The Gershwin Songbook

I was only presented with the Ella Fitzgerald "best of" album, but the full song book version. She's got such an amazing voice, and each track was just beautiful.

I didn't listen to the 3-hour version, but the shorter 57 minute version. While not the kind of music I would ever choose, it was like listening to a warm hug on Christmas and I enjoyed my brief time with this album. The woman could sing!

Would have been 5 stars if it hadn't been over 3 hours long - so many terrific songs, but they all just run together at this length. Standouts I'd never heard before: A Foggy Day, Stiff Upper Lip, I've Got a Crush on You, Treat Me Rough, Slap that Bass

Very sweet.

Ella's voice just makes you want to grab someone special and sway.

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.

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

Fantastic

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

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.

Brand new, nice change

Love her

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

What a voice! Classics on here.

Very soothing, relaxing, sound.

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.

It was beautiful with some great arrangments.

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

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.

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.

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.

8/10

Nice jazzy album smooth, great choice for a Sunday morning

-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

Lovely if a little boring.

Beautiful album!

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.

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

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.

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

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. 

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.

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

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.

-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.

Nao eh o meu estilo mas da pra apreciar

Beautiful soul

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.

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.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.

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

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.

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

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”.

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 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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Amazing voice

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.

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.

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

Great stuff, fit the rainy day I had

A beaut of a collection of beaut songs

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Beautiful, classic, timeless.

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.

Amazing voice and interpretation of a beautiful album.

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.

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.

Very chill record. What a voice

Wonderful. Beautiful. Will listen to more of her

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.

Ella Fitzgerald is one of the best voices of all time

Just pretty straight up decent

4.0/5 The Gershwin’s write smart, playful and inventive lyrics. This is not my favorite collection of Ella songs, but her voice is a knockout. Standout Track: Nice Work if You Can Get It is a classic but Fascinating Rhythm was a hit for me that I was unfamiliar with

Dude! I was so happy with myself for catching up and actually listening to this album on the day it came out. Nope - apparently I'm still behind. But what's to say - this is good stuff. Reminds me of Christmas and Meg Ryan, as these albums tend to do, but no complaints here.

Nice, beautiful, pleasant music.

Très doux à mes oreilles

l’automne peut démarrer

Such a good album. Ella Fitzgerald is a relatable queen in her quest for true love. Standout tracks: I Got Rhythm, Nice Work If You Can Get It, The Man I Love, A Foggy Day, 'S Wonderful

Great

Didn’t listen to all of this but I love Ella

With 3 hours of music, it's inevitably a mixed bag. The constant being Ella's unimpeachable legendary voice, and the jazz orchestra always on point. I'm more than happy to stick some Ella on from time to time. Some of the songs though. Treat me Rough? Clenched teeth emoji. But the gems are worth wading through this. Love is Here To Stay. Embraceable You. Boy What Love has done. I'd pick more out if I were in a better mood. You kind of still should listen to the whole thing, as it's a historical document. It'll keep you warm in the winter.

Reminds me of Christmas

What a great voice and good songs

My first ever album in this project and a real joy. Beautiful singing and some songs I'd not heard before. Would listen again with parents. Best song: They Can't Take That Away From Me

One of the greatest singers performing songs from one of the greatest songwriters. What could possibly be wrong.

That is a _lot_ of Ella Fitzgerald. She has a lovely voice so it wasn't exactly a trial, though I dare say my concentration wandered towards the end there. Fave track - I've been making my way through some massive history of jazz boxsets called "That Devillin' Tune" so I've heard quite a few different versions of "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and Ella's version is absolutely sublime. I also enjoyed all the deliberate mispronunciations in "Just Another Rhumba". 🤣

A classic album that I haven't listened to since probably college ('03)... it feels like home- all warm and cozy with my favorite soft blanket. The Ella and Gershwin(s) combo is legendary and an inspiration.

Great album, classic style with a timeless feeling

Pure class

Beautiful voice. Reminded me of Fallout. Didn't know about her vast discography. I really enjoyed becoming familiar with Ella.

Luke's mom turned me on to Ella and I have become a fan. Her voice is beautiful (so is Luke's mom!!) and her songs seem to take you back in time. Think she would have been a wonderful experience to see live. Nothing to dislike from beginning to end. Favorites Someone to watch over me, Embraceable you and Love is here to stay. But I really did enjoy all songs. Solid 4. Would and will listen to again!! Probably with Luke's beautiful momma.

4 I haven't listened to much Ella Fitzgerald before, but clearly I need to listen to more - she has an incredible voice, and her music oozes oldies charm. This record makes me want to host a cocktail party just so I can put it on... and also play Fallout. An incredibly pleasant listen. Probably wouldn't enter a regular rotation with me, but will definitely be played again. Favorite songs: I Got Rhythm, The Man I Love, Love is Here to Stay

Loved the album. Not really my music but nice to listen to!

Ella Fitzgerald is special to me. It reminds me of my grandmother. This is a very dear to my heart. I am so elated this is the first album that was recommended to me. Let's see how much I like it 8/10 solid album

Fijn om naar te luisteren

real american folk song is amazing

Great voice. Love the songs with Louis Armstrong quite the contrast in voices. Lyrics can be pretty boring sometimes.

Ella Fitzgerald has an amazing voice, it's a little slow for me, and not really my thing, but her voice is incredible.

I listened to the 12-song version. The original album has 59 tracks, which seems to go against the spirit of this project - appreciating an album as a cohesive piece of art. Nobody buys the Gershwin songbook to sit down and listen to it for three and a half hours straight. Anyway, I have a deep appreciation for both Ella Fitzgerald and the Gershwins, and this was a great listen. Best track: 'S Wonderful

after listening to the shortened version of this album, i knew i had to listen to the full version, despite its length at four (!) hours (!!!). the time i had to devote to this album was absolutely worth it. it was beautiful from start to finish. some credit goes to both gershwins for their songs that remain classics to this day. some credit goes to nelson riddle for his excellent arranging. and a lot of credit goes to fitzgerald. her voice! i cannot begin to describe it. she brought so much emotion to each and every recording so all pack quite a punch. (unsurprisingly, fitzgerald won a grammy for "but not for me.") i adore jazz and i enjoy gershwins' songs, so of course this album was going to be super enjoyable for me. but i wasn't prepared for how amazing ella fitzgerald sounded. her voice is what makes this album a classic.

This voice is very impressive

Very similar to Frank Sinatra but her lyrics are so clear and crisp. Plus her ability to scat and play around the background music is so amazing.

Felt like Christmas

<3 Ella Zeer mooie liedjes, ik miste wel wat samengang in het album. Van sommige liedjes vond ik de versie met Louis beter, mogelijks omdat ik die gewoon ben.

What a voice! All the songs sound about a hundred years old, which is fair enough, because they are. Very catchy, very enjoyable, very good

Gorgeous! My dad’s a fan, listened to it years ago.

very lovely and cute songs. I love Ella, such a powerful and amazing woman.

69 love songs? More like 59 love songs. Pertaining to this being more of a box-set than an album, it’s massive size makes listening front-to-back an absolute trek. The kicker is that it’s a trek through wonderful versions of timeless tunes Ps. To all the slackers who only listened to best-of version: Your loss

Trevligt att lyssna på!

Ella is the greatest!

Great songs, great voice. Can’t go wrong

I mean... come on... Classic songs by Ella Fitzgerald, easy to listen to over and over.

Genre: Vocal Jazz 4/5 Nobody can do it quite like Ella. In what is essentially a 3-hour onslaught, Ella Fitzgerald flexes her vocal muscles on 46 different standards, all composed by the late great Gershwin brothers (George and Ira), and manages to stay entertaining throughout the entire length of the album. Themes of romance and passion flirt with themes of floor dancing and music-loving, as us listeners embark on a near-completete look into the Gershwin catalogue, beautifully performed by the backing bands at hand, as well as the incomporable Ella. While there aren't any true standouts or knockout punches, the entire setlist unfolds in front of us with true orchestral perfection. Ella's mezzo-soprano takes us on emotional journeys on nearly every cut here in a full showcase of vocal prowess. It's quite hard to imagine perfectly performing this many songs, vocally or instrumentally, but they all do the damn thing. No studio manipulation, just raw musicality, and it's pretty impressive considering the length of the final product just how entertaining it all is. This might not be an album you listen to front-to-back, but, personally, any of these tunes fit perfectly on any calm, relaxing evening in. Ella's voice effortlessly carries you away as you listen, providing you a brief glimpse into a bygone era, while also providing listeners a top-notch auditory experience. Good shit.

It's hard to imagine Ella Fitzgerald putting out a bad album because of how exquisite her instrument was, and this album certainly meets her usual standard. I'm not a huge fan of this type of music, but she is undeniable as a vocalist. Well worth the listen 4/5

I’m usually not used to Jazz and pre-70s music but this album is the great exception! the sound and vocals make me feel in heaven… it’s relaxing yet so fun to listen to I’LL DEFO LISTEN TO IT AGAIN

Very good

Beautiful voice, easy listening album.

Such a fantastic voice.... She really brought these beautiful songs to life

Under the arrangement of the masterful Nelson Riddle, and sung by the OD (original diva) Ella Fitzgerald, 'The Gershwin Songbook' flourishes. There’s a little bit of everything here: the wistful tune of ‘But Not For Me,’ the playful innocence of ‘Nice Work If You Can Get It,’ the stylish blues of ‘Love Is Here To Stay,’ the big band boom and creative polyrhythmic meter of ‘Fascinating Rhythm,’ with Ms. Fitzgerald effortlessly maneuvering all the required syncopation (she can do this in her sleep, folks), and even introducing us to a little lingo from the 1950’s in the lyric ‘I’m always shaking just like a flivver!’ A flivver is a cheap car (or plane) in a bad condition, like the AMC Gremlin I used to drive in high school, which shook at any speed over 50 mph. Apparently, the Gershwins were inspired by the energy of Manhattan in their composition of ‘Fascinating Rhythm.’ Most of the songs, though, are about romantic love- dreaming about it, longing for it, the joy of discovering it, the sorrow of losing it. Love is ‘the best work of all, if you can get it.’ (‘Nice Work If You Can Get It’) ‘And you can get it if you try… and if you can get it, won’t you tell me how?!’ Ella Fitzgerald is known and revered for her ability to scat up a storm, but we are mostly treated on The Gershwin Songbook to her silky, smooth as buttermilk vocals, perfectly suited to the intimate mood of these songs. However, we also get mirthful Ella on ‘They All Laughed’ (at our love), ‘But, ho, ho, ho! Who’s got the last laugh now?!’ and even seductress Ella on ‘Lorelei,’ where she sings ‘I’m treacherous. I just can’t hold myself in check. I’m lecherous. I want to bite my initials on a sailor’s neck.’ No need to fear, though. Ella’s bite is more of a delicious nibble than a devouring nosh. Nelson Riddle’s orchestral arrangements throughout are simply exquisite. From the gorgeously plaintive rise of the final verse and conclusion of ‘The Man I Love’ to the bluesy horn work on ‘Love Is Here To Stay,’ or just something as simple, yet effective, as the playful fluttering of a flute on ‘Nice Work If You Can Get It,’ Riddle manages to capture whatever lyrical mood the Gershwin’s are putting down, and shows the expert restraint that compliments and enhances rather than interferes with the performance of the song. 'The Gershwin Songbook' is a wonderfully ambitious collaborative exercise. It was a joy to listen to, but also left me a bit sorrowful. For I was born in the summer of 1959, six months before its release, and these songs clearly reveal the cultural loss of innocence that has transpired in my lifetime. Not to get too maudlin, but I fear that we might never again hear lyrics like these: ‘Someday he’ll come along, the man I love. And he’ll be big and strong, the man I love… Maybe I shall meet him Sunday, maybe Monday, maybe not. Still, I’m sure to meet him one day. Maybe Tuesday will be my good news day. He’ll build a little home that’s meant for two from which I’ll never roam. Who would, would you? And so, all else above, I’m dreaming of the man I love.’

I don't particularly care for jazz vocals, but if you must listen to it, this is it.

