Jackie Gleason
Not only was he one of the finest comedians America has ever produced, Jackie Gleason applied his prodigious talents to music as well. With a strong jazz roots background (leaning toward mesmerized idolatry when dealing with good trumpet players), Gleason developed a chart-topping series of mood music albums in the '50s, citing his reason for their existence: "Every time I ever watched Clark Gable do a love scene in the movies, I'd hear this really pretty music, real romantic, come up behind him and help set the mood. So I'm figuring that if Clark Gable needs that kinda help, then a guy in Canarsie has gotta be dyin' for somethin' like this!"
Gleason began making films in the '40s, but he rose to stardom in the early '50s, thanks to the late '40s/early '50s television series The Honeymooners and Cavalcade of Stars. His television stardom led to a contract with Capitol Records, which released his first album, Music for Lovers Only, in 1953. As a musician, Gleason favored lush, dramatically orchestrated instrumentals, patterned after the mood music of Paul Weston. Gleason wasn't a trained musician, but he was responsible for the musical direction of his records; when he did write a piece, he would dictate to someone who could read and write music.
Music for Lovers Only was a surprise hit, selling over 500,000 copies. Every subsequent Gleason album was a major hit, reaching the Top Ten and selling a large number of copies. Gleason continued to release albums into the '60s, but his popularity dipped dramatically after 1957. After that year, he was no longer able to make it into the Top 15, even though his records continued to appear in the lower regions of the charts. Gleason's records have continued to be popular cult items and have come to be regarded as definitive mood music albums.
© Cub Koda & Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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30 Essentials of Jackie Gleason
Pop - Released by BNF Collection on 27 Oct 2014
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
15 Essentials of Jackie Gleason (Mono Version)
Pop - Released by BNF Collection on 26 Sep 2014
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
The Gentle Touch (Stereo Version)
Pop - Released by BNF Collection on 1 Jan 1962
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Jackie Gleason Presents Riff Jazz and Lazy, Lively, Love
Pop - Released by Sepia on 8 May 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
My Devotion
Lounge - Released by Marylebone Records on 6 Jul 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
My Love for Carmen
Pop - Released by Matchless Music on 20 Mar 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Merry Christmas
Christmas Music - Released by Vintage Masters Inc. on 1 Nov 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
There's a Leavin' Soon for New York
Jackie Gleason, Michel LeGrand and His Orchestra, Ray Conniff, The Ray Conniff Singers, 101 Strings
Pop - Released by Hit that Record on 1 Aug 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Happy Noel
Christmas Music - Released by Noel’s shots on 11 Nov 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The 12 Days of Christmas with Jackie Gleason & His Orchestra
Jackie Gleason & His Orchestra, Jackie Gleason
Lounge - Released by All I Have To Do Is Dream on 2 Dec 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Christmas Gold Collection
Pop - Released by Hbc Remastered Classics on 8 Nov 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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I Only Have Eyes for You
Pop - Released by Beatbusters on 1 Jun 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Love Embers and Flame
Jazz - Released by Music Manager on 4 Feb 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
All the Best
Pop - Released by Don't stop the music on 31 Mar 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Music for Lovers (Bonus Track Version)
Jazz - Released by Circadian Jazz on 1 Apr 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Castanets Dance
Jazz - Released by Boisterous Two on 16 Dec 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Les idoles de la musique américaine : Jackie Gleason, Vol. 1
Pop - Released by Mpm on 1 Dec 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Space Age Collection; Exotica, Volume 8 (Stereo)
Lounge - Released by PROFOUND on 7 Feb 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo