Solid!

Desi Arnaz

Babalu

BMG Music

Babalu features some of the most popular recordings made by Desi Arnaz during the late 1940s, with a focus on vocal work and novelty songs like ''In Santiago, Chile (T'aint Chilly at All)'' and ''Ah-ban-nah, Coo-bah.'' While such numbers are very entertaining they don't always represent the best of Desi. He was one of the greatest live performers of his era. ''Cuban Cabby'' was one of the most popular numbers in his show, where he would visit different tables and interact with audience members. The charm of that intimacy doesn't transfer well to a recording, however, and the song itself is standard fare without it. Desi's repertoire also included many arrangements much more musically impressive than his popular work, so while this disc is an excellent collection of material it doesn't quite reveal the true breadth of his talents. A better CD for purists would be The Best of Desi Arnaz the Mambo King. However, Babalu in itself is a great historical document and features a perfect slice of the music that made Desi popular. A must have for Desi collectors and I Love Lucy fans alike.

Track Listing

• 1. Babalu
• 2. Through a Thousand Dreams
• 3. Siboney
• 4. Cuban Pete
• 5. Made for Each Other (Tu Felicidad)
• 6. Tico Tico
• 7. I'll Take the Rhumba
• 8. Carnival in Rio
• 9. Quizas, Quizas, Quizas (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps)
• 10. Guadalajara
• 11. In Santiago, Chile (T'ain't Chilly at All)
• 12. El Cumbanchero
• 13. Ah-ban-nah, Coo-bah
• 14. Tabu
• 15. Cariñoso
• 16. Holiday in Havana
• 17. Cuban Cabby
• 18. Another Night Like This
• 19. Straw Hat Song
• 20. Good Night

Read other Desi Arnaz reviews:

• Babalu Music: I Love Lucy's Greatest Hits
• The Best of Desi Arnaz the Mambo King
• Desi Arnaz and Chico Marx: Big Bands of Hollywood