Solid!

Betty Hutton

Great Ladies of Song: Spotlight on Betty Hutton

Capitol

This collection comprises the best of Betty Hutton's work for Capitol Records during the 1940s. Betty signed with Capitol near the beginning of her Hollywood career, and most of the songs on this album are from her early films. It was that reliance on her film career for material that eventually caused Betty to leave Capitol for RCA in 1949, but during her stay there she recorded many excellent tunes and had several hits.

All 17 tracks on this album are perfect, but perhaps the standout is Betty's classic rendition of the Hoagy Charmichael-Paul Francis Webster tune, ''Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief,'' her biggest hit in 1945. Another great number is her version of the standard ''It Had To Be You,'' on which she performs a verbal striptease. On ''Love Is the Darndest Thing,'' she plays dual roles as a mother explaining romance to her daughter, and other selections like ''Hamlet'' and ''A Square in the Social Circle'' are equally as funny as they are excellent.

Although Betty desired to do more romantic material she was rarely allowed to step back from her outlandish personality and tackle a ballad. She did manage to sneak in a few serious numbers now and then though, and two are presented here. ''I Wish I Didn't Love You'' and ''(Where Are You?) Now That I Need You,'' show that she was very capable of being romantic when given the opportunity.

An excellent album all together. Great sound quality makes Betty's work seem fresher today than it probably did when it was first released, and Capitol provides detailed information about her work with their label, as well as a general biography. Unfortunately, this album now seems to be out of print. Which is quite a shame. Used copies are available though.

Track Listing

• 1. It Had to Be You
• 2. A Square in the Social Circle
• 3. I Wake Up in the Morning Feeling Fine
• 4. Love Is the Darndest Thing
• 5. Stuff Like That There
• 6. What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?
• 7. Hamlet
• 8. His Rocking Horse Ran Away
• 9. I Wish I Didn't Love You So
• 10. Rumble, Rumble, Rumble
• 11. Blue Skies
• 12. That's Loyalty
• 13. Poppa, Don't Preach to Me
• 14. Doin' It the Hard Way
• 15. The Sewing Machine
• 16. (Where Are You?) Now That I Need You
• 17. Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief

Read other Betty Hutton reviews:

• The Best of the RCA Years