ALMOST A TRIBUTE TO BING

The DEAN MARTIN tv show is like DREAM WITH DEAN the singer at his intimate best, but with the added talent of arranger ERNIE FREEMAN, who creates beautiful musical settings with those ten songs.SONGS FROM THE SILENCERS is a filler album with 4 instrumentals that are enjoyable and 8 songs that figured in the movie.It was a clear case of the record producers coping with DEAN's great popularity in 1966.There are at least 4 songs on this overall collection that were recorded by BING CROSBY years before :SIDE BY SIDE,IF I HAD YOU,THE LAST ROUND UP and RED SAILS IN THE SUNSET.So,this is certainly worth getting if you are a MARTIN collector.

DINO'S COMBINATION OF SMALL SCREEN AND LARGE SCREEN HITS

Taking its cues from small screen to large, this combination of two Dean Martin albums prove to be ideally matched for this combined Collectors' Choice release,and reflect the great popularity he achieved in both forms. The Dean Martin Show
was prime-time viewing in the `60's and this set of songs recorded in 1966, simply feature a few of his favourites, with the orchestra headed by the renown Les Brown who also undertook orchestral duties on the television shows. Dean, in fantastic
vocal form, provides the ballads like JUST FRIENDS, IT'S THE TALK OF THE TOWN and BABY WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME? with a romantic sheen, so much his trademark throughout his career. The more swinging numbers benefit from great arrangements with S'POSIN' a highlight, followed closely by THE ONE I LOVE BELONGS TO SOMEBODY ELSE. I particularly liked I'VE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO HER FACE which clearly expresses Dean's personable way with a good song and suitable arrangement. Altogether a triumphant combination of singer, good songs and suitable arrangements.

THE SILENCERS, a spoof on the James Bond phenomenon, surprisingly found its own box-office success in the `60's with three sequels equalling the box-office takings, no doubt partly due to Dean's laconic personality, Hollywood gloss, and the
current need for fluffy entertainment. Dean made the ideal Matt Helm, who with tongue firmly in cheek, managed his secret agent adventures without missing out on his luck with the ladies. I don't recall much about the films or the featured songs,but DEAN MARTIN SINGS SONGS FROM "THE SILENCERS" includes eight old favourites ready- made for Dean by being performed in the contemporary orchestral backings and busy chorus so much an ingredient of Dean's recordings by the mid-60's. So THE GLORY OF LOVE, EMPTY SADDLES and THE LAST ROUND-UP plus others receive up-front and busy versions, together with four orchestral tracks which include an updated ANNIVERSARY SONG. With RED SAILS IN THE SUNSET and THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET also included in the vocal mix, I imagine this album was and is a favourite of Dean's fans.

TV Show/ Silencers

The first album, the Dean Martin TV Show is a collection of ten songs that are enjoyable and laid back. Sip on a beverage and enjoy. Unfortunately the second album is a mish mash of four unlistenable instrumentals and eight so so songs. Why would a Dean Martin album have four instrumentals ? This is my least favorite of the set.