Reviews (page 8 of 14)
Wow, I love Ella Fitzgerald, but no way I'm listening to this whole thing. Never really explored her albums, I basically just know her like "best of" compilation stuff, and I think that's all I need.
Masterful performance and recording but I cannot imagine a situation where I would not feel ridiculous putting this on, save being a ATF agent tasked with driving a doomsday cult from their compound.
As many of you have noted, this is a difficult assignment not least because of its length, spread out across the equivalent of four discs worth of music. It's also a weird fit stylistically with the typical fare of this project. Nearly 3/4 of the way through it, I can confidently say that this is no better or worse than any of Ella Fitzgerald's recordings tackling the Great American Songbook composers. I own copies of Ella singing the Cole Porter songbook and the Rodgers and Hart LP, and honestly, pick any of 'em, they're all great (and yet, this is the only album cover of the three that eschews an image of the singer for one of a white woman's face, WTF). Ella Fitzgerald has a voice like a bell on a clear, cold winter night. What a treasure.
Smarmy overkill.
This isn't really an "album" in the contemporary sense, though it certainly bridges the era of literal albums-of-78s and the format that was perfected in the 60s. It needs to be here, however. The signature Verve-style arrangements are a little to schmaltzy to my ear, but Ella is perfect and this songbook is rightfully canon. I don't think I'm going to rip through the whole six-disc set in one sitting ever again, but I'll definitely revisit these tunes often.
I like this material, but a 4 cd box set that you have to hear and rate in a day is like one of those restaurants that will give you the 96 ounce steak for free if you eat it in 60 minutes. Even if you like steak/Ella, it's too much for one sitting.
I like Ella. I'm not listening to this entire thing, though.
Not my style
Way too long
Awesome sound quality and clarity. Surprised to hear this quality from a record from 1959. Her voice is perfect, it blends with the orchestra in a natural way, her timing is tranquil and gets perfectly with the instrumentation. The tone is soft and pleasant. She sounds like the ideal of what a singer should be. The songs flow with so much cool rhythm. 5 stars.
Too long
Not bad, definitely a very long album to try to listen to in one day. Pretty enjoyable to have on in the background sometimes but otherwise I don't see myself listening to this very often if at all
3hrs 15mins.... I'll shuffle and give it an hour Background music is the best way to describe this.
This is an example of good enough to be 3 hours long
Is it sad to see the American century (+) drawing to a close? Yeah, maybe. It’s uncharted waters, anyway. It’s odd to think that my children will grow up with a different locus; they won’t watch Friends and feel desperate to live that (sic) NY life, or crave, deeply, a twinky without knowing for certain what one is. Among the various items of cultural detritus they might wade through as they attempt to gain a sense of just what America meant to mum and dad they might find this epic. And they, as I have, may arrive at the unkind conclusion that only in a century dominated by a certain kind of cultural mode could an album like this be elevated to “classic”. 1.5.
Feel like I'm in a classy movie. Her voice is very nice. Many recognizable songs. A bit too slow here and there, but very nice overall. Do we need this many songs???
Too much for me I'm afraid.
Beautiful voice but not my thing
I appreciate the audacity to release a five-disc album topping three hours, but I'm not fucking listening to it all. Life's too short. Gave it an hour - it's decent enough, but I won't be returning.
Timeless album would recommend
Boringest album ever why is it 3 hours. It took me 4 months to complete this and that’s 3 hours I’m never getting back. If it was 30min to an hour it would be an actually decent project but it’s just the same song repeated 50 times. I don’t rly know what to say other then it’s the same song for 3 hours. 3.6/10 1.6/5
Background music. Not entertained in the slightest. Two stars
was i able to finish it one go? of course not but i made it through half of it in a day💪🙂↕️ Do i trust her enough to believe that the rest of it will also be great and promise to come back to finish it another day? hell yea love her and her lovely voice <3 would still delightfully listen to her if she just read me a very long grocery list
so long i didn’t get through the whole thing, but i think i got the just when i was 2.5 hrs in
This is not a compilation despite what some reviews are saying. It is a pretty great artistic statement done at scale. I recommend not trying to listen in one sitting. The 'Did not listen' button is super handy for an entry like this. I listened over three sittings but I could just as easily imagine sprinkling it throughout a full week's worth of listening. In fact I probably didn't do some of these perfectly sung and arranged witty songs justice even at that pace.
super long and boring. not my style
It was fine, probably good, but for 3 hours it was so similar. The rhyme scheme, the vocal inflections, everything was so samey for 3 hours.
-hoooly shit 3+ hours of Ella Fitzgerald. oh my god.. I experienced something like the Tetris Effect where every time I closed my eyes I would hear her voice while trying to sleep -fun fact I “dated” her great nephew in elementary school -despite its length I did rather enjoy this.. her voice is beautiful. I have quite an appreciation for the aesthetic of this 50s jazz + blues stuff. no complaints -Favorites are Sam and Delilah, Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off, and They All Laughed
It's a long one
3.5 - what I heard was good but 3 hours is entirely too long to listen to. Also compilations shouldn’t count for this
Great voice but not my music
The girders of the 20th century.
4/5
If you only take one album with you yo a desert island let it be this one because it will take all day. Still, what an undeniable voice
2- Stars (4/15)
I just couldn't give the 325 hours of this the commitment.
Chill
Longggggg album. Could realistically only listen once throughout the day. Loved what I heard. Couldn't speak to any specific song, though I'm pretty sure I heard some tunes that have since been used in rap/hip hop beats. That wouldn't surprise me at all. It's weird. I know that this is largely "Jazz" music, but it's not what I have in my mind (for at least some of the music) when I think of jazz. Something faster with a lot more brass, bass and rhythm. nonetheless, the music is remarkable.
Fascinating Rhythm is a great song I'd never heard before. But a lot of these are wonderful. They have that hypnotic quality of voice. Great album, if long, but you feel like you emerged from a flashback trance from decades ago.
Tres horas y media de éxtasis musical. Si tener a Fitzgerald, a Ira y a George Gershwin juntos no le mejora la vida a quien sea que lo escuche, no se para qué estamos en este mundo.
This was hard to get into. I skipped the first 2 songs, no signing. It’s Ella outing in the effort that make this album even a consideration to listen to it. I’m in the hospital and my listening of this was cut short. I will rate it on what I know.
You definitely shouldn't try and listen to this all in one go, but if you were to pick out 10 or 20 songs at a time you would be in for a real treat. Ella's voice is spectacular, and the arrangements are glorious. Happy to give this a 5, despite the length. It should really be considered a compilation over a an album though.
A three hour compilation does not belong on this list. Love a bit of Ella Fitzgerald but this takes the micky
Too much of a good thing.
Gefällt mir gut :-D
thx
I love Ella. but I didnt find many songs i like
Very nice.
Skipping
Ok, first off—hooray for Ella Fitzgerald! She’s an incredible artist, and I’m not taking anything away from her, but man was this a long album. Three hours and fifteen minutes stretched across six discs, with a total of fifty-nine songs. Unless you’re a die-hard purist, that’s just excessive for just about anyone. This was an endurance test disguised as a jazz album! What an exhausting listen. I’m giving myself a well earned pat on the back for making it all the way to the end!
This is less an "album" and more a library. I managed to get through a lot (23 tunes) before I needed a break. Although great songs and an incredible voice the thing that broke me in the end was the repetitiveness of the band. The same taddah wham pow Nelson Riddle arrangement got tiresome. But did anybody ever expect to listen to this end to end? If you treat it as a library and pick a song or a side then it's a classic
Pretty good jazz album but 3 hours is excessive, I listened to about 30 minutes to get the idea. The rest is probably just as god.
Not to say I love this act, but I cannot imagine it being better in any way. A bit (very) long, but great delivery.
Perfectly pleasant, but I’m not listening to all 3 hours of this today. Or am I?
Beautiful voice familiar broadway songs - this is nice for 45 minutes. I tried to get through the three hours but come on. She’s a legend but enough is enough.
Oh my god. 3 hours 15 minutes! Just because of this length I will probably never listen to this album again. But despite that it's musically quite nice. 1,5
Oh boy, here we go. With very few exceptions, I typically listen to these albums from start to finish. Gulp. I first developed an appreciation for the Gershwin brothers in 2011 when I helped with a local production of Crazy For You. It was nice to hear those songs again on this album. I always loved "Slap that Bass" and "I Got Rhythm." Of course, several of the other songs here should be familiar to even the most musically ignorant person. Ella's voice sounds beautiful on every track and the music accompaniments are perfectly charming. I forewent listening to disc 6 since it's just instrumental songs, although I did listen to one and it sounded nice. There's no way in hell I'd listen to this whole thing again, but I'll probably hang onto to some of the songs that were in Crazy For You.
Trudno to ocenić jako płytę, bo trwa milion godzin. Gdyby była krótsza dałabym 5 gwiazdek, bo kompozycje Gershwina i głos Elli to złoto. Ale to trwało pół dnia i pomimo swojego uroku zaczęło się ciągnąć. Ileż można sobie wyobrażać, że gra się w starym filmie? 8/10, chociaż jeszcze raz podkreślę - sama Ella zasługuje na 10/10.
At 3 hours, and 15 minutes, this is now the longest album I've listened to in my entire life. Unfortunately, its length was used to deduct a star in my rating(sorry, but I wouldn't even enjoy a 3+ hour album from my favorite artists). Other than that, it featured some of the best singing I've ever heard in my life as well. Favorite Track: "Night And Day".
hell yea big horn sections
Usually not my kind of music and also this is way too long. I have to admit that it is quite good though.
When I noticed this album is 3+ hours long I went to the comments first. Well....they're not wrong. This album is way too long and gets boring fast. I'm sure if this is a style/genre you're into then you absolutely love it. But for me, this sound is dated and an album of this length seems self-important. 4.5/10 (2.25/5)
Loved it! I'd heard many of these before, but they really are some of the best arrangements I've heard for Gershwin period. "Let's call the whole thing off" and "Someone to Watch Over Me" are probably my favorites, but it's a wonderful listen through the whole songbook!
I didn't listen to the 3hr 15mins Ella sings the Gershwin songbook. Instead I listened to the earlier, 25 minute Ella sings Gershwin. Love the way Ella sings a song, but less keen on the Gershwin songs (more of a Cole Porter man) so settling on 3 stars here..
I can’t dedicate to an album 3.5 hours duration. I quite like Ella doing Gershwin as a bit of cafe Kelvinos background music. So… it’s a 4 with caveats based on “best of” tunes
8/10. Great voice.
Are we serious? Five hours of songs and it's not even the Gershwins' best. Really disappointed because as an album this is not even listenable
Ella Fitzgerald's *The George and Ira Gershwin Songbook* is a monumental work in the history of jazz and popular music. Released in 1959 and spanning over three hours, this album features 59 tracks that showcase Fitzgerald's unmatched vocal ability, Nelson Riddle's lush orchestral arrangements, and the timeless compositions of George and Ira Gershwin. Below is an in-depth review focusing on the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, as well as its strengths and weaknesses. --- ## Lyrics The lyrics, penned by Ira Gershwin, are a masterclass in wit, sophistication, and emotional depth. Tracks like *'S Wonderful* highlight Ira's playful wordplay, with clipped syllables and clever rhymes that perfectly capture the euphoria of love[1]. On the other hand, ballads such as *The Man I Love* delve into themes of longing and vulnerability. Ira's lyrics often balance humor with poignancy, offering a nuanced exploration of human emotions. Ella Fitzgerald's delivery elevates these lyrics to new heights. Her crystal-clear diction ensures that every word is heard and felt. For instance, her rendition of *Someone to Watch Over Me* captures the yearning embedded in Ira's words with a tenderness that feels deeply personal[1][3]. --- ## Music George Gershwin's compositions are the backbone of this album. His melodies blend classical influences with jazz and Broadway sensibilities, creating a rich musical tapestry. Songs like *I Got Rhythm* are rhythmically dynamic and brimming with energy, while others like *But Not for Me* feature lush harmonies that evoke melancholy[3][4]. Nelson Riddle's arrangements are equally noteworthy. His orchestral textures provide a grand yet intimate backdrop for Ella's vocals. The big band swing arrangements on tracks like *Slap That Bass* are lively and infectious, while his more subdued orchestrations on ballads like *He Loves and She Loves* allow Ella's voice to take center stage[1][6]. The instrumental preludes, such as the "Ambulatory Suite," showcase Riddle's ability to interpret Gershwin's compositions with both reverence and creativity[4]. --- ## Production The album was produced by Norman Granz under Verve Records, a label he founded specifically to showcase Ella Fitzgerald's talent. The recording quality is exceptional for its time, with a balanced soundstage that highlights both Ella's voice and the orchestra. However, some critics have noted occasional "darker" tonal qualities in Ella's voice on certain tracks[2]. Additionally, while most songs are impeccably recorded, a few exhibit minor background noise—a limitation of the analogue recording process of the era[2]. The accompanying booklet is another highlight. It provides detailed information about the Gershwin brothers' lives and their compositions, enriching the listener's experience. However, some have criticized it for not offering a more traditional narrative about Gershwin's career[2]. --- ## Themes The album explores a wide range of themes central to the human experience: - **Love and Romance**: Tracks like *'S Wonderful* and *The Man I Love* celebrate love in all its forms—joyful, hopeful, and unrequited. - **Optimism vs. Cynicism**: Songs such as *They All Laughed* juxtapose lighthearted humor with deeper reflections on societal norms. - **Dreams and Aspirations**: Tracks like *Who Cares?* embody the resilience required to pursue one's dreams despite life's challenges. Ella Fitzgerald brings these themes to life through her emotive interpretations. Her ability to shift seamlessly between playful exuberance and heartfelt melancholy adds depth to each track[1][3]. --- ## Influence This album is often considered one of the definitive collections of the Great American Songbook. It solidified Ella Fitzgerald's reputation as one of the greatest interpreters of popular song in history. The project also elevated George and Ira Gershwin’s work to iconic status within American music. Ella’s renditions became benchmarks for future artists tackling these songs. For example, her version of *But Not for Me* won a Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance (Female) in 1960[3]. Moreover, Nelson Riddle’s arrangements influenced subsequent orchestral jazz recordings. The album’s influence extends beyond music; it serves as a cultural artifact that captures mid-20th-century American artistry at its peak. --- ## Pros 1. **Ella Fitzgerald’s Vocal Performance**: Her voice is versatile, expressive, and technically flawless throughout all 59 tracks. 2. **Timeless Compositions**: The Gershwins’ songs remain some of the most beloved in American music. 3. **Nelson Riddle’s Arrangements**: His orchestrations are lush yet never overpower Ella’s vocals. 4. **Cohesive Production**: Norman Granz’s vision results in an album that feels both ambitious and cohesive. 5. **Cultural Significance**: The album serves as an enduring testament to the brilliance of both Ella Fitzgerald and the Gershwins. --- ## Cons 1. **Length**: At over three hours long, the album can feel overwhelming for casual listeners[4][5]. 2. **Occasional Overproduction**: Some critics have argued that Riddle’s arrangements occasionally compete with Ella’s vocals rather than complementing them[5]. 3. **Uneven Recording Quality**: While generally excellent, a few tracks suffer from minor background noise or tonal inconsistencies[2]. 4. **Accessibility**: The sheer volume of material might deter listeners unfamiliar with jazz or the Great American Songbook. --- ## Conclusion Ella Fitzgerald’s *The George and Ira Gershwin Songbook* is an unparalleled achievement in vocal jazz and popular music. It showcases Ella at her artistic peak while celebrating the genius of George and Ira Gershwin through Nelson Riddle’s masterful arrangements. While its length may be daunting for some listeners, those who invest their time will be rewarded with a treasure trove of musical brilliance. This album is not just a collection of songs—it is a cultural milestone that continues to inspire musicians and listeners alike decades after its release. For anyone interested in jazz or American popular music history, this album is essential listening—truly 'S Wonderful!
