The Peggy Lee Bio-Discography's Picture Gallery
Various-Artists Compilations From The Capitol-EMI Labels
Part 4: CD Series
by Iván Santiago-Mercado
Generated on Jan 22, 2012
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Scope And Contents
This page spotlights a wide variety of EMI-produced series in which one or more Peggy Lee tracks have been included. The focus is on digitally released EMI series (i.e., CDs, MP3 files), since earlier configurations have been covered in other pages of this pictorial discography. Excluded as well are those series which are entirely dedicated to EMI's Christmas issues, which are also separately covered in their own page. Please notice that, due to both the marginal relevance and the wide-ranging nature of the material, the entries have been loosely arranged (not chronologically, nor alphabetically).
I. THE CAPITOL SINGS SERIES
Artwork Shown:
1. Title: Over The Rainbow; Capitol Sings Harold Arlen / Format: CD & CS / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 29387 2 9 / Rel. Year: 1995 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditons of "Come Rain Or Come Shine" and "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe." Arlen wrote the former with Johnny Mercer, the later with E.Y. Harburg.
2. Title: Puttin' on the Ritz; Capitol Sings Irving Berlin / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 0777 7 98477 2 3 / Rel. Year: 1992 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of Berlin's "Cheek To Cheek." Also deserving of passing mention herein is the 1992 EMI Blue Note compact disc and cassette Blue Berlin; Blue Note Plays The Music Of Irving Berlin (#99095), which includes Lee's rendition of Berlin's "Maybe It's Because (( Love You Too Much)."
3. Title: It's Magic; Capitol Sings Sammy Cahn / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 29386 / Rel. Year: 1995 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Please Be Kind," which Cahn co-wrote with Saul Chaplin.
4. Title: Stardust; Capitol Sings Hoagy Carmichael / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 32592 4 3 & 7243 8 32592 2 9 - / Rel. Year: 1995 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Bubble-Loo, Bubble Loo," which Carmichael co-wrote with Paul Francis Webster.
Artwork Shown:
5. Title: Mood Indigo; Capitol Sings Duke Ellington / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 28106 2 9 / Rel. Year: 1994 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Jump For Joy," which Ellington co-wrote with Sid Kuller and Paul Francis Webster.
6. Title: Fascinatin' Rhythm; Capitol Sings George Gershwin / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 96792 2 / Rel. Year: 1992 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of George and Ira Gershwin's "They Can't Take That Away From Me."
7. Title: The Song Is You; Capitol Sings Jerome Kern / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 0777 7 99469 4 5 / Rel. Year: 1992 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditions of Kern's "I Won't Dance" and "Make Believe" - the latter a previously unissued master. In addition to Kern, the former is credited to Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach, Jimmy McHugh, and Dorothy Fields. Kern And Hammerstein also corroborated on "I Won't Dance."
8. Title: I Hear Music; Capitol Sings Frank Loesser / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 32567 2 3 / Rel. Year: 1995 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditions of Loesser's "I Hear Music" (written with Burton Lane) and "I Believe In You" which Loesser wrote solo).
Artwork Shown:
9. Title: I Feel a Song Comin' On; Capitol Sings Jimmy McHugh / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 32565 / Rel. Year: 1995 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of McHugh's "When My Sugar Walks Down The Street," co-written with Gene Austin and also credited to publisher Irving Mills.
10. Title: Anything Goes; Capitol Sings Cole Porter / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 0777 7 96361 4 3 / Rel. Year: 1992 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of Porter's "Always True To You In My Fashion" and "From Now On."
11. Title: Hello Young Lovers; Capitol Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 28107 4 2 / Rel. Year: 1994 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditions of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "I Enjoy Being A Girl" and "Something Wonderful."
12. Title: Isn't It Romantic: Capitol Sings Rodgers & Hart / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 0777 7 98478 2 2 / Rel. Year: 1992 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditions of Rodgers And Hart's "The Lady Is A Tramp" and "My Heart Stood Still."
Artwork Shown:
13. Title: An Affair to Remember: Capitol Sings Harry Warren / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 32566 2 4 / Rel. Year: 1995 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me," which Warren co-wrote with Al Dubin.
14. Title: Makin' Whoopee!; Capitol Sings Broadway / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 29384 46/22 / Rel. Year: 1995 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditions of "I'm Just Wild About Harry" and "Wish You Were Here."
15. Title: Singing in the Rain: Capitol Sings Hollywood / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 29385 / Rel. Year: 1995 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Stormy Weather."
