The Gershwin Songbook

I mean, it’s Ella Fitzgerald singing the great American songbook. How could you dislike it? As Ciara said, it’s very cozy music and Ella in general always reminds me of Christmas music because I think that’s where you hear her most these days. But every song is great, and there’s some timeless classics here I caught myself singing along to (Nice Work if You Can Get, for one). This album is a classic.

Sumptuous voice but couldn't really be bothered. Just not my thing I'm afraid

Not bad. It was lovely music, but nothing really stood out and grabbed me. "I got rhythm" was my favourite song.

Gershwin bores me (big band/orchestra). 1/5

Album als Vinyl bestimmt gut. LaFreak ist definitiv der bekannteste Song vom Album

It’s soooooo looooong. This should be cut down to a single album.

dooooooon't be a naughty baby. The moment I loaded this album up, I knew I was gonna put it off to the last minute, and I did (for good reason). I did "the very best of..." version of this album on spotify, and I think if I were to do the full 3hr track, I might become braindead. I really didn't think it was actually all that bad, it was very calming, and I found myself smiling at the first track and relating to the lyrics in a strange, yet direct way. That being said, I enjoyed a very little portion of the album, and I'm so bored that I decided to write this review to express my feelings about this track. Whatever, it was better than the Billie Holiday record I just had.

Fantastic

Always love a jazz album and it's no wonder that Ella Fitzgerald is the jazz icon that she is. Her soothing voice makes you forget about your day transporting you into the song, completely captivating. This album is absolutely a staple in the history books of music and deservedly so.

Absolutely perfect

All in all, I'm gonna leave this one to the Broadway folks. Real snoozfest of a genre.

Why would anyone listen to selections from her double album Ella Fitzgerald Sings The George and Ira Gerswhin Song Book? This rating is for the original double album, not this unnecessary, condensed take.

Ljúft og gott. Eðalrödd!

Didn’t expect to get an album over three hours long! Very good though.. her voice is perfect. Reminds me of Christmas shopping. Or winter in the city. Not SURE I’d listen again but I might. Leaning 4-5 stars

Best Song: Let's Call the Whole Thing Off. It just feels very playful, especially the part about "calling the calling off off". Worst Song: Just Another Rhumba. Overly long, and the schtick of tossing an "-a" on the end of every word to fit the rhyme is annoying from the onset. Overall: Real odd inclusion into this list. 3 hours of music feels impossible to compare against the other conventional-length albums. It kind of feels like the author knew they needed to give flowers to Fitzgerald, but didn't know enough of her catalogue to narrow it down and therefore picked the largest project she had. Nevertheless, the music is fine to listen to. Obviously Fitzgerald has a great voice, and many of the songs are quite fun (but, due to sheer volume, many are also quite dull). I can't imagine that even Ella herself intended these 3 hours to be listened to at once or viewed as a single, immutable album.

Long. Some good songs

Really just amazing. Nobody could capture the range of emotions of these songs quite like Ella. The songs are all smartly arranged around her emotional forwardness and it's just lovely to hear

She is such a good singer. Her scatting is unparalleled. I kind of wish there was some more uptempo songs, a lot of the album is slow and beautiful, but they all blend together. Oh, Lady be Good legit gave me chills.

She had a fantastic voice, I'm just not into jazz with vocals.

Brand new, nice change

Oof, I like Ella, but 3 hours long...not going to listen to the whole thing, so I listened to the 44 minute "very best of" version. Classic sound. 3.5/5

Great voice and presence

n-am rabdare de lalaielile astea. muzica de craciun

Pretty good, casual

3 hours lol

Love her

Good album, not a style of music I would typically listen to.

just doesn't really get better than this aye

4 sides - 59 songs. Didn't listen to the whole thing but of course it's good. "The mono album was priced at $25 (equivalent to $251 in 2022) and the stereo at $30 (equivalent to $301 in 2022).". 5.0

Classic.

I've heard of her before but wasn't sure of any songs by her. After hearing the first song I knew I've heard her music before but just didn't know it. I can appreciate this and see the talent but it's not quite my cup of tea. The songs I listen to were pleasant enough but they stated getting a bit repetitive so I didn't end up finishing the album.

i absolutely love ella and everything she's ever sang. to me, one of the most beautiful voices ever.

What a voice! Classics on here.

Very soothing, relaxing, sound.

Good vibes, very calm

Wundervoll entspannter Jazz von Wohnzimmer bis Empfang immer gut für zwischendurch.

JAZZZZZZ: luckily I was not given the task of listening to the full three hour version of this album but instead I got to listen to some of the best bits of this album. I love some good jazz and an icon such as Fitzgerald will never be bad. Could stick this on in the background and just enjoy the whole thing as much as the full album. I love jazz man.

There was no way I was ever going to listen to the full 3 hours of this, but the best of seemed a sufficient exposure. Not my thing, but I'm going with 3 stars as it's quality stuff I don't like, which is better than poorly done stuff I don't like I guess.

It was beautiful with some great arrangments.

Didn’t dislike the music itself per se but sitting through three hours of it was a slog. Probably just down to my lack of familiarity with the genre, but a lot of it sounded a little Christmas music-y to me…. I’d rate it a lot higher if it was just the first twenty-odd songs, I either liked those the most or just was way too burned out for the rest of it.

Ella Fitzgerald is always gonna slap. 5/5

Stunning voice! Disc 1: Some beautiful songs. Very Atmospheric! I feel like I'm in the 50s. Themes: Love (dependency), Loneliness

9/10

Great singing, decent songs. Nothing really stuck with me.

not super into this era of big band jazz but she has a great voice

Is Ella Fitzgerald extraordinary? Of course. Is Gershwin a great composer? Damn sure. Does this have to be 3 hours long? Not really. It's unfortunate because the best songs are just drowned in the noise. If you need something nice and cuddly for a long study session this is your jam.

A generational voice,

Ella Fitzgerald, the Gershwin’s and Nelson Riddle. What a combination. Exquisite singing, iconic American standards, and gorgeous arrangements. This is excellent all around, and sure, did we need over three hours of this? Well probably not, but also yes, we did. This is definitely worth hearing in full at least once in a lifetime. It’s sheer breadth and depth is incredible.

4/5. A beautiful collection of soft and powerful ballads. Love the smooth way she sings and the great instrumentation backing her. Not a bad song but not every one is a banger. Hard to feel like it’s perfect because you do need to be in the mood for slow. Great nonetheless.