honestly there were a lot of good songs here and the singing is great but this is THREE HOURS LONG
"How can I be civil when hearing such drivel?", wrote Gershwin. How apt. How awful most of this is. "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" is at least 4 minutes too long. It is mildly entertaining with the first "gag". It gets less funny with every - more laboured - repetition. If it hadn't ended in a nice rag (which would have been improved by omission of the vocal), I'd give this zero if I could. What a waste of a great voice.
very good. very long for sure. i thought this was beautiful and lovely. i would give it a 5, but this is not the kind of music i would listen to again and also it was so long
Pre-listening thoughts: now why did yall give me the 3 hr album as soon as I'm done being sick and have to go back to work 🤨??? Post/during listening thoughts: I originally wrote a complaint about how long this was. When I started it, I wanted to hate how long it was. I was so prepared to be sick of it by the end. But my god. Ella Fitzgerald you are a virtuoso. There is magic in her voice. I could listen to this woman sing for 8 hours. This gets a 5 star rating not because I would turn this on all the time and listen to all 3 hours every time, but because i could hit shuffle on this and be just pleasantly satisfied listening to any array of these tracks for as long or short as I want. And you can listen to the Best Of version but you are missing out on some gems!!! Brb gonna go listen to the Rodgers and Hart songbook cause this was a 9.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: yes. Fav tracks: let’s call the whole thing off, oh lady be good, by Strauss, they all laughed, my cousin in Milwaukee, stiff upper lip, strike up the band, I’ve got a crush on you, Bidin my time, treat me rough Least fav tracks: did not dislike any of this. Too many mentions of Christopher Columbus tho. And take or leave the instrumentals.
You give me two 17 minute albums in a row and when I complain about it you give me a 3 hour 15 minute monstrosity, I see you 1001albumsgenerator. Very very good voice but it’s not really doing anything for me
While Ella Fitzgerald is a great singer, I don't understand why this album is on this list of albums when it's just a collection of songs other people wrote. This isn't too different from including a cover band instead of the original. As far as the album itself goes, I don't think it's anything special, and it's way too long for anyone to actively listen to it.
Was too long to get through
I like Ella, Gershwins and 50s jazz, so this one was solid.
Sublime and sweeping. The perfect soundtrack for a melancholic wet Sunday.
I remember thinking, "I haven’t heard any jazz yet…" and then I was listening to over three hours of jazz with Ella Fitzgerald. Yikes. Surely one of her albums with Louis Armstrong would have been sufficient, right? But then I started digging into the history. This album is a major milestone, not just for Fitzgerald, but for the Gershwin brothers as well. When this was released, this album was an ambitious project, and it still feels that way today, especially considering its length. It was enjoyable, but took several days. I’m not likely to revisit the whole album again. Personally, I wish her work with Louis Armstrong was represented in addition to this one. Check those albums out!!
I appreciate this for what it is, but it was not for me
This album is just way too long. It’s not bad, but even a beautiful voice gets tiresome after 3 hours and I had to really force myself to listen to all of it
There is no denying the power that is Ella Fitzgerald; there is, however, at least inside of me… denying the length of a three-hour album. I went with the condensed Very Best of the Gershwin Songbook and got a far better, more streamlined experience. If I’m wrong for it? Only Ella can judge me. We really had the best of it all with Fitzgerald, Armstrong, Ellington, Coltrane, and so many more from that period… unimpeachable works of art that deserve to be put in museums and cherished. In my heart, Ella Fitzgerald is a 5-star artist but this album as is can’t be a full fiver, mainly due to accessibility. Nobody’s sitting down on a Sunday and clearing a massive chunk out of their day just to listen to music.
ilgai reikėjo kol perklausiau, bet visiška ramybės vakarienei gaminimo albumas
Lovely voice. Nice short album
My god that was long. I like her voice a lot but holy cow that was too much. I think if I knew more of the original songs maybe it would have had more of an impact. I knew a couple of them but not enough to justify 59 songs. That was insane. I don’t know who the audience Is for this but I wish them the best.
So long.
Could only get halfway through in one day, and I'm calling it. I love Ella, and I like the Gershwin brothers enough, but I don't even think they would want to sit and listen to their songs for over three hours straight. It's fine, but it's also almost a "best of" compilation, which definitely feels like cheating.
They don't make music like this anymore. If I'm listening to the correct album, it is several albums and it goes on forever. I just let it play and went for a long walk. Classic songs from a beautiful singer. I'm more of a Billie Holiday fan for this style of music, but Ella is a legend. 4.
Wow, what an enjoyable listen! I'm not sure I've listened to much if anything from Ella Fitzgerald, but what a great voice, one that fits perfectly with the equally fantastic material on this album–a vintage time capsule but timeless all the same. I listened to the first half of this on headphones while leisurely shopping in Target, an experience I highly recommend! It made me feel like I was in a musical, and I couldn't help but have a little zing in my step as I moved down the aisles. These show tunes were cute, full of clever wordplay and slant rhymes, giving them a light-hearted air. I was thoroughly charmed, by Ella’s classy, expressive jazz delivery, and by the delightful arrangements that supported her throughout. Some of my favorites were: “Just Another Rhumba,” “The Real American Folk Song,” and “My Cousin In Milwaukee.” —-- I know that this is a really long album, over three hours’ worth. The crazier thing is that this album is just one of many like it she did as part of an even more ambitious project with other composers to sing the complete “American Songbook.” To buy this album at the time it came out would have been at considerable expense; how lucky we can access it so easily today. I did have to break the listening up into several sessions over three days, but I honestly don't think this collection should have been made any shorter. I like that there is so much material here, even though the treatment of each track is pretty much the same as the next. I could totally see myself listening to these songs again and again. They feel easy to incorporate into my daily life for an instant dose of whimsy.
Ella is a beast. This one definitely goes in the 'they don't make them like they used to' category. Ella makes it sound effortless. Recorded in 1959 so my guess is that things like auto tune and pitch correction were not a thing at the time. You just had to know your shit. Real instruments, real singing...and musical arrangement by the guy that brought us the masterpiece that is Rhapsody In Blue. Hard to go wrong with this kind of personnel.
3/5 fallout vibes
That’s a lot of songs! (Strange how they slapped on the purely instrumental ”disc” 6 as well.)
én szeretem az ilyen zenét, meg konkrétan Ellát is, szóval nagyon lelkesen álltam neki a hallgatásnak. az, hogy hihetetlen hosszú, még lenne baj - ez egy box set volt, nem arra való hogy egyben hallgassuk - , de direkt kisebb részletekben hallgattam, és így is egyhangú meg unalmas sajnos. Ella hangja ér egy hármast, de ahh ez a projekt nem sikerült jól sztem.
lovely voice and some well known songs on this, but not my cup of tea
Great voice but the songs do get a little repetitive for me.
An amazing vocalist but the show tunes vibe isn’t really my thing.
Certainly well done and Ella Fitzgerald is an unbelievable talent, but this just isn't for me and *oh my god* is this thing long. Really blends into itself.
A monster of a listen. An absolutely beautiful anthology clocking in at well over 3 hours. Ella Fitzgerald elevates the music of Gershwin with her immaculate vocals. The production is clean, and the collection is beautiful to listen to. The only downside is that this isn’t so much an album as a collection of work- a legacy piece. I’m not sure what the criteria are for this list, but I would argue that anything more than a double album is not really an album.
Ella Fitzgerald has a great voice, and this was a nice anthology. But come on… this is supposed to be albums to listen to, and this was 6 discs long. There are so many other Fitzgerald albums that could have been included here instead. Protest vote of 2/5 even though this probably deserves 4 or 5 stars
Very jazzy, smooth vocals. This is good background music for me. The length of the album is ridiculous and the songs do all blur into one. Not inherently bad music, just gets boring quickly.
Love this - so easy to listen to and Ella's amazing voice just brightens up everything
Ella Fitzgerald is a beautiful woman with a beautiful voice. Never recc me a 3 hour album again. 0 stars for length, 3 stars for artist
This felt like one of those fabels where someone wishes to know everything and losses their mind for knowing too much. Stunning voice and performance but man it's long. I'm not sure how this can even be rated of of it could be called an album. They could've repeated songs and I wouldn't have noticed. There was one about slapping the bass, another about being British. I know it's a songbook but this was wild to include in the list considering there's an album that is the best of this.
"When people see some things as beautiful, other things become ugly. When people see some things as good, other things become bad. Being and non-being create each other. Difficult and easy support each other. Long and short define each other. High and low depend on each other. Before and after follow each other." Her voice sets a high bar. She created some bad singers when she set that bar. This is the audio equivalent of a curated art exhibition. The production is outstanding.
Приятное
Incredible survey of the genre
Honestly, I listed to the first two discs and I can try to finish it later. Overall, it's enjoyable, but as expected by the Gershwins. Boring at times. Ella's voice is fantastic, but the composition is very much what you would expect. Very broadway-style musical writing.
Just pleasant easy-listening vocal jazz. Inoffensive, not bad by any means. I was expecting it to be too much of a "quantity over quality" thing (considering it's over 3(!) hours long), but it turned out to be quite enjoyable with a surprising amount of nice grooves. There isn't anything that would draw me to this album over any other one with a similar vibe, but it works well as background music. Also, yes, I did finish it before writing this. Professionals have standards. 7/10
This is not an album but a box set. I listened to it from start to finish on a car trip from Motril to Madrid. It took most of the trip, and the feeling for me was that I was trapped in a vortex, listening to the same song, once and once again. The good part is that the song was cool and reminded me of the old movies that I saw in my childhood. The bad part is that this vortex took almost 3 and a half hours.
In for a penny, in for a pound. Spending 3 hours with Ella is no hardship. Listening to this reminds me of being with my Grandma. Luckily I got this album on a Saturday and I'm able to relax with coffee. This is an outstanding collection of tunes. The Gershwin brothers knew how to write a tune.
Jazzy and soulful. Ella’s voice is so smooth, rich, and colourful. She really knows how to tell a story with her vocals. Her vibrato is delightful. Felt like I was in a posh jazz bar sipping a cocktail.
It’s Ella, it’s Gershwin, it’s terrible!
Three hours of great songs by a great singer.
Sheer class. Opted for the best of version but would definitely dip into the full version at leisure. Amazing how many songs you just know.
One of if not the greatest voices of the 20th Century singing songs by one of if not the greatest song writers of the 20th Century. This is the sound of pure genius. Yes, it is over 3 hours long but there is a 45 minute best of version. And despite this, even if you only listen to 45 minutes, you are still listening to 45 minutes worth of genius! Sometimes it is impossible to quantify genius. But I will give it a go. If you give this anything less than 5 stars then you need to give your head a wobble boomer!
I only listened to the highlights
Ella is an icon and her voice is buttery and magical. This work is 3 hours, which seems a bit unrealistic to play and makes it feel like prime background music.
good oldies
Very romantic, makes me want to learn how to slow dance and wear pretty dresses with some cute man
A Hall of Fame voice with the lyrics and music to match.
Not for me
Lovely music
The best.
great voice with a big band. lovely
too long lol will get through it at another time
Oh man. I love Ella. I'm old enough that I got to see her in concert when I was young. She melts and revives my craggy dead heart. I've had the big red-box "Songbooks" cd box set, with the LP-replica sleeves, for many years. I hope folks who haven't heard this, or Ella, come to appreciate her. What a treat. Of course, this PARTICULAR set is daunting, a 3-record 59-song set is a lot to take in. It starts with an obscurity and then gets right to an all-time classic Fitzgerald take on an all-time classic Gershwin tune, "But Not For Me." My god. The way she treats the melodies with reverence, yet by the last verse is giving them her own "sounds like it was always that way" interpretations, and makes it sound so effortless, I just can't stand it. If you're not into "the standards", you'd probably be better off with a cross-section of maybe 8 tracks from this collection. "S Wonderful", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "But Not For Me", "Fascinating Rhythm", "Lady Be Good" and so many others are the tunes that Sinatra and every other jazz singer has sung... but hard to match Ella's take on these. One reviewer I saw gave this 1 stars, claiming it is a "compilation". I can see that. Verve released Volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4 of these recordings ALL in 1959, and the cd box set compiled all of those, and that's what we get here. It's not a cross-section or retrospective of her career, like the reviewer was complaining he didn't get from a different artist. Regardless, I could randomly take any 10 songs from this group and it would get at least 4 stars, the quality is so consistently good, of Ella's voice, interpretation, the Riddle arrangements, and of course the songs themselves. Someone else described it as "three hours of old music". Others say "proficient", "background music" (and "background noise"), "Disney music", "unobtrusive", "boring", "tiresome". Look, it's idiotic to force-feed yourself 3+ hours of music in one sitting, and even more idiotic to tell the world how you didn't like it. But I guess that's the brainpower that about 25% of the people taking this journey have. The makers of this site and book are not going to boot you off the list if you take 3 days to listen to a record. It's "one album a day", this is 3+ albums. So, chill out a little bit, folks. Music is fun, not an endurance test. Regardless, I would have preferred the makers of this list choose a different record. I prefer the Rogers & Hart song book, but even that is a double album. For brevity there's "Ella & Louis" with Louis Armstrong... or "Ella Swings Lightly"... or a live record like "At the Opera House" or "in Berlin". "Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie" is pretty fantastic too. And more. Any of these would have at least winnowed out the "it's toooo loooong" complainers. I've not deducted any stars because something is too long so far and I'm not going to start now. In the vocal jazz genre, this is a classic. Just take it one record at a time. :)
Phenomenal singing and catchy tunes. Reminds me of going to my childhood barber and listening to big bands while old guys talked about random local happenings.
Amazing but didn't listen to it all. Picked and chose my way through it
Nice try but I’m not doin 3 hours
Wow she really meant the whole songbook. Great vocals with music that felt a little boring but I did know a lot of the songs from chorus or band in high school
luckily we got this on a friday so we could listen to it over the course of the weekend. showtunes are not my cup of tea. interesting to mix up our background soundtrack but nothing i would seek out.
I am not patient enough to kisten to a 3-hour-long compilation. Love Ella Fitzgerald.
Listening to it in parts. Almost done. I’ve heard of her of course but damn she has an impressive career recording over 2000 songs 🤯 this album is good. Certain mood to listen to. But ya. I can see myself returning to this.
This was a long, long album. I ended up treating it like listening to the Fallout radio. I do enjoy these old songs, but man, what a slog to listen to all at once. Better experienced in pieces.
The Greatest Singer singing the Greatest Songbook.
I had 69 Love Songs on Tuesday and The Gershwin Songbook on Wednesday. What kind of cruel joke are the music gods playing on me? Fitzgerald’s voice is magnificent, but the full 3:14 was far too much for album format.
I love you and your voice Ella but please next time don't make it 6 disks fgs. The first one was an absolute banger ("Let's Call The Whole Thing Off" my favourite song for sure). Good album to have a classy date with profound conversations. Terrifying album cover but Ella's voice is too smooth so kinda disturbing.
Oh hell yeah classic jazzie Ella Fitzgerald queen, legendary voice Brass sections are juicy af Disc 6 instrumentals by Nelson Riddle are hella good
3h
Gershwin, jazz vocals, vibes from my parents' whitewashed generation with their goofy sentamentalism and idiotic rhyming style, despite the terrific vocal ability on display, this is my idea of a special place in hell. I did listen to a couple hours, but this isn't an album, it's a friggin' musical library section.
Lovely. Must return to this one. Still have two discs to go!
It's Ella. It's Gershwin. Enough said.
Cool, but not for me
Its Ella so the singing is always going to be top notch. It was pleasant to listen to but nothing wowed me. I would listen to it again but not really seek it out
Nice jazz with Ella. Such a powerful voice
Wow a three hour album. Before starting that felt intimidating but I found this album was a great escape for me during a rough day. I can't say I'd ever go out of my way to listen to this in its entirety again but I will still give it 5 stars.
A few things for this album: 1. Its an outstanding album. Vocals are pristine, composition is flawless. 2. It goes on for DAYS. 3. Does it deserve to be on this list? Well, it definitely deserves it more than a bunch of the other brit-pop bullshit that I've had to wade through to make it to here. 5/5
A top-five vocalist of the twentieth century: stably inventive, focused and uncrowded, tho perfectly full, somehow dry w/o drying out, emotive w/o being lachrymose, and a technical mastery that's formidably faultless. She is, simply put, one of only so many crucial artists of her time, and any time.
This is something that could be played low in the background in a coffee shop or record store and I wouldn't mind it or rush to buy it. Soothing.
Listened to it for the first time. Enjoyed Ella singing the standard.
Fantastic
Great voice for this songwriter
3.5 stars if you could do half stars. Great music for deep conversations that doesn’t sound too romantic or too intensely orchestral. Would have gone off on a gramophone. Kinda like a funky sounds of music the movie.
sent me to sleep
Dreamy, what a voice. Good one to listen to in the bath, or whilst floating about in a kimono smoking a cigarette and pondering lost loves. Excessively long (can you call it one album?) but surprisingly enjoyable, listened to about 3/4 of it before I'd had enough.
Not much to say about this one. Obviously beautiful singing and I enjoyed listening to this whilst cooking for my wife, feeling like a good 1950s housewife. Made me want to put on an apron and bake a pie. Reminded me of Christmas at my Nan's. Cosy, warm, wholesome. It has its place and it's victorious in its own arena. Just didn't do anything groundbreaking for me. 2.5
What a voice. Listened to the Best Of which is much less of a commitment. Will be adding to my big band playlist. Not necessarily something I would go back to regularly but very much has a place, and I love it.
Not fully sure what to even say about this. It’s a box set that’s over 3 hours long and wasn’t designed to be listened in one sitting. This isn’t an actual ‘album’ as such, and therefore isn’t attempting to do any of things actual albums try and do. How can one even review this then? From doing the condensed 45 minute version of it though: It’s perfectly pleasant and nicely sung. ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ is really lovely. I’m amazed that there isn’t a version of Summertime anywhere on it. I’m not sure I have any other thoughts. Kind of unrankable. Botched day.
Mellow, easy listening for 3+ hours from a woman who has a voice of silk
Initially enjoyable, but soon wanted it to end.
NOTE: i listened to ‘the very best of the gershwin’ album from this songbook because there is no way i am listening to over 3 hours of this one album. it’s really nice background music. amazing orchestra and voice. 45 mins is enough tho, i applaud anyone who listened to the entire 3+ hours of this song book. as for the painting on the artwork, that’s a 5/5. i love it! i read the artist was bernard buffet, a frenchman. i didn’t think i’d know any songs but i do know “fascinating rhythm” as covered by jamie cullum!
I'm giving it a 3, which is how many hours I'm saving by not listening to this. This is the first of 270 albums that I'm just not listening to because it is so long. I listened to a bit and it sounded good but I could not listen to anything for over 2 hours and still be invested. The Gen Z attention span strikes again!
So, like many of the others on this list I respect Ella Fitzgerald's voice, and by extension George and Ira Gershwin's songs, but there was no way I was going to listen to over 3 hours of these songs in less than 24 hours, so, I needed a plan. What I decided to do, at the behest of my partner, was to al low ChatGPT to randomly choose 10 tracks from the 73 available. On the basis of Ella and the Gershwins' quality of performance and composition this gets a 5, but out of protest to the authors of this book blatantly breaking their own rules that compilations, greatest hits, and furthermore box sets, are not allowed for other artists, then this gets a 3. I find this particularly galling because we have many artists from the 50s and 60s whose careers were comprised greatly of singles releases (45s) who would benefit from greatest hit compilations that are unduly punished do to the fact that they did not have many LPs, or the ones released do not encompass their most vital works. While I am ranting, I am going to add that I find it ridiculous that the decade of the 1940s, when popular music (particularly Western popular music) really became a force, was not even included in this list.
I will say in defense of this album's length, I don't think you lose out on anything by listening to it in chunks. I listened to this over about 4 days, and I'm pretty sure my rating would be the same if I listened to it all at once. This is a bear to get through, but it's also worth it because Ella's voice is fantastic and really elevates these songs. There weren't really any songs that stood out to me over others, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the majority of them. While I do wish they had chosen an album that was more truly Ella, rather than her singing an entire songbook of others, this is overall a fantastic album.
it's odd getting this album as your daily, partially because of its length, partially because of its content, but mostly because this just isn't an album you're supposed to spend your full attention on. it's archival stuff, not something for careful listening. as a result, i listened to most of it while writing stuff and getting groceries at Wal-Mart. somehow, i feel like i didn't lose anything in the process -- i still was able to enjoy how beautiful Ella sounded and also grew an appreciation for how the Gershwins constructed their pop music, how the lyrics add a sort of cultural context to what would otherwise be timeless pop. is it essential? i don't really think so, but i think there's value in three hours of old Tin Pan Alley tunes sung beautifully and performed like classical music. you could put this thing on shuffle every time you take a walk and it'd always be a very nice walk, no matter how cold and dreary.
This was fine but way too long.
way too long, why is this on here? do I really need to listen to 3 hours of kind of the same music? it was fine. low 2
GORDON LIGHTFOOT SINGS EVERY SONG EVER WRITTEN. Alright. At 3 hours and 14 minutes this is truly a blight upon my soul. I will rate it as an album so no matter the content, expect a 1. I will collect my thoughts every once in a while if something in particular jumps out and then sum it up at the end. This sounds preferable to the other option if subjecting the reader or myself to individual track reviews. I’m only one man and nobody reads these anyway. What can I even say about each and every one of these songs? I’m breaking my rule. Yeah let’s call the whole thing off. This is one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard. Nobody says Mater. What the fuck is the lyrical scheme here. It completely sucks. I have heard people reference this song but near the end where she’s just saying “I say car and you say Grawallydar” it just reads like garbage comedy. Anyway. Back to the world’s longest album. “The only kind of work that brings enjoyment, is the kind of girl and boyment.” One of the lyrics of all time. I know she didn’t write these songs but sweet Jesus. Such a talented singer too, but give Daniel Day Lewis the script to C.H.U.D. and see what happens. Oh this was “nice work if you can get it by the way” The Rhumba song again proves that the Gershwins were disgustingly bad at writing lyrics. This must’ve been comedy if the time or something. Adding “a” to every word in order for it to rhyme is killing me. The most grating song so far and that’s saying a lot. I’m really not getting much out of this so far. The rhyme schemes don’t do it for me. Right down to the “Real American Folk Song.” I hoped this was Hulk Hogan’s old theme song. Not that I like Hilk Hogan, but at least a man can think of wrestling and get his mind of songs that She’s “looking for a boy” 5 foot 6? Short king anthem. And now we’re singing about a cousin in Milwaukee. I don’t think we’re halfway through this big son of a bitch and I’m quivering towards the skip button. Man she fucking crushes that dude in “I’ve got a Crush On You.” “It’s not that you’re attractive.” Devastating. “Love is Sweeping the Country” leads off with “Why are people gay?” So that’s fun. I remember sort of liking “Love is Here to Stay” when Sinatra sang it. I like this one. Holy hell. I don’t know how far I am into this mess. It’s been at least an hour. It has to be. But this is good. I’d like “Slap the Bass,” if the lyrics weren’t such garbage. “Embraceable You” is in the Simpsons, but after 68 songs that are the same as this, it’s hard to get pumped. Well. It’s over. I’m sweating, I hate love, I hate the 1900’s as a century despite it containing my birth. Maybe that’s a comment for a psychiatrist actually. Even through all the vitriol I have written and the lack of standouts, she’s an incredible talent. The lyrics, bunk. The songs? All the exact same. But the vocals. To sing that well on so many different bad songs is a triumph. Each of these tracks on their own far removed from the others is a great performance. It was the length and the lyrics that made this such an arduous journey, not the talents of Ella Fitzgerald. When the vocal jazz torch train finally arrived at the Disney instrumental closer, I could feel the stinging pain of every single lame Gershwin rhyme ringing between my beleaguered ears. The closest we’ll ever get to someone singing the phonebook. Probably. Somebody pin down Nick Cave. I am spent. 1.5-2 HIGHLIGHTS: Love is Here to Stay
Mood music
Yet to finish due to its length, I would argue this isn't an album and shouldn't be on the list, I'm glad I've discovered Ella though because her voice is amazing and the music is too. Giving it a 3 as I don't ever see myself listening through all this again but the music is great
lovely voice, paired with Gershwin is a treat
A whole lotta Ella. The music was great, but for me to properly appreciate 62 cuts in two days was a bit much. Fantastic musicianship all around though.
I balked a bit when I saw it was a 6 CD box set, but the time flew by. This was great
Three hours of music is a lot for one day, but I do love Ella. I can say I listened through the entirety of this songbook - how active I was listening is another story. It was a great collection to be on in the background while I worked.
Lovely music. And, although I am a jazz fan, and I can appreciate the artistry here, the songbook is a bit too dated for my taste. Still, an amazing voice.
3 hours and 14 minutes of Looney Tunes music
3 hours?1?
Extrem langes Album mit vielen schönen und abwechslungsreichen Liedern, u.a. mit klassischer Musik - mir fehlt Erfahrung in diesem Genre, deswegen schwer zu beurteilen - ich hatte aber keine schlechte Zeit
Really nice but just far too long in duration
Ella Fitzgerald is an amazing performer and one of the best interperators of song George and Ira Gershwin are amazing writers and one of the best pop song writers ever. But Three. Fucking. Hours. Reviewing this in an album format, marks this an inexcusably bloated mess, more akin to torture than enterntainment. Obviously, this is meant to just throw a disc on here and there, not listen to in 1 sitting. But I gotta review this as the latter because that's what I did. It's torture. There's no variety, it's all vocal jazz pop. It starts to wear on you by the 45 minute to an hour mark. Then you remember you have over TWO HOURS left. You go insane. You try gaslighting yourself into thinking this really isn't that long. That the spotify link just goes to a super deluxe edition. But no, it's really that long. It's literally the entire Gershwin songbook. I can't take it for that long. I don't care how well it's made and how good Ella is, I never want to sit through this entire thing again. It's far too much Just for god's sake just have a best of and make it 45 minutes to an hour TOPS, because there are some gems on discs 4 and 5 like "Slap That Bass" and "Fascinating Rhythm". Sorry to give this a 1, but there's no other choice. It's too fucking long
A classic.
Liked it but didn’t finish, over 3 hours
Nice singing. Slightly boring songs
Ambulatory Suite 3.3 The Preludes 3 Sam and Delilah 3.2 But Not for Me 3.1 My One and Only 3.3 Let's Call the Whole Thing Off 3.4 (I've Got) Beginner's Luck 3.2 Oh, Lady Be Good! 3 Nice Work If You Can Get It 3.2 Things Are Looking Up 3.1 Just Another Rhumba 3.2 How Long Has This Been Going On? 3 S Wondeful 3.1 The Man I Love 3 That Certain Feeling 3.3 By Strauss 3.3 Someone to Watch Over Me 3.1 The Real American Folk Song (is a Rag) 3.2 Who Cares? 3.2 Looking for a Boy 3.3 They All Laughed 3.1 My Cousin in Milwaukee 3.2 Somebody from Somewhere 3.1 A Foggy Day 3.1 Clap Yo' Hands 3.3 For You, For Me, For Evermore 3 Stiff Upper Lip 3.2 Boy Wanted 3.1 Strike Up the Band 3.2 Soon 3.1 I've Got a Crush on You 3 Bidin' My Time 3.3 Aren't You Kind of Glad We Did? 3 Of Thee I Sing (Baby) 3.1 The Half of It, Dearie' Blues 3 I Was Doing All Right 3.2 He Loves and She Loves 3.2 Love Is Sweeping the Country 3 Treat Me Rough 3.3 Our Love Is Here to Stay 3.2 Slap That Bass 3.4 Isn't It a Pity? 3.1 Shall We Dance? 3.2 Love Walked In 3 You've Got What Gets Me 3 They Can't Take That Away from Me 3.1 Embraceable You 3 I Can't Be Bothered Now 3 Boy! What Love Has Done to Me! 3.1 Fascinating Rhythm 3.2 Funny Face 3.2 The Lorelei 3 Oh, So Nice! 3.1 Let's Kiss and Make Up 3.1 I Got Rhythm 3.2 Somebody Loves Me 3.1 Cheerful Little Earful 3 But Not for Me (45 rpm Take) 3 The Lorelei (Alternative Take) 3 Our Love Is Here to Stay (Partial Alternative Take) 3.2 Oh, Lady Be Good! (Alternative Take) 3.2 Oh, Lady Be Good! (Alternative Take) 3.2 Oh, Lady Be Good! (Alternative Take) 3.1 But Not for Me (Mono Mix) 3 Fascinating Rhythm (Mono Mix) 3.1 They All Laughed (Mono Mix) 3.2 The Man I Love (Mono Mix) 3.2 Nice Work If You Can Get It (Mono Mix) 3.3 Clap Yo' Hands (Mono Mix) 3.3 Let's Call the Whole Thing Off (Mono Mix) 3.3 I Was Doing All Right (Mono Mix) 3.3 He Loves and She Loves (Mono Mix) 3.3 (I've Got) Beginner's Luck (Mono Mix) 3.1 Score: 3.2
The musical accompaniment is just a bonus behind a star like this.
It's a strange album to have on the list but fully deserves to be there. It's obviously very long but it needs to be treated differently to a standard studio album. The concept is simple. Get the best songwriter in town and get the best singer to sing their songs. A great historical record that I'll come back to. Perfect uplifting album to put on to create an old time atmosphere
Not my style of music, but she has a beautiful voice.
En kaffe, en sigg og ett romskip
264/1001
This album goes for three and a half days (well... hours maybe). Quick, run to the shops and get some snacks and adult diapers. Maybe some coffee to stay awake. Competent musicianship, and vocals smooth as eggs, but I'm constantly reminded of old Christmas songs for some reason. I'm not gonna last, so let's give it a three right now. It's not Ella's fault someone put 5LP BOX SET! on a list of albums to listen to before you die. At the length of this one, it might be the last one you hear. Let's call the whole thing off.
10/10
Einfach schön.
Very long. I listen to the SHORT one :) also this is very much not my thing
Album art: 2
Gorgeous, timeless classics. I enjoyed listening through during my work day and could see myself spinning this during a dinner party but not something I would listen to except on such occasions
Listened about 20 minutes, not listening to the rest of the 3 hours
Straight banger, the queen
Geniales versiones de temas que son joyas imperecederas.
A lengthy listen, none bad, but also none stood out. Not many sound changes in this one, so when listening all the way through, most songs sound the same.
It was really good just very long. But wow awesome awesome stuff the foundation of American music
skipped around here. I love who cares? but it underwhelmed so rip this.
Nice music, a lot of the value of this is sort of as an archive for all these songs in ideal form. B
Adored!
Oi now don’t get me wrong this is great music this is class but for 3 hours?? Bit too extreme no? The songs are also starting to feel monotone in relation to one another the longer I’m listening to it. Can’t give this more than 2 stars sorry & i only listened to one side
Bakrundsmusik
long ass album, legendary voice tho! let´s call the whole thing off is such a bop :D same with beginner´s luck, these songs are truly timeless I feel like so far a 8/10, I wouldn´t be mad if this is hypothetically my only choice for a long album the optimistic texts, the great instrumentation, so groovy very longing lyrics, especially for a man
Beautiful. Just beautiful. If you really need to rock it out, fine, skip it. But just luxuriate in Ella's voice. In times like these, take the joy and the sex and the longing. You'll be glad you did.
Way too long but good grooves
Enjoyable listen, very different from music I usually tend to listen to. The compositions and overal sonic landscape of the record were mindblowingly good. I've always liked records that make extensive use of big orchestration and this album fits perfectly into that slot. One of my favorite takeaways of the record is that it actually sounds like an album, in the sense that everything seems to belong together and blends well, which considering its release date is quite unique. Let us also not forget how well Ella Fitzgerald's voice complements the sound of the record and how beautiful her voice is in general. It really allows the songs to come to life. Overall I enjoyed this record a lot, even considering its very long runtime of a good 3 hours, the soundspace and vocals were very endearing and catchy too and the simple and even often humurous lyrics make for an easy listen. The feeling of an album is also really present, which I liked. I'd give this record a solid 8.2/10.
Is it a bad album? No. Is it to my taste? No again. Is it a bit too long? Abso-fucking-lutely
Excellent. Going to buy this.
Really enjoyed this but it's just insanely long
Couldn’t listen to it
What a way to start this journey! This album started off well but became a slog after a while. Super talented artist but this album as a whole isn’t my cup of tea.
1 - Its not even that bad, I'm just annoyed I had to listen to 3 hours of it...
Its too much maaan 3/5
amazing and it could have been even longer
It wouldn’t be a challenge without some feats of endurance and this was certainly one. It was enjoyable though and with today being a quiet Sunday, I was able to blow through it in one sitting. Her voice is great and even for someone who would admit to not liking jazz, I quite liked it all. With a lot of these songs you can play ‘guess the next line’ with reasonable success and it’s always toe-tappingly melodic. I can understand why it’s on the list as it’s pretty impressive as a collection but I’m surprised by its relatively high score considering how few people seemingly make it through the whole thing. I suspect there’s a lot of ‘I got bored of it but she’s a legend so I’d better at least give it a 3’. I won’t listen to the whole thing again but parts of it were certainly worth the investment of time.
I’m gonna be honest with you, I didn’t listen to the whole thing, it’s like that meme that says “I’m not reading all that. I’m happy for you tho, or sorry that happened” the thing is I’m sure it’s great all the way through but in a normal day to sit aside 3 hours to listen to six discs of music just isn’t going to happen. The songs I listened to were great, but it’s not for me. Obviously Ella Fitzgerald has an iconic voice, but it’s way toooooooooo much.
This 3 hour beast was intimidating to even conceptualize sitting down and listening to it, I mean 3 hours of vocal jazz standards sounds like the most tiring task in the world and the fact that it was included on the book just seems crazy, yet sitting down with it and taking the time to take it in while I was working on other things made for a nice time. It's hard not to view older jazz as background music for just doing anything but at the same time it doesn't take away the fact that Ella is a tremendous voice (so full of emotion but also so soft) and the backing band manages to play varied tunes for her to sing. It made the experience go from something that would have made my afternoon feel like an eternity to a breeze. I don't love this because I mean come on it's too long but Ella's voice is undeniable.
I’m glad this came up on a day I wasn’t busy because I was not expecting a 3 hour listen. Her voice is phenomenal but it didn’t feel like one “album” or original work of art, since it’s covering other songs. Don’t love all the source material.
I listened to a lot of this but not the entirety. It’s almost impossible to rank as an album. Ella doesn’t miss though, so it deserves a four.
If it didn't have some of Gershwin Broadway musical numbers, I might have given it a 4 star but I'm just not into listening to Broadway musicals without the show. Also It could have been pared down to something less than 3+ hrs for an album a day :D. There was the whole instrumental only numbers that really had nothing for Ella to do! -40-
Oh my golly was that long. I barely got through it. It did, however, have some lovely little songs on it.
Tedious
I think I made it an hour. It sounds nice but I can’t do 2 more hours.
I enjoyed a few tracks. ive Got Beginners Luck and Lorelei. I wasnt in the right mood for this album and Im still frustrated how albums like this can be missing from apple music. I think its the 3rd time over the 115 albums ive done so far Ella is incredible without a doubt. I appreciate her other work more than this
Absolutely lovely. It does seem a bit out of sync with the rest of the project to include a 6 disk, 3 hour compilation, but I won't hold that against Ella. Took me a few days to get through, but those days were filled with beautiful songs from an all-time great. No complaints. 5/5 Highlights: Let's Call the Whole Thing Off Nice Work If You Can Get It The Half Of It Dearie Blues
I often ask myself what the intention of this list is. It is certainly not to be a list of 1001 albums you should hear before you die. There are simply too many mediocre pop and rock albums on the list. And too many other albums out there which you really should listen to. But then suddenly you have this album on the list. And ok, this is really one of the albums one should have listened to "before you die". And because of the albums like this one, I will be carrying on going through this list.
Great voice and really good jazzy music. Not something I would listen to every day but also something that I wouldn't switch away from if it started playing.
love it
Dope for background bar night
Didn’t finish but it was soothing!
Just beautiful
More than 4 hours long
I listened to 3 or 4 of the 6 albums and I’m not sure there’s one song that I remember or found myself humming after listening. In fact, I turned it off multiple times as it was difficult to listen to, not for any reason other than its sameness. In fact, though these two are American musical titans, this is probably the most bland collection of songs I’ve ever subjected myself to.
Great voice, great arrangements. Can’t see myself revisiting this but can appreciate how influential she was.
Classic Jazz. Amazing vocal control. Big recommendation. Fantastic.
20/12/24 This was an absolute slog fest. I listen to an album a day and fortunately I had the time to do it here otherwise I would have been annoyed if this ruined my streak. It's a good, well made album.
Sure! I have all five of these LPs in my collection.
More than three hours of Ella Fitzgerald singing Gershwin! Frankly this isn't an album that I need to listen to, it's far too long. She's a great singer, but I I don't care hugely for these songs or the musical style. And did I mention this album is well over three hours long? This isn't really an album so much as a whole pile of Gershwin songs.
I've always have enjoyed Ella, and this album is no exception.
Always struggle with the Great American Songbook concept. She has an amazing voice and storytelling but in these songs mostly takes the role of down trodden women and that reminds me of the old films that lots of these songs feature in that haven’t stood the test of time for me. Even the songs with more positive themes are not as joyful as she could deliver. With over three hours of music this is like a coffee table album that would be rarely listened to.
Too long to listen to the whole thing but I liked what I heard. Ella Fitzgerald has an excellent voice.
An excellent long collection of songs that you can listen to all day.
Initial thought: Meh. It's an interesting selection that I'm not upset about. I know she's supposed to be great, so I'll be interested to hear it, but also, I don't generally connect with really old music, so we'll see. OK, so I'm listening to this, and it's fine, even pretty good for what it is. I'm at work, so I've been doing stuff while listening, and I've stopped a few times to talk to people, etc. But it finally dawns on me - it feels like I've been listening to this for a *really* long time. So I open Apple Music, scroll down and - holy shit - it's over THREE hours! No thanks. I looked it up and apparently it's a box set and it's like 6 albums and that is too many albums. I've already listened to the better part of two of them, and that's enough. So 3 stars. It was smooth, she's got a great voice, it's proper lounge bar music, but it's too long for this project. Honestly, it's too long for anything. I'm glad I cut it off before getting annoyed with it. I'm sure some fans will say I missed some good stuff, but there's no goddamned way I'm listening to 3 hours of boomer youth music.
Nydelig jazzy. En stemme av stemmer. Flott
Todas suenan igual pero vibey 3/5
Pourquoi pas, c'est pas désagréable mais le "jazz chanté" c'est pas ma plus grande passion. Coups de cœur : - But Not For Me - -
Honestly I didn't listen to the whole album. It's 4 hours long. But what I did listen to, well, it's Ella's at her height doing Gershwin. Top notch. Too long but solid music.
Classic arrangements. Flawless vocals (obviously). It took me back to riding in the car with my grandparents. Though it's not really my thing, as an artform, it's pretty on point. Plus, several of these tracks were featured on the Golden Girls, so that's pretty much an automatic win. Minus 1 star, though, for the length - nothing should ever be this long.
The music was fine background noise. I didnt mind the music, but the album itself was so unnecessary. This could have been reduced by three hours, and would still be too long. If the album is going to take me 4 hours to finish it needs to change my life. This didn’t do it.
Woohoo! This is a masterpiece, within a collection of masterpieces. Ella was the greatest singer of all time and space. Her voice was absolutely exquisite. The orchestra is incredible. Completely sublime work. More artists should be doing projects this special. Infinity stars.
Good stuff. Discovered a new artist
This was ok but over 3 hours was just too much for me.