Fav songs: I got rhythm, nice work if you can get it, love is here to stay

Just lovely

Ella Fitzgerald's American Sonbook album are something special, and the Gershwin one is the best of the bunch. Nelson Riddle's lush, yet melancholic orchestration paired with Ella's remarkable voice make for an unmissable album. 4/5

She's a legend... but I'd only ever listened to one or two songs by her. Incredible voice is undeniable. Not my genre of choice, however. Listened to 'The Very Best Of', not the huge version. They are all enjoyable songs to listen to. Her voice is spectacular and carried me through the songs easily with no complaints. Songs could be quite repetitive. Overall: wonderful voice, good songs. Not something I'd listen to again, though. Favs: I Got Rhythm, Embraceable You, Someone To Watch Over Me Initial rating: 4/5

Not 100% sure I listened to the right album. Not to worry as that was a couple of hours of exquisite jazz sing by an angel.

Quite lovely vocal jazz. Songs are fun, if standards, I am really on a 3.5 but it is Friday.

Great stuff. Could see how it wouldn't be for everyone as it obviously leans in a jazz and showtimes sort of direction but I thought it was great

I like Ella Fitzgerald as much as the next man but three hours night be pushing it.

I could not stop listening to this even though some of the songs are kind of dated. Just love that voice.

Great singer, recognized some of the songs. I don't totally get the hype around Gershwin but that's okay!

Beautiful voice, relaxing

Wonderful album. Didn't have my favourites from Ella but I love jazz and love Ella. Relaxing, good to have on white you're working. Favourite songs: Oh, Lady Be Good, Embraceable You, 'S Wonderful

Iconic, and probably should be a 5-star album for that reason alone. But just this side of too sleepy for me.

Classic songs, great voice. The verses on these things are just terrible though! The verse on S'Wonderful made my entire body cringe.

Nice

You can't go wrong with Ella Fitzgerald. However, this actually isn't an album

Didn't listen to the full 4+ hour version, just the best of version. Her voice is beautiful, this is a very warming/comforting album.

Ella, how's your fella? Does he keep you in his cellar? Ella, how's your man? Is he still fisting his nan? Ella, how's your boy? Fucking children with their toys? A little bit of spit never harmed anyone you know. Would you like me to cook you a beef Wellington, Susan? Well, would you? Answer me!

An album that in many ways embodies that time when Bort had spunk all over his face.

Big band songs about love. Good.

Stellar and smooth. Ella has such an amazing voice and though the 5 discs on Apple Music was quite a bit to wade through, it was all enjoyable.

Heard a few songs by her before and liked them, this made me like her even more

Great combination of classic, jazz and pop music. Probably the most complex pop music ever made.

classic music by a great singer

Ainoita laulajia, jotka vois varmaan laulaa vaikka niitä joululauluja ja kuuntelisin. Lumoava ääni. Tässä ehkä vähän "turhat" orkesterisovitukset. Oon tykänny vielä enemmän, kun Ella on jonkun pienen bändin tai vaan pianistin kanssa.

Ella is always a classic!

Chassis! Super Stimmung, Stimme, Arrangement! Top!

Classic. What a voice, magical!

- Fascinating Rythm - Let's Call The Whole Thing Off

it is not easy to find the definitive version of this album

Ella is an absolute legend. Not every song hit, but her talent more than makes up for that.

I love Ella. I love Gershwin. What more is there to say?

Ella Fitzgerald's voice is completely unmatched. She has such a wide range that she freely travels. And yet nothing is overdone, her voice works right along side the music. The instrumental is wonderful as well, the violins help give a very whimsical sound. The songs are very relaxing and pleasant, its hard to be in a bad mood listening to this album. Each individual instrument (and Ella) would sound great even isolated from the rest of the song. When its all brought together it feels like everything just harmonizes. As much as I like this artist, its just not something I could listen to on my personal playlists. The style is just not something id listen to at any time in the real world and it can't fit with the other artists I listen to. Its not just unique, but its out of place outside of its era. 8/10 Incredible talent from everyone involved but its as much as I could give for an album I wont listen to in my own time.

Holy fuck I forgot how much of a voice Ella's GAT. And the music in the background, with all the knowledge of music I've got, is just a lot of fun to listen to. This album definitely feels like it belongs in the 1950s.

Classic

Soft calm, ballet music? She just sings and it doesn't bother.

