There is more to Perry Como
than meets the ear, even on records. In a career not actually
of great length, though of great consistency in both
popularity and quality of vocal product, the unfrocked barber
from Canonsburg, Pa., has assumed the dimensions of a
well-behaved legend in show business. His creamy voice is
signature enough, but there are other components of the Perry
Como Legend, which add luster and reputation and respect to
the voice itself.
Psychologically, most of
his listeners look upon the voice of Perry Como as something
extra special, for it is the sound of one who has become
known in Show Business as "Mr. Nice Guy." This is a
title not bestowed capriciously. There are lots of amiable,
genial, cheerful, smiling, carefree countenances, in the
entertainment trades, but few which carry their surface
virtues home, and their finest homely virtues onto Broadway.
Perry’s importance is
based first and foremost, of course, on his creamy tones, his
veteran manner with a song, his "style," now so
easily recognizable. But into that rich syrup of a voice has
been poured by his listeners’ or TV viewers’
admiration the Complete Perry Como — the fine voice plus
the fine fellow and the homebody, and the good father, the
fellow who has simplified his life while making it more
important, who has deepened the impact of his performances
while making them seem so thoroughly effortless.
Perry’s So Smooth includes
tasteful popular anthems to be pressed into this fine
anthology. They are exceptionally welcome pop items in each
case, but together, improved in the sauce of Perry’s
rich tones, they make a specifically nifty lineup. If you were to get a
representative musical group of browsers among the finer "standards" they
likely would agree to a man on every one of the enclosed. The total result
is Pure Perry Como, all of his niceness and talents and taste herein
supplied, and therefore, So Smooth.
The arrangement of the music on this tape allows
for a 5-second pause between selections and is heard in the following order:
Track No.1
It's a Good Day
As Time Goes By
I've Got the World on
a String
My Funny Valentine
For Me and My Gal
I've Got a Right to
Sing the Blues
Track No.2
Breezin' Along with
the Breeze
It's the Talk of the
Town
You Do Something to
Me
It Happened in
Monterey
One for My Baby
In the Still of the
Night
Jack
O’Brien
Well-known
newspaper columnist
Copyright
1956, Radio Corporation of America
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