[.ca] What Every Girl Should Know/I Have Dreamed

yet another quality Doris Day twofer:
This great twofer from the Collectables label comprises two of Doris Day's best albums of the late 1950's - 'What Every Girl Should Know', and 'I Have Dreamed'. 'What Every Girl Should Know', of course, includes the memorable tune of the title, as well as a good array of songs like "Mood Indigo", "The Everlasting Arms", "My Kinda Love", "When You're Smilin'" and "Not Only Should You Love Him". There is also a rather-upbeat version of "What's the Use of Wond'rin'" from CAROUSEL. 'I Have Dreamed' of course includes the lovely KING AND I tune, and also includes "I Believe in Dreams", "All I Do is Dream of You", "Periwinkle Blue" and "You Stepped Out of a Dream". There is also a well-judged "My Ship" from LADY IN THE DARK, and a plaintive "Some Day I'll Find You" from the play PRIVATE LIVES. This reissue is a must-own for Doris Day fans.

Songs of romance and dreams:
The first half of this twofer is the album What every girl should know. It was recorded in 1959 and is based loosely on the theme of the title track. The songs are from a variety of sources, although the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein composed three of them - A fellow needs a girl, What's the use of wondering and Something wonderful. Perhaps the most famous songs are When you're smiling (a song that was originally a top five American hit for Seger Ellis in 1928) and Duke Ellington's Mood Indigo. Despite the inclusion of When you're smiling, this album is dominated by ballads. The second half of this twofer is the album I have dreamed, released in 1961. As many of the song titles indicate, the album is full of dreamy, romantic ballads. Many of the songs are from the golden age of the Great American Songbook, including some that were originally huge American hits - All I do is dream of you (#1 for Jan Garber in 1934), I'll buy that dream (#2 for Helen Forrest and Dick Haymes in 1945) and When I grow too old to dream (#1 for Glen Gray in 1935). You stepped out of a dream failed to make the top twenty for Kay Kyser in 1941, but it is a masterpiece when sung by Doris on this album. Other great songs include the title track - a Rodgers and Hammerstein song from The King and I and Someday I'll find you (written by Noel Coward). Many people remember Doris for her lightweight, upbeat songs. Doris was also one of the best balladeers of her generation, as this album proves. These two excellent albums show clearly that, given the chance, Doris was capable of more than just the upbeat, fun songs. In the UK, these two albums were released on separate twofers. What every girl should know was paired with Sentimental Journey, while I have dreamed was paired with Listen to Day.

A 'DREAMY' DOUBLE DOSE OF DAY!:
The double CD featuring the vocal expertise of Doris Day, "What Every Girl Should Know" and "I Have Dreamed" is yet another example of how skilled Day had become by the early 60's, after 20 years of singing professionally. In particular "I Have Dreamed" allows the listener to hear Day perform a decidedly mixed bag featuring songs by Kurt Weill,, Noel Coward, Sigmund Romberg and Richard Rodgers, among others. Day's treatment of the title song moved composer Rodgers so much that he penned a fan letter to her declaring her version of the number from "The King and I", the best he'd ever heard. "What Every Girl Should Know" features a decidedly mellow Doris Day, from the title song, through a very fine "Mood Indigo", an exquisite "Something Wonderful" and even a moving religious-based number, "The Everlasting Arms" with lyrics by Day's Christian Science Practitioner, Martin Broonees, husband of thee inimitable, long-legged delight, Charlotte Greenwood. Day's take on "What's The Use of Wond'rin" from "Carousel" is more upbeat than renditions of this song usually are, but it works. My personal favorite of the two albums contained herein is the aforementioned "I Have Dreamed". Doris Day's purity of tone and heartfelt warmth are so clearly in evidence. In particular her singing of Coward's hauntingly beautiful, "Someday I'll Find You" from "Private Lives" is flawless. "My Ship" from Weill's "Lady in the Dark" is another highpoint from this collection as well as the title track and "When I Grow Too Old to Dream". Other memorable moments include "You Stepped Out of a Dream" from MGM's "Ziegfeld Girl" as well as "All I Do is Dream of You" from another MGM film of the 30's. Some of Doris Day's finest recordings were done in the 1960's, displaying a variety of styles that she had not indulged in during the 1940's and 50's. It certainly makes one wish that instead of virtually ending her singing career in 1967, she had continued to record. By the time you've finished listening to this very pleasurable hour of music, you'll be convinced that what this particular girl knows is how to deliver a song that'll leave you dreaming!

• What Every Girl Should Know - Doris Day, Harry Zimmerman's Orchestra
• Mood Indigo - Doris Day, Harry Zimmerman's Orchestra
• When You're Smiling - Doris Day, Harry Zimmerman's Orchestra
• Fellow Needs a Girl - Doris Day, Harry Zimmerman's Orchestra
• My Kinda Love - Doris Day, Harry Zimmerman's Orchestra
• What's the Use of Wond'rin' - Doris Day, Harry Zimmerman's Orchestra
• Something Wonderful - Doris Day, Harry Zimmerman's Orchestra
• Hundred Years from Today - Doris Day, Harry Zimmerman's Orchestra
• You Can't Have Everything - Doris Day, Harry Zimmerman's Orchestra
• Not Only Should You Love Him - Doris Day, Harry Zimmerman's Orchestra
• What Does a Woman Do - Doris Day, Harry Zimmerman's Orchestra
• Everlasting Arms - Doris Day, Harry Zimmerman's Orchestra
• I Believe in Dreams - Doris Day,
• I'll Buy That Dream - Doris Day,
• My Ship - Doris Day,
• All I Do Is Dream of You - Doris Day,
• When I Grow Too Old to Dream - Doris Day,
• We'll Love Again - Doris Day,
• I Have Dreamed - Doris Day,
• Periwinkle Blue - Doris Day,
• Someday I'll Find You - Doris Day,
• You Stepped Out of a Dream - Doris Day,
• Oh What a Beautiful Dream - Doris Day,
• Time to Say Goodnight - Doris Day,