16. Title: And The Winner Is ... Capitol Sings The Best Movie Songs / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: Cdp 7 98475 / Rel. Year: 1992 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Days Of Wine And Roses."
Artwork Shown:
17. Title: Far Away Places; Capitol Sings Around The World / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 4235 7 80181 2 / Rel. Year: 1994 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Bali Ha'i."
18. Title: Route 66; Capitol Sings Coast to Coast / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 0777 7 80180 4 9 / Rel. Year: 1994 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Basin Street Blues" and "I Lost My Sugar In Salt Lake City."
General Note About The Series Under Discussion
Tracks by Peggy Lee were included in all but two of the 20-volume Capitol Sings series, which EMI inaugurated in 1992 and continued to produce until 1995. Pictures of the two non-Lee volumes can be seen above (last two). After this series was completed, its volumes were also re-printed for release on the company's Special Markets branch, with catalogue numbers that differed from the original printings. There is, for instance, a later cassette pressing of Fascinatin' Rhythm; Capitol Sings George Gershwin (#96792) that bears the catalogue number C 163734.
II. THE LADIES & GENTLEMEN OF SONG SERIES
Artwork Shown:
1. Title: Sweet And Lovely; Great Ladies Of Song / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: C4 0777 7 97802 & C2 0777 7 97802 4 2 / Rel. Year: 1992 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditions of "As Time Goes By" and "The Glory Of Love."
2. Title: Sentimental Journey; Great Ladies Of Song / Format: CS & CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 07777 98014 4 2 / Rel. Year: 1992 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditions of "I Don't Know About You" and "Why Don't You Do Right?"
General Note About The Series Under Discussion
Along with the earliest volumes of the previously discussed Capitol Singsseries (entry I), EMI released in 1992 a companion 4-volume series entitled Ladies & Gentlemen Of Song. Peggy Lee is well represented in the series' two issues dedicated to female vocalists but, naturally, she is not found on the volumes which spotlight male vocalists. Pictures of the all-male volumes can be seen above (first two).
As production of the Capitol Sings came to its closure in 1995, EMI moved on to a 24-volume series entitled Spotlight On ... Great Ladies / Gentlemen Of Song, which was essentially an expansion of the earlier Ladies & Gentlemen Of Song mini-series. Each volume was dedicated to a different Capitol artist, from Betty Hutton (#1) to The Four Freshmen (#24). Peggy Lee's issue (pictured in this pictorial discography's page for Capitol compilations) was #12 in the series.
III. CAPITOL'S DEFINITIVE AMERICAN SONGBOOK SERIES
Artwork Shown:
1. Title: The Best Of The Definitive American Songbook, A-H (Volume 1) / Format: CD / Label: EMI Publishing's Castalian and Liberty / Cat. Num.: 72435 92819 2 2 / Rel. Year: 2003 / Note: This CD contains Peggy Lee's Capitol version of "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe."
2. Title: When Swing Was King ("The Definitive American Songbook" Series) / Format: CD / Label: EMI Publishing's Castalian and Liberty / Cat. Num.: ___ / Rel. Year: 2004 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman's Columbia rendition of "Why Don't You Do Right?"
3. Title: First Ladies Of Song ("The Definitive American Songbook" Series, Volume 9) / Format: CD / Label: EMI Publishing's Castalian and Liberty / Cat. Num.: / Rel. Year: 2004 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Alright, Okay, You Win."
4. Title: A Vintage Christmas ("The Definitive American Songbook" Series) / Format: CD / Label: EMI Publishing's Castalian and Liberty / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 75313 2 4 / Rel. Year: 2005 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditions of "The Christmas Waltz" and "I Like A Sleigh Ride."
Artwork Shown:
5. Title: The Best Of The Definitive American Songbook, I-Z (Volume 2) / Format: CD / Label: EMI Publishing's Castalian and Liberty / Cat. Num.: 72435 92820 2 2 / Rel. Year: 2003 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's Decca rendition of "Just One Of Those Things."
6. Title: Hollywood Hit Parade ("The Definitive American Songbook" Series) /Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: ___ / Rel. Year: 2004 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Cheek To Cheek."
General Note About The Great American Songbook Series
EMI Publishing initially released this series as a set of 10 CDs through its direct-response label Castalian. At that time (late 2004 and early 2005), the CDS were advertised through infomercials and sold via phone and via a company website. An 11th CD entitled A Vintage Christmas made its appearance belatedly -- presumably during the 2005 holiday season. Nowadays the CDs are no longer available through those venues but can instead be found at online music websites, where their label is usually identified as Liberty, not Castalian. Although the bulk of the series' tracks naturally came from the EMI vaults, tracks were also leased from Atlantic, Sony, Universal, and other companies. Shown below are the volumes that do not feature Peggy Lee tracks.
