New Top 40 CD debuts from Paul Anka!

Paul Anka has apparently licensed the rights to his ABC/Paramount tracks and has reissued his complete albums for that label on CD, digitally remastered and available only on his website.

I ordered two: Paul Anka Sings His Big 15 and Vol. 2 of the same title. I got them for a few B-sides that are unavailable elsewhere, but Vol. 2 does contain the previously "not on domestic CD" song "The Story of My Love," in glorious mono, running an actual 2:24.

Another missing song in the database, "Hello Young Lovers," is available on his album "Paul Anka Swings for Young Lovers," also available on his website. "Kissin' on the Phone" is on Vol. 3 of "Sings His Big 15," which I did not order.

Believe me, these are NOT NEEDLE DROPS. He clearly licensed the original ABC/Paramount tracks. And they are factory-pressed CDs, with nice, glossy artwork, but no mastering credits at all. The sound quality is excellent, most of it clear, dead-center mono, with the bizarre exception of "Diana," which is really bad "E."

Titles are $15, but shipping is outrageous -- $12 for the first CD, and $1 for each additional CD. (An independent company handles the shipping.)

"Love Me Warm and Tender" was on RCA, not ABC/Paramount, so the elusive 45 version for that is not on any of these CDs.

Other albums available from this era are Diana, My Heart Sings, Anka at the Copa, Paul Anka Swings for Young Lovers, It's Christmas Everywhere, and Sings His Big 15 Vol. 3. (Strangely, his 1958 album "Paul Anka" is listed in the booklet as being available... but it's not on his website.)

Paul Anka CDs



Edited by Brian W.

MPH711 wrote: The original version of "My Home Town" (not the RCA version) in stereo was on Rhino's "Paul Anka's 30th Anniversary Collection" CD. You can also get the song in stereo on iTunes from "Paul Anka Sings His Big 10 Hits, Vol. 2". Is there something different about the mono version you have?

Hmm, I must have looked at the database wrong, because I would have sworn it said "My Home Town" was not available on domestic CD. I guess it's "The Story of My Love" I was trying to talk about... that's on the same CD. That's what I get for posting at four in the morning. I have now corrected my original post.

But regardless, yes, there is something different about about the mono version I have -- it's mono, as the single was. :D

Edited by Brian W.

They don't sound like fold-downs to me. Generally with a fold-down the vocal is much louder than the background music.

Speaking of "Remember Diana" does the 45 really run (1:56) and is the original hit version on CD? I believe Ace put it on a various artist CD compilation just a year ago. Is that the only legit CD release for the RCA hit version?

Edited by Santi Paradoa