N/A via Spotify

A wonderful album to have on in the background and be surprised by throughout an afternoon. Talk about value! 3 full hours of Ella Fitzgerald through the highs and lows. I bet in the 50's this series of albums was sought after due to the spectrum of musical moods that the album touches and the wonderful performances Ella continues to put forth with delightful instrumental work. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Not really that into it if I'm considering adding this to my go-to playlist. However, the vibes this whole album gives is very very specific and I might play it when reading a book or something. Maybe I'm just uncultured but um yeah this isn't exactly my jam on the daily. Not saying the album is bad, no. The singer, from what I read, is a freaking g and is a legend and she is very talented. Her voice is very nice but yeah....These types of songs remind me of the songs the old generation around me listen to and it isn't the vibe I'm usually going for. The ambiance this whole album gave me, like I've said, was very specific —like something you'll hear at fancy restaurants and like maybe backgrounds of films. Yep, I finished the album(I think). Still think the same.

It's Ella. Of course it's a good album.

There is nothing bad about this compliation

8/10

Love Ella but there are better albums

обожаю

Kinda meh, some nice songs.

Nice jazzy album smooth, great choice for a Sunday morning

Not really the type of music I'd go out of my way to listen to but good. Made me think of Fallout.

-LOVEEEE ella fitzgerald -her voice is incredible and stunning -how could you listen to ella fitzgerald and NOT enjoy it -like CMON!!!!! -every song was genuinely so lovely -this is an easy four stars for me, could listen to ella fitzgerald forever and ever

Classic

Ok, so she an undeniably classically beautiful voice. However, I am allergic to this type of Bing Crosby at Christmas songbook. I can’t imagine a single moment when I’ll ever play this again. One star to acknowledge the quality of her voice

A nice pleasant trip down memory lane when I explored Jazz in my early 20's. The milder and more accessible end of jazz (which I prefer) as a whole, nice to have playing in the background at a civilised dinner party (I don't have civilised dinner parties, so it could be a while before I listen to it again). Sung beautifully and the band creating a nice atmosphere of relaxation (something I'm not used to when listening to music often) - 2

I've never really listened to this genre, but I absolutely love it now. Ella Fitzgerald is legendary.

not too bad to be honest

One of the most beautiful voices of all time but Gershwin is just boring unfortunately

Long, but then there’s a lot to include! Not a jazz fan but she is phenomenal.

Lovely if a little boring.

Beautiful album!

Ella Fitzgerald had a beautiful smooth voice, perfectly suited to jazz and blues on a smokey club back in the 50s, and I can see how you would have happily sat relaxed in a club back in the day listening to this with a Manhattan on one hand and a Marlborough in the other... but that would have been 65 years ago, and for me now, I could only see myself maybe listening to one or two of these tracks on a super chilled night, but in general for the majority of this album, as the title of track 6 goes... But Not For Me

I personally don't like this genre unless it's on in a certain environment. It reminds me of a fancy cocktail bar where it might be appropriate, just wouldn't put this on myself.

Musicals are very not my thing. Stuffing weird narrative dialog into a song feels false. With that out of the way, the songs on this album are tolerable enough. I like the slower, crooning ones best. Regardless of the naff lyrics Ella seems to posses several difference voices across all of these tunes. Artists like Elvis Costello have tried to pull this off but I've never heard anyone do it as well as she does on this recording. Also, the band sounds great and the recording does both the vocals and backing tracks justice.

Het is prima!

Her voice is classic. Soothing and delicate yet powerful. Great recordings.

I like this era, and love Ella Fitzgerald’s voice, but these songs were too slow for me to get super into.

I listened to the "Best of" instead of the 3 hour box set because I'm not a masochist lol. Anyway, the rating reflects that. Ella has a killer voice and this was a really fun and pleasant listen.

wonderful voice, but mostly showtunes

Listened to over half of the songs on this album. Beautiful voice and music. Really enjoyed. 4/5

It's a bit of a disservice to Ella Fitzgerald that a compilation of otherwise well-known songs is among her featured work here, because some people will inevitably compare her versions to that of others. That's not to say that these songs aren't lovely - because they are. And she sounds beautiful. But for some of these songs there are stronger, or at the very least more memorable versions floating around. 'S Wonderful is better when it's Gene Kelly and Georges Guétary performing it in An American in Paris for example, while Someone to Watch Over Me sounds suprerior when coming from Frank Sinatra. Maybe this is an observation that better fits the entire jazz and soul landscape of pre-1970 though, so I digress. Like I said, Ella Fitzgerald sounds lovely and her tender, buttery voice puts a warm blanket over these songs like no other vocalist can. I would love to listen to this again during a rainy afternoon, after digging up some of my grandparents' old photo albums. I also imagine myself sitting in a 1950's jazz bar, in the scene of a classic film. The record is great. It's evocative of all these memories and emotions, and it's a show of the amazing talent and body of work by both Fitzgerald and the Gershwin brothers. Just those unavoidable comparisons are getting to me - but I guess that's more of a me problem.

Day 103 I'll start by saying that Ella Fitzgerald is an essential listen: possibly one of the most influential singers of all time, hugely talented, and a very pleasant voice to the ears; there's really a good humoured sweetness in her voice pretty often and she manages to convey these songs wonderfully. I understand that she released albums as far back as 1947. That's crazy.  The Song Book was originally a set of multiple records but I don't know how many, in streaming services is a 3 hour plus set. Yes, it's very long. I listened to the whole thing but not in one sit, and I couldn't listen to it more than once; I also admit that I wasn't paying attention all along, but I wasn't annoyed either. As I said, everything is very pleasant, I just couldn't not be distracted over such a long period of time and if I didn't repeat the exercise is only a matter of the day being too short. The songs are also wonderful, beautifully written and very entertaining. I caught myself wondering if the Gershwins invented pop music with their blend of classical, jazz, and easy listening. Credits go to Nelson Riddle also, who wrote the orchestral arrangements. Definitely a must. 

I love Ella Fitzgerald's voice, but 4 hrs 13 mins is insane for an album

Timeless.

Pretty and sad. Jazzy. A sleepy album, 3 stars. Just a little too slow for a workday.

if you need to put a 3 hour ella fitzgerald compilation into your book, maybe it should have just been 1000 albums to hear before you die. I'm not fucking listening to this

calming and just listened to it and work got done

Noh, kuuntelin sitten koko 3h15min setin. Vikat 6 kappalettakin vaikka ne ei varmaan tähän settiin kuuluiskaan. Eipä tässä hulluks ainakaan tullut, kai se kertoo jotain. Mutta vähänhän nuo kappaleet muussaantuu yhteen ja kuullosta suht samalta. Olisi sit voinut kuiteskin huonompaakin musiikkia 3h kuunnella. Meni kuiteskin aika letkeästi aika. Tämmöstä perinteistä elokuva Las Vegas/New Vegas vokaalijazzia. Sanoitukset ajoittain aika meh Treat Me Rough kappaleessa oikeesti sanotaan "Keep on beatin' me". Ok Davie hyväksyy Slap That Bass kappaleen

Can’t believe I had never listened to Ella Fitzgerald, instantly a favorite jazz musician. Loved this album.

9/10 smooth like velvet voice. nice jazz d'ambiance.

Soothing, romantic classics. Great for atmosphere.

I actually own this album, but haven't listened to it in ages and also never really sat down and listened properly all the way through. Annoyingly, I could not find my CD, so it had to be Spotify. I'm not usually a fan of artists who don't write their own music, but Ella Fitzgerald is and always has been the exception. I grew up with her (not this album- a hits compilation that my parents had), and she'll always have a special place in my heart. Even so, I don't listen to her often, but when I do, I'm blown away by her voice. I honestly have so much admiration for Ella and her voice. She is definitely one of the greatest vocalists of all time. I could go on for paragraphs about her obvious technical brilliance (her control, tone, versatility, emotion, inflections, and the ease with which she sings are enough to make most singers look amateur), but I think what makes her the exception to my tastes is that she's more than just a pretty voice. She has so much personality, and she invests that personality into every performance. She's an individual, and a true character, not afraid to be herself and having the time of her life doing it. She puts her whole being into every performance, and her joy is infectious. It's the most beautiful thing ever. You'll notice I rated this four stars rather than five, and that's because I'm not sure I can see myself listening to this every day. I probably will listen again because unfortunately, I was multitasking and wasn't able to give Ella's voice my full attention 100% of the time. However, the song writing is also a key part of this release, the way I see it. Man, the Gershwins wrote some funny songs. Definitely something which had to grow on me, and their style did significantly grow on me by the end of this 3 hour release. I still don't see how they're supposed to be one of the greats, though. Their songs tend to fall into two categories: slow ballads which are all quite generic and don't do anything unique, and upbeat ones with quirky or joking lyrics. The second category especially got on my nerves at first. I think what helped me appreciate the more upbeat, light hearted songs were that these are generally the ones Ella sings best. It felt like she was more authentically herself singing these songs, rather than playing the crooner on the slower numbers (although she does that well, too). In fact, several of the upbeat songs felt like they were written for her, although I know that's not the case strictly speaking. Nelson Riddle's arrangements also deserve a word. They were gorgeous and very atmospheric. Not sure of favourite tracks because I have a feeling that the ones I liked less were only because I wasn't giving my full attention (as I said, I was multitasking). Will have to listen again at some point.

Lovely voice, but you can have too much of a good thing.

first time listening favorites the man i love love is here to stay

Tasteful well-sung big band boredom.

I'm not really into the 50's music, but I think Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra are on the same level of talent, passion and commitment.

Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for this today … found it quite boring

this is really not my thing i'm afraid. it's for old people

Unfortunately it's shit

I'm not going to listen to a whole box set of songs. It's over 3 hours long so I listened to "The Very Best Of The Gershwin Songbook" instead. The album is good but it got tiresome after a while. I don't think I could handle the whole Gershwin Songbook in one sitting so the abridged "best of" was a good choice.

"I never knew how good our songs were until I heard Ella Fitzgerald sing them". - Ira Gershwin. With a grace and elegance that only a rarefied few could have, Ella Fitzgerald put her stamp on some of the most important song catalogs in music and not only defined them but turned them into the American staples they were meant to be. There should be neither a doubt nor a question as to how and why they are considered The Great American Songbook; have a listen to Love is Here to Stay and But Not for Me back to back and you'll be completely convinced. Arguably the peak of Ella's career. Favorites: I Got Rhythm, Nice Work If You Can Get It, The Man I Love, Love is Here to Stay, But Not for Me, A Foggy Day, Fascinating Rhythm, Embraceable You.

How the hell are you going to put a whole ass box set on this list. I feel like that is some liberal interpretation of the term "album." And weighing in at a full minute longer than Titanic this is a fucking tank. That said, I'm two thirds of the way through the first disc and loving the experience. This era of jazz music has a particular elegance about it that is hard to deny and Fitzgerald has an all time voice for the genre. And yet, here I am before the close of disc 1 ready to move on. Given this, I'm not going to force myself through 2hr+ of music to come to the same conclusion I think I could render just looking at this on paper... As I said before, this is a wonderfully elegant sounding jazz collection and Fitzgerald no doubt deserves her flowers. That said, 3+ hours is too much to ask of any single listen; much less distill that listen into a single review. There is far too much room for bloat on the side of the recording and loss of attention on the side of the listener. Nor is there any through line for which to consume this as a single piece. I feel it ultimately unfair to give this a *real* review as compared to other actual albums on this list. Instead I'm compelled to review this as a box set -- a highlight reel of sorts capturing a long-winded collection of efforts that can be loosely bundled. And for that its hard to claim this anything other than a 4 (for me). The production is beautiful. The singing is phenomenal and her support is great. I think for the format this is a fine entry, but I reject this as an "album" to listen to.

Highlights: "The Man I Love," "I Got Rhythm,""Fascinating Rhythm," "But Not For Me" Gershwin could never be a fitting representation of Ella. This is apparently from the revised album list too; they didn't have her at all originally. They could have at least cut Armstrong in, also originally excluded. It doesn't matter if the Gershwins had some interesting hits and cool harmony; their lyrics are infantalizing trash, so everyone will naturally focus on her performance over the songwriting. If they were even trying to give a one-off representation of her accomplishments, they would do '54's Lullabies of Birdland because there's a consensus behind her performance of Goodman's "Flying Home". Something from the height of her career. But they're not trying. Ella undoubtedly belongs among the highlights of any Anglophone music survey and deserves much better than such a gormless, tacky pick.

-I've been trying to find something to listen to that isn't the same stuff I listen to all the time and this has been hitting the spot. -I feel like I am in a Fallout game lol. Favorite tracks so far: I Got Rhythm, But Not For Me, The Man I Love, Someone to Watch Over Me, Fascinating Rhythm.

Well, I was not familiarized with Ella Fitzgerald's game, and now I'm facing consequences of it. The music is not really up my alley, but the way Ella is singing on this album is extraordinary. Powerful, yet very subtle at time. At some point you forget about instruments and just focus on her. The album is pretty long, especially if you will look at all the Gershwin songs, but I can promise you all, I will come back to this album again and again. Looks like even a vinyl might be a good idea, if there is any cheap ones available! Really great music.

Her voice is unreal, but 3+ hours is a LONG time to listen to very similar songs. 3/5

It's Ella, 'nuff said.

This album is long af, pretty decent though. Fitzgerald's voice is soothing and lovely.

p41. 1959. 5 stars. One of THE great voices on absolute top form, with one of THE great arrangers, working together on one of THE great songwriters. What's not to like? Pure heaven.

