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Jerry Lewis
Capitol Collectors Series
Capitol Records
CDP 7 93196 2

1. "Are You For Real"
(L. POBER-J. DANE) TIME: 2:42
(Jerry Lewis [Child Star] With Billy May And His Orchestra)
BEECHWOOD MUSIC CORPORATION BMI
Master #5204 - Take 3
Recorded 1113/49
Released 12/5/49 (Capitol 786)

2. "I Love A Murder Mystery"
(LEON POBER) TIME: 2:57
(Jerry Lewis [Child Star] With Billy May And His Orchestra)
BEECHWOOD MUSIC CORPORATION BMI
Master #5205 - Take 3
Recorded 1113/49
Released 12/5/49 (Capitol 786)

3. "Sunday Driving"
(LEON POBER) TIME: 2:37
(With Billy May And His Orchestra)
MORLEY MUSIC CO., INC. ASCAP
Master #5928 - Take 1
Music Track Recorded 4129150
Vocal Track Recorded 5/3/50
Released 5/29/50 (Capitol 1045)

4. "I'm A Little Busybody"
(LEON POBER) TIME: 2:50
(With Billy May And His Orchestra)
MORLEY MUSIC CO., INC. ASCAP
Master #5933 - Take 1
Music Track Recorded 4/29/50
Vocal Track Recorded 5/3/50
Released 5/29/50 (Capitol 1045)

5. "Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa Polka"
(LEON POBER) TIME: 2:01
(Orchestra Conducted By Dick Stabile, Arranged By Billy May)
MORLEY MUSIC CO., INC. ASCAP
Master #6988 - Take 8
Recorded 1110/51
Released 2/5/51 (Capitol 1385)

6. "I Like It – I Like It"
(M. DAVID-J. LIVINGSTON) TIME: 2:43
(Orchestra Conducted By Dick Stabile, Arranged By Sid Feller)
HALLMARK MUSIC CO./POLYGRAM INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING, INC. ASCAP
Master #7291- Take 8
Recorded 7/10/51
Released 8/13/51 (Capitol 1740)

7. "I'll Tell A Policeman On You"
(M. DAVID-J. LIVINGSTON) TIME: 2:39
(Orchestra Conducted By Dick Stabile, Arranged By Sid Feller)
HALLMARK MUSIC CO./POLYGRAM INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING, INC. ASCAP Master #7292 - Take 9
Recorded 7/10/51
Released 8113/51 (Capitol 1740)

8. "Lay Somethin' On The Bar (Besides Your Elbows)"
(B. AUSTIN-S. SMITH) TIME: 2:30
(Orchestra Conducted By Dick Stabile, Arranged By Nelson Riddle)
VIER PUBLICATIONS EMI
Master #9161- Take 1
Recorded 10/22/51
Released 11/19/51 (Capitol 1868)

9. "I Love Girls"
(JIMMIE DODD) TIME: 2:45
(Orchestra Conducted By Dick Stabile, Arranged By Nelson Riddle, From The Lippert Film "G.I. Jane")
JAYNAR MUSIC ASCAP
Master #9162 - Take 5
Recorded 10/22/51
Released 11/19/51 (Capitol 1868)

10. "North Dakota, South Dakota"
(SHAPIRO-BORNE-MARTIN) TIME: 2:17
(Orchestra Conducted And Arranged by Dick Stabile)
GEORGE SIMON MUSIC/WOODBINE MUSIC/DAN SHAPIRO MUSIC ASCAP
Master #9554 - Take 7
Recorded 1/7/52
Released 2/11/52 (Capitol 1969)

11. "I've Had A Very Merry Christmas"
(D. SHAPIRO-H. BORNE) TIME: 2:34
(Orchestra Conducted And Arranged By Dick Stabile)
MCA MUSIC PUBLISHING, A DIVISION OF MCA INC. ASCAP
Master #9555 - Take 4
Recorded 1/7/52
Released 12/29/52 (Capitol 2317)

12. "The Book Was So Much Better Than The Picture"
(MEL LEVEN) TIME: 2:29
(Orchestra Conducted By Dick Stabile, Arranged By Nelson Riddle)
JOHNSTONE-MONTEL MUSIC BMI
Master #9556 - Take 4
Recorded 1/10/52
Released 2/11/52 (Capitol 1969)

13. "I Can't Carry A Tune"
(A. QUENZER-F. MARKS) TIME: 2:40
(Orchestra Conducted By Dick Stabile, Arranged By Gus Levene)
BOB STEPHENS INC. ASCAP
Master #10204 - Take 5
Recorded 5123/52
Released 6/30/52 (Capitol 2141)

14. "Strictly For The Birds"
(SIMMONS-LEAR-BROWN) TIME: 2:38
(Orchestra Conducted By Dick Stabile, Arranged By Nelson Riddle)
WEISS & BARRY COPYRIGHTS INC. BMI
Master # 10205 - Take 6
Recorded 5/23/52
Released 12/29/52 (Capitol 2317)

