The most elegant of the sirens calling American troops back home in the mid- to late '40s, Jo Stafford reached Your Hit Parade many times with the songs -- "You Belong to Me," "I Remember You," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" -- war wives and girlfriends must have been singing along with as they awaited the grand homecoming. She possessed a winning way with a standard ("Play a Simple Melody," "On the Sunny Side of the Street," "Over the Rainbow"), and carried the novelties ("Shrimp Boats," "Ragtime Cowboy Joe") well, too, with the contributions of her husband, arranger Paul Weston. EMI's volume on Stafford in the Ultimate series doesn't include as many tracks as Capitol Collectors Series, and it commits the near-fatal error of omitting "It Could Happen to You" and "Long Ago (And Far Away)," but 24 tracks will be enough for all but the most discriminating listeners.
© John Bush /TiVo