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Product Description
Product Description
Often called "The Wheel of Fortune Girl", Sunny Gale was the first to bring this enormous hit song to the world. Hit songs include, in addition to the above: "Smile"; "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight"; "Teardrops on My Pillow"; "Try a Little Prayer"; "Let Me Go, Lover!"; "A Certain Smile"; "My Foolish Heart"; "Rock and Roll Wedding"; "Soldier Boy". Great conductors are featured: Hugo Winterhalter, Ralph Burns, Jack Pleis, Joe Reisman and Henri Jerome. This is, by far, the most comprehensive collection by one of America's favourite songbirds.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Barry McCanna
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Audio CD
Most if not all earlier reissues of Sunny Gale's recordings have been flawed, either because of poor remastering quality, inadequate selection, or both. So this reissue of 56 tracks, which spans the period she spent with RCA Victor, and subsequently with Decca Records, is greatly to be welcomed. The only minus is that the tracklist omits date of recording and details of original release, exacerbated by being in random order. That omission may be forgiven because this set includes all of her chart singles, as well as the twelve tracks from her rare 1956 LP "Sunny and Blue". She was accompanied on that feast of standards by Ralph Burns, who also officiated on many of her singles, as did Hugo Winterhalter and Joe Reisman. This is an excellent compilation, which has been very well remastered, and should commend itself to her existing fans, and help swell their ranks.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By A. POLLOCK
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Audio CD
Born Selma Segal in 1927 in Clayton, New Jersey but raised in Philadelphia, Sunny gained vocal experience by performing at weddings, dances, parties etc. and soon featured as a band singer with the Hal McIntyre Orchestra before teaming with the Eddie Wilcox Orchestra for THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE waxed for a small independent record company in 1951. Whilst surpassed by Kay Starr's Capitol Records #1 cover version plus other competing covers by Dinah Washington, Bobby Wayne, The Bell Sisters and The Cardinals, Sunny still managed to peak at #13 Pop Charts and #2 on the R&B Charts. Unfortunately, that version of Sunny's ground-breaking debut disc is not included on this Jasmine anthology which supercedes it with her 1958 Decca remake. However, it does us all a favour by seeking out no fewer than fifty-five additional tracks to fill this excellent double-disc set and is particularly welcome as there are few compilations of Sunny's work otherwise available.
As one of the numerous chirpy Fifties songbirds, her direct approach to lyrics compares with that of Dinah Washington but Sunny's more pop appeal lends itself to material intended to invade the Charts, with RCA-Victor (1952-1956) promoting her many early singles and CONSTANTLY, A LITTLE YOU, CERTAINLY BABY, SOLDIER BOY, I LAUGHED AT LOVE, FATHER TIME, TEARDROPS ON MY PILLOW, LOVE ME AGAIN, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE, GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART GOODNIGHT and AN OLD FAMILIAR LOVE SONG are popular choices. With the advent of rock 'n roll, Sunny's contributions continued with the much-covered LET ME GO LOVER (#17) plus UNSUSPECTING HEART (#14), CEST LA VIE, ROCK AND ROLL WEDDING, WINNER TAKE ALL and updated oldie JUST FRIENDS. Often backed by the orchestras of Hugo Winterhalter, Ralph Burns, Joe Reisman etc, Sunny's ballads are either dramatically strident - IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW, A NOTE IN THE BOTTLE, smoothly country-styled LOOKING GLASS, A STOLEN WALTZ, CALL OFF THE WEDDING or catchy novelty numbers - I DON'T WANT YOUR GREENBACK DOLLARS, CHURCH BELLS MAY RING, THREE O'CLOCK and Leiber & Stoller's ONE KISS TO ANOTHER, whilst SEND MY BABY BACK TO ME and MAMA'S GONE GOODBYE represent up-tempo offerings. Tracks from Sunny's 1956 album SUNNY AND BLUE are also scattered over the two discs and include standards EAST OF THE SUN, MAD ABOUT THE BOY and I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH ME.
On the face of it, Sunny's chosen professional name may seem to be a contradiction in terms but it perfectly describes the smile in her voice plus the ability to add stridency to her recordings as necessary just like any force of nature. With her career apparently continuing into the '70s and recordings for many labels including Decca, she has since disappeared from view.
Regretably the tracks have not been chronologically placed, with the above-listed songs randomly tossed into the mix without recording dates. Otherwise, Jasmine's usual remastering and presentation make this release a notable addition to their catalogue and will prove irresistible to collectors of notable Fifties girl singers.
As one of the numerous chirpy Fifties songbirds, her direct approach to lyrics compares with that of Dinah Washington but Sunny's more pop appeal lends itself to material intended to invade the Charts, with RCA-Victor (1952-1956) promoting her many early singles and CONSTANTLY, A LITTLE YOU, CERTAINLY BABY, SOLDIER BOY, I LAUGHED AT LOVE, FATHER TIME, TEARDROPS ON MY PILLOW, LOVE ME AGAIN, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE, GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART GOODNIGHT and AN OLD FAMILIAR LOVE SONG are popular choices. With the advent of rock 'n roll, Sunny's contributions continued with the much-covered LET ME GO LOVER (#17) plus UNSUSPECTING HEART (#14), CEST LA VIE, ROCK AND ROLL WEDDING, WINNER TAKE ALL and updated oldie JUST FRIENDS. Often backed by the orchestras of Hugo Winterhalter, Ralph Burns, Joe Reisman etc, Sunny's ballads are either dramatically strident - IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW, A NOTE IN THE BOTTLE, smoothly country-styled LOOKING GLASS, A STOLEN WALTZ, CALL OFF THE WEDDING or catchy novelty numbers - I DON'T WANT YOUR GREENBACK DOLLARS, CHURCH BELLS MAY RING, THREE O'CLOCK and Leiber & Stoller's ONE KISS TO ANOTHER, whilst SEND MY BABY BACK TO ME and MAMA'S GONE GOODBYE represent up-tempo offerings. Tracks from Sunny's 1956 album SUNNY AND BLUE are also scattered over the two discs and include standards EAST OF THE SUN, MAD ABOUT THE BOY and I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH ME.
On the face of it, Sunny's chosen professional name may seem to be a contradiction in terms but it perfectly describes the smile in her voice plus the ability to add stridency to her recordings as necessary just like any force of nature. With her career apparently continuing into the '70s and recordings for many labels including Decca, she has since disappeared from view.
Regretably the tracks have not been chronologically placed, with the above-listed songs randomly tossed into the mix without recording dates. Otherwise, Jasmine's usual remastering and presentation make this release a notable addition to their catalogue and will prove irresistible to collectors of notable Fifties girl singers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.3 out of 5 stars
3 reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
a lot for the money
13 Sep 2012
By Jay Holder
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This CD offers a lot for the money plus a lot of tracks previously unissued. Sound quality is good. The complete album Sunny and Blue is not included, but about ten of the twelve tracks are, though not in album sequence. All mono as originally recorded.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
27 Aug 2012
By Barry McCanna
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
Most if not all earlier reissues of Sunny Gale's recordings have been flawed, either because of poor remastering quality, inadequate selection, or both. So this reissue of 56 tracks, which spans the period she spent with RCA Victor, and subsequently with Decca Records, is greatly to be welcomed. The only minus is that the tracklist omits date of recording and details of original release, exacerbated by being in random order. That omission may be forgiven because this set includes all of her chart singles, as well as the twelve tracks from her rare 1956 LP "Sunny and Blue". She was accompanied on that feast of standards by Ralph Burns, who also officiated on many of her singles, as did Hugo Winterhalter and Joe Reisman. This is an excellent compilation, which has been very well remastered, and should commend itself to her existing fans, and help swell their ranks.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Little Girl with a big voice
18 April 2013
By Brian Lee Hart
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I didn't rate this 5 stars because the Title "WHEEL OF FORTUNE" is mis-leading. The original 1952 version is NOT on it.
It was replaced with a 1958 version which don't sound anything like the original 1952 version, which is the main reason I bought this album.
Her other recordings on this album are very well produced and very hard to find on CD. It's a good album of this hard to find lady...
Brian Lee Hart
WVUD Radio
Newark DE USA
It was replaced with a 1958 version which don't sound anything like the original 1952 version, which is the main reason I bought this album.
Her other recordings on this album are very well produced and very hard to find on CD. It's a good album of this hard to find lady...
Brian Lee Hart
WVUD Radio
Newark DE USA
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 3 reviews
4.3 out of 5 stars
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