Classic, good for working or just relax

Una voce incredibile. Atmosfera sognante e rilassata. Grande tecnica e grandissimo amore per la musica. Riesce a far visualizzare un'epoca.

bretty gud

Oh maaaan that was silky smooth. What a voice. I loved the choice of songs, and the direct & uncluttered way she phrases the melodies.

Simple easy to listen

Great collection.... but no WOW

I very likely wouldn’t have listened to this if not for this project, but it was wonderful.

Jazzy chill background music

Ella's voice is amazing and I love Gershwin's compositions so the combination is magical. The songs do start to meld a bit after hour 2, which is why the full album is bumped down from 5 to 4 stars.

Really nice classic vocal jazz and super easy to listen to. Calming in a way. 7/10.

Buttery smooth, cozy. I thought it was going to be repetitive big band, but surprisingly there was a lot of variety. Nice listen on a fall afternoon. Did fade into the background, but it’s nearly perfect.

Nice album. Showcases the voice of Ella

Her voice is superb and I'm not able to do any criticism over it. It could be a crime. The album itself is cool, but a little bit repetitive. It's, at least for me, a real document that deserves appreciation and studies over it, for many reasons. However, for an "innocent" session of good music, I believe that we have many other good albums, including some Ella Fitzgerald works.

oold slow but still nice

Smooooooooth. And what a voice! Felt very calm listening to it :)

Gorgeous album, like whipped cream.

I'm not super well versed in jazz, but I enjoyed this a lot! I don't know how often I'll revisit it, but I'm certainly very glad that I listened to it. Also, I was getting conflicting info on what to listen to, so I listened to "The Very Best of the Gershwin Songbook", just for the record.

I cannot say that I "feel" and "understand" jazz at this moment in my life. But Ella is a genius who brought me a little closer to this understanding. Most liked compositions: Just another rhumba, Sam and Delilah, But not for me, My One and Only, The Man I love, Clap Yo Hands, The Half of it, He loves and She loves

I can appreciate her talent and flawless delivery. Solid 4.4

sounds sweet, really tender stuff, but not very expressy

4/5 Wonderful voice

Super solid. Instrumentation and vocals. Lyrics are rock solid too.

Awesome voice. Don't love song content.

Jazz del de antes.

Overall this album was solid. Ella's voice is great, she was really talented. I just feel like I was getting a little bit bored with the songs by the end of the album. It would be great background / study music though. 4/5 stars.

Very good music. Not a style I would listen too much at all, but it is undoubtably great.

I think this is brilliant, i know many of the songs from differnet versions and artists but ella fitzgerald's phrasing and modulation is unique. I would never have thought that i would ever prefer an artist version over frank sinatra but you cant take that away from me seems to be more natural from ella. Awesome some

Good

What a voice! Not a fan of big band, but beautiful nonetheless.

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: I got rhythm, The man I love, Love is here to stay

Ella is een baas. Goede arrangementen en repertoire. Beetje low energy, maar super goed. Beste tracks: Nice work if you can get it, fascinating rhythm, embraceable you. 4/5

Dinner party, quite morning stirring music. Fan of the slower movements as I’ve never enjoyed the energy of big band arrangements. Was glad to see that the first track was not an indicator for the rest of the album. Lovely, natural reverb on Ella’s voice, especially noticed it on Someone To Watch Over Me. Ok, now the reverb is all I can hear in this album, and I love it. This morning I've gone down a rabbit hole of looking at where this was recorded, Capitol Studio A. Need to listen more closely to the countless albums recorded there.

One of the best voices ever. Lovely tunes.

I listened to the whole (3+hrs) thing, farrout. Production is amazing and arrangements are great but the star of the show is definitely Ella Fitzgerald’s voice. There’s so much here to unpack but it’s a lovely big band suite. Fab tracks: Let’s call the whole thing off, love is here to stay and fascinating rhythm

Ella Fitzgerald- Ella Fitzgerald Sings The George and Ira Gershwin Song Book (1958): Something about Ellas’ voice and the delicate instrumentation and fantastic production of this record really brings to life what I’d think the fifty’s sounded like.

good

There are some gems in here songwriting-wise, but the true marvel is the vocal work. Ella is undoubtedly one of the greats.

