with "Reel Life" and "The Wonderground", then "New Dream" and finally their debut "Boy Meets Girl".

Superb!.......2005-02-14

If you're a fan of Boy Meets Girl and their CD Reel Life (with the single "Waiting for a Star to Fall") then this CD is definitely for you. Even if you've never heard of Boy Meets Girl, the writing/singing duo of George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, and want to hear top notch production values, infectious melodies, and deep lyrics, then don't hesitate, buy this CD as fast as you can.

When I first heard this CD, I said, why did RCA cancel it back in 1990? They probably didn't even listen to it. They had a Billboard top 5 artist and then proceeded to toss them in the garbage. A couple years ago, a copy of the CD which was only released in Germany and Italy, sold on EBay for over $700.00. The CD was very much out of reach to the average fan.

Now thanks to George and Shannon's hard work and persistence, they've been able to convince RCA/BMG special products to allow them to release New Dream directly to fans.

When you hear this album, you'll immediately recognize at least 3 potential top ten hits: "I Love this World" (possibly originally done for Whitney), "If things were different", and "Bird in Hand". The beautiful layering and harmonies on this CD will have you dancing and singing out loud. There is also a very beautiful ballad sung by Shannon (with George's harmonies) called "Boy on Mind" that could have been massive, if it had seen the light of day back in 1990. The title track, New Dream (Move me in the Way of Love) reminds me of the style of "Waiting", and was originally pegged to the the first single. Overall, I give it a perfect rating.

Doctor Who & Other Classic Ron Grainer Themes

Average customer rating:

Doctor Who & Other Classic Ron Grainer Themes
Ron Grainer , Delia Derbyshire , The Eagles , and Various Artists
Manufacturer: Play It Again
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Television Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000O8YO5K

Product Description

1994 UK release from the experts of British TV music, Play It Again. Contains 30 of the original television themes composed by Ron Grainer. Again, these are not rerecordings, but the original songs! Tracks & Durations: 1. Maigret 1:47 2. Midnight in Montmartre ('Maigret') 2:31 3. Comedy Playhouse ('Happy Joe') 2:07 4. Steptoe and Son ('Old Ned') 2:22 5. Fanny Craddock ('Buttered Crumpet') 1:53 6. Johnny's Tune (from 'Some People') 2:34 7. Oliver Twist 1:48 8. Doctor Who 2:23 9. Andorra 2:06 10. Man in a Suitcase 2:11 11. The Prisoner (first version) 2:15 12. The Assassination Trot (from 'The Assassination Bureau') 2:09 13. Only When I Larf (Love Theme) 2:09 14. Detective 2:17 15. Boy Meets Girl 2:23 16. The Jazz Age 2:16 17. Paul Temple 2:24 18. Man in the News ('Illicit Cargo') 2:23 19. The Trouble With You Lilian ('Counting the Coster') 3:03 20. The Train Now Standing ('Green Pastures') 2:42 21. Tales of the Unexpected 2:24 22. A Touch of Velvet - A Sting of Brass 3:47 23. Theme from Joe 90 2:41 24. Born and Bred 2:53 25. Tales of the Unexpected (disco version) 3:01 26. When Love Grows Cold (from 'Edward & Mrs Simpson') 3:22 27. Doctor Who (disco version) 3:41 28. Malice Aforethought 3:37 29. Rebecca 6:18 30. Conquistadores 1:53

Average customer rating:

Perhaps the perfect song
It's a Keeper for My Timeline Underground Collection
Remincising of Music
One of those infectious sounds
Should've had way more than just 1 hit!

Reel Life
Boy Meets Girl
Manufacturer: Bmg Special Product
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

New Dream
The Wonderground
Reel Life
The Best of Glass Tiger: Air Time
All That Jazz

ASIN: B00028HBHK
Release Date: 2004-04-01

Tracks:

Bring Down the Moon
Waiting for a Star to Fall
Stormy Love
Is Anybody Out There in Love
Stay Forever
If You Run
One Street Dream
No Apologies
Restless Dreamer
Someone's Got to Send Out Love

Customer Reviews:

Perhaps the perfect song.......2007-01-18

"Waiting For A Star To Fall" is, in my opinion, the #1 song of the 1980's. It sounds just as great today as it did back in 1988.

It's a Keeper for My Timeline Underground Collection.......2007-01-06

It's a keeper alright. Waiting for the Star to Fall Record is so great. The composer is a real genius. Only one great song, but great for my collection. Go Staples bookshelf!!!!You sure saved my books, dvds, and cds. They're all arranged for a special tuning of my heart second to MANNING of course.

Adios,
Camore Lucas
Don't forget to rumble in the Colts RCA Dome for 2007 okay

Remincising of Music.......2006-10-17

It has been a long time since I've heard some of these songs and when I order the CD, which (arrived within five days of ordering in great shape, w/ booklet), I was quite enthused to listen to it.

Great company to do business with. I would recommend this company to anybody else interested in classic 80s music.

One of those infectious sounds.......2005-07-25

that stayed with me for weeks when it was a hit. One I still enjoy hearing today. "Waiting For A Star To Fall" was one of those songs that made me turn up the radio. Unfortunately, the trend in radio at the time was away from identifying artists. So many people went too long before finding out it was "Boy Meets Girl". I put their biggest Top 40 hit in the same class as Jude Cole's "Baby It's Tonight." Both acts could, probably should, have had bigger success.

Should've had way more than just 1 hit!.......2005-05-05

This past weekend, as I often do, I went to a huge used music/video shop and got a bunch of cheap stuff. One of them was a tape copy of REEL LIFE. Now, I always loved their only real hit "Waiting for a Star to Fall" ever since I first heard it in 1988 at 6-7 years old, when me, my parents and another family (friends of ours) took a trip to Hawaii.

Ever since then, I figured they'd have to be a one-hit wonder, and nothing they ever did could come close to equaling that one monster hit, right?

Well, I think I need to slap myself pretty hard for thinkin' that! Even after only 3 days of owning this, I'm fast growing fond of the other tracks here. I'll also say, they're unique since it's (I believe) a husband and wife/boyfriend & girlfriend duo here (although their names escape me at the moment).

1. "Bring Down the Moon" was apparently a very minor hit, but if I had anything to say about it, it'd have gone top 10! Very much in a "1988" style, with keyboards and dace-y pop/rock sounding a little like something Expose or Lisa Lisa could do, but better!

2. Of course, the afforementioned hit to come off here, which some 80's fans probably still recognize. It's such happy mid-tempo pop with a breezy, romantic feel (of course, like I mentioned, since I first heard it in Hawaii, maybe my opinion is a bit biased). Is it cheese-filled? You bet'cha, but it's still good as ever (even if at guilty pleasure status in 2005!).

3. "Stormy Love" certainly sounds tailored for another big hit, but sadly it wasn't to be. Upping the guitars a bit, this fast-paced song has the same fun/semi "tropical" elements of the previous hit. Almost recalls some of Eddie Money's late 80's material.

4. One subpar song per side isn't too bad, as the ballad "Is Anybody Out there in Love" is pretty, but just strikes me as a little bland/boring.

5. However, I think I can forgive that when I heard the upbeat love song "Stay Forever". The synthesizers and guitars are going crazy here, and that's good! Probably the most rocking song here, sounds halfway between late 80's synthpop and arena rock like Heart or Foreigner.

6. "If You Run" is another hit that got away! Featuring split vocals, it's again, upbeat and very synthesized with a certain urgency. The guy sounds almost exactly like Paul Young (i.e. "Everytime you Go Away") here - not exactly a bad thing, though! Very 80's-ish, especially with that little talking box type sound effect - I love it!

7. "One Sweet Dream" keeps up the fun as ever sound of the previous two songs, but toned down and a little softer (though there's still a bit of rhythm guitar keeping it alive).

8. The sweetness goes into full effect on the medium-paced "No Apologies" with its sax solo in the middle. Although not as catchy as the first 6 songs, it has such pretty lyrics it could've easily been a smash love song (put it like this, I'm a dude and I almost melted upon first listen, even if it obviously wasn't sung to me). Well, before I lose whatever little street cred I may have left here, on with the review! ;)

9. "Restless Dreamer" is another medium-paced pop/rocker that recalls the softer side of Starship, especially in the guitaring. Good but not great (sounded like it just goes on a little too long).

10. The mellow closer "Somebody's Got to Send Out Love" is a piano-led ballad. The title is self-explanatory and pretty, and although not overly catchy on its own, it's a nice song.

1-3 and 5-6, as well as #8 are the real highlights here. With all the praise I've reaped on it, as well as that one longtime fave hit, why only 3 stars you ask? Not enough variation, either in sound or the subjects (i.e. they're all about love). I do like them, but there should always be a little variety in any album, no matter how good it is. Especially toward the end, the songs do seem to blend in together.

But, that's only a minor complaint - still a collection I'll be playing for a long time. Recommended to fans of 80's pop love songs.

Average customer rating:

Boy Meets Girl

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000ICLYCS
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Average customer rating:

Holy Smokes!
VERY RARE RETRO JERRY VALE, and Perky Peggy King

Girl Meets Boy: Wish Upon a Star
Peggy King & Jerry Vale
Manufacturer: Collectables
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Sometimes I'm Happy... Sometimes I'm Blue (with Bonus Tracks)

ASIN: B0000CBL8X
Release Date: 2003-11-25

Tracks:

The Boy Next Door
Would You Like To Take A Walk?
All I Do Is Dream Of You
Let's Fall In Love
You Better Go Now
Goodnight My Love
I Wanna Be Loved
Temptation
Conflict
It's Easy To Remember
Just One More Chance
Love Is Here To Stay
Part I-When I Was Ten
When You Wish Upon A Star
When I Was Ten
Part II-A Girl With A Band
Let There Be Love
Part III-New York
Little Girl Blues
Hooray For Hollywood
Part IV-Screen Test/Long Ago (And Far Away)
Part V-Nobody Asked Me To Sing
Ev'ry Time
Part VI-Discovery/Hunts Tomato Sauce Jingle
When You Wish Upon A Star

