Dean Martin: Swingin' Down Yonder CD Track Listing

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Dean Martin Swingin' Down Yonder (1955)
Originally Released August 1955\nCapitol CD Edition Released July 1991\nCollectors' Choice Music CD Edition Released March 14, 2006\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: Dean Martin sounds unusually engaged on his first 12-inch LP to be recorded as such, a concept album of songs relating to the South and recorded in Dixieland style. Always stimulated by good material (when he could get it) that showcased his flair for the lighthearted, Martin essays songs associated with such predecessors as Louis Armstrong, Al Jolson and Bing Crosby, and he is surprisingly credible in such company, maybe because he knew songs like "When It's Sleepy Time Down South" and "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans" thoroughly and got a kick out of singing them. This is even true of the fruitier material, such as "Mississippi Mud" and "Alabamy Bound," making them almost acceptable, and of songs that have weathered better, such as "Georgia on My Mind." On the whole, this is an excellent thematic collection that is convincingly sung. (Swingin' Down Yonder was reissued on CD in 1991 with eight bonus tracks, all of them from singles recorded and released between 1950 and 1952. They were songs in the same vein, such as "Muskrat Ramble" and "Bye Bye Blackbird," also in Dixieland arrangements, and were equally well-performed.) \n[The 2005 edition includes four bonus tracks.] -- William Ruhlmann\n \n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nRare Excellence, May 13, 2005 \nBy M@rco (IL)\nIf you are reading this review, you've hit the jackpot! Each song better than the next. Unbeliveable southern swing. With Dino's mellow voice and fired up jazz orchestra you'll be hummin all day long. Heck, you'll be making up your own tunes and words! \n\nFavorites include, Dinah, Muskrat Ramble and Love Letters. \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nA splendid album!, May 3, 2006 \nBy Patrick Murphy (Toronto, Canada)\nThis has to be one of Dean's best albums. A terrific collection of songs, great band and arrangements, nice rich sound and first-class vocal stylings. Indeed, I've never heard Dean sing better. While the voice is inimitably his, the slightly exaggerated self-caricature that crept in during the 60s is absent. The album could almost be titled "Dean Sings Al Jolson --- But Better". \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nNothing could be finer than Dino singing Dixieland, April 11, 2006 \nBy Mark C. Gionfriddo\nIn a review of Dean Martin's "Live In Las Vegas" CD which I wrote last June, I suggested that it would be fabulous if the Capitol Records vaults were opened and Dino's delightful concept album from 1955, "Swingin' Down Yonder", would again see the light of day. I don't know if the 'powers that be' read my review and responded to my plea; that's my idealistic hope and just a timely coincidence. But just the same, I am very delighted to report that this great album is now available once again on disc. \n\nI personally consider "Swingin'" to be fabulous, and I don't believe I'm using the term loosely. While Frank Sinatra had already refined the idea of assembling songs related in mood and/or subject matter into a long playing work of art, the concept form had not yet been tried by Dean. Since his arrival at the label in 1948 as a package deal with his comedy team partner Jerry Lewis, Dean had had only limited success as a solo recording artist with single releases of novelty tunes like 'That's Amore' and 'Sway'. I call this particular album 'fabulous' because it marries the usually easy-going crooner with a style of jazz music that is exciting as well as infectiously happy. What an ingenious idea, and it works. \n\nDean recorded this album, his second Capitol effort, during two dates in September/October 1954 and also in early February of 1955. The opening strains of the first track, 'Carolina Moon', are completely deceptive; upon hearing Dean's crooning accompanied by Spanish styled guitar riffs, the listener expects to hear Dean in a more typical setting for him, the dreamy ballad. But then Dick Stabile's musicians kick into high gear for the next 30 minutes and Dean never looks back. \nIt's a neat trick, and highlights the fascinating new Southern direction that Dean takes us. \n\nListeners familiar with the songs of the great South will likely recognize all of the selections, like "Mississippi Mud", "Dinah", and "Is It True What They Say About Dixie?"- while others will be delighted to discover these old chestnuts from 1912-1937 as they get dusted off and given the Dixieland-like big band treatment, thanks to brilliant arrangements from Dave Cavenaugh. Although the typical Dixieland combo would be quite smaller than the large group assembled here, Cavenaugh does a tremendous job of slimming the textures down, alternating small combo passages with larger group sections, utilizing trademark Dixie sonorities like tuba and clarinet in clever ways, all the while combining this great early jazz form with big band swing. \n\nAs for Martin, he is often unfairly relegated to the shadow of Sinatra, the latter inarguably being the greater interpreter of American popular song. Not only does Dean sound committed to the Dixie concept here, he sounds captivated, even invigorated by it. It will be very difficult for you to keep your toes from tapping when you hear him romp through "Waiting For The Robert E. Lee" and "Alabamy Bound". When he sings 'Nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina in the morning', you're ready to pack your bags and grab that first train to Charlotte. He even channels the great Al Jolson in tribute while singing "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans", one of my favorite tracks of the album. "When It's Sleepy Time Down South" is also a standout. Martin sounds like he is wearing a wide smile as he sings- his voice caresses every note as he smoothly and effortlessly maneuvers through the athletic intervals of the challenging tune. \n\nA few small caveats: the disc includes four bonus tracks from 1949 and 1954 which actually don't have anything to do with Dixieland- and they can't help but disturb the concept a bit. (Collector's Choice Music, which started a project long overdue of releasing all of Dino's Capitol albums, seems to be going the route of the Sinatra Capitol CD releases, adding on single tracks without apparent reason.) But who would dare complain about bonus tracks? I'm just elated that all of these long out of print albums by Dean will be available once again. A newly written essay by James Ritz (co-producer of the series with Gordon Anderson) caters toward audiophiles, sometimes lingering a bit too much on Billboard chart information and not enough on Martin, but I suppose that's to be expected. And it's disappointing that the original album back cover had to be reduced in size in order to print EMI's legal download/copyright warning. Such is the world we live in, a far cry from 1955. But these are very minor issues. The music is what matters. Put this CD in your machine and enjoy this sparkling, lively album, one of Martin's earliest and best.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nGreat Dixeland Music!, February 10, 2007 \nBy A Dino Fan\nI have a CD exactly like this one that I bought in the mid/late 90's but it had a different format. It included other dixieland music from Dean not the extra songs that were added as "fillers" unrelated to the theme of the album which are unecessary I think. Nonetheless, it's a wonderful CD. THE DIXIELAND BAND THAT YOU HEAR IN THIS CD IS OUTSTANDING!- John, Southern California. \n\n\nHalf.com Album Notes\nAdditional personnel: The Dixie-Cats.\n\nProducers: Lee Gillette (tracks 1-4, 7-10), Voyle Gilmore (tracks 5, 6, 11, 12).\nCompilation producer: Bob Furmanek.\nAll tracks were recorded between 1950 and 1955. \nTracks 1-12 originally released on Capitol (576) on August 1, 1955. \nIncludes original release liner notes.\nThis is Dean Martin's second LP.
This misc cd contains 16 tracks and runs 40min 2sec.
Freedb: d8096010
Buy: from Amazon.com

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