Search - Doris Day :: Golden Girl: Columbia Recordings 1944-1966 (2CD)

We never DO forget our first love, do we?

William E. Adams | Midland, Texas USA | 02/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Doris was the first singer/actress I ever got a crush on. My older sister bought her recording of "A Guy is a Guy" in 1952, when I was eight. That catchy novelty love song just hooked me somehow, and I borrowed her 78 rpm of it and played it over and over. The following year, I saw her on screen in "Calamity Jane" and totally lost my heart. The way she performed "Secret Love" and "The Black Hills of Dakota" compelled me to see that movie twice, the first time I'd ever done something like that. I never outgrew Doris Day. Ten years later she was filming "Pillow Talk" and I was still a fan. She quit making records in the late '60's, about the time I was drafted for Vietnam. She ended her big screen career in 1968, when I was coming back from the war. Thank goodness for television, where she starred in "The Doris Day Show" for the next five years. My busy life didn't let me see every episode, but I enjoyed her every time I did get to watch in those pre-VCR days.Oddly enough, I never owned a large number of her Columbia LP's in those days. I bought more singles, by that time on 45 rpm. So finding this two-disc, two-hour collection has pleased me enormously. Almost all of my favorite Day performances are on it, with the notable exception of "Young at Heart" from the melodramatic movie she did with a morose Sinatra and a cheery Gig Young. But "Sentimental Journey" from 1944 is here, and so is "It's Magic" and "That Old Feeling" and "Too Marveous For Words", along with "I Only Have Eyes for You" and "Lullaby of Broadway" and "On Moonlight Bay." AND THAT'S JUST THE FIRST CD! The second disc is even better, with all the great '50's and early '60's hits. In addition to the songs I mentioned early in my review, you find "April in Paris" and "Que Sera Sera" and "There Once Was a Man", along with "Everybody Loves a Lover" and "Pillow Talk" and "Lover Come Back" and "My Romance." Yes, some of the 48 tunes are fluff, but others are great American songbag performances by a great American girl singer. Lots of singers got a chance at movies, like Peggy Lee and Lena Horne and Julie London. Several actresses got a shot at recording fame, such as Debbie Reynolds and Marilyn Monroe. Only Doris got to the top in both worlds and stayed there nearly 15 years. Find out why by purchasing this cool compilation of square music. Then go rent "Calamity Jane" and "Pillow Talk" and "The Pajama Game" and "The Man Who Knew Too Much" and "Love Me or Leave Me." Doris earned her pay, and was worthy of her fans. Toward the end of her career, sophisticates made fun of her because she was playing good virginal girls well into her 40's. Heck, we live in an age in which Britney Spears couldn't pull that off even before age 20. Give me Doris instead."

The Movie's Best Female Vocalist!

Ralph McKnight | New York, New York | 09/17/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Too bad they didn't include the haunting "Kiss Me Again, Stranger", a truly remarkable recording. Altho' I love Day's voice during her earlier years, I thought she really came into her own during "Calamity Jane" thru "Pillow Talk". She made some wonderful recordings. Today, she is admired by such stars as the great Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross. It must be noted that Doris Day is the ONLY full-time female movie star to have had a full-time, simultaneous RECORDING career in the history of films! There were a few men: Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Dean Martin...people who made movies regularly and had consistent top hits. Doris was the ONLY woman to do that, and this makes her unique.It's time for the major groups (Oscars, Grammys, American Film Institute and Kennedy Center Honors) to give Miss Day her due. She deserves the accolades."

A lovely introduction to the music of Doris

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 11/24/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In a double-CD, it is impossible to cover all Doris's career properly. Here, the compiler chose to concentrate on the less well known earlier music, resulting in many well-known songs from the late fifties and the sixties being omitted. There are many other compilations which cover those decades in depth.
So, what you get here are some of her biggest American hits, including the original recordings of Sentimental journey and It's magic (1948), together with Love somebody (1948), Again (1949), Shanghai (1951), A guy is a guy (1952) and Sugarbush (1952) representing the early part of career. Curiously, Bewitched (1950) is omitted. However, there are many other lovely songs from those years which are included, which I'd never heard before, as well as songs that you will recognise via other versions.As her movie career evolved in the fifties and sixties, Doris recorded many songs for them as well as recording songs purely intended for albums and singles. A few famous songs from this period are included - Black hills of Dakota (my favorite Doris song), Secret love, Whatever will be will be, If I give my heart to you, Everybody loves a lover, I'll never stop loving you, Pillow talk and Move over darling - but there are other compilations which cover this period in greater depth.For loyal Doris fans, there are some tracks that are otherwise difficult to find (I think they are only available in a Bear Family box)- That Jane from Maine and You're good for me - but this collection is mainly aimed at the wider public.As an introduction to her music, this is brilliant, especially for the early solo music - but you may also want to buy another Doris compilation covering those later years. I already ownded such a collection when this was released, so it was ideal for me."