It's really good. I never thought I'd like a jazz album that much, I mean, I like jazz and soul, but I had never listened a album full of them and it's really nice

It just sounds so incredibly old. Still, the singing is good, the voice is great. Not something I'd listen to actively, but was a very pleasant background album for working.

Rich classics full of style and quality

Good stuff

Relaxing!

Enjoyable, but very long. 3.5 / 5

Very beautiful

Awesome album. I love a bit of Gershwin so to have Ella sing on top is lovely.

Esta bien, tranquilo, buena música y una voz genial.

Pros: Ella, Diverse Array, Great Instrumentalists Cons: Long, Mind-Numbing = Good tunes to listen to on individual or short burst basis

Love Ella. Not a huge Gershwin fan. But her voice with the music was certainly lovely.

Wonderful

A great collection of massive songs from that era, brought to life by this amazing vocalist.

I absolutely loved her voice, however the album is literally 3 hours long, I'd only use it for background music.

But Not For Me - I’m getting lost in her voice and the instrumentation. simply beautiful to listen to tbh.

Classic 30-40s Jazz. Love it

her voice s’ one of the very bests and these songs make me so calm but happy very romantic <3

magical. old disney vibes

It was very, very nice I felt like it was Christmas

Not my style really but would listen again

Perfect kitchen music

its very long

Based on first hour because three dang hours: I was expecting a lot of fluff with a few iconic recordings but Ella Fitzgerald is a really great and charismatic singer and really makes it a fun listen all the way through. This Aussie gives it four smokos with your grandma out of five.

Great soundtrack to read to

Really beautiful voice and great songs.

You can never go wrong with Ella. Maybe it was a too much to have a really memorable moment, but overall it was a great soothing listen.

This album flowed SO WELL it did not feel like 3 hours of music. Classic, amazing lyrics, so atmospheric and nice. Impossible to choose a favorite song with such a plethora of great tracks. I wonder if all the songbooks are this hype? Only not giving it a 5 as it IS very long, so I was not able to give multiple listens and really delve into it as much as I hoped.

I love Ella! All were great songs, but some more so than others.

Didn't listen to all the songs but the songs I did here were really pretty. Lots of love.

Nice if you're in the mood.

Long but worth it🙏

Classic vibes with soothing vocals

So many classic tunes. Ella Fitzgerald was a cultural icon. I love it so. 4 stars

All the songs I play on piano, with lyrics included! Some of these songs seem like they were made for her to sing

Great talent, but not super stimulating on the day

Very good jazzy background music

Ella had a wonderful voice. The arrangements are sparse, probably to show her off. Nice snow day music. Favorite tracks: "Maybe", "Soon", "But Not for Me"

One of the best voices of all time, but this was a chore to get through. Some fantastic standards, and the session musicians are fantastic. 5/5 for Ella's voice, 4/5 for the studio musicians (real talent, but the music was "beneath" their talents), but this is an absolute never listen to again album just because of its length, so that's a 3/5. Averages out to a 4.

Ridiculously long anything over an hour is too much for an album. What I heard I did like some classic songs on here and her voice is great but may word too long to listen to in its entirity

Ik vond dit oprecht een fijne plaat.

Not my kind of music at all and therefore way, way too long for me to play all the way through. Gave it a go, but managed about four tracks.

4 hours of listening just to rate to 3/5 feels a waste

Great vocals and arrangements as to be expected. But I have to admit I sampled the highlights amongst this monstrous 195 minute compilation that had no business being on this list. A halfhearted 3/5 given to shoo this away. Sorry Ella.

It would be great, if it was 1 or 2 discs max. I listened to it fully over 2 days

3+ hours? C’mon already. I gave it just over one. It definitely has the ability to transport you to a different time and era I’ve only really seen in movies. Close your eyes and it’ll take you back to late 1970s overnights at grandmas house, a fire is one and some black and white likely Christmas movie on the television. I loved that aspect of this journey. But other than that I honestly wouldn’t put this on regularly. Ella Fitzgerald is talented. Gershwin is accomplished. But 3 hours of anything is too much. Some other feelings to express but already done so well by other reviewers - go read those. 3/5 for nostalgia and quality sake.