15. "Crazy Words-Crazy Tune (Vo-Do-De-O)
(M. AGER-J. YELLEN) TIME: 2:20
(Orchestra Conducted By Dick Stabile, Arranged By Nelson Riddle)
WARNER BROS. MUSIC ASCAP
Master #10207 - Take 3
Recorded 5/23/52
Released 6/30/52 (Capitol 2141)

16. "They Go Wild Simply Wild Over Me
(F. FISHER-J. MCCARTHY) TIME: 2:29
(Orchestra Conducted By Dick Stabile, Arranged By Gus Levene)
FISHER MUSIC CORP./EMI ROBBINS CATALOG INC. ASCAP
Master #10421 - Take 14
Recorded 7/16/52
Released 8/25/52 (Capitol 2202)

17. "I Keep Her Picture Hanging Upside Down"
(E. HATCH-A. QUENZER) TIME: 3:02
(Orchestra Conducted By Dick Stabile, Arranged By Gus Levene)
BOB STEPHENS, INC. ASCAP
Master #10422 - Take 2
Recorded 7/16/52
Released 8/25/52 (Capitol 2202)

18. "Y-Y-Y-Y-Yup"
(ROSS BAGDASARIAN) TIME: 2:08
(Orchestra Conducted By Dick Stabile, Arranged By Nelson Riddle)
FRANK MUSIC CORP. ASCAP
Master # 11465 - Take 2
Recorded 4/22/53
Released 8/31/53 (Capitol 2576)

19. "Candelabra Boogie"
(B. THOMPSON-A. ALCH) TIME: 2:06
(Orchestra Conducted By Dick Stabile, Arranged By Gus Levene)
BELFRY MUSIC CO. BMI
Master #12611- Take 7
Recorded 5/3/54
Released 12/31/54 (Capitol 2833)

20. "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody"
( SCHWARTZ - YOUNG - LEWIS) TIME: 2:33
(Orchestra Directed And Arranged By Buddy Bregman)
MILLS MUSIC, INC./WAROCK CORPORATION/MPL COMMUNICATIONS, INC. ASCAP
Master #100723 - Edit Of Takes 3 & 6
Recorded 8/21/56
Released 11/5/56 (Decca 30124)
Charted 11/24/56, Reached #10
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ALL SONGS 1-19 PRODUCED BY VOYLE GILMORE & DAVE CAVANAUGH EXCEPT 20 PRODUCED BY BUDDY BREGMAN AND ALAN EMIG.

ALL SONGS RECORDED AT CAPITOL STUDIOS, HOLLYWOOD, EXCEPT 6 & 7 RECORDED AT WMGM RADIO STUDIOS, NEW YORK CITY.

executive producer of the Capitol Collector's Series: RON McCARRELL
compilation produced and researched by BOB FURMANEK.
compiled by BOB FURMANEK.
digitally remastered by BOB NORBERG at Capitol Recording Studios, September 1989.

liner notes and annotation by BOB FURMANEK.
special thanks to: JERRY LEWIS, BUDDY BREGMAN, LOU BROWN, BERGER, RON FURMANEK, JOE STABILE, WAYNE WATKINS AND MARC ZUBATKIN.

chart information courtesy of billboard and JOEL WHITBURN.

this compilation was mastered from the original full track mono master session tapes "AAD."

all tracks are in original mono sound.
track 20 courtesy of MCA special products.
al1 tracks were previously released on various Capitol and Decca singles and albums.
art direction: TOMMY STEELE
tinting: RON LARSON
innerspread photography: LARRY DUPONT
design: ANDY ENGEL
photo research: BRAD BENEDICT

® © 1990 Capitol Records, Inc. Manufactured by Capitol Records, Inc., A Subsidiary of Capitol-EMI Music, Inc., Hollywood and Vine Streets, Hollywood, California. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized Duplication is a Violation of Applicable Laws.

Printed in U.S.A.
__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Jerry Jewis was born Joseph Levitch on March 16, 1926 in Newark, New Jersey. Both of his parents were in show business: his mother Rae started out as a sheet-music demonstrator playing piano in a music store, which is how she met his father, Danny Lewis, a popular song-and-dance man on the vaudeville circuit, eventually becoming his arranger and musical director. Danny Lewis introduced his son to the stage quite early in life – while emceeing a benefit at a Borscht Belt hotel, he had a 5-year-old Jerry come out and sing the popular Depression-era heart-wrencher, "Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?". After this auspicious debut, Jerry was determined to follow in his parents' footsteps and become an entertainer himself.

By the time he was 15, Jerry had perfected a comic 'record act': he would lip synch and mime the lyrics to popular and operatic songs played on an off-stage phonograph. He started haunting booking agents' offices in hope of a break, holding down a mixed bag of jobs (luncheonette counterman, usher, hat factory shipping clerk) to support himself in the meantime. His first booking – at a burlesque house in Buffalo – was so discouraging he almost packed it in: the audience's howls of "Bring on the BROADS'" drowned out his act in a matter of minutes. It took years of perseverance, but by 1942 he was working steadily on the popular Loew's Theater circuit, appearing in cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston. Eventually he was also booked into some of the better New York City nightclubs like The Glass Hat and Dave Wolper's Hurricane, where he opened for Duke Ellington and his Orchestra.

In July of 1946 Jerry was playing the 500 Club in Atlantic City. The singer appearing on the same bill wasn't working out, so Jerry told club owner Paul "Skinny" D’Amato that he knew a great singer who just happened to be available, a guy named Dean Martin. Skinny was sceptical and didn't want to take a chance with just any singer, but Jerry was persistent, assuring him that he and Dean were "terrific together and did a lot of funny stuff." Nothing could have been farther from the truth: Jerry and Dean had only met a few months earlier in New York, and while they had become good friends, they had never worked as a team. Fortunately, Skinny took the bait and had Dean flown in from Chicago, where he had just finished a gig.

Martin and Lewis's first show together could charitably be called one of the biggest bombs in show business. Dean sang a few tunes and Jerry did his phonograph act, but the audience response was considerably less enthusiastic than Skinny had been led to expect. After the show he called Jerry aside to inquire pointedly, "So, where's all the 'funny stuff'?" Jerry knew he was in big trouble, especially when Skinny indicated that unless their act improved 100%, the next performance would be taking place at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean …

Dean and Jerry had no other material prepared, so they proceeded to ad-lib and improvise the next show. They ended up giving a three-hour performance! While Dean sang, Jerry went out into the audience dressed as a busboy – they proceeded to wreck the joint. They broke dishes, charged around the tables eating customers' food and squirting them with seltzer, set fire to the orchestra's sheet music and generally ran amok. Within a few days, word-of-mouth in Atlantic City had customers lined up around the block to see this crazy new act.

They soon refined their original spontaneous combination of jokes, insults, sketches and ad-libbing, and success came quickly. During the next two years, the team's fame skyrocketed. They were playing at the top nightclubs in the country, like the Latin Casino in Philadelphia, the Chez Paree in Chicago, and the Copacabana in New York. On August 3, 1948 they made their coast-to-coast TV debut on NBC's "Texaco Star Theater." Their manic repartee easily upstaged "Mr. Television" himself, Milton Berle, who couldn't get a word in edgewise. They also appeared on the first broadcast of Ed Sullivan's "The Toast Of The Town" program. Soon after, Martin & Lewis headed for Los Angeles, where they made their eagerly-anticipated Hollywood debut at the prestigious nightspot Siapsie Maxie's. On August 12, 1948, just three days after their west coast opening, Dean and Jerry were signed to an exclusive recording contract by Capitol Records.

They played at Siapsie Maxie's until September 12, and went into the Capitol studios the following afternoon to record the vocal tracks for their first record, "The Money Song" b/w "That Certain Party." During their month at Maxie's, Dean and Jerry had become good friends with the Stabile brothers: house bandleader Dick Stabile and his younger Joe, the band's sax player. Dick had an extensive musical background: during the Depression, he had been one of the country's highest-paid sax players, making $750 a week at the age of l9 with Ben Bernie's Big Band. By age 26 he was being billed as "Master Of The Saxophone" - he had such a great lip that he could play an alto sax an octave and a half above the register. In addition to his musical virtuosity, Dick had a keen sense of humor. The prospect of working full-time for Martin and Lewis was an irresistible opportunity; he was quick to agree when they asked him to be their permanent arranger and conductor. Fifteen years later, Joe Stabile would retire his sax to become Jerry's full-time manager, a position he still holds.

Dean and Jerry were rapidly rising to the very top of the entertainment industry. By early 1949 they were starring in their own weekly radio show on NBC and had signed a long-term motion picture contract with Hal Wallis and Paramount Studios. Their theater and nightclub appearances were breaking all attendance records around the country.
Somehow, in spite of all this, Jerry's career as a solo artist at Capitol Records would never quite get off the ground. From November 1949 to May 1954, Jerry recorded a total of 32 songs for Capitol (and an additional four with Dean), but none of them ever made it onto Billboard's charts. (Even Dean had it rough for quite a while, until his September 1953 smash hit "That's Amore" finally helped make him a top record seller).

Jerry's first Capitol session took place on November 3, 1949. His first track was ''Are You For Real," based on a line Jerry had popularized in his radio and nightclub appearances: whenever Dean confronted him with a serious, intellectual observation, Jerry would invariable retort "Are you FOR REAV!" in his trademark high-pitched shriek. Comedy writer Leon Pober wrote the track for Jerry, as well as the B-side, "1 Love A Murder Mystery," a clever parody of 40's-style radio dramas. When the record came out in December, the 23-year-old entertainer billed himself as 'Jerry Lewis (Child Star)' on the label.

On April 29, 1950 Jerry was back in the Capitol studios working on the vocals for his next single, just a day after he'd closed an engagement at Ciro's in Hollywood. Both tracks recorded were also Leon Pober's compositions, and the first tune, "Sunday Driving," was similar to "Murