Joni James was a hugely successful American recording artist of the 1950s and ‘60s, having 25 hits by 1960, and was one of the few singers who were able to maintain the momentum of her career through from the middle-of-the-road pop era of the early ‘50s through into the post-rock ‘n’ roll era of the later decade and beyond. 

She was one of the first artists to concentrate on the album market, successfully releasing at least four a year through the formative years of the stereo LP boom. 

So prolific was she that it is hard to put together a representative collection of her albums, so we have chosen to bring together four albums from a period at the start of the 1960s which have a common thread, using the “Mood” concept in their titles. 

This 48-track 2-CD collection therefore comprises all the tracks from her themed albums for MGM, “I’m In The Mood For Love”, The Mood is Swinging”, “The Mood Is Romance” and “The Mood Is Blue”. 

Across the albums she works with the orchestras of Tony Acquaviva, Jack Marshall, Skip Martin and Jimmie Haskell – on the “I’m In The Mood For Love” album she works within the “Hundred Strings And Joni” framework which she had previously established. 

She was a stylish performer of sophisticated pop, heard in this collection with interpretations of Great American Songbook standards, and it’s an enjoyably showcase for her distinctive approach.

Tracks

CD 1
1. A LOVELY WAY TO SPEND AN EVENING Joni James 
2. LET'S GET LOST Joni James 
3. I CAN'T BELIEVE (THAT YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH ME) Joni James 
4. I'M IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE Joni James 
5. YOU'RE A SWEETHEART Joni James 
6. HOW BLUE THE NIGHT Joni James 
7. EXACTLY LIKE YOU Joni James 
8. I COULDN'T SLEEP A WINK LAST NIGHT Joni James 
9. DON'T BLAME ME Joni James 
10. I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE Joni James 
11. I WALKED IN (WITH MY EYES WIDE OPEN) Joni James 
12. WHERE ARE YOU? Joni James 
A Hundred Strings And Joni James. Musical Supervision by Tony Acquaviva    
From the album “I'm In The Mood For Love (The Songs Of Jimmy McHugh)”      MGM  SE3837    1960
13. THIS COULD BE THE START OF SOMETHING Joni James 
14. AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' Joni James 
15. A LOT OF LIVIN' TO DO Joni James 
16. JUST IN TIME Joni James 
17. THE LADY IS A TRAMP Joni James 
18. I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU Joni James 
19. IT'S ALL RIGHT WITH ME Joni James 
20. WHEN MY SUGAR WALKS DOWN THE STREET (ALL THE LITTLE BIRDIES GO TWEET, TWEET, TWEET) Joni James 
21. SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE Joni James 
22. DAY IN, DAY OUT Joni James 
23. CHEEK TO CHEEK Joni James 
24. I'M SHOOTING HIGH Joni James
Orchestra conducted by Jimmie Haskell.      From the album “The Mood is Swinging”  MGM  SE 3987    1961

CD 2
1. STAR EYES Joni James 
2. BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA Joni James 
3. TIME ON MY HANDS (YOU IN MY ARMS) Joni James 
4. YOU GO TO MY HEAD Joni James 
5. THE MUSIC STOPPED Joni James 
6. I'M BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT Joni James 
7. JUST SQUEEZE ME (BUT DON'T TEASE ME) Joni James 
8. DREAM, DREAM, DREAM Joni James 
9. WONDER WHY Joni James 
10. HERE COMES HEAVEN AGAIN Joni James 
11. I REMEMBER YOU Joni James 
12. I HADN'T ANYONE TILL YOU Joni James 
Orchestra conducted by Skip Martin.    From the album “The Mood Is Romance”    MGM SE3990    1961
13. THE END OF LOVE AFFAIR Joni James 
14. GUILTY Joni James 
15. LOVER MAN Joni James 
16. SATURDAY NIGHT Joni James 
17. DONT WORRY `BOUT ME Joni James 
18. ALL OF ME Joni James 
19. LONESOME AND SORRY Joni James 
20. I GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU VERY WELL (EXCSPT SOMETIMES) Joni James 
21. IF I HAD YOU Joni James 
22. STORMY WEATHER Joni James 
23. WHAT CAN I SAY AFTER I SAY I'M SORRY Joni James 
24. I'M NOBODY'S BABY Joni James 24. HOP, SKIP BUT JUMP 
25. SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS
Orchestra conducted by Jack Marshall.    From the album “The Mood Is Blue”    MGM  E3991    1961