This four disc set is actually an expanded version of the single cd released over a decade ago. The period after WWII and before the sixties was musical land adrift, looking for a north star in which to navigate. The focus was on vocalists, usually holdovers from the Swing Era of a the 30s and 40s with a handful of newer singers imbibing on these waters. Swing had swung, bebop had driven away the dancers, and R&B was too “black” for most of Truman-era Americans. Thus, while there is still lots of music to enjoy from 1951, it’s highly polished and focused on either melodramatic romance, cute family charms or home spun novelty.
Bel canto voices like Tony Bennett, Vic Damone, Mario Lanza and the eternal Bing Crosby rled the day, with the up and coming Eddie Fisher vying to be the next Frank Sinatra. Fisher had a bunch of hits like “Unless” and “Bring Back the Thrill” while Damone was the king of the ballads with “My Truly Truyly Fair” and Bennett was the latest Pagliacci on “Because of You” and “Cold Cold Heart.” The only blacks that appealed to Mainstream America was Nat “King” who delivered lush and nostalgic pieces like “Too Young” and Louis Armstrong, who gave novelties like “(When We Are Dancing) I Get Ideas” instead of horns solos from his Hot 5 days.
There were still moments of swing, but they were in the foundation, as with Les Paul and Mary Pickford’s “The World IS Waiting For The Sunrise.” Other than that, canaries like Jane Wyman either teamed with Der Bingster on “In The Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening” or went on their own, like the ubiquitous Patti Page (“Tennessee Waltz”), Doris Day (“Would I Love You?”) and Jo Stafford (“If”) while the most earthy of the lot was Kay Starr on the fun loving “Come On-A My House.” Polished and suburbia, there were still lots of moments here, and if you’re a vocal fan, this is your apotheosis.