Search - Jessie Matthews :: Over My Shiolder

DIVINE JESSIE'S GOLDEN NOSTALGIA IN CENTENARY COLLECTION

A. POLLOCK | PLYMOUTH, DEVON United Kingdom | 03/14/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Embodying the spirit of the 1930's, the snub-nosed and wide-eyed Jessie Matthew was a gamine, graceful dancer, with a sweet cut-glass voice and waif-like sex appeal which captured audiences whenever she appeared on stage, radio and film. However, beyond becoming Britain's top musical comedy actress, Jessie's rags-to-riches celebrity took its toll of her private life which was dominated by scandal, ill health, insecurity and broken marriages/relationships and her immense popularity soon departed with the ongoing reality of World War II. However, she continued to tour the UK and travelled abroad until she took over the diary-keeping role in BBC radio's soap-opera MRS DALE'S DIARY in 1963 - a comeback which naturally reminded the UK public of her heyday.



This collection celebrates the centenary of her birth with appropriately featured signature songs, DANCING ON THE CEILING, WHEN YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE SPRINGTIME IN YOUR HEART and GANGWAY with TINKLE, TINKLE, TINKLE linking Jessie's best known song OVER MY SHOULDER in a medley. Amongst lesser-known numbers featured in her many shows and films are TONY'S IN TOWN, THREE WISHES and LORD AND LADY WHOOZIS whilst LOOK FOR A SILVER LINING, BY THE FIRESIDE and MY HEART STOOD STILL are everlasting standards so Jessie's versions are relevant and certainly definitive considering they are of the their period.



Representing a long-gone era and style, these performances are well-sung in rare sparkling manner by an evergreen icon who perhaps deserved to be granted the modern term "diva" long before it escaped from the world of opera to describe today's female vocalists of a certain spiky disposition. Excellent sound restoration is the undoubted icing on this nostalgic gateaux of memories.

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An Evergreen Star

V. Snowden | 05/20/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD brings back wonderful memories of when Ms. Jessie Matthews came over to the United States for one last Concert in the late 1970's. She was old of course, but her voice was still strong and the twinkle in her eyes were still there. She made several movies.My favorite film musical that Jessie stared in was "Evergreen". The songs are included on this CD, along with songs from her other films that she made famous and were popular in her time."