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Jonathan and Darlene Edwards - Jonathan and Darlene's Greatest Hits Volume II Audio CD

A fair review of the Jonathan and Darlene Edwards "Jonathan and Darlene's Greatest Hits Volume II" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Jonathan and Darlene Edwards reviews here, or go back to the Jonathan and Darlene Edwards tabs.

Jonathan and Darlene Edwards Band: Jonathan and Darlene Edwards
Title: Jonathan and Darlene's Greatest Hits Volume II
Rating:
Release Date: 1994-02-22
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Cocktails for Two 2: Tiptoe Through the Tulips With Me 3: Ain't Misbehavin' 4: Object of My Affections 5: Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue (Has Anybody Seen My Girl) 6: Sophisticated Lady 7: Play a Simple Melody 8: I'm Beginning to See the Light 9: For Me and My Gal 10: Vie en Rose 11: Pretty Baby 12: Paris in the Spring 13: That Certain Party 14: It's Magic

A family favorite.
I was thrilled to find a cd version of the old vinyl versions I have. The very talented artists Jonathan and Darlene Edwards have been a favorite of my family's for years.


This is a test....
They say, 'Huh. Some people just don't get it. They're not very good, are they?' But play this for working musicians or a certain age and the response is, 'Oh, my god, I've played with them!!'

Jonathan and Darlene were a party joke by Jo Stafford and Paul Weston, who were skilled enough to do (and OVERdo) the things all musicians dread - the pianist who throws in an extra beat when you least expect it, the singer who's not quite on pitch, the little embellishments that are wildly inappropriate - I've heard great stories about how people like this happen to the nicest bands from time to time. They are hilarious - if you can get beyond, 'They're not very good, are they?' - and I'm SO glad they recorded these outrageous and spectacular parodies!.


The best!
As long as your humor is a tad warped and your musicianship is aware of how difficult it is to play the piano really badly and sing really sharp, you'll know that this is the best!.


Boyoboy is this bad!
However I listened to this CD and thought it was utterly dreadful, not at all funny, just dreadful. I bought this for my husband who thought it would be a laugh, we are both singers and also play a lot of music. My husband is in two minds about it, but has only listened to part of it once! So I think that says it all. Therefore I would not recommend this CD.


The Edwards Strike Again (but keep looking for Volume I)
Stafford herself assembled these compilations late in her career out of materials from the three albums the Edwards recorded in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. I'm giving this one a "resentful" five stars because I see that Volume One is currently out of print, practically forcing the consumer to purchase Volume Two. Volume 2 has a couple of additional tracks and songs that will be more familiar to those familiar with the American Songbook. But nothing is quite as funny as "Take the A Train" or the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" from Volume One. (Some of the comedy of "Tiptoe Through the Tulips," from Volume Two, has been undermined by Tiny Tim's later version of the tune. )

As musical send-ups these tracks surpass Spike Jones and P. D. Q. Bach (easily), Lillian Russell, Florence Foster Jenkins and Mrs. Miller (not as decisively), and even Victor Borge (he's still hilarious if you can get in stride with his Jack Benny-like sense of slowly evolving performance). After all of the sentimental ephemera that Stafford ground out (with numerous exceptions, such as her signature recording of "Haunted Heart"), the Darlene Edwards performances certainly amount to a sort of atonement, as impressive musically (it's not easy to sing intentionally a quarter-tone off pitch) as they are downright fun and funny.

Musicians, or those familiar with the Great American Songbook, and those who have attended numerous recitals (some professional but pretentious, others simply amateurish and ghastly) will appreciate these tracks more than other listeners. But best to buy these for your own enjoyment. (There's nothing worse than playing them for acquaintances who don't get the joke or who pretend they do when they realize it's supposed to be funny. ).


You can see a complete list of all Jonathan and Darlene Edwards discography, or go back to the Jonathan and Darlene Edwards tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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