The Best of Tony Martin

The Best of Tony Martin on RCA rounds up most of the actor/singer's RCA Victor chart hits on a 45-song, two-disc set. Martin had 29 hits during this period, so hit collectors may be frustrated that the compiler omitted a number of chart items. All the big hits are included, though, from the soaring religious tune "Walk Hand in Hand" to "There's No Tomorrow," the melody of which later surfaced in Elvis Presley's "It's Now or Never." Martin wasn't a crooner, but rather a big-voiced baritone with a flair for dramatic numbers like "Kiss of Fire" and "Angels in the Sky," the latter of which was a hit for the Crew Cuts, even though Martin arguably gave it a superior reading. Romantic and dramatic numbers abound, but Martin had a playful side, too, as heard on "Over a Bottle of Wine" and "Sorta on the Border," moderate hits that introduced exotic rhythms and a touch of humor. The lighter touch also prevails in Martin's duet with Fran Warren, "I Said My Pajamas (And Put on My Pray'rs)," the clear winner against several competing versions of the tune in 1950. The Best of Tony Martin on RCA is the most generous collection of Martin's RCA hits yet produced, but also collects many obscure yet worthwhile recordings not heard on straightforward greatest-hits collections.