Nao eh o meu estilo mas da pra apreciar

Sounds flat

Really solid. She has an absolutely angelic voice, and Gershwin is obviously a legendary songwriter. She does all of his works justice (I listened to the truncated best of version, rather than the complete 3 hour edition). I’m sure there’s stinkers on the larger compilation, but the best of was all killer no filler. What brings it down is that they’re incredible performances of the songs, but lack a bit of the emotionality that’s resonant in other renditions such as Chet Baker’s that I am more drawn to. However, for those that enjoy straight vocal jazz, it doesn’t get much better than this. Just not particularly my taste most of the time.

Es una presipsu este disco de la GRAN Ella

Lovely stuff, what a voice, superb arrangements, what’s not to like. Reminded me of childhood, watching black and white films on a Sunday afternoon with my mum. I went online to see how much it was and it’s currently unavailable. Grrrrr.

Beautiful singing, nice relaxing album.

Jazz del de antes y vinilo para ahora.

Beautiful soul

Ella has a great voice and the songs are great but not for me.

Pleasant enough. Amazing voice, great tunes - the album lives up to the billing. What else can I say?

Walt Disney music, innit.

Ella doing what she does best. Really the Janis of her time, or Janis was the Ella of her time.

I listened to "The Very Best of the Gershwin Songbook" before I realized it was a 4 disc set that I don't plan on listening to. Some good morning tunes from a legend of American music. I have a lot of respect for early Jazz artists for practically giving American music an identity. Mostly listened to this as background music in the morning, and it made for a very enjoyable morning.

Very calming album which was great to listen to while working. Ella is a great singer and the lyrics were pretty good. I laughed at the words in Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

Let's Call The Whole Thing Off is great. Love that she uses the Baltimore accent for oysters (errsters) in it. This was a very calming album to listen to in the morning while getting some work done. I admittedly didn't listen to all 3 hours (wtf???) but I will at some point.

Ella has a beautiful, gorgeous voice with a ton of richness to it. It was worth listening to the entire album for that alone. Some of the big band numbers were good, but a little repetitive. The more moody, softer songs were the highlights for me.

Sounds decent, very 50s easy listening, moderately enjoyable if it's outside your wheelhouse

Ella-Ella-Ella Fitz-Gera-Gera-Gera-ld. with Gersh for the win.

smooooooooooo00000000000000000000000000oooooooooooooooth

I was surprised by Ella Fitzgerald's voice. I was expecting a more powerful voice typical of black singers, but instead, I found a soft and captivating voice that I really enjoyed. As for the music, I only listened to the version of 'The Very Best,' so overall, it just serves as pleasant background accompaniment

la voce è meravigliosa e anche il sound.

Definitely would not be able to make it through the full version, but I think that has more to do with my lack of interest and not the quality. It's fine and cool to have gotten a glimpse into, but happy to see what else is to come.

I probably wouldn't listen again. This is an album that probably best represents this era of music and is included so the 50's are represented.

Music can be enjoyed socially or alone. Although music not in season will struggle greatly to be enjoyed socially. I could see this going hard at a ball but in this day and age it’s just unlikely. Certainly won’t be enjoyed alone either until it’s in a post nuclear wasteland wether virtually or in reality. Also song names aren’t very creative.

Je l’écouterais plus tard, pas dans le mood

🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.

Some are classics. Amazing voice. Too many songs.

Very nice.

Ella Fitzgerald's voice is a magic spell that makes you believe in love again.

Spotify only had a shorter version of Gershwin songs. Great singer. Interesting song choices.

There are a few good songs here, with "Love is Here to Stay" being a personal favourite for its sentimental value, and I like the style - but the lyrical content of the songs is less appealing to me.

A great collection of songs from probably my favorite female jazz vocalist. The band backing her up is phenomenal and I thoroughly enjoyed each song.

YES

ELLA!! All these classic songs done in that cool style of hers! A fun listen, a great way to start the day

A once in ever kind of talent

This is the first time I've seriously listened to Ella Fitzgerald and oh man, her voice is so SMOOTH. The melodies are just there, but her voice takes over and fills every song

Pleasant voice and a few songs I enjoyed. But overall found myself a bit bored

Album 35 of 1001 Ella Fitzgerald - The Very Best of The Gershwin Song Book Favorite Track : Rating : 5 / 5 As I am listening to the full 1001 Album playlist from beginning to end as I also use the album a day generator, I knew there would come a point where my daily album would be one that I've already listened to in the playlist. This is the first. As is the plan, I will listen again and by the end I should have heard all of these twice. This is a very relaxing album. Many songs I'm already familiar with being sang by a legendary voice. You can't deny perfection, even when it may not be your most preferred style of music. Awesome listen.

One of the greatest 20th century vocalists, performing the best songs by one of the greatest songwriting teams of the 20th century arranged by one of the greatest bandleaders of the 20th century. Too long? I wish it was four hours long. Hell, bring on the whole Great American Songbook collection.

Dårlig med coveralbum

If I were to describe this album in one word that word would be "pure". The vocals are crystal clear and gentle, the instrumentals are soothing, everything is just perfect.

ella is great big band, jazzy, beautiful, dark. still not my vibes, too symphonic, too morose. but its good, and through no fault of her own it just doesnt do it for me.

gorgeous vocals and hypnotic arrangements. dreamlike sounds that make you feel as if you are floating on a cloud. soothing. authentic emotions such as longing, nostalgia, and sadness permeate throughout this album. stunning work. highlights: “i got rhythm”, “nice work if you can get it”, “embraceable you”.

Ella is an all-timer. She has a marvelous and soulful voice that can carry so very much emotion. I don't think that was highlighted with this album. I like the Gershwin songs and I think she did a technically fantastic job of singing them, but technical excellence isn't why I listen to Ella. Give me some of the Louis or Duke collabs any day. Someone to Watch Over Me was a highlight for sure.

This is good, big band, beautiful singing jazz, not the all over the place jam band style jazz I don’t like.. I like this a lot but a little goes a long way. Not something I’d want to listen to for 40 plus minutes at a time. And the version I was listening to, and it seems a lot of others were listening to, was the box set 3+ hour version. Regardless, this was an amazing singer singing timeless songs.

I think Ella Fitzgerald is one of the best female singers of all time. And she’s got great source material to work with on this record.

I enjoyed it but wouldn't seek it out.

It’s great on occasion but descent anytime

This is perfect music for a dinner party. Ella is a great singer but this is too much. I don’t think box sets should be on this list.

I would have preferred Ella does the Cole Porter, or Duke Ellington, songbook from the massive tome that is the Songbooks series. Regardless, her voice resonates through any chosen milieu.

Jazzy jazz jazz jazz. Didn't hate it, but probably wont give it another spin.

It was okay, sounded like Christmas music without the Christmas cheer.

She's no Etta James that's for sure

i liked this album. brought me back in time. pre internet era

I only listened to the "Very Best Of The Gershwin Songbook", because that's where this site links and because I'd rather eat a full family-sized bag of unseasoned dicks than listen to jazz for 3 hours. (Note: If you want the full version, search for "Ella Fitgerald Sings The George and Ira Gershwin Song Book" on Spotify) Alright, first of all, why is a box set on this list? This is essentially just a compilation and those are supposed to be excluded, right? I'm very glad I decided to listen to the abridged version, because even the "best hits" started getting old 5 songs in. Listening to 59(!!!) variations of "woman crooning about how she's sad while Tom & Jerry background music is playing" would have been my Tantalus punishment.

Meh, not my style

Again, the Jazz thing isn't for me. Probably a great album.

I only get 'The Very Best of The Gershwin Songbook' so that's 44 minutes long. At that amount it's good. I'm not a huge jazz person, but I do enjoy it occassionally and this certainly fits! a lot! Saved tracks: I Got Rhythm, Love Is Here To Stay, 'S Wonderful

So every song here just reminds me of different movies that have used these songs. Gershwin songs are standards and so memorable, but there's no doubt they can be elevated by the right voice. I mean - she's got a voice that can't be mistaken, and it is on full display here with these songs that take a back seat in a way to her skill at vocalizing. All that being said, this is a sleepy album, one that is comforting, jazzy, and sweet, but a glorified cover album in a way. I'm not bothered by this at all, and at times, it is heartbreaking and beautiful. However, these songs feel like they are missing an element of performance that the songs and the singer are known for.

Amazing voice!

Syyt jotka pitää näitä 50-luvun laulu juttuja maassa.. kun lauletaan.. miksen anna albumille enemmän tähtösiä.. 50 luvun jazzeille ja mussiikkille.. ENSIMMÄINEN SYY: paska laatu. Noh se ei täyty tässä, on oikein hyvä fideliteetti heh.. Toinen syy: Jokin asia jää vaivaamaan/ärsyttävältä kuullostaapi.. RASITTAVA.. noh ei tässä rasita 50-luvun metkailut.... on easy listening.. Kolmas syy: tunnetta ei kaiveta esille albumin avulla vaan biisien.. paha virhe... tässä hieman omgelmana.. Tämä on myös kokoelma, eli periaatteessa kappaleiden järjestyksellä ja valinnoilla voidaan luoda tunnelmaa. Noh.. ei tässä ole kappaleiden välillä hirveästi koheesioita.. Kappaleet kuitenkin luovat hyvän tunnelman. Tähän tunnelmaan voi uppoutua varsinkin albumin keskiosassa. Ensimmäinen ja viimeinen biisi ollaan valittu hyvin, se on tärkeää mutta ei kyllä nyt siinäkään erityistä kiittelyä.. niinkuin sanoin kokoelma kyseessä...

It was fine but I've heard better from Ella

Wow that was amazing, the sheer length is all that brings it down from a 5.

Combine two of the greatest and most talented American jazz artists who ever lived, Ella Fitzgerald and George Gershwin, and you get this masterpiece of an album. I used to listen to Ella all the time but hadn't enjoyed her sparkling voice on these new cans yet so thanks for that!

Heerlijk wat is ze goed hea. Toch niet helemaal mijn muziek denk ik, want ik luister het bijna nooit

Altijd beetje in twijfel, ik vind haar extreem goed maar soms ook echt totaal niet. Ligt voornamelijk aan de samenstelling en ik ben over het algemeen geen fan van big band en viool sounds, zoals hier op ieder nummer te horen.

Prachtig. Transporteert je naar een andere tijd met vioolspel en Ella's stem. Vooral de nummers die iets meer up-tempo zijn, spreken me aan.

Lekkere stem, en hele gemoedelijke muziek.

Mooie stem, mooie muziek. Nog een keer wel beter de kans geven

Beautiful voice, it has a Christmasy sound to it. If I pretend like it’s Christmas I give it a 4/5

I have to admit: I found this album very boring. Perhaps great music "objectively speaking", but nevertheless - this was boring!

Yeah… I was bored with the shortened “best of” version, I get that Ella Fitzgerald and George/Ira Gershwin are both really important from a historical perspective and I don’t think the songs are bad but it’s just not really the type of thing that I went in for. It does deserve a place on the book though and it’s alright so 3/5?

pre-motown female singer sounds like she made Christmas songs

While I should have been bored by the three hour and fourteen minute album, this was nothing but great music throughout. Wonderful album.

fantastic voice but lost me after just a few songs. If I was in the mood maybe. 2.5/3

Meer dan drie uur van dit spul is echt te veel. Deze nummers zijn allemaal zowat honderd jaar oud, en de houdbaarheidsdatum is nu wel verstreken. Het ligt niet aan de zangeres of het orkest, maar puur qua tekst, compositie en arrangement werken de nummers op de zenuwen. Die zoetige blijheid met belegen grapjes, dat pruimen we tegenwoordig niet meer. Enkel de melancholie ('Somebody from somewhere' en dergelijke) komt nog over.

Ella zingt bijzonder zuiver en muzikaal correct. Knap, maar dat brave geluid prikkelt mij niet. Het is vooral prima voor op de achtergrond. Kom ik nog goed weg. Via de Spotify-link kreeg ik de compilatie. Ik begreep dat anderen de volledige 3-uur+ versie voor hun plaat kregen. Dat lijkt mij toch wel veel superzoete, ouderwetse zang. Drie kwartier is een prima lengte.

Jazzy crooner, afgewisseld met vrolijke latin. Begeleid door orkestmuziek dat zo bij een zwart wit kerstfilm kan. Het doet me ook denken aan dat je bij een gedistingeerd restaurant gaat dineren in de jaren 50, waar iemand staat op te treden tijdens het hoofdmaal. Ik moet zeggen, het is eigenlijk best wel ok. Uiteraard behoorlijk gedateerd. En een album van meer dan 3 uur slaat nergens op, zet dan gewoon een best of erop ofzo.

I like it!

Never heard this specific album before, but definitely heard these songs from various other artists. Rating this based on Ella’s voice alone rather on the merits of this 59 song compilation (which the site didn’t properly link). She could sing a song about anything and make it sound effortless and her own. A great singer is a master of tone, tempo, pitch and phrasing and Ella hits them all. Knocking one star off because hard to compare a compilation against other true albums.

