[.ca] Sings The Rosemary Clooney Son

From Amazon.com:
It's nice to see Bette Midler putting her spin on an American classic after less-than-convincing detours through adult-contemporary cheese. This tribute focuses on Rosemary Clooney in the early to mid-1950s--so we don't get any of the fabulous Nelson Riddle material--but it's a fairly strong offering. It was produced and arranged by Midler's old musical director, Barry Manilow--who actually dueted with Clooney on a couple of songs in the 1990s and here replaces Bing Crosby on the duet "On a Slow Boat to China." Mostly, the CD is about hits: "Hey There" and "White Christmas" are done in straightforward manner, while Linda Ronstadt fills in for Rosemary's actual sister Betty on a slinky version of "Sisters." Happily, Midler plays "Come On-A My House" down instead of up (the old Bette would have milked its comic aspect) but the singer lets loose on "Mambo Italiano." That's pretty much the only time the Divine Miss M peeks out from behind Clooney's elegant persona, and it's a delight. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

You don't GET enough from BETTE!:
I had this CD on my wish list from the time it was announced for release. I got it for a birthday present and played it at the party immediately upon ripping the package open. This CD is so short! Surely, Rosie made many more wonderful songs that Bette could have sung. This CD is 30 minutes long. There is not enough enjoyment to make it work the price.

Wonderful!:
A great CD. The song Bette sings with Barry Manilow, On a Slow Boat to China, is so fabulous that you'll want to play this CD over and over again!

Stilll very much Divine:
There have been so many superb detailed reviews that I will just swoon... This is one very classy collection of songs and Bette delivers in style throughout. It is a rather short CD, but the quality is there in abundance. She looks devastatingly beautiful on the cover, and her warm, self-assured smile seems to be a pointer to the wonderful space she must have been in while putting this excellent collection together. Having Barry in the chair is just the icing on the cake, and perhaps a final assurance of quality and attention to detail. Brilliant.

SUPERB!:
Words cannot describe Bette's rendition of Rosie's wonderful songs. I played it over and over again. If you loved Rosemary Clooney, you will love this CD. Buy it. You will not be sorry.

Marvelous, Simply Marvelous:
The absolute worst thing I can say about this CD is that it was over WAY too soon! I loved everything on it. I never appreciated Ms. Midler's mellow voice and finese with the sound. The duets were also outstanding. If you liked Rosemary Clooney, Barry Manilow or Bette Midler, you will absolutely love this CD.

• You'll Never Know
• This Ole House
• On a Slow Boat to China
• Hey There
• Tenderly
• Come On-A My House
• Mambo Italiano
• Sisters
• Memories of You
• In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening
• White Christmas