IV. CAPITOL'S ULTRA LOUNGE SERIES: SAMPLERS
Artwork Shown:
1 - 4. Title: 1. Title: Tiki Sampler / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 99144 / Rel. Year: 1999 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Bali Ha'i."
5 - 8. Title: 1. Title: Tiki Sampler, Part 2 / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 4 99144 2 1 / Rel. Year: 1999 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "The Boy From Ipanema." The information at my reach gives the same catalogue number to this The Tiki Sampler and to Part 1. On of the two entries is presumed to be incorrect.
Artwork Shown:
9-12. Title: Best Of Christmas Cocktails ("Ultra Lounge" Series) / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: ___ / Rel. Year: 2007 / Note: Opens with Peggy Lee's rendition of "Happy Holiday."
General Note About This Series' Samplers
In addition to the Tiki and Christmas Cocktails samplers, one Ultra Lounge Sampler was also issued. It contains tracks from the 6 volumes in the series. Peggy Lee is not featured in this sampler. In the above-seen two rows, I'm showing the various pictures of this sampler that I have found on the internet. (It might be that there are actually various samplers Ultra Lounge Sampler of which I remain unaware, each presumably covering about 6 of the series' volumes.)
V. CAPITOL'S LOUNGE, ULTRA LOUNGE, AND WILD, COOL AND SWINGIN' SERIES
Artwork Shown:
1. Title: Wild Cool & Swingin' ("Ultra Lounge" Series, Volume 5) / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 72438 3597 2 2 / Rel. Year: 1996 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Fever" (stereo version)
2. Title: Wild, Cool & Swingin', Too! ("Ultra Lounge" Series, Volume 15) / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 53411 2 0 / Rel. Year: 1997 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "The Boy From Ipanema."
3. Title: Wild, Cool & Swingin', 3! ("Ultra Lounge" Series) / Format: MP3 / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: __ / Rel. Year: 2009 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "It's A Good, Good Night."
Artwork Shown:
4. Title: Ciao Bella! ("Ultra Lounge" Series) / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: / Rel. Year: 2009 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "When In Rome."
5. Title: Big Apple Martini!: East Side, West Side, Uptown, Downtown ("Ultra Lounge" Series) / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: / Rel. Year: 2009 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "New York City Blues."
6. Title: ¡Mucho Gusto! ("Ultra Lounge" Series) / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: / Rel. Year: 2009 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "My Small Señor."
Artwork Shown:
7. Title: Cocktails With Cole Porter ("Ultra Lounge" Series) / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 72435 9570 5 2 - / Rel. Year: 2004 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditions of "Always True To You In My Fashion" and "Ridin' High."
8. Title: Puttin' On The Ritz ("The Capitol Lounge" Series, Volume 2) / Format: CD / Label: EMI Special Markets / Cat. Num.: 7243 4 99340 2 3 / Rel. Year: 1999 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Fever." Lee is not included in volume 1.
9. Title: (Rock 'n' Roll Hits) On The Rocks (Distilled For Easy Listening), Part 1 ("Ultra Lounge" Series") / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 55161 2 2 / Rel. Year: 1997 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "A Hard Day's Night."
10. Title: (Rock'n'Roll Hits) On The Rocks (Distilled For Easy Listening), Part 2 ("Ultra Lounge" Series") / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 55433 2 5 / Rel. Year: 1997 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Everyday People."
Artwork Shown:
11. . Title: Vegas Baby! ("Ultra Lounge" Series) / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 72435 39840 2 1 / Rel. Year: 2002 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Big Spender."
12. Title: Vegas Baby Too! ("Ultra Lounge" Series) / Format: MP3 / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: __ / Rel. Year: 2009 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "A Lot Of Livin' To Do."
13. Title: Divas Las Vegas! ("Ultra Lounge" Series) / Format: MP3 / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: __ / Rel. Year: 2009 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Ridin' High."
14. Title: The Velvet Lounge / Format: 3CD / Label: EMI Special Markets / Cat. Num.: __ / Rel. Year: 2001 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "The Boy From Ipanema."
Artwork Shown:
15. . Title: Nursery Rhythms! ("Ultra Lounge" Series) / Format: MP3 / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: ___ / Rel. Year: 2009 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Listen To The Rocking Bird."
16. Title: TV Town ("Ultra Lounge" Series, Volume 13) / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 53409 2 5 / Rel. Year: 1997 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Bewitched."
17. Title: Mambo Lounge; Cool Latin Rhythms, Volume 1 / Format: CD / Label: EMI Special Markets / Cat. Num.: ___ / Rel. Year: 2002 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Caramba! It's The Samba."
18. Title: Mambo Lounge; Cool Latin Rhythms, Volume 2 / Format: CD / Label: EMI Special Markets / Cat. Num.: 72435 42633 2 3 / Rel. Year: 2002 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Mañana."
Artwork Shown:
19. Title: Christmas Cocktails ("Ultra Lounge" Series, Part 1) / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 52559 1 / Rel. Year: 1996 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Winter Wonderland." Also includes Peggy Lee's, Nat King Cole's, and Nancy Wilson's versions of the public announcement "Toys For Tots" -- the three of them edited into one hidden track.
20. Title: Christmas Cocktails ("Ultra Lounge" Series, Part 2) / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 21457 2 / Rel. Year: 1997 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Happy Holiday."
21. Title: Ultimate Christmas Cocktails, Part 3 ("Ultra Lounge Series") / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 78503 2 2 0 / Rel. Year: 2004 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "White Christmas."
22. Title: Ultimate Christmas Cocktails ("Ultra Lounge" series) / Format: 3CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 78505 / Rel. Year: 2004 / Note: Packages all three CDs listed above, and thus includes all three Peggy Lee renditions listed.
General Note About The Ultra Lounge Series
Begun in 1996, the Ultra Lounge series obviously was EMI's attempt at capitalizing on the lounge music revival which went on for the last decades of the twentieth century. In 1999, EMI also seems to have inaugurated a related series more simply called Capitol Lounge. Naturally, most of the master numbers included in these CDs were not originally conceived as lounge music, but are rather performances which -- in the estimation of the series' producers -- qualify for incorporation to the fad. Seen immediately below is the first volume of each series.
Neither volume featured Peggy Lee tracks. Volume 2 of Capitol Lounge can be seen above, as item #16. I do not know if there were other volumes in the series, but some of the above-given entries (entries #22, #25 and #26, entitled The Velvet Lounge and Mambo Lounge) show that EMI's Special Markets branch also issued its own lounge-oriented volumes. As for the Ultra Lounge series, its success is made evident by its many issues, and by the fact that it transitioned from compact disc to additional MP3-only entries. Shown below are all the other Ultra Lounge items in which Peggy Lee is not included.
Shown below are all issues from Ultra Lounge's Wild, Cool And Swingin' sub-series, each of whose volumes was dedicated to one particular Capitol artist. Unfortunately, this sisterly series was cancelled after only 6 volumes. Tracks for an issue dedicated to Peggy Lee had already beeen picked when the cancellation took place.
VI. CAPITOL'S LADY SINGS THE BLUES SERIES
Artwork Shown:
1. Title: Capitol CD: Lady Sings The Blues / Format: 2CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 72435 80738 2 9 / Rel. Year: 2003 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditions of "I'll Be Seeing You" and "Here's That Rainy Day." Besides the tracks taken from Capitol's vaults, this collection also features quite a few numbers taken from labels such as Concord, RCA, and Verve. 28 tracks.
2. Title: Lady Sings The Blues Again / Format: 2CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 72435 97751 2 8 (Canada) / Rel. Year: 2005 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "As Time Goes By." 32 tracks. EMI's publicity blurb states that "Lady Sings The Blues Again is the follow-up to the well-received first volume of two years ago, once more featuring a stellar line-up of many of the greatest female vocalists of all time, singing timeless standards from the R&B, Blues, Jazz and Pop repertoires ..." As a Canadian issue, this set is likely to have been a follow-up not to the 2003 American edition (image #1) but to the 2003 Canadian edition (image #8).
3. Title: Lady Sings The Blues, Volume 2 / Format: CD / Label: Emi & Liberty / Cat. Num.: [more than one number found] 7243 8 29946 2 6; also 7243 8 13337 2 3; also 72435 71460 2 9; also Vid 499 (England?) / Rel. Year: 2004 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "If You Could See Me Now." Identified in some online sites as the official sequel to item #1 -- i.e., volume two. 20 tracks.
4. Title: Lady Sings The Blues, Volume 2 / Format: CD / Discs: 2 / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: (Australia?) 72435 76624 2 0 / Rel. Year: 2004 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "As Time Goes By." 35 tracks.
Artwork Shown:
5. Title: Lady Sings The Blues / Format: 2CD / Label: EMI's Blue Note / Cat. Num.: (__) 989482 / Rel. Year: 2003 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Fever." 42 tracks.
