Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Promenade (Walking The Dog)
2. March Of The Swiss Soldiers
3. Fidgety Feet
4. Prelude I
5. Prelude II
6. Prelude III
7. Sam And Delilah
8. But Not For Me
9. My One And Only
10. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
11. Beginner's Luck, (I've Got)
12. Oh, Lady, Be Good!
13. Nice Work If You Can Get It
14. Things Are Looking Up
15. Just Another Rhumba
16. How Long Has This Been Going On?
17. 'S Wonderful
18. Man I Love, The
19. That Certain Feeling
20. By Strauss
21. Someone To Watch Over Me
22. Real American Folk Song (Is A Rag), The

Disc 2:

1. Who Cares?
2. Looking For A Boy
3. They All Laughed
4. My Cousin In Milwaukee
5. Somebody From Somewhere
6. Foggy Day, A
7. Clap Yo' Hands
8. For You, For Me, For Evermore
9. Stiff Upper Lip
10. Boy Wanted
11. Strike Up The Band
12. Soon
13. I've Got A Crush On You
14. Bidin' My Time
15. Aren't You Kind Of Glad We Did?
16. Of Thee I Sing
17. "Half Of It Dearie Blues," The
18. I Was Doing All Right
19. He Loves And She Loves
20. Love Is Sweeping The Country
21. Treat Me Rough

Disc 3:

1. Love Is Here To Stay
2. Slap That Bass
3. Isn't It A Pity?
4. Shall We Dance?
5. Love Walked In
6. You've Got What Gets Me
7. They Can't Take That Away From Me
8. Embraceable You
9. I Can't Be Bothered Now
10. Boy! What Love Has Done To Me!
11. Fascinating Rhythm
12. Funny Face
13. Lorelei
14. Oh, So Nice!
15. Let's Kiss And Make Up
16. I Got Rythym

Disc 4:

1. Somebody Loves Me
2. Cheerful Little Earful
3. But Not For Me
4. Lorelei - (alternate take)
5. Love Is Here To Stay - (alternate take)
6. Oh, Lady, Be Good! - (alternate take)
7. Oh, Lady, Be Good! - (alternate take)
8. Oh, Lady, Be Good! - (alternate take)
9. But Not For Me - (mono)
10. Fascinating Rhythym - (mono)
11. They All Laughed - (mono)
12. Man I Love, The - (mono)
13. Nice Work If You Can Get It -(mono)
14. Clap Yo' Hands - (mono)
15. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off - (mono)
16. I Was Doing All Right - (mono)
17. He Loves And She Loves - (mono)
18. Beginner's Luck, (I've Got) - (mono)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36825 in Music
• Released on: 1998-05-19
• Number of discs: 4
• Formats: Box set, Original recording remastered

Amazon.com essential recording
George and Ira Gershwin are probably the songwriters who have contributed the most standards to the American repertory, and Fitzgerald covers pretty much all of them in this mammoth enterprise. (The 53 songs were recorded in 1959 and originally came out in a five- LP box set.) Considering the scope of this collection, naming titles would be futile: rest assured that your favorite Gershwin tune is likely to be included. The singer's well-known versatility and musicality are in evidence, but what's especially amazing is the complete symbiosis between her and arranger/conductor Nelson Riddle. Fresh off injecting a shot of swing into Sinatra's career, Riddle enhances Fitzgerald's vocals rather than overwhelming her, and Fitzgerald, in turn, is stimulated by the musicians percolating behind her. Pure genius. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews

Where music becomes art
I rarely write reviews of products (they speak for themselves) but after readings "Brian"'s review of this recording, I felt compelled. (Brian must be among the group of people who like to criticize just to make themselves feel better... they feel themselves authorities in some manner). Ella Fitzgerald singing the Gershwin Songbook has to be in the top two recorded piceces of popular music of all time ("Judy at Carnegie" is the only other contender for number one). There is no other artist who captures the essence of the Gershwins as Ella in this set. The orchestration is full and rich ,but does not distract from Ella's voice. The scores are kept authentic... Ella does not try to "sell" or "personalize" the songs like Sinatra did with Cole Porter's music. Yes, there are some Gershwin tunes here that the masses may not have heard, but that doesn't make them less valuable than the "Lady Be Good"'s and the "They Can't Take that Away from Me"'s. The art of music is in interpretation and Ella interprets Gershwin like no other. Where else have you heard Gershwin so completely and purely interpreted? I challenge anyone to find a similar recording, period. ***** is not high enough.

Smoke Alarm Award Winner
If I had to flee my pad with only one item, it would be this box set. O.k, that's kind of cheating because I'd be taking more than CD out with me, but what the heck -- it's my place going up in smoke, isn't it? Ella's silky yet crystal-clear voice with perfect intonation and inflection, combined with the unsurpassable songs of George and Ira Gershwin and the orchestrations of Nelson Riddle make this a classic in every sense of the word. If at least three of the songs in this box set don't give you goosebumps I will come over and mow your lawn. The ending of "The Man I Love" will propel you into the troposphere. This set is a once-in-a-century combination of musical talent. It is a pure joy.

ELLA,NELSON,THE GERSHWINS,PURE CLASSIC MAGIC
YOU MUST BUY THIS CD...Anyone not familiar with the three names above, who wants to hear great songs by the Great Gershwins in a nice,whizbang set will go bonkers over Ella singing these tunes with the great Nelson Riddle arranging.In fact,no other straight Gershwin set comes close.Remember, these tunes were written in the 1920's-1930's. They are as fresh now as ever,and this CD collection proves it.True,a couple of them(say "I've Got You Under My Skin","Love is Here to Stay") have had better interpretations(mainly Frank and Nelson a year or two earlier).But,still this CD is loaded with freshness,wit,humor,and razzle dazzle bounciness.For swingers don't miss "Things are Looking Up","Who Cares","Soon","Of Thee I Sing","You've Got What Gets Me",and my favorite "Slap that Bass." The greatness here is that many of these songs have not been recorded over and over,so that many listeners,even jazz fans,may hear some (seemingly)brand new tunes.In fact,every song here is worth repeat listenings,and there are NO duds here,amazing for a 53-song CD.The ballads are just as good, from the familiar like "The Man I Love","A Foggy Day",to less known pieces like "Oh So Nice Nice",and "My One and Only". After hearing this CD you'll realize why Ella was called the "First Lady of Song".This is a timeless collection,I think Ella's tip top. And listen to the lyrics too,some of the most amusing and at times heart rending ever composed.The sad thing is that one will spend a freezing day you know where before hearing anything like this in the new song scene today.