Patti Page Albums (6)
'Just a Closer Walk with Thee'
Release Date 6/30/1989
Tracks 13
Label Polygram
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Originally released in 1960 and reissued in 1995 (apparently with the final track, "Lord's Prayer," deleted), Patti Page's sacred album finds her singing traditional gospel numbers before dynamic choral arrangements by Malcolm Dodds, which at times draw attention away from her typically warm and sincere vocals. Prominent bells, drums, and a harp are heard, with little else in the way of instrumental accompaniment. But the choir, sounding as though it ought to be backing a more soulful soloist, really stands out. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
'Country & Western Golden Hits'
Release Date 1/1/1961
Tracks 12
Label Mercury
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Patti Page was perfectly comfortable with country music and could even yodel, although she doesn't do it on Country & Western Golden Hits. This 1961 album offers some of the crossover country music you would expect a pop vocalist to tackle, like "Dark Moon," but Page also does "You All Come," which is as country as it gets. "Mom and Dad's Waltz" was a minor hit on the pop and country charts for Page, and the album's track list is full of classics like "I Walk the Line," "Walking the Floor Over You," and "Crazy Arms." This isn't your typical attempt to turn country material into lushly orchestrated mood music -- Country & Western Golden Hits is a bona fide country-pop album, and a good one at that. ~ Greg Adams, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
A better title for this album might have been Patti Page Tries to Pull a Sinatra, as she delves into swinging jazz, seemingly far removed from "Doggie in the Window" and much of her other pop material from this period. The original notes on In the Land of Hi-Fi tell the reader that Patti Page "has never been too far removed from jazz." That's not in dispute, since she came of age in a time -- the big-band era -- when the influence of jazz was at its peak. But she is fundamentally a pop singer, regardless of her influences or the rhythmic qualities of her phrasing. Page's persona as a singer is more dramatic than anything else, and even in those moments when she lightens up (as on some verses of "A Foggy Day"), she's still giving more of an emotional, almost theatrical performance than a musical performance. Some of the rest, including "Mountain Greenery," "My Kind of Love," and "I Didn't Know About You" work better, all more comfortable fits among singer, band, and song, but there's still not enough to make this record more than an offbeat curio in Page's career. For this album, she was joined by Pete Rugolo & His Orchestra, who sometimes seem rather ham-fisted, trying to punch home jazz and swing elements. Buddy Childers' trumpet on "Mountain Greenery" and the alto sax heard on "I've Got My Eyes on You" are enjoyable enough, and the band is sometimes more diverting than Page. On other occasions, as on "Love for Sale," the band is so busy behind Page's surprisingly tender and edgy singing that it's almost a distraction. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