72 songs? I don’t think so. I listened to about a dozen songs and came away thinking fantastic voice. Some great songwriting and adore Someone to Watch Over Me and Oh Lady Be Good, but too jazzy in a lot of places for me to go the distance.

Wonderful stuff – I love Ella Fitzgerald but this was too much Ella in one sitting for me. 59 tracks!

I’ve heard most of these songs at one time or another. Mostly sung by my Dad whilst he was shaving in the bathroom every morning. He would have liked this album. But for me it provides great memories of him. By chance and not the norm when listening to albums on this list, I streamed the album from Apple Music over my hifi rig. It was a high res quality lossless stream and it sounded amazing. Don’t know if the original 1959 recording was released that good or if it has been remastered. It made the task of “listening to the whole three and a quarter hours” that bit more pleasant. Last sentence I’m being a bit economical with the truth. 3/5 21/9/26

I listened to what I think was 2LPs worth of this. Enjoyed it but I'm not listening to all 3h24m

when i started listening i was like "oh this is lovely!" but after three hours of corny showtunes i think me and ella fitzgerald need a break

I powered through like 3/4ths of this so that's something.

Ella Fitzgerald is amazing, but there is no way I’m listening to six albums in a row of her music.

Way too dang long.

i mean it's just a collection of vocal jazz, nothing much I can say about it. SUPER long but doable one disc at a time.

Interesting to hear song that I've heard before but with different lyrics. I will more than likely go back and revisit the album at some point.

59 tracks, 3h 14m long. Ella's voice is incredible, but this was way too much. It took me days to actually listen to the whole thing. The last 'disc' wasn't even her singing, just some instrumental tracks.

Can’t dislike Ella, not what I’d choose to listen to, and over 3 hours was a bit daunting, but a voice that transports you to another time and place… not my preferred style of music, but a pleasant change

They All Laughed when said this album may be for you But Not For Me. Isn’t It a Pity that I didn’t like this more? Who Cares?

so fucking long but good jazz

Instrumentally and vocally, elements of this album could be considered masterful - the voice is absolutely brilliant, and captures an era beautifully over some great jazz hooks. But let’s be real, over 3 hours? That’s an absolute joke. I quite simply can’t listen to this in one sitting - even a single disc of the 6 blurs into the background after a few tracks. Despite the quality of the performance, there is nowhere near enough here for me to warrant such a lengthy listen. Too many tracks blur into one another and I am sure I will forget 95% of this by tomorrow. 6/10 overall for the superb talent but with many flaws to the record.

Some good moments but this is such a long album and not every song is great

Wasn't looking forward to this, rather a large undertaking, and not my personal choice in music. Really wasn't bad though. Reminded me of stuff I'd listen to with my Nan. Bit of an epic undertaking though at 5 CDs worth. Not too bad, but didn't really do much for me.

An absolute mammoth. Albums this size always mean quality control is absent. Some high highs, but some low lows too

I did listen to the whole thing. If for some reason I am ever in need of three full hours of consistently pleasant and consistently slightly uninteresting jazz singing, this will surely be my record of choice.

Solid classic songbook, great voice, these are about as good as these songs get. That said, some of these don't age super well and I probably would not throw it on besides ambient music.

this collection is long, but if you get stuck behind an accident in a long slowdown on the interstate on your way home from a weekend trip, there's plenty of time to get into it. this really is an astounding amount of technical perfection on ella's end and iconic writing on gershwin's. i think live in berlin is more of the quintessential fitzgerald, if you had to pick one for a top albums list, but wow! i'm the gershwin songbook by ella fitzgerald pilled now

Later luisteren

I managed to get quite far in this album, but I couldn't quite do the full 194 minutes. Jesus this is a long album. I think I would've given this an extra star, if it wasn't for the length. Ella Fitzgerald's voice is stunning, it just glides beautifully through the tracks. This has a very distinct classic sound, one I imagine people dancing to decades ago. I actually recognised a couple of these songs as well, which I guess is a testament to how influential it is. Other reviews mentioned this as well, but it seems a bit unfair that no other artists get compilations, apart from this one. At least it is not a live album.

A great voice, but why the hell is this so long

Three fuckin’ hours? Me no think so.