6. Title: Lady Sings The Blues / Format: 2CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 811700; also 5813442 / Rel. Year: 2002; also 2003 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditions of "Fever" and "A Taste Of Honey." 46 tracks.
7. Title: The Best Of Lady Sing The Blues / Format: CD / Label: EMI & Virgin TV / Cat. Num.: (England) 577059 & Vtdcd 426/ Rel. Year: 2004 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "A Taste Of Honey." 44 tracks.
Artwork Shown:
8. Title: Lady Sings The Blues / Format: CD / Discs: 2 / Label: EMI's Circa / Cat. Num.: (EU) 7243 5 43008 2 0; also (Canada) 72435 81486 2 6 / Rel. Year: 2002; also 2003 / Note: Appears to exist in two editions. The 42 tracks in the EU edition include Peggy Lee's renditions of "Fever" and "The Man I Love." Only "Fever" is among the 31 tracks of the Canadian edition.
9. Title: Lady Sings The Blues; Night And Day / Format: CD / Discs: 2 / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: unknown / Rel. Year: 2002 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditions of "The Man I Love" and "As Time Goes By." 46 tracks.
10. Title: Lady Sings The Blues, Volume 2 / Format: CD / Discs: 2 / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 596140 / Rel. Year: 2003 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "As Time Goes By." 37 tracks.
Artwork Shown:
11. Title: Torch Songs / Format: 2CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 72435 97582 2 0 / Rel. Year: 2004 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditions of "I Wanna Be Around" and "Oh, You Crazy Moon." Although not identified as part of (or named after) the Lady Sings The Blues, this set follows the same concept. 28 tracks.
General Note About The Lady Sings The Blues Series
My research of this series remains incomplete and, despite my best attempts, spotty. I have physically inspected and listened to only a couple of the discs. Most of my information about the series comes from internet sites of variable reputation. Hence a few errors in track identification and catalogue numbers are likely. What's more, some of the above-shown items may actually be duplicated: one or two could be boxed sets, and others could be the volumes from such sets. Making research additionally difficult is the sizable quantity of CDs and MP3 files that bear the title Lady Sings The Blues, and which feature similar artwork. Apparently, various Public Domain companies have tried to capitalize on whatever degre of attention this original EMI series might have had in Europe and Australia. Further compounding the confusion is the series' geographical reach: various international EMI branches appear to have created their own Lady Sing The Blues discs. Still, for all its complications, this series is worthy of inclusion herein. Peggy Lee tracks can be found in all the EMI-issued Lady Sings The Blues CDs, the only known exception being the one shown to the right of this note.
VII. CAPITOL'S FROM THE VAULTS SERIES
Artwork Shown:
1. Title: Vine Street Divas ("From the Vaults" Series, Volume 2) / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 72435 25543 2 (United States) / 72435 27728 2 (United Kingdom) - / Rel. Year: 2000 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's renditions of "Everybody Loves Somebody," "Golden Earrings," "I Don't Know Enough About You," and "It's A Good Day."
2. Title: Capitol From The Vaults, Advance CD / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: ___ / Rel. Year: 2000? / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Everybody Loves Somebody". This promotional sampler actually features 18 selections culled from the first three CDs of the series.
3. Title: Capitol Jumps 1944-53 ("From the Vaults" Series, Volume 3) / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 5 25544 2 (United States)/ 7243 5 27729 2 (United Kingdom) / Rel. Year: 2000 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Don't Smoke In Bed."
General Note About The From The Vaults Series
In addition to the items listed immediately above, this series included five more volumes:
The Birth Of A Label; The First Year, 1942-1943 (Volume 1), Love Letters (Volume 4), Roots Of Rock 'n' Roll (Volume 5), Best Of '56 (Volume 6), and Capitol Goes To The Movies (Volume 8)). None of them featured Lee tracks. All discs in the series bear the same artwork, which was an attempt at replicating the looks of 78 shellac.
VIII. CAPITOL'S GREAT JAZZ VOCALISTS SING SERIES
Artwork Shown:
4 & 5. Title: The Great Jazz Vocalists Sing the Gershwin Songbook / Format: CD & CS / Label: Blue Note / Cat. Num.: (Canada?) B2 80506 & B4 80506 / Rel. Year: 1992 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Aren't You Kind Of Glad We Did?" Apparently released with two different covers. I am familiar with the second. As for the first, I have seen it online only. Since this issue is identified as Canadian in some sources, it might be that one of the covers belongs to a Canadian edition, whereas the other is that of the American edition.
