June Valli was a ubiquitous personality on US TV through the 1950s, having come to the fore by the time-honoured route that she shared with many US pop stars, of winning the ‘Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts’ TV show, leading to appearances on the Perry Como and Ed Sullivan shows as well as residencies on the ‘Stop The Music’ and ‘Your Hit Parade’ programmes. The Arthur Godfrey success led to a recording contract with RCA, with whom she stayed until she signed to Mercury in 1958 and then to United Artists in 1962. She was one of those middle ground pop artists who managed to make the transition from the early ‘50s style into the post-rock ‘n’ roll era, which enabled her to have chart hits from 1952 through to 1960.
This collection focuses on her single and EP releases during the first decade of her career through to 1962, by which time she had started to turn her attention towards the album market. It comprises a portion of her A & B sides from this era, along with the tracks form her 1956 EPs “All Alone”, “The Torch” and “Body And Soul”. Also featured her are her career chart entries, including the Top 10 hits “Crying In The Chapel” and “I Understand”, as well as versions of big hit songs of the time, “Unchained Melody” and “The Wedding”. This creates an enjoyable showcase for the talent which kept her in the public eye and retained a fan base through a changing musical landscape.
REVIEWS
“June Valli was a talented New Yorker of Italian extraction who over more than a decade made some excellent records without ever hitting a consistent run of success. One looks at the new release information with great interest each month so it was with a mixture of anticipation and something of surprise when this three CD set was announced and full credit to Acrobat for committing to such a project for a singer whose name is hardly in the 'household' bracket. I don't recall any other label attempting a retrospective of this magnitude so this is a very welcome round up of her career. Not complete, but as good as we are ever going to get, with 83 chronologically ordered tracks spanning eleven years over the three CDs. The accompanying booklet contains full discographical information as usual and the biographical notes have obviously been extensively researched, throwing up a lot of interesting quotes. Once again plaudits to Acrobat for assembling this very welcome compilation, yet another impressive addition to their burgeoning catalogue of definitive collections.” – Gerry Stonestreet (In Tune Issue 342)
Disc 1 |
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Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
Now, Now, Now |
June Valli |
2 |
Always, Always |
June Valli |
3 |
Cry |
June Valli |
4 |
The Three Bells |
June Valli |
5 |
So Madly In Love |
June Valli |
6 |
Strange Sensation |
June Valli |
7 |
Mighty Lonesome Feelin' |
June Valli |
8 |
Taboo |
June Valli |
9 |
A Shoulder To Weep On |
June Valli |
10 |
Why Don't You Believe Me |
June Valli |
11 |
Congratulations To Someone |
June Valli |
12 |
Love And Hate |
June Valli |
13 |
Brass Ring Love |
June Valli |
14 |
Many Are The Times |
June Valli |
15 |
Crying In The Chapel |
June Valli |
16 |
Love Every Moment You Live |
June Valli |
17 |
Mystery Street |
June Valli |
18 |
Don't Forget To Write |
June Valli |
19 |
Old Shoes And A Bag Of Rice |
June Valli |
20 |
The Gypsy Was Wrong |
June Valli |
21 |
I Understand |
June Valli |
22 |
Love, Tears And Kisses |
June Valli |
23 |
Tell Me, Tell Me |
June Valli |
24 |
Boy Wanted |
June Valli |
25 |
Tell It To Me Again |
June Valli |
26 |
Young And Foolish |
June Valli |
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Disc 2 |
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Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
Wrong, Wrong, Wrong |
June Valli |
2 |
Old Pappy Time |
June Valli |
3 |
Unchained Melody |
June Valli |
4 |
Tomorrow |
June Valli |
5 |
Oh My Love |
June Valli |
6 |
A Kiss Like Yours |
June Valli |
7 |
The Things They Say |
June Valli |
8 |
Por Favor |
June Valli |
9 |
Oh What A Day |
June Valli |
10 |
Don't Tell Me Not To Love You |
June Valli |
11 |
Madonna In Blue |
June Valli |
12 |
While There's Time |
June Valli |
13 |
From The Wrong Side Of Town |
June Valli |
14 |
Sleepy Head |
June Valli |
15 |
Shangri-La |
June Valli |
16 |
I've Got Something In My Eye |
June Valli |
17 |
Beauty Isn't Everything |
June Valli |
18 |
Now |
June Valli |
19 |
One For My Baby |
June Valli |
20 |
Bill |
June Valli |
21 |
All Alone |
June Valli |
22 |
I Get Along Without You Very Well |
June Valli |
23 |
Stormy Weather |
June Valli |
24 |
You've Got Me Crying |
June Valli |
25 |
I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good |
June Valli |
26 |
Don't Take Your Love From Me |
June Valli |
27 |
Body And Soul |
June Valli |
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Disc 3 |
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Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
My Man |
June Valli |
2 |
Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man |
June Valli |
3 |
But Not For Me |
June Valli |
4 |
Strictly Sentimental |
June Valli |
5 |
Will You Love Me Still |
June Valli |
6 |
Baby Come Home |
June Valli |
7 |
Open Your Arms |
June Valli |
8 |
Bring Back My Love |
June Valli |
9 |
Shake Hands With A Fool |
June Valli |
10 |
Dance With Me |
June Valli |
11 |
La Santa Venuta |
June Valli |
12 |
The Wedding |
June Valli |
13 |
Lunch Hour |
June Valli |
14 |
Answer To A Maiden's Prayer |
June Valli |
15 |
Bygones |
June Valli |
16 |
An Anonymous Letter |
June Valli |
17 |
You Were Meant For Me |
June Valli |
18 |
Shadows |
June Valli |
19 |
My Darling, My Darling |
June Valli |
20 |
Apple Green |
June Valli |
21 |
Oh Why |
June Valli |
22 |
I'll Step Aside |
June Valli |
23 |
Looking At The World |
June Valli |
24 |
Borrowed Kisses |
June Valli |
25 |
Weep For Me Lover |
June Valli |
26 |
Guess Things Happen That Way |
June Valli |
27 |
Tell Him For Me |
June Valli |
28 |
The World We Love In |
June Valli |
29 |
Hush Little Baby |
June Valli |
30 |
I'm Afraid |
June Valli |