Search - Pat Boone :: Gold Collection

Omits several great songs

Candace Scott | Lake Arrowhead, CA, USA | 04/24/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is actually not the CD to purchase if you're looking for Boone's greatest hits. The selection here is paltry and leaves out some gems and includes such dreadful covers as "Tutti Frutti." Please, Pat, you should've left that one to Little Richard. However, there are some pluses... it's something of a cottage industry to bash Pat Boone and remind everyone he didn't write his own songs, he patterned himself after Bing Crosby and he "desecrated" rock classics like Ain't That a Shame. But I challenge these naysayers to really listen to this collection of Pat's greatest hits. Pat had a natural talent and an easy style which makes for great listening, even after 45 years. Of course he sounds like Bing Crosby, but what's wrong with that? Bing influenced an entire generation of male singers, including Sinatra, Como and Dean Martin. But Pat branched out and became a truly good rock n' roll singer. If you don't believe me, listen to Bernadine, which is an outstanding rocker, and Don't Forbid Me, which sounds so much like a Presley recording you'll do a double take.It's a shame that Pat Boone isn't played on oldies stations and is dismissed by rock's elite as something of a joke. I will guarantee you they haven't listened to these songs because they showcase an innate ability to casually croon and mightily entertain. My personal favorite here is Speedy Gonzalez, which is not politically correct anymore, but hilarious in its stereotypes and "inappropriate" humor. If you love Pat Boone, you'll love this disc no matter what. If you're not a Boone fan, you wouldn't be here in the first place. The sound quality of these remastered recordings is excellent, they sound even better than the original Dot releases. Enjoy Pat without feeling a twinge of guilt, I know I do!"

A must for fans of cheesy music!

Michael Vanier | Pasadena, CA | 09/24/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first paid attention to Pat Boone when his "heavy metal" CD, "In A Metal Mood", came out. Hilarious as that was, I thought it would be worth looking back into Pat's earlier work to see what that was like. As soon as I listened to the first bar of "Love Letters in the Sand", I knew I'd hit pay dirt. Suffice it to say that if you love really cheesy music, you could hardly do better than this CD. In addition to LLITS, highlights include "April Love", "Speedy Gonzales" (which I couldn't even BEGIN to do justice to in a short review) and several "rock" songs done in the inimitable Pat Boone fashion, such as "Tutti Frutti" and "Ain't That a Shame". Pat deserves credit for "legitimizing" rock and roll in the eyes of the straight world back in the early 60s; hopefully he'll do the same for gangsta rap in the future :-)"