Muy bueno
This seems like it'd be an iconic American album. 4 HOURS LONG (the version in Apple Music has some Nelson Riddle pieces). It's definitely a clear snapshot of that era. I'd be happy to have listened to it, been exposed to it, but don't expect to be going back to it. I also hate the album cover, it creeps me out. Just like Sinatra albums, I recognize the artistry and icons of American music Fitzgerald/Gershwins are, but this is a 3* for me. I spent all day at work listening to this and only made it through 3/4 discs. The last disc seemed like other versions of songs I already heard, so I quit. Highlights: let's call the whole thing off (tomato tomahto potato potahto)
Solid stuff from Ella!
The album cover artwork for Ella Fitzgerald's "The Gershwin Songbook" leaves much to be desired. The overall design feels uninspired and lacks the vibrancy one might expect from such a legendary artist. The background is a somewhat chaotic mustard yellow that distracts from her presence rather than enhancing it. This choice diminishes the elegance associated with Fitzgerald's music and persona. Although the intention may have been to evoke a certain nostalgia, the execution falls flat, making it feel more like an afterthought than a carefully curated piece of art. Album covers rated: 4/1001 Music is... well, there's lots of it for sure.
Fitzgerald is arguably the best in her genre, this album just exemplifies it
I'm going to be so real with you, I only listened to the first disc in this one. There is no musical artist I want to listen to for three straight hours. However, I did like what I heard! Maybe I'll check out some of the others someday. Probably not, but wouldn't that be nice.
okay YES this is 3h15m and YES it is six discs (on Spotify) of old-timey music which on paper sounds like the stuff of nightmares but honestly, twist of the century, it works and i enjoyed it. if it weren't the gershwins and ella fitzgerald, you'd be reading a very different review right now. but ella's voice is just magical (or maybe that's the christmas spirit all around me... i'm writing this in mid-december, after all). the songs switch between heartfelt ballads and fun, goofy, campy songs covering just about anything, and it makes for an engaging experience overall. particular shoutouts to the opening lines of my cousin in milwaukee from (spotify's) disc 2 and boy wanted from disc 3. and strike up the band from disc 3 opens with a part that sounds like the twentieth century fox bumper music... incredible stuff. and the rest of the tracks were still pleasant as background music, there's really nothing bad on here. favorites: but not for me, let's call the whole thing off, by strauss, the real american folk song, my cousin in milwaukee, boy wanted, strike up the band, i got rhythm
I hate this era of music.
Good hits but just too long. Lots of songs but few that stick
59 songs on this album - supposed to be 3 hours and 15 minutes long. It has taken me almost 8 hours to listen to it. Despite that, Ella Fitzgerald has a wonder voice, I really enjoyed it. 4 stars
5 stars when you select 12 or so tracks , but no need for a colossal box set up on this list. 3 or 5 stars depending on how you listen to it !
ass
Uživam standardno u ovoj vrsti glazbe i volim Ellu, pogotovo te stare stare stvari, ali ovaj album je daleko predug da bih se mogla cijelom posvetiti, doslovce bih morala razlomiti na više dana, što mi gubi smisao. Skužila sam da mi baš ide na živac kad albumi dugo traju, pogotovo što mi se (barem zasad) čini da su najbolji albumi (po mom ukusu) bili i najkraći. Zbog toga će ocjena biti niža nego što bih inače dala. 3/5; 6.5/10
Ma nema se ovdje šta puno reći. Njen glas je legendaran, orkestar koji ju prati svira savršeno, Gershwin je legenda sam po sebi. Još mi dosta prija jazz ili ovaj orkestralni big band zvuk u zadnje vrijeme. Čista desetka
8/10 Volim Ellu, ima specifican glas, zanimljive i ponekad komicne tekstove (in a good way), super bend iza sebe and list goes on. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off me bas dosta zabavila, ali i cijeli album mi je bas prosao jako brzo. Toliko mi je sjeo da sam si jos dva-tri sata nju vrtio. Inace, ima i odlican album sa Louisom Armstrongom, preporuka. Nemam sto nadodati, jedna od najboljih jazz vokalistica koju uvijek volim cuti!
Her voice is incredible but we feel the songs and arrangement are very much of their time
Liked this. Some good songs and was easy listen 7/10
Perfection!
This is a long album. I think I got the just of it halfway through 'disc 2' Sh'es very talented but I wouldn't normally listen to her
Rich and voluminous vocals spun into beautiful melodies make this a powerful collection
ella fitzgerald has a gorgeous voice, but it’s not enough to justify the sheer length of this thing. 6 whole discs??
This made a long drive on a rainy and windy December day a little more pleasant, but I’m not sure there was anything to gain from the second or third hour that you couldn’t get from the first
I did it! I had an afternoon of uninterrupted data entry style work to do and this was the perfect soundtrack. Criticism of the length here probably doesn’t hold up, it basically predates what we now think of as an ‘album’. So is basically just a lovely collection of songs that were never meant to be listened to all at once. Simpsons: Yes
Had to tackle this over 2 sessions. Obviously it's far too long, not really a single album either. However, I did find the music pleasant and enjoyable background music. Would potentially listen again if I felt like I wanted that vibe. Going to give a generous 4 stars, despite the length.
This was quite a lengthy experience; it took up 43% of my workday. On a positive note, it wasn't as bad as I expected. She has a pleasant voice. However, due to its length, I probably won't sit down to listen to the entire thing ever again.
I liked it. Long like. Feels like a way to tick off Ella and Gershwin at the same time.
# Playlist track - Let's Call The Whole Thing Off # Notes - A behemoth of an album. This 59 song, 3 hour+ monstrosity have no right at all being in a list like this. - I tackled this maybe 2-3 days in a row and I have no idea if I managed to listen to every track. - Having said that, whatever I got to listen was pretty enjoyable! Silky smooth instrumentals with Ella's powerful voice go really well together, who could imagine. - Great soundtrack for a dinner or party, but it really really should be taken in smaller doses.
Very long but great voice.
Ella has a beautiful voice, but how many songs about wanting a man can one sing?! Apparently 3 hours and 14 minutes worth. Six albums worth. I couldn't get through the whole thing, it got so repetitive.
Lang niet alles geluisterd maar ja, one of the greats.
ja, naja, ella is tof, maar was er wel klaar mee na... weet ik veel hoe lang. lastig om dit een cijfer te geven, tis een hele specifieke vibe, wel eentje die ik heel vet vindt, maar ook eentje die wel heel niche is en ik niet te vaak op kan zetten? maar wel nice op een regenachtige zondagochtend op de achtergrond met een kopje koffie ofzo? ik geef het een 3/5 maar zou het het liefst een 7/10 geven
A great snapshot of the era. If you want to explore music if the past this is an album you need to listen to
If it was Christmas Day with logs crackling on an open fire and snow outside then 5 /5 but just a great voice trailing through some old tunes but some are classics
This just doesn't do anything for me. Maybe if I'm in a restaurant and this was the background music, I would enjoy it.
Veldig fint, men mer enn 3 timer..
Stunning and perfect for a Sunday.
someone in the reviews says it should be illegal to rate this less than 4, and they're spot on
Very enjoyable, some great tracks on there. Made all the better by Ella singing them!
Songs i liked : pretty much all of the ones I listened to Only got 2 discs through this but loved it, would happily go back again. Imagine getting the deluxe edition at the time in that fancy box, be worth a bomb now. Mid 4
I listened to the first song off this and really couldn't be fucked to listen to 3 and a bit hours of it. I’m sure it’s very nice and had a sort of festive vibe to it, but no album has any right to be that long. Unless it’s prog metal, then it’s fine.
Love Gershwin and love Ella even more. Up with Billie and Sarah Vaughan when it comes to my favourite jazz singers. Full disclosure, I didn't listen to all of this as it's 3 hours long and I'm a bit hungover today but if I was doing an epic roast dinner then this would have been the soundtrack. Just going to assume the rest is as good as what I heard of it and give it a 4 because Ella just don't miss.
In to this. It’s great. Listened to about 4 discs and there wasn’t a bad song. I like this music and the era. I will stick it on again. Would be nice on a Sunday.
Best of=4 stars. Other version too long. And I’m too sleepy.
Nära en fyra då musiken gör mig glad och stundtals känns julig, men skivan är ju på tok för lång vilket drar ner betyget.
Very nice.
Oh, so The Beatles in Mono box set is also an album? Whatever, Bob.