Ella's voice is fantastic, the sound quality on the recording is seriously impressive considering the time period, and the songs are well composed and varied. To be honest, it's a lot to take in at once, especially for a modern listener, but for someone approaching this project from an academic/historic perspective, this record is a must. "Slap That Bass" was my favorite here. Three potatoes, or is it potatohs out of 5. 🥔🥔🥔

A great showcase of her amazing voice and charisma. My only knock is that these songs have been done a million times. But I suppose that's in part due to these recordings.

I only listened to "The Very Best of The Gershwin Song Book" and that's all I needed to hear.

Real good and I want to like it more, but felt a little like "going through the motions" with the choice of songs here. Maybe because I've heard them so often. It's a 3 for listening but 4 for legacy/talent so I will round up.

Not a huge fan of jazz vocalists

Bit slow.

The type of music that deserves 5 stars. Perfect voice, beautiful orchestration. Timeless

Amazing voice

First of all, this isn’t an album, it’s a “best of.” Second of all, this isn’t the best of either Ella or Gershwin.

Ella Fitzgerald er eins og Pavarotti, idealtýpa söng á ákveðinni tónlist. Ég get einfaldlega ekki ímyndað mér jazz án Ellu. Þetta samansafn inniheldu einu "réttu" túlkunina á þessum lögum. Mörg eru óborganleg, en þó ekki öll jafn eftirminnileg.

I expected to like this more.

Bellino, rilassante. Non lo riascolterei però..

Is it me, or is it nearly impossible not to be happy when you listen to this woman sing...? Except then if you think about how she's dead now and all of that.. that's kinda a buzz kill.

Several of the albums I’m catching up on this week feature the Great American Songbook. It’s quite a snapshot and artifact of mid-century American culture. But likely no one sang better than Ella Fitzgerald. I could have done without the first two instrumentals and gotten right to Fitzgerald’s voice, but after that it was pretty sublime, if not something I’d often listen to.

I would listen to Ella sing the phone book. While I wish there were more upbeat, jazzy tunes here, it's still such lush listening.

Songbook, phonebook, sing anything you want Ella, I will listen.

I love, love, LOVE Ella Fitzgerald’s voice. I could listen to her recite, in a singing voice, all the junk emails I get, announce play-by-play of waiting in queues at the airport on a holiday during a winter storm delay, or even take lead on Wilco’s Being There. So soothing. I don’t want to go over the top, but her voice may very well be my favorite in music. The other contenders from the first 493 albums would be would be Aretha Franklin, Mariam Makeba, Adele, and Joni Mitchell. My favorite multi-vocals are Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young though. Those harmonies do me in. But favorite solo voice? Ella and Adele lead the way. I could do without the instrumental pieces on this album. I’m confused as to why they are on an Ella Fitzgerald album. Regardless, this album is a home run, all 3 hours of it.

Easy-listening. Relaxing. Sounds like something that could have influenced Norah Jones. But I'd rather listen to her. Or Otis Redding. Her pronunciation of some words slightly irked me. But for sure feels like the "sound of an era". Something quite defining. Just not for me.

Great stuff, fit the rainy day I had

it's just 59 songs by Ella Fitzgerald. not an album/5

A beaut of a collection of beaut songs

Unsure if this was supposed to be the entire Songbook as the text says, or just the Greatest Hits as the picture showed. Luckily, I love Ella, so I was perfectly happy to listen to the entire book. I tend to prefer my jazz without vocals, but I'll ALWAYS make an exception for Ella. She and her velvety voice are perfect.

Magnifiques histoires. Ambiance réconfortante. Chargé émotivement. Très cinématographique par moments.

The combination of Ella's vocals and the arrangements is perfect.

This is hardly an album but more of a curiosity and a truly great collection reflecting the American song tradition. I don't really care for the instrumental intro (or outro depending on track order), but as soon as Ella's familiar voice kicks in, everything settles into place. For most of the songs it's difficult to even imagine the renditions of anyone else. Her voice is smooth as silk and contains an incredible tenderness ('Embracable You'). My favorite tracks was 'The Real American Folk Song' with a captivating melody and a build up allowing Ella to show her full range from whispering to thundering.

Did I really need 3 hours of Ella Fitzgerald on a Thursday night? Apparently, yes.

first listen every Ella album is an instant classic

Amazing, wonderful, absolute slay from front to back

She has an absolutely beautiful voice and I appreciate the talent that went into this album, but the style of music isn't for me.

These song have stood the test of time for a reason. Amazing collection of songs sung by an amazing voice.

A fine album, to be sure, but there's way more to Ella Fitzgerald than this album seems to showcase.

New to me. First impression: is this really supposed to be a 3+ hour album? *checks* Yep - the original album was indeed a 5LP + 1EP box set. It's not a compilation either - a legit album. Ambitions be applauded. In the end the three hour runtime wasn't as much of a slog as I had worried it would be. The performances and arrangements aren't unengaging, even if I don't necessarily have an appreciation for vocal jazz. Generally I'm enjoying the songs with the more playful and bombastic sounding backing arrangements and I probably would have enjoyed this more had it been a more concise collection of those songs. I feel like "But Not for Me" as a title describes how I feel about this album. It's good, and I can see why this is a significant album and I'm glad to have listened, but it's something I feel like I'll have any need to go back to. One thing that does surprise me: the sound quality. I can't say I listen to many albums from this period, and I'm so used to early 60's pop albums (the beatles, pf, etc) having wild stereo effects that hearing a natural sounding stereo field on a record from 1959 was a pleasant surprise. Standout tracks: Let's Call The Whole Thing Off, Just Another Rhumba, He Loves and She Loves, You've Got What Gets Me, Clap Yo' Hands tentative rank: 2.5/5 (probably worth noting that I'm ranking these based on my personal level of enjoyment. I feel like every album on this list has to be notable enough to be a five star album on some metric, so a low score is not necessarily a negative judgement).

While excellent, not what I was expecting. Album was extremely long and requires more attention than I had time to really put into it.

Ella has an amazing voice, the writing of the Gershiwns I'd fantastic, and the band is great. But 3 hours is a long time, by the end I felt like a recording engineer on his 5th pack of the day aching to get the session over with, with no care for how the rakes were. Fantastic music, but the wrong way to listen in the modern world.

Reminds me of old fashioned movies. Lots of swing.

Not really my thing. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Don’t like the big band light jazz.

Disclaimer: I didn't finish the album. It's so long... I listened to a good amount of it though, and I feel confident rating it. It's good. I like this kind of music, even if it doesn't always grab me. My favourite songs were That Certain Feeling and The Great American Folk Song.

Picturing myself in a dimly lit jazz cocktail lounge with a dirty martini in my hand......

Ella has such an incredible voice. 4.7

Makes me wish it was raining and I was curled up with a good book

Ok, so, it's a three album listen. I did quite well and made it well over an hour before I realised, but, well, it's a bit niche. Part of the hour I forgot it was on. I did think it was ok, but it reminded me of wallpaper. It's nice to have on in a room, but it's quite hard to get excited by it. I don't dislike it, but, I'd be ok if the wall was painted too. I reckon that if pop music is like super fresco, then this is more like a William Morris wallpaper. Some people get very enthusiastic about William Morris wallpaper, like the national trust, they like it, I reckon some of them would enjoy this. Could be worse, it could be wood chip, like most jazz music.

An icon, but this album was a miss for me

Noen fine klassikere, en del kjedelige sanger. Jeg er ikke en av de som har forstått Gershwins geni

It’s great. It’s too much. It isn’t really an album.

Her voice is great, don't get me wrong, but this all sounds the same, and that's over three hours of all the same. That's ridiculous, and the fact that this is a compilation hurts it more. Lots of songs where words are rhymed by adding "-a" at the end, and that was annoying. Just an annoyed experience, overall, and her voice saves it from the dreaded one star.

Some of the best songs ever written, sung by one of the best ever singers.

I confess I did not listen to the full 3 hour version, but to the "best of" version. That said, I did grow up hearing the whole set of this (as well as the Cole Porter Songbook). Ella's versions of these songs are so iconic that to me they are the definitive versions of Gershwin's work. While this is very very long, and I'm not sure I would ever listen to it all in a sitting, it absolutely deserves its place on this list and Ella's voice is just pristine. Can't give Ella less than 5/5, ever.

This album is pretty good. Ella Fitzgerald has got a really great voice, and the backing band is good. By the end of the album, the songs started blurring together for me, but I like the songs enough that it didn't bother me too much. 3.5/5 Favorite song: I Got Rhythm Worst song: Embraceable You

2/6/23 4/5 Favorite song: ‘S Wonderful I wish I was in a jazz club listening to the album because this woman is unparalleled

Ella is the epitome of classy music. This album reminded me of the movies I’d watch with my dad on TCM as a kid.

Yani kötü değil, ama benim için aşırı notable da değil. Bıraksan bütün albüm tek şarkıymış gibi dinlenir. Tarzının en iyilerinden mi evet, benim tarzım mı pek değil. Verdiği nostaljik his çok comforting aslında ama nostaljinin önüne geçemiyor hani döneminde kitlenmiş şarkılar bi tık

6.5/10 It felt like a soundtrack of an old Disney cartoon, where they kinda showed the emotions of characters via music... Overall, I enjoyed her voice and the tracks but they all fel tlike the same, like the melodies, the lyrics feel the same and since there is nothing really unique about those times' music it was a little bit boring. As for background music while cooking or doing something like that, these songs would be great.

8/10 unsure whether we're meant to listen to the "Very Best of" album that the spotify link takes you to, or the whole damn thing that the Wikipedia link suggests. as I'm already behind on albums, I went with the shorter one and was not disappointed. I've always been a big Ella fan, and this was a great selection of tracks. Still, I wonder why Dimery and co. decided to break the general no-compilations rule for this, when Ella has plenty of great studio albums.

8/10. She really did just decide to sing every song. Very long to listen to in full, but great music.

It’s generally very pretty but over 3 hours is an insane length for this list and there was a lot of crackling noises throughout that threw me off. 6/10

Her voice is amazing and the album is relaxing while being interesting.

Mooy bueno, no sé s me mata tanto ella para una tarde de hacer cosas o trabajar.

So, it's pretty hard to say anything at all bad about Ella. Or Ira, for that matter.

The great American songbook. Ella's voice is awesome. The songs are iconic. It's really great.

Listening to a three hour album is outside of my interest for this genre of music. That being said, Ella has a voice that is transcendent. I love her sound. I wish she could have been free to sing her heart out without the cultural constraints of her time.

I am so thankful for this 1001 album project for the way it’s got me listening to Ella Fitzgerald.

How can this be anything other than a 5?

The compositions are timeless. The arrangements and definitely the tempos are a little disappointing. But we're not kidding anyone. The First Lady owns everything she touches. It's not her best and leaves out her improvisational whiz, but it's way above anyone else...

Beautiful, classic, timeless.

Really rather good, its Ella, whats not to like?

Nice enough, but christ I couldn't listen to 3.25 hours of this

Classic songs, beautiful voice

Beautiful arrangements by Nelson Riddle, and Ella's vice is superb. However, an abridged version is recommended for listeners of this 1001 exercise - after the second hour I was seriously thinking of what else I could be listening to.

Great album

Ella Fitzgerald’s voice is expressive, and the big band piano, horns and saxophones of this album are comfort in times of confusion and anxiety. A simpler time is remembered and enjoyed through this recording.

Jazz del de antes.

Jazz del de antes y vinilo para ahora

Tulee juhlat mieleen. Rakkaus on suurta. Leffamusiikkia. Ajankuvaa.

Ei vituta samalla tavalla kuin instrumentaalijazz. Kuulostaa jopa ihan hyvältä. Ymmärtäisin melkein minkä vain arvosanan, siis harrastelijoilta - ihmisiltä jotka ovat kuunnelleet kolme tunnin levyn useaan kertaan.

It’s really incredible how her voice is both traditionally beautiful but has such a similar tone to a clarinet that it doubles as instrumental as well. Best of the best

Incredible vocals and I loved the lyrics

Amazing voice and interpretation of a beautiful album.

Bored after a bit

The 1001 albums generator linked me to The Very Best Of The Gershwin Songbook, so that is the album that I listened to. I may at some point give a listen to the full three-hour album but I don't have the time to sit down with that in its entirety currently, and I'm sure The Very Best Of provides a good enough highlights compilation. This was very smooth, warm and soothing, and provided a great cooking soundtrack on a cold and gloomy winter evening. Really felt like all my worries washed away for a while. Not sure I'd listen to it day-to-day, but it really was quite beautiful. Favourite: Fascinating Rhythm

Love Ella

I bet I will like this: her Cole Porter songbook is one of my absolute favorites.

This album is 3 hours and 14 minutes long. However, the full version doesn't appear to available without buying physical media, and that is a bit too much of a commitment in this day and age. I therefore had to content myself with 45 minute "The Very Best of the Gershwin Songbook" on Spotify. I'd never heard of George and Ira Gershwin before this, but their songwriting talents are a match for Ela Fitzgerald's jazz vocal talents. A really enjoyable, chilled, classic listen which transports you back to the golden age of the silver screen. Easy glamour. I liked it a lot. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: A Foggy Day Date listened: 02/01/23

Didn't expect to vibe this as much, but I do! Thinking about adding it to my library.

Solid Album

Love the mood, Love the voice. Great vibes.