6. Title: The Great Jazz Vocalists Sing Hoagy Carmichael / Format: CD / Label: Capitol Jazz / Cat. Num.: 7243 5 23566 2 1 / Rel. Year: 2000 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Just A Shade On The Blue Side."
General Note About Capitol's The Great Jazz Vocalists Sing Series
I have found onlt three issues in this series. The third one is an Ellington-Staryhorn volume, in which no Peggy Lee track was included.
IX. OTHER CAPITOL-EMI CD SERIES
Artwork Shown:
1 & 2. Title: High Rollers! From Las Vegas ("The Las Vegas Centennial Collection" Series) / Format: CD / Label: EMI / Cat. Num.: 7243 8 75935 2 7 / Rel. Year: 2005 / Note: High Rollers! (image #2) includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "This Could Be The Start Of Something (Big)." The CD is part of EMI's 8CD Las Vegas Centennial Collection (image #1), which also includes discs by Bobby Darin, Dean Martin, Wayne Newton, Elvis Presley, Louis Prima with Keely Smith, and Frank Sinatra, as well as a disc entitled Live From Las Vegas. Some time before the appearance of this series, a press article listed Peggy Lee among the various other artists for whom unreleased Las Vegas concert performances were available at the time. Unfortunately, no Peggy Lee Live In Las Vegas CD has ever materialized.
Artwork Shown:
3 & 4. Title: Jumpin' Like Mad; Cool Cats & Hip Chicks Non-Stop Dancin' (#19) / Format: 2CD / Label: Capitol / Cat. Num.: Cdp 7243 8 58051 2 5 / Rel. Year: 1996 / Note: Jumpin' Like Mad (image #4) includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah." The CD is volume #19 of Capitol's Blues Collection Series, which consisted of at least 20 volumes, if not more. Two promotional samplers were issued, too, one on vinyl (image #3) and the other on CD. "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah" is Peggy Lee's only appearance in the series, which highlights blues singers such as Amos Milburn, Julia Lee, T-Bone Walker, and Muddy Waters.
X. REMEMBER THE FORTIES (CD SERIES FROM CEMA, CAPITOL'S BUDGET BRANCH)
Artwork Shown:
1 & 2. Title: Stagedoor Canteen, 1941-42 ("Remember The Forties; Music Of The War Years" Series, Volume 1) / Format: CD & CS / Label: Cema Special Markets / Cat. Num.: (Canada) Cdl 57267 & 4xl 57267 / Rel. Year: 1990 / Note: The CD edition contains 12 tracks, with Peggy Lee's rendition of "Why Don't You Do Right?" among them. The cassette edition shortens the number of tracks to 9, among which Lee's rendition is included.
Artwork Shown:
3. Title: It's Been A Long Time; Homecoming ("Remember The Forties; Music Of The War Years" Series, Volume 3) / Format: CD & CS / Label: Cema Special Markets / Cat. Num.: 07777 57269 2 3 & 4xl 57269 / Rel. Year: 1990 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Waitin' For The Train To Come In."
4. See general note below.
General Note About CEMA's Remember The 40's Series
This series was re-pressed and reissued multiple times. The earliest issue date is 1990, but many other release dates can also be found online: 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, etc. Complicating any attempts at supplying specifics about it is the apparent use of different catalogue numbers and artwork for some of the reprints and reissues. At some point, the first 3 CDs of the series were sold together in one package, as can be seen above (image #4). Furthermore, there was also a cassette package (image #5), which includes all 4 volumes in abbreviated versions -- 9 instead of 12 tracks per volume. Each of the 4 CDs carry the legend "printed and manufactured in Canada." I have come across information to the effect that the series continued with the release of a fifth and sixth volume, entitled A Tree In The Meadow, 1946-48 and Mañana (Is Soon Enough For Me), 1948-49, but I have not found enough verification for the claim. If the information is accurate, chances are that Peggy Lee's rendition of "Mañana" is part of the series -- with her "Golden Earrings" as another possibility. These additional volumes might have been issued on cassette only. (As for volumes 2 and 4, which do not feature Lee, their titles are Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, 1943-44 and One More Time!, 1941-1945. The latter rises the possibility of yet a seventh volume, covering the second half of the decade.)
Artwork Shown:
6-9. Title: Music Of The War Years, Volumes 1 & 2 ("Remember The 40's" Series) / Format: CD / Label: Cema [Madacy: distributor] / Volumes: 4 / Cat. Nums.: possibly 57965 to 57968 / Rel. Year: possibly 1992 / Note: This Madacy-distributed edition of the "Remember The 40's" series uses different artwork and might feature re-organized track listings. Online details about it have proven confusion. It seems to consist of 4 CDs, identified of two volumes, each containing two discs. If not erroneous, some of the available details might be indicative of further track reshuffling in the reissues. Peggy Lee's two aforementioned renditions would seem to be in the two discs with red covers.
