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
-
Good Night, Sweet Nightingale
Pop - Released by Hardbeats on 20 Jan 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
You Can't Pull the Wool Over My Eyes
Pop - Released by Music Maestros on 15 Apr 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
You Can't Pull the Wool Over My Eyes
Pop - Released by Hardbeats on 20 Jan 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gigot
Film Soundtracks - Released by Vintage Masters Inc. on 1 Mar 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Les idoles de la musique américaine : Jackie Gleason, Vol. 2
Pop - Released by Mpm on 22 Dec 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
-
Girl of My Dreams
Jazz - Released by Mach60 Music on 12 Oct 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Music For Lovers Only/Velvet Brass
Pop - Released by Music Manager on 1 Jan 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Lp Library
Film Soundtracks - Released by old library records on 2 Jan 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
You Aint Heard Nothin' Yet
Jazz - Released by costaro on 20 Sep 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Enjoying The Meal
Jazz - Released by LST Collector Series on 22 Aug 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jackie Gleason presents Riff Jazz (Original Album 1958)
Pop - Released by Weird Music - Lounge on 30 Jun 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
THE SHOW MUST GO ON with Jackie Gleason, Vol. 02
Lounge - Released by Unchained Melody on 4 Aug 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lifeworks - Jackie Gleason (The Platinum Edition)
Lounge - Released by Night & day on 31 Mar 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Greatest Hits
Lounge - Released by Unchained Melody on 24 Mar 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Deep Purple (Remastered)
Lounge - Released by Unchained Melody on 3 Mar 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
It's the Talk of the Town
Jazz - Released by Harlem Jazz Records on 10 Feb 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo