Time: 38:29
Size: 88.1 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Group harmony vocals
Year: 2010
Art: Front
[2:31] 1. Amor
[2:22] 2. Frenesi
[2:49] 3. Ella
[2:09] 4. Quizas, Quizas
[2:57] 5. Besame Mucho
[2:20] 6. Maria Elena
[2:38] 7. Tres Palabras
[2:15] 8. Adios Mariquita
[2:13] 9. Mi Lo Dijo Adel
[2:52] 10. Tu Solo Tu
[1:55] 11. Brazil
[2:31] 12. La Ultima Noche
[2:43] 13. Cancion Mixteca
[2:10] 14. Amapola
[2:07] 15. Lisboa Antiqua
[1:49] 16. Perfidia
A close-harmony vocal quartet with few equals during the '50s, the Ames Brothers hit number one in 1950 with "Sentimental Me," and found their biggest hit three years later with "You, You, You." Though they were indeed a family group, the Ames Brothers' surname was actually Urick. Joe, Gene, Vic and Ed were all born within four short years of each other in Malden, Massachusetts. After winning a few talent contests in their hometown, the group moved to Boston and began performing in nightclubs. They soon made the leap to New York and even Los Angeles, and signed to the Coral label in late 1958. After a few moderate hits, the Ames Brothers hit big in early 1950 with a double-sided number one hit, "Rag Mop"/"Sentimental Me." The B-side eventually triumphed over its flip, and the group hit again later in 1951 with "Undecided." The biggest hit of the Ames Brothers' career was 1953's "You You You," and their continued success during 1954 with "The Naughty Lady of Shady Land" bore fruit in the form of their own television program.
Though the quartet continued to record throughout the '50s, the dawn of the rock era definitely damaged their career; the group managed two Top Ten hits in 1957 ("Tammy," "Melodie d'Amour"), but then folded in 1959. Ed, the youngest Ames brother, continued a performing career and appeared as an Indian named Mingo on the Daniel Boone TV series before hitting the Top Ten as a solo act with 1967's "My Cup Runneth Over." He also appeared on Broadway.
Though the quartet continued to record throughout the '50s, the dawn of the rock era definitely damaged their career; the group managed two Top Ten hits in 1957 ("Tammy," "Melodie d'Amour"), but then folded in 1959. Ed, the youngest Ames brother, continued a performing career and appeared as an Indian named Mingo on the Daniel Boone TV series before hitting the Top Ten as a solo act with 1967's "My Cup Runneth Over." He also appeared on Broadway.
Amor mc
Amor zippy
I’ve been searching the WWW for info on this curiosity. Seems it was originally released in 1960 under the title “Hello Amigos.” “Amor” – the title under which it was posted here by our Silky Denims friends/benefactors – appears to be a 2010 rerelease. (And amazing that such a thing should be rereleased in 2010. For what dwindling audience – other than the people who follow Silky D and/or really obscure antiquarian blogs?) The orchestration is by Esquivel, as the handful of people who downloaded this may have already concluded from the familiar earmarks. Judging from a quick review, the songs on the rerelease are precisely the same as those on the original. Must say, I was expecting the album to be fairly ridiculous. Unlike Linda Ronstadt, who also recorded boleros and rancheras, the Ames Bros did not have a Mexicanized father. They were sons of Jewish immigrants from Ukraine; they grew up on the outskirts of Boston, MA. Unlike Nat King Cole, who also sang boleros and whose diction both in Spanish and in Portuguese, is extremely studied (to use a kind word), well ... they’re just not Nat King Cole. Nat King Cole could do anything, and, even if it was sometimes ridiculous, it was at least fabulously ridiculous. But this Ames Bros recording is not ridiculous. Well, let me take that back. Of course it is – simply by virtue of its existing. But it is not absurd. These guys are not Los Tres Ases, my own favorite Mexican trio. They’re not Los Panchos. So how in the world did they pull this off? Where did they get the convincing Spanish? The feel for this music? What inspired them to even try? If anyone can explain, I would love to know. By the way, my wife Barbara informs me that Ed Ames, the youngest of the brothers, wound up playing an American Indian on the old U.S. TV series Daniel Boone, and she described to me an appearance he made many once upon a time on the Johnny Carson Show and in which he threw a tomahawk he had learned to handle. For the joke that Carson made, this tomahawk episode was apparently a classic. Obviously, it can be found on YouTube.
ReplyDeletehey Mark, thx for the comment. let me just react to your wonderful observations. dont be surprised to find albums like this posted here in SD. there are those who find these worth their listening time for reasons we can only surmise. proving that point is the fact that they sometimes equal the number of downloads of more famous or current artists and albums. i feel that there are people who want to know more of what influenced todays music or where they came from. personally, i am awed at finding these albums in digital format (without the pops, skips and crackle of overplayed vinyl).
ReplyDeletenow, the ames brothers. i did catch some of their hits when i was growing up (oops! did i just give away my age?), so i am not entirely unfamiiar with them. great, grand times listening also to groups like the inkspots, four freshmen, etc. i always did like groups singing in 3 - 4 part harmonies. also listened to trio los panchos. i remember watching a movie with ricardo montalban singing 'ofelia'. also ed ames as an indian in the daniel boone tv series.
thx Mark for your comments on other albums we have posted. please continue to do so. i hope other visitors will find the time to submit their own comments on our posts.
I like seeing these type of posts. I grew up listening to things like this in my childhood, not knowing anything of how unauthentic they might be. For that reason, I'll still enjoy them even though I've been further educated.
ReplyDelete