Harry Belafonte-All Time Greatest Hits Vol. 1-3 series

For those of you who are wanting most of Harry Belafonte's best known songs in best of compilations using original stereo and mono generally speaking, look no further than the 3 volume All Time Greatest Hits series, although "Island In The Sun" is an alternate take, but great sounding anyway.

Vol. 1 has 14 tracks, Vol. 2 has 19 tracks and Vol. 3 has 20 tracks.

Vol. 1

1 Day O 3:02
2 Don't Ever Love Me 2:45
3 Mama Look-A Boo Boo 2:53
4 Jump In The Line 3:42
5 Scarlet Ribbons 3:12
6 Michael Row The Boat Ashore 3:57
7 Island In The Sun 3:07
8 John Henry 3:28
9 Abraham Martin And John 3:56
10 Hallelujah I Love Her So 2:52
11 Cocoanut Woman 2:58
12 Mary's Boy Child 2:57
13 Hold'em Joe 2:35
14 Jamaica Farewell 3:04

Vol. 2

1 Midnight Special # 3:59
2 I'm Just A Country Boy # 3:22 02/17/66
3 Man Smart (Woman Smarter) # 3:33 08/18/55
4 Shenandoah # 3:42 09/06/56
5 Mr. Bojangles # 4:57 08/20/69
6 Angelina # 3:54
7 God Bless The Child # 5:04 06/05/58
8 Gomen Nasai (Forgive Me) # 2:31 02/06/53
9 I Do Adore Her # 2:49 11/09/55
10 The Drummer And The Cook # 2:04 04/09/54
11 Cotton Fields # 5:18 06/05/58
12 Matilda # 3:34 08/17/55
13 Monkey # 4:02
14 One For My Baby # 4:33 06/05/58
15 If I Were A Carpenter # 3:36 08/19/69
16 Angelique-O # 2:40 01/27/57
17 Lord Randall # 4:08 04/29/54
18 Come Back Liza # 3:03 11/09/55
19 When The Saints Go Marching In # 3:39 12/04/56

Vol. 3:

1 Crawdad Song # 3:38 1962
2 Land Of The Sea And Sun # 2:58 1962
3 Unchained Melody # 3:21 10/28/55
4 Rock Island Line # 3:35 12/15/70
5 Kingston Market # 3:18
6 Birmingham, Alabama # 3:59 05/13/70
7 I Know Where I'm Going # 3:11
8 Waltzing Matilda # 3:12
9 Muleskinner # 3:31
10 Hurry Sundown # 2:27 01/14/67
11 Sweetheart From Venezuela # 3:32
12 And I Love You So # 4:39 01/09/73
13 Play Me # 4:10
14 Jump Down, Spin Around # 1:59 08/19/55
15 Swing Low Sweet Chariot # 4:00 01/17/59
16 Man Piaba # 3:30 05/13/54
17 Betty An' Dupree # 5:21
18 This Land Is Your Land # 3:01
19 On Top Of Old Smokey # 5:58
20 Star-O # 2:02 10/20/55

The sound on these CDs is very dynamic and the discs are very well mastered. If you are an extremely casual fan and only want to seek out the biggest hits according to the top 40, Vol. 1 is the disc but you will want to get all 3 discs in the series as there is a lot of great music on all 3 volumes of the series. Vol. 2 is the most difficult to find in most used CD stores (used copies on Amazon go for as cheap as $15.93 plus S&H) but I managed to snatch up Vol. 2 at a Goodwill store in Hermantown, Minnesota for cheap a while back but it was one of my best scores.

 

Vol. 3 of this series is the only disc I know of that has the album master of "Man Piaba" on CD and is worth buying for that alone.

 

You're welcome. Jamaica Farewell on Vol. 1 is the LP version which was recorded first, while the 45 version is on the "Very Best of..." remastered CD and the single was recorded later on.

 

I have 1 and 2 and recommend them. Thanks Brad!

 

Time to pick up Vol. 3 in the series as Amazon Marketplace and eBay sellers have many copies for cheap, Lee.

 

Vol. 1 stayed in print the longest for obvious reasons so that is the cheapest volume to seek out but all 3 volumes are OOP.

 

LP version sample: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000002WAL/
45 version sample: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005RDCD/

 

The full length single/album version of Island In The Sun can be found on the Bear Family boxed set and the album it was originally released on, Caribbean. Both versions of Jamaica Farewell are also on the boxed set but the least expensive sources for both versions are on the CDs mentioned in post #4.

 

Thanks Brad I've been wanting to get some Belafonte and it's good to know the sound on these RCA comps is good- I'm always a bit gun-shy because some of the early RCA CD stuff sounds great, other stuff quite dodgy and NR'd (some of the Elvis stuff I bought-eek!)

 

Belafonte At Carnegie Hall either on LP (either original or Classic Records), the rare Classic Records Gold disc 2 CD set or the in print import 2 CD set is the next step and avoid all single CD issues of this album which omit the dialogue and 4 tracks. Calypso (either on original mono LP, the Bear Family box or PD sets of the material that use original mono), and Steve mastered Jump Up Calypso on DCC, Wounded Bird issued Midnight Special, there are gold discs of "Belafonte Sings The Blues". Belafonte Returns To Carnegie Hall is worthwhile and it is on LP and CD complete. These All Time Greatest Hits comps are a great starter kit though.

 

I have the 45 version of Jamaica Farewell on this disc: http://www.amazon.com/Best-Original-Hits-Harry-Belafonte/dp/B00005U8LA/ The sound is great as well and for the cost of a couple of iTunes downloads, you can get this 45 version and more. The 45 version is orchestrated and the LP version isn't and the arrangements are different. My favorite is the album version. The 45 version is about 2:48 or so timing wise.

 

Here's a bump for you.

 

Thanks for the reminder!

Picked up vol #1 at a local flea market a couple of months ago ... and just ordered vol. # 2 and vol. #3 via amazon / ebay.

 

I don't remember whether I have only one or more of these CDs, but I do have at least one. Finding it would be a problem, though.

P.S.: Now I know for sure that I do NOT have volume 3. I had never seen that cover before.

 

Finally got Vol. 3 today - found in a bargain bin mint for $3.

Brad is correct again, fantastic sound and performance!

 

Indeed, I am correct much of the time when it comes to sound.

 

Now there are copies on Amazon Marketplace of Vol. 2 for as low as $4 plus S&H. Belafonte fans, this series is essential and cheap.

 

I will spin this off with a poll thread determining which of these 3 comps you would like a well mastered 180g vinyl release of the most with Steve and an audiophile label getting together to get this idea into fruition but you can still discuss in this thread.

Edit: The spinoff thread is http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=288944

 

BTW, there are many greatest hits compilation series and even domestically issued boxed sets that the tracks included are not as well chosen and as great sounding as this series.

 

Matt, next you should get the other 2 discs of this series, including Vol. 3 for the correct version of Man Piaba. The Calypso CD was sourced from the rechanneled LP master, mono'd down rather than the dry mono masters which are the source for the Calypso tracks included in this series of best of compilations.

 

The best source for the Calypso album as a whole is the mono vinyl LP, BTW