Jaynrand's Full Review: Hard to Get: Best of Gisele by Gisele MacKenzie
For several seasons in the 1950's, there was a program on television titled 'Your Hit Parade.' It was a sort of 'Total Request Live' for its generation. It had started on radio and moved to the small screen as a summer replacement for 'Robert Montgomery Presents' before settling into its own slot.
The regular cast of performers sang the top 7 songs of the week - "...the bestsellers on sheet music and phonograph records, the songs most heard on the air and most played on the automatic coin machines...." And of all the cast members who came and went on 'Your Hit Parade' only one enjoyed a chart success of her own during its run (another charted after leaving the show). That was Canadian songstress Gisele MacKenzie. And the song was the title song of this outstanding CD - 'Hard to Get.'
Gisele recorded for Capitol, RCA Victor and its subsidiary labels VIK and X. Her arrangers were top notch, and her way with a lyric is remarkable. The songs on this CD are not later re-recordings of her material, but the re-mastered originals. They sparkle with her personality and talent. Some of the songs are sung in impeccable French. Her best vinyl albums 'Gisele' and 'Christmas with Gisele' are sometimes found on EBAY.
'Hard to Get' is, strangely enough, one of the lesser efforts on the CD. It is a pleasant enough tune, but doesn't demonstrate her remarkable range. Better yet to listen to 'Unchained Melody', 'Beyond the Sea', and the beautiful 'Song from Moulin Rouge.'
Gisele's playful side is presented in 'Slowpoke' and 'Pepper Hot Baby' (another chart hit).
There used to be variety shows on television every night. There used to be smart dinner clubs and intimate Las Vegas lounges where singers like Gisele could ply their trade. It was a treat to listen to their renditions of popular songs.
Gisele herself was also an accomplished violinist. She was featured on a memorable Jack Benny television program in a violin-duel with Jack. Her sense of humor and beauty made her a perfect foil for the irascible comedian. This clip is shown a lot during television biographies of Benny where Gisele is also interviewed.
"Singers" today would do well to listen to this CD. Every word is understood, every emotion is expressed, and we are certain this is no 'little girl' but a beautiful woman at the top of her form. Gisele was always immaculately dressed and coiffed - and was the subject of a set of Whitman Paper Dolls.
This CD is available exclusively at www.ccmusic.com and is well worth the bargain price it usually is sold for. There are 20 tunes. It is a great 'party' background disk. Step back in time with Gisele MacKenzie, and then listen to singers today. 'Hard to Get' - but easy to listen to. Thanks to CCMusic and Gisele MacKenzie!
*On a personal note - for many years local 'Starlight' theaters would brings in stars in package presentations of popular musicals. Local people would appear in ensemble roles. Gisele MacKenzie came to Indy in the 1960's to do Mama Rose in "Gypsy." After the first performance, the producer got several complaints about a word used by one of the minor characters, and he cut the word. When Gisele realized what had happened, she stormed his
office and demanded the offending word be put back in. The producer refused, and Gisele immediately announced to the press that Indianapolis was only seeing the "Methodist version of the show." After all the row died down, and the audience sat - unoffended - at the show, my memory of Gisele singing 'Everything's Coming Up Roses' at the end of the first act still gives me a thrill. A singer and an actress - a performer in the best and truest sense of the word. Too bad her recordings are so "hard to get."
THE COMPLETE PLAYLIST
Title Recording Date
Hard to Get 5-2-55
The Boston Fancy (B side of HTG) 5-2-55
Unchained Melody 4-18-55
Two Hearts, Two Kisses 4-18-55
Play Me Hearts and Flowers 4-18-55
Beyond the Sea 6-23-56
The Star You Wished Upon Last Night 9-14-56
Dinner For One Please, James 12-10-56
The River Seine 12-11-56
Ebb Tide 4-29-58
Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White (in French!) 12-13-56
This I Know 10-17-57
Song from Moulin Rouge (Where Is Your Heart) 4-29-58
Too Young 4-29-58
Tell Me That You Love Me 12-11-56
Answer Me, My Love 4-29-58
Learnin' the Blues 5-6-58
Slowpoke 5-6-58
Hey There 5-12-58
Pepper Hot Baby 9-21-55
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