The Very Best Of

If you are a millennial like me and are a fan of oldie music from the 50 & 60's especially from musicians like Julie London I definitely recommend this album. Her music is a representation of a era & genre of music that is timeless. Her music quality beats some of the music I hear from the current musicians on radio today, so it makes you more appreciative that a CD from Julie exist with all her great hits like "The Good Life", "Fly me to the moon" and etc. This CD is definitely for Julie London fans that grew up in that Era listening to her music but for Millennials andGen-Xer's who are just starting to listen to her music and have become fans of her music, I recommend you get a copy of this CD while supplies last cause you won't regret it. Definitely worth every penny :)

I've heard Julie on the radio from time to time, when there used to be an easy listening station in my town. I recently heard her signature song "Cry Me a River" on satellite radio, and I was immediately drawn in. I had to hear more, so I ordered this "Very Best Of" from Amazon. Fifty tracks and every one a delight to listen to. Her recordings were very intimate and close-up, and her voice like silky perfection. I am suddenly a Julie London fan. Her career was most impressive, per the liner notes. I was just a youngster when she started and I wish I had discovered her a long time ago. The recordings on this two-disc set are as crystal clear as anything recorded today, and undoubtedly better than the old 45's and albums of the past.

Julie London did not possess a big voice, but it sure was expressive, husky, intimate, and most of all, sexy. This 50 track, two-disc set is the most extensive Julie London collection available domestically. It spans her entire 30-plus album recording career at Liberty Records, from her biggest hit "Cry Me A River" from 1955's debut Julie Is Her Name to a scintillating take on the Doors' "Light My Fire" from her final effort, 1968's Yummy Yummy Yummy.Aside from "Cry Me A River" (written by high school classmate Arthur Hamilton) and the also enclosed "Nice Girls Don't Stay For Breakfast (co-penned by hubby Bobby Troup), nearly all of London's recordings were previously popularized by others. But when remade by Julie, these songs sound fresh and distinctly different from the originals. "Wives And Lovers," for instance, becomes a very serious cautionary tale, warning the listener that sexy Julie will steal her man - probably with little effort - if she doesn't shape up and spruce up her appearance. And when, on "My Heart Belongs To Daddy," she seductively invites a guy over to "to dine on my fine finnan haddie," I don't think it is fish that she's actually offering him a nibble of!For those looking for a more concise Julie London collection or perhaps some additional London recordings, check out Rhino's Time For Love from 1991. It includes 13 wonderful tracks (out of 18) not found on this set.

I just got this 2 cd 50 song compilation today and I haven't stopped playing it!! What a bargain and what a great sound. This is one of the most extensive Julie London compilations and at a bargain price. Every song is a smash!!! From the big, rich orchestra to small combo arrangements, Miss London did it all and did it well. Despite her limited range, she is what one would consider a song stylist and made every song she sang work. This cd comes with excellent liner notes providing the listener with a condensed discography of the more than 30 albums she recorded during her 12 years at Liberty records.In "Julie Is Her Name" Julie London was described as the girl with the "come hither" voice by Bill Balance, and after listening to this great collection you'll know why. Sadly Miss London passed away on October 18, 2000, but her lovely voice and superior song styling will live on forever while finding a rebirth in younger audience members such as myself. This is a treat for Julie London fans old and new!!!

Always been a fan of Julie London and husband Bobby Troup. I've got 4 vinyl albums of Julie's. Have seen her in many TV shows but her best known role was that of Nurse Dixie McCall of "Emergency". Her ex-husband's production company produced this show, among others. Jack Webb was very much equal opportunity employer in hiring ex-wife Julie, her husband Bobby Troup and a couple of the other Troups, Ronne and Kelly. This 2 CD set is just a small showcase of Julie's wonderful singing voice. If you like jazz, swing or big band you'll love this.

Ms. London had a beautiful voice but more importantly, she put it to good use with her excellent delivery on the songs on this CD. Very expressive and nuanced, she brings out the best of the material by the way she sings it, engaging the listener.Normally I don't care for the slower, sultry stuff. For example, I find Diana Krall's slower pieces to be boring but don't feel that way at all about Julie London. I guess it is all in the presentation.

I heard a song by Julie London on an episode of Mad Men. Can't remember which song, but I liked it enough to buy this CD. However, now that I have heard more songs by her, I can't decide if her voice is soothing or dull to boring. Many of the songs are some of my favorites like Wives and Lovers originally sung by Jack Jones, but her voice doesn't do the songs any justice.

I got this collection for myself because I love Julie London's voice delivering all these sentimental tunes. (Okay, not "Light My Fire" because I can only imagine Jim Morrison on that one now.) I play it in the car all the time and sing along with abandon. To my surprise, my eight-year-old daughter LOVES this CD, especially "Fly Me to the Moon" and "Let There Be Love." Get it and see what YOUR kids think!I enjoyed reading the liner notes included with this CD and learning about Julie's colorful career, but I do wish that they had included song lyrics, too. That's the ONLY reason I didn't give it five stars.

The Very Best of Julie London****Julie London had an amazing career which included roles as a singer, actress, and a TV personality. She was also a wife and mother during this prolific period.She is possibly best known for her rendition of ‘Cry me a River,' (1955), which got her career under way, It charted at number 9 and sold three million copies. She went on to record a staggering 30 albums.The album insert charts her whole career very well.Firstly, this album represents great value with 50 songs over the two discs. There are a lot of the old classics on here from the ‘Great American Songbook,’ which includes all of the great writers of that period. The musical accompaniments are just perfect. The whole album is so slick and professionally done. The sound is crystal clear. I much prefer disc 1.Her voice is very soft and a little unremarkable, perhaps there were more exciting female voices of her time - the 50’s & 60’s, but her clearness of diction is as good as Fitzgerald.The sound of a Fitzgerald, a Holiday or even a Vaughan or Warwick will probably make you sit up more to listen, but in every which way London’s voice and delivery is every bit as good. She is undeniably a top performer of her time.This is lovely background music to listen and relax to.

Absolutely fantastic collection of songs that perfectly suit Julie's understated killer vocal delivery. None of the dramatic overkill that modern female vocalist insist on inflicting on our ears. Julie takes time to interpret and feel the lyrics rather than rip them to shreds. Couple the restrained vocals with sublime arrangements and you get sheer class and sophistication. You can almost hear the ice clink in the martini glasses! Gotta be one of the campest collection of standards and show tunes ever. An essential buy

There's something about Julie London's voice... sultry, sexy, super-cool... that perfectly captures the feel of the night. And, if you only know of her through "Cry Me a River" - as most people do - then you're in for a real treat because between the mid 50's and the late 60's she produced a huge amount of similarly beautiful music.Featuring 50 tracks, most of which are "standards", virtually all of which are near-perfect examples of how to inject pure "atmosphere" into a song, and an incredibly large number of which are better than their more famous originals, this superb compilation will leave you wondering why she wasn't ranked up there with the great artists of her time... and, more interestingly, given the huge popularity of recent "jazz-cool" artists such as Norah Jones, why she's still so undiscovered.Best of all this selection is a quite superb, flawlessly sung & played "late night" album - put it on and slip into over two hours of gloriously laid back music... you won't find much better.

Never noticed this artist before, it is just that I am on an easy listening kick at the moment and I loved the version of "Fly me to the Moon" that was redone as a duet for the M&S Christmas advert. My regret is that I did not discover Julie London's work earlier. As others have said she had a voice and manner reminiscent of smoky cabaret clubs (think "Jessica" in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"!), she gave the impression that however many people had bought this record, it was only really meant for you, dear listener.She is a great loss and deserved to be more highly regarded. This collection is superb.

Great Stuff ! from a golden era of female singers that should neve be forgotten "Lest We Forget !" seductive voice with stunning looks and great orchestration - will be playing a lot over Christmas . Eternal Thanks Julie London