Darren, James - Gidget Goes Hawaiian & James Darren Sings For All Sizes (2on1 CD)

Title: Gidget Goes Hawaiian/Sings For All Sizes
Artist: James Darren

Re-issue 2004 Collector's Choice Music

These two records cull tracks from the two dozen—plus singles James cut for Colpix, and they’re a bunch of fun, with teen—oriented weepers alongside sophisticated adult pop. Includes from 'Gidget—Gidget Goes Hawaiian; Not Mine; Come On My Love; Wild About the Girl; Until the Real Thing Comes Along (Version 2); Goodbye My Lady Love; P.S. I Love You; Hand in Hand; Traveling down a Lonely Road; You Are My Dream; Your Smile', and 'Because They’re Young'. From 'For All Sizes—Goodbye Cruel World; Valerie; Gotta Have Love; If I Could Only Tell You; Tears in My Eyes; You; Angel Face; Teenage Tears; I Don’t Wanna Lose Ya; How Sweet You Are; Man About Town', and 'Dream Big'.

DARREN'S DELIGHTS!
allen pollock - plymouth.uk

When Columbia Pictures launched James Darren as their teenage screen heart-throb in the late ‘50s, a bonus promotional fortuity was the discovery that he also had a personable singing voice which provided a regular supply of singles for their subsidiary but short-lived record label, Colpix. This combination of GIDGET GOES HAWIIAN (JAMES DARREN SINGS THE MOVIES)/SINGS FOR ALL SIZES contains many of these early sides including the charting BECAUSE THEY’RE YOUNG and GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD. With Billy May, George Duning and Bob Mersey amongst the arrangers, it is good to report that although some songs are less than worthy pop numbers, NOT MINE, UNTIL THE REAL THING COMES ALONG and P.S. I LOVE YOU glimmer brightly on the first uneven album, with COME MY LOVE and GOODBYE MY LADY LOVE updating familiar favorites and TRAVELLING DOWN A LONELY ROAD based on the melody of STARS SHINE IN YOUR EYES. The second included album follows an even more contemporaneous path with agreeably light-weight teen-angled material headed by the fair rock ‘n roll number GOTTA HAVE LOVE and the upbeat confection of TEENAGE TEARS. However, MAN ABOUT TOWN and DREAM BIG provide redeeming swinging big-band offerings and welcome sustenance for adults. Nice to have these albums back!