Album Description

Hailing from Greensburg, PA, "Pretty Perky" Peggy King toured with the bands of Charlie Spivak, Ray Anthony and Ralph Flanagan before cutting a jingle for Hunts tomato sauce that got her signed by Mitch Miller to the Columbia record label. In 1955, she was nominated for an Emmy for Best Female Singer, and was named Best New Singer by Down Beat magazine in 1956. On "Girl Meets Boy" Peggy King is joined by Jerry Vale and Felicia Sanders - and she is backed on both albums by Percy Faith & His Orchestra.

Album Description

Full Title - When Boy Meets Girl / Wish Upon A Star. These two albums on 1 CD are both orchestrated by Percy Faith. Girl Meets Boy was originally released in 1955 and features Jerry Vale and Felicia Sanders. Wish Upon A Star was originally released in 1956. Collectables. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Holy Smokes!.......2004-01-13

Whoever thought these albums would see the light of day on C.D. 50 years after their initial release? Amazing. In the 50s Mitch Miller at Columbia was trying to broaden the horizons on the L.P. format beyond standards and collected single sides. These two albums were a try at doing concept programs--musicals on record. The problem was that once a listener heard the show start to finish that was it. There was little desire to hear it again because the listener knew how it turned out. So this idea didn't go anywhere. But both these albums are splendid. Peggy King, who was often referred to as a young Judy Garland (when Judy Garland was not yet old herself), was joined by another new talent, Jerry Vale, and nightclub chanteuse Felicia Sanders, who'd just enjoyed a number one record with "The Song From Moulin Rouge," in "When Boy Meets Girl." Blending several quality standards with some unifying dialogue and music, this album glimmers from the ardent arrangements of the incomparable Percy Faith and the three vocalists are splendid. It took a long time for Vale to get a hit, but Mtich Miller stuck with him and was rewarded by an artist with stature and a long life span as a best-selling artist. Sanders went on to record jazz albums and Peggy King went on to do the beautiful "Wish Upon A Star." It's clearly derived from Garland's "Born in a Trunk" in more ways than one, the only problem being King's show biz saga is the same as that of hundreds of other singers so she's singing much about nothing. She's suich a darned good singer, though, and Percy Faith such a mystical arranger, the album glows. One does wonder why, plagued by the constant comparisons with Garland, King sings "The Boy Next Door" on the first album and many other songs Garland recorded. She also on "Wish Upon A Star" sings consecutively the title songs of Joni James' first two albums, "Let There Be Love" and "Little Girl Blue." Mitch Miller got burned when he turned down Joni James as a Columbi a artist and she immediately went on to become M-G-M Records' greatest star for 13 years. He may have felt King was his James. Strangely, after two splendid albums and great success on the George Gobel T.V. show, and some terrific stage appearances, King all but disappeared. She lives in Philadelphia now and by all accounts is a stunning singer. Here's an opportunity to hear two remarkable albums by a star who became a legend. And who, in retrospect, never looked nor sounded by Judy Garland.

VERY RARE RETRO JERRY VALE, and Perky Peggy King.......2003-12-10

After collecting Jerry Vale for almost 35 years, I was excited just 2 years ago to obtain a vinyl LP copy of the extremely rare and collectable, 1955 "Girl Meets Boy". Now, here it is again, along with King's "Wish Upon A Star", digitally remastered, on a 2-for-1 picture CD! "Girl Meets Boy" could be compared to a short musical. It's a love story told with music, and also contains vocals by Felicia Sanders. The duets with Peggy King, and a fairly new-to-the-music-scene, Jerry Vale, are pleasantly retro and 1950's-ish, their voices complimenting one another. Jerry's "Temptation" is one of my favorite songs on this CD. It's very dramatic. I wish he had re-recorded it later in it's full length! Also interesting is Jerry's "Just One More Chance". This version is an alternative to his hit version released later in the 60's. I'm not a Peggy King expert, but her "Wish Upon A Star" half of this CD is another short musical story that puts me in mind of Judy Garland's "A Star Is Born". I love her swing numbers, "Let There Be Love", "A Girl With A Band", and "When You Wish Upon A Star" is very sweet and reminiscent of childhood days and Walt Disney. For a pleasant trip down memory lane, this collectable CD is perfect, and also give the listener a chance to experience Jerry Vale before he was widely known.

R&B Music:

Recommended Music:

Great 20th Century Flute Music

Music CD: Generales de la Salsa

Greatest Hits" [Limited Edition w/ Bonus DVD] [Enhanced] [Limited Edition]

If [Import]

First Torch Singers, Vol. 3: 1935-1940

Extreme Clubbing V.3 [Import]

Eye to Eye

Africa/Brass