With all due respect to the legendary Ella Fitzgerald, I don’t have the time or patience to listen to a three and a half hour box set of Gershwin songs. I’m not gonna sit here and say, “oh my god, this is so amazing. What a landmark record”, just because Ella Fitzgerald is a legend. I hated this record. This type of music bores the ever-loving shit out of me. The truth is, I’ve got about 40 minutes of tolerance for most music that was recorded before 1965. I know, I’m a horrible close minded human being; the poster boy for everything that’s wrong with modern society. I see the value in it, I can appreciate Fitzgerald’s talent…she has an absolutely beautiful voice and the arrangements are wonderful. In short bursts, it’s kind of enjoyable to me. After about 10 songs, though, it becomes torturous. Is it a bad record because of that? No, certainly not. I’m not anywhere near that narcissistic. This just isn’t for me. I wish I could like music like this, I wish I could see what other people see in it. I wish I could put this on, have a cup of coffee and do the Sunday NYT crossword puzzle without my skeleton attempting to separate from my flesh. I did learn one thing listening to this record, though. The “po-tay-to / po-tah-to” song was written by Gershwin…Saving that in the old memory bank for trivia night. Because I made no attempt to finish this collection, I’m defaulting to site consensus on this. The site ranks it a 3.62, so I’ll give it a 3.

I love Ella - she has a classic, generational voice. Gershwin was a great composer. But - I don’t have 3+ hours to listen to this. I assume it’s awesome.

Varmasti leffa- ja pelimusana varsin hyvin toimivaa, mutta konttorilla bittiä nikkaroidessa jää vaisuksi.

Tyylikäs big band-kokonaisuus. Tasainen laatu varmisti pari tuntia nautinnollisia hetkiä

Ella Fitzgerald is recognized the world over as "The First Lady of Song". She is a jazz vocalist with a phenomenal and powerful voice. Her scatting ability is awesome! This is a monolithic album (the longest on this 1001 album generator, I believe) coming in at 3 hours, 14 minutes, and consisting of 59 songs. The Spotify link in the album generator links to the "Best of the Gershwin Song Book", which is a slimmed down 12 song, 45 minute listen. I, however, opted to listen to the full album, because that is what the 1001 albums book is referring to. Even though this is a huge undertaking of a listen, I enjoyed it all the same. I listened in sections throughout the day, instead of cover to cover, all at once. I think this made it better, because 3 hrs straight of jazz is a lot to digest. This is perfect coffee house jazz, and reminds me a lot of "Fallout" music, which is the best part of that game series. The last 6 songs are just instrumental numbers by Nelson Riddle, and they aren't as good as the music that contains Ella's voice. Not bad, they sound a lot like Disney movie or Looney Tunes instrumental numbers, just not as powerful as the rest or the album. Bernard Buffet created the artwork for the 5 original LP's that made up the original release. Based on the piece of artwork I saw, Bernard did poor Ella dirty. What a homely painting. Overall, a great listen. I suggest giving the full record a try, and breaking it up like I did. There are a lot of gems contained on the full record, that didn't make it to the "best of" compilation. Favourite songs: The Real American Folk Song, Things Are Looking Up, Nice Work if You Can Get It, Let's Call The Whole Thing Off, 'S Wonderful, My Cousin in Milwaukee, The Half of It Dearie Blues, Boy What Love Has Done to Me, Lorelei, I Got Rhythm Least favourite songs: A Foggy Day, Somebody from Somewhere, Just Another Rhumba, Sam and Delilah, Embraceable You 3/5

The Greschwin's music is incredibly iconic to a whole generation of people but unfortunately 1920's and 30's music like this hasn't aged particularly well. Everything from the sentiment to the references to the music itself just screams old fashioned and outdated. Which is a shame because there is obviously a lot of skill that went into writing these songs and Ella Fitzgerald does a find job performing these. But I just cant get into them. I'm chalking this one down as a "not for me".

The best singer in this genre, her voice is amazing, but it's not the sort of music I listen to casually so not a 5.

Beautiful voice, but almost every song sounds the same as the choices are all on the maudlin side.

Apparently there are multiple versions of this album with some being 3 hours long. I instead listened to the 1hour version and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. She's got a lovely voice and I found the whole thing quite pleasant. Highlights: Sam and Delilah Lets Call The Whole Thing Off Nice Work If You Can Get It

Not really for me but I didn't really dislike it as a whole. Some of it sounds as if it would fit in a fallout game.

Her voice is silky smooth. I don’t like big band style music, I won’t be ver return to this but I will say I didn’t dislike it as much as I thought I would. I’ll give a 3 to this, she has a 5 star voice but this music ain’t it. 3 stars

Lovely songs. Amazing voice. Textbook. Didn’t get a chance to listen to all 3 hours, but will return for the rest.

Nice enjoyable Jazz

Very chill record. What a voice

Wonderful. Beautiful. Will listen to more of her

Beautiful singing of some classic songs. As expected!

I honestly didn't know much of Gershwin besides the Rhapsody In Blue. That's amazing and Fitzgerald just makes it better. I think that just Ella singing would have conquered me. And also just Gershwin sung by someone else. So that's a jackpot

she sings nice and the music reminds me of a movie with snow outside and and the cozy warmth of inside but its not in my taste for regular listening

Ella's voice is, quite frankly amazing. Gershwin's songs are amazing. Sure, the whole of this album is twee and predictable, but that's because this has set the standard by which it is judged. It is the alpha to a vast array of artists and performers, and the inspiration for music way beyond what's on this platter. Unashamed in its commerciality, this is probably the epitome of crowd-pleasing musical standards.

Good Christmas Jolly without being explicit

Smoooooth voice.

they all laughed when chirsopherf columbus said the world was round.. hyvä lyric.. kaksi kolmasosaa albumista ollaan tosiaan kullin perässä, lyriikat tosiaan aivan vitun päätä TURRUTTAVA you like bananas i like bananas? mitä vittua muija selittää... sentää osaa laulaa kultakurkku... ja tausta bändi tekee parhaansa... ja kehtas loppuun tehä gamecrash KERNEL POWER kombinaatio HAISTA ELLA PASKA!! ps ilmeisesti versio minkä kuuntelin on 40min ja oikea album 3 tuntia no se on voi voi they all laughed..

I definitely didn’t give this album the proper listen it deserved, and it probably should be a 5 star review, but after so long all the songs started to blend together. Ella has a beautiful voice, and the production was great. Maybe one day I’ll have the time to sit and really listen to this one.

It's Ella. How can you go wrong? Even if you don't like jazz, there's plenty here to enjoy.

Pretty long album, but I’ll revisit

Ella Fitzgerald is one of the best voices of all time