Rare Gems and Hidden Treasures [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The morphing of Norma Deloris Egstrom, born in small-town North Dakota, into legendary singer Peggy Lee is one of the great stories of transformation in American pop history. Produced to commemorate her 80th birthday, Rare Gems and Hidden Treasures gives an impressive cross section of Lee's versatility. However unfamiliar some of the material (almost half the songs here were never previously released), rest assured you'll encounter Lee's trademark imaginative approach: in the way she phrases her softly caressing voice, going from a cool, smoky texture and expert timing à la Billie Holiday (in "Ain't Doin' Bad Doin' Nothing") to the silly antics of "Blum Blum, I Wonder Who I Am" (where Lee even impersonates an ice-cream cone). Also represented is the very quintessential Afro-Cuban fad of an era past, in the voodoo-ish "Similau"--territory explored in Lee's 1960 Broadway collection, Latin ala Lee. Surface noise can be heard on some of the tracks, but there are also some lovely remasterings. Even if you've already acquired a mountain of Peggy Lee recordings, a real fan won't want to be without the new discoveries here. --Thomas May

Tracks:

Every Night
Please Don't Rush Me
Light Of Love
Ain't Doin' Bad Doin' Nothin'
Eight, Nine And Ten
Baby, Come Home
I Love The Way You're Breaking My Heart
Why Should I Cry Over You?
Bubble-Loo Bubble-Loo
Blum Blum, I Wonder Who I Am
Similau (See-Me-Lo)
Laroo, Laroo, Lili Bolero
Hold Me
(I'm Not Gonna) Let It Bother Me
It's The Bluest Kind Of Blue
While We're Young
Foolin' Nobody But Me
All The Cats Join In
Farewell To Arms

Amazon.com

The morphing of Norma Deloris Egstrom, born in small-town North Dakota, into legendary singer Peggy Lee is one of the great stories of transformation in American pop history. Produced to commemorate her 80th birthday, Rare Gems and Hidden Treasures gives an impressive cross section of Lee's versatility. However unfamiliar some of the material (almost half the songs here were never previously released), rest assured you'll encounter Lee's trademark imaginative approach: in the way she phrases her softly caressing voice, going from a cool, smoky texture and expert timing à la Billie Holiday (in "Ain't Doin' Bad Doin' Nothing") to the silly antics of "Blum Blum, I Wonder Who I Am" (where Lee even impersonates an ice-cream cone). Also represented is the very quintessential Afro-Cuban fad of an era past, in the voodoo-ish "Similau"--territory explored in Lee's 1960 Broadway collection, Latin ala Lee. Surface noise can be heard on some of the tracks, but there are also some lovely remasterings. Even if you've already acquired a mountain of Peggy Lee recordings, a real fan won't want to be without the new discoveries here. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

A treat for Peggy's fans.......2003-08-06

As the title indicates, this is not really the place to begin a collection of Peggy's music, although this is a lovely collection of some of her obscure recordings that deserve to be better known. The songs here are nearly all taken from Peggy's first period with Capitol - her first recording from her second period (Every night) is also included - and many of the tracks had never been released before this compilation was released.

Most of this collection is made up of the love songs that Peggy did so well, but there are other types of song here, including the novelty Blum blum I wonder who I am (a silly song that some of you may choose to skip over) and the up-tempo Eight nine and ten, featuring her original mentor Benny Goodman on clarinet.

Of course, this does not represent Peggy's best music, but for a collection of rarities, the standard is remarkably high. No committed Peggy fan should be without this collection, but anybody who enjoys 1940's music will also find much to enjoy here.

free and easy.......2002-02-03

This is the first Peggy Lee CD I bought first I ever heard, and I truly love her voice. The choice of songs is very eclectic. I love the ballads, but the few songs with back-up singers really date the music and spoil their entry into the "timeless" category. Peggy Lee sings free and easy, with a warm tone that really pleases in the ballads. I have taken to calling the guy I'm dating a "handsome brute", because the way she uses that expression in "Please Don't Rush Me" gives me the grins. I think I had rather picked a different album to introduce me to Miss Lee, however. These songs are, after all, the rare gems, and I'd like to experience the albums my parents listened to when they were courting!

Great Disc - Great Lady.......2000-07-30

Great disc by a great Lady. A MUST for all fans of Miss Peggy Lee and all fans of jazz vocals. The Sound quality is remarkable.

Music:

Music

Music