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Betty Hutton
The Best of the RCA Years
One Way Records
This excellent collection of Betty Hutton hits features her later work for RCA during the 1950s as well as two of her earliest Bluebird recordings with the Vincent Lopez Orchestra. The two early tracks present a much calmer-than-usual Betty, though not a Betty without a sense of fun and play. ''Igloo'' and ''The Jitterbug'' are both lively swing tunes, and she adds even more life to them with her vibrant vocal style. ''Igloo'' gave Betty her first hit.
Betty's later recordings are somewhat wilder than her previous solo efforts with Capitol, and on this album she is almost uncontrollable at times. On ''Can't Stop Talking,'' she sets a land-speed record for singing, and on ''Orange Colored Sky,'' she practically leaps off the disc to assault you. Her wide-ranging vocal skills are further showcased on the silly Spike Jones-ish ''Who Kicked the Light Plug (Out of the Socket),'' which she sings with a stutter, and on the dreamy ''It's Lovin' Time.'' Also noteworthy is her reprisal of ''Murder, He Says,'' from her 1943 film Happy Go Lucky, a song about a boyfriend who's driving her up the wall with his hepcat slang.
Content-wise, The Best of the RCA Years is an excellent CD. Betty Hutton was a master at her craft, and this album proves it. Sound-wise, it lacks polish. Betty's vocals come through just fine, but the orchestra tracks are a bit muddy. Don't let that put you off though. It still sounds great. All tracks are mono. The only thing disappointing about this album is the complete lack of liner notes. Songwriters aren't even credited! Frustrating to any serious music fan.
Track Listing
- 1. It's Oh So Quiet
- 2. Can't Stop Talking
- 3. Orange Colored Sky
- 4. What Did You Put in That Kiss?
- 5. Igloo
- 6. The Jitterbug
- 7. On the Other End of a Kiss
- 8. It's a Man
- 9. That's The Kind of Guy I Dream Of
- 10. Wherever There's Me There's You
- 11. It's Lovin' Time
- 12. Walkin' Away with My Heart
- 13. Who Kicked the Light Plug (Out Of The Socket)
- 14. Murder, He Says
- 15. My Fickle Eye