XI. DAMES & DIVAS SING (CD SERIES LICENSED FROM CAPITOL-EMI)
Artwork Shown:
1. Title: Dames & Divas Sing Gershwin / Format: CD / Label: Village Square Music / Cat. Num.: VSD3060 / Rel. Year: 2006 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's Capitol recording of "(Our) Love Is Here To Stay."
2. Title: Dames & Divas Sing Johnny Mercer / Format: CD / Label: Village Square Music / Cat. Num.: VSD3105 / Rel. Year: unknown / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's Capitol recordings of "Come Rain Or Come Shine" and "Trav'lin' Light" (the latter originally recorded for the company's radio transcription service).
3. Title: Dames & Divas Sing Cole Porter / Format: CD / Label: Village Square Music / Cat. Num.: VSD___ / Rel. Year: 2005 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's Capitol recordings of "Ridin' High" and "So In Love."
General Note About the Dames & Divas Sing Series
Despite the low-budget look of their front covers, the CDs in this series are legitimately licensed from EMI Special Markets. I am not well acquainted with the releasing company,
Village Square Music. It seems to be a music supplier, possibly specializing in selling to companies and enterprises, rather than just to individual customers. Their Dames & Divas Sings series consists of at least 4 volumes, each with 15 tracks. There are no Peggy Lee tracks last in the last volume, entitled Dames & Divas Sing Love Songs and released in 2010. The Lee choices in the other three volumes are commendable. I am especially appreciative of the inclusion of two fine Peggy Lee numbers in the disc dedicated to the Johnny Mercer songbook. (Oddly, Lee performances are rarely found in the Mercer volumes from other EMI-based series, despite the fact that she recorded over 10 of his numbers while under contract with Capitol.) Besides their various-artists anthologies, Village Square Music has also released brand new music by the handful of artists who are signed to the label.
XII. CIRCA-VIRGIN'S BEST ALBUM IN THE WORLD ... EVER! SERIES (LICENSED BY EMI)
Artwork Shown:
1. Title: The Best Smooth Jazz ... Ever! / Format: CD / Volumes: 4 / Label: Virgin Emi / Cat. Num.: (England? Poland?) Vtdcdx 570 & also 7243 5 79991 2 0 and (Japan) Tocj 66275 / Rel. Year: 1995 (original) & 2005 (Japanese reissue?) / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's Capitol recordings of "Here's That Rainy Day" and "I'm A Woman." Found with other release dates as well (presumably indicating reprints); my own copy bears a 2004 date. Furthermore, my copy does not indicate any involvement from Virgin, and includes only one of the aforementioned catalogue numbers (7243 5 79991 2 0).
2. Title: The Best Smooth Jazz ... Ever!, Vol. 2 / Format: CD / Volumes: 4 / Label: Potamon EMI / Cat. Num.: (Poland) 0946 3 11957 2 3 & (Japan) Tocj 66294 - 66297 / Rel. Year: 1996 & 2005, 2006, 2008 (reprints?) / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's Capitol recordings of "Fever," "As Time Goes By," and "You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me."
3. Title: The Best Smooth Jazz ... Ever!, Volume 3 / Format: CD / Volumes: 4 / Label: / Cat. Num.: (Japan) Tocj 66437 / Rel. Year: 2008 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's Capitol recording of "The Folks Who Live On The Hill," "The Boy From Ipanema," "Somethin' Stupid," and "A Taste Of Honey."
4. Title: The Best Smooth Jazz ... Ever! / Note: Shown in this image are all 4 releases in this series, which appears to have been a branch within the extensive "Best Album Ever!, released by Circa in conjunction with Virgin and EMI. However, specifics about this sub-series are not fully clear to me. As shown in the other three entries, online data suggests that these volumes were printed in various international markets, with different catalogue numbers. Notice that all these releases were 4 CD sets. The fourth and last one did not include any Peggy Lee tracks.
Artwork Shown:
5. Title: The Best Jazz Album In The World ... Ever!, Volume 2 / Format: CD / Label: Virgin Tv / Cat. Num.: (England) Vtcd 93 & 72343 8 49153 2 2 / Rel. Year: 1996 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's Capitol recording of "Fever."
6. Title: The Best ... And Friends Album in the World ... Ever! / Format: CD / Volumes: 2 / Label: Virgin-Circa-EMI / Cat. Num.: (England) Vtdcdx 286 & 7243 8 48590 2 2 / Rel. Year: 1999 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's Capitol recording of "Fever."
7. Title: The Best ... And Friends Album in the World ... Ever!, Volume 2 / Format: CD / Volumes: 3 / Label: Virgin-Circa-EMI / Cat. Num.: (England) Vtdcdx 333 & 7243 8 49762 2 4 / Rel. Year: 2000 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's Capitol recording of "The Boy From Ipanema," "The Folks Who Live On The Hill," "Happy Holiday," and "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." The last two tracks come from the set's last CD, a bonus disc entirely dedicated to holiday numbers.
8. Title: The Best Easy Album ... Ever! / Format: CD / Volumes: 2 / Label: Virgin-Circa-Emi / Cat. Num.: (England) Virgin Vtdcd 296 & Emi 7243 8 49162 2 0 / Rel. Year: 2000 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's Capitol recording of "Fever."
Artwork Shown:
9 - 10. Title: The Best Christmas Album In The World...Ever! (New Edition) / Format: CD / Volumes: 2 / Label: Virgin - Emi / Cat. Num.: (England) Vidcd 347 & 7243 8 49811 2 9 (2000); also Vidcd 648 & 7243 8 64886 (2004) / Rel. Year: 1996 (partially different track listing), 2000, 2004 / Note: This 44-track CD set seems to have been issued three times, beginning with the 1996 edition (Vtdcd 103 & 7243 8 42320 2 3). That edition does not include any Peggy Lee tracks. In addition to including Peggy Lee's Capitol recording of "Winter Wonderland," the New Edition (2000; item #9) differs from the original one in the substitution of about a third of the 1996 tracks. Curiously, a few of the substitutions show that the same number was picked both times, but the singer of choice was changed: "Mary's Boy Child" (Harry Belafonte in 1996, Cliff Richard in 2000), "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (Perry Como in 1996, Ella Fitzgerald in 2000), and "Winter Wonderland" (Doris Day in 1996, Peggy Lee in 2000). The 2004 edition (item #10) has the same track listing as the so-called New Edition from 2000.
11. Title: The Best Disney Album In The World ... Ever! / Format: CD / Volumes: 3 / Label: Circa - Virgin - Disney - EMI International / Cat. Num.: Vtdcd 819 (also 09463731122) / Rel. Year: 2006 / Note: Contains Peggy Lee's original soundtrack versions of "He's A Tramp" and "The Siamese Cat Song."
General Note About the Best Album ... Ever! Series
The first issues in this prolific series appeared in 1993 -- one year after Virgin Records was sold to EMI. The series was released under the imprint Circa, which was in turn a Virgin subsidiary. By 2007, when EMI dropped both the Virgin and Circa names and incorporated incorporated those labels' back catalogues to the newly created imprint Capitol Music Group, there had been well over a 100 CD sets in the Best Album ... Ever! Series. From opera, disco, and punk to Arabic, girl power and belly dance, the series covered just about every music genre at its reach. I have tried to include herein every single issue that included Peggy Lee tracks, but I would not be surprised if there are still more of which I remain unaware.
XIII. THE NICKY THE CAT (JAZZ FOR KIDS) SERIES, LICENSED BY EMI
Artwork Shown:
1. Title: Nicky's Jazz Lullabies / Format: CD / Label: Dominick Media & EMI Special Markets / Cat. Num.: 72438 7 5167 2 4 / Rel. Year: 2005 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "This Little Piggy."
2. Title: Nicky's Jazz Christmas / Format: CD / Label: Dominik Media & Emi Special Markets / Cat. Num.: 303936 / Rel. Year: 2006 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" and "Don't Forget To Feed The Reindeer."
3. Title: Nicky's Jazz For Kids / Format: CD / Label: Dominick Media & Emi Special Music Markets / Cat. Num.: 908 & 72438 75167 2 4/ Rel. Year: 2003 / Note: Includes Peggy Lee's rendition of "A Doodlin' Song."
General Note About the Nicky series
Nicky The Jazz Cat first became known when he was prominently featured in the 2003 book that bears his name. Conceived by celebrated music photographer Carol Friedman, the book combines smart text for children with photos of Nicky in the company of both musical instruments and music artists such as Roy Eldridge, Lena Horne, and Gerry Mulligan. The critically acclaimed book was followed by another one for smaller children (Baby Cat Nicky) and by the three above-shown CDs, which deserve commendation for their intelligent choice of tunes. Models of good taste, all three CDs have proven to hold strong appeal for adults and children alike.
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