Tony Orlando
's early years as a teen idol may have yielded only a handful of minor hits, but his later fame with
Dawn
guaranteed that they would eventually be resurrected.
"Bless You"
was the biggest of
Orlando
's early charters, inching into the Top 15 in 1961. That song, as well as his other
Epic
recordings from 1961-1963, exemplify the
teen pop
style of the era with sparkling arrangements of pizzicato strings, a sweet vocal chorus, and other sugary treats for the ear. On
"Lonely Am I,"
even words of loneliness seem heavenly when crooned to the angelic tones of a harp.
placed seven of his
singles in
Billboard
's Top 135, and all but one are anthologized on
Bless You and Seventeen Other Great Hits
. British rocker
Billy Fury
covered
"Halfway to Paradise"
and enjoyed a major hit overseas, but
's original didn't fare nearly as well stateside. Nonetheless,
's early recordings are fine specimens of
Brill Building
pop
, with an assortment of
Barry Mann
and
Carole King
songs given skillful, sophisticated readings. Even though
flubs the lyrics of
Bobby Darin
's
"Dream Lover,"
he recovers quickly enough to salvage the take. The anthology's claim of "17 hits" is overstated, but echoes the original title of
's sole
album,
Bless You and Eleven Other Great Hits
. The remaining songs are B-sides and non-hit singles comparable in quality to the hits.
may be merely a curious historical artifact for
's fan base, but it offers a handsome portrait of
artistry for enthusiasts of the early-'60s teen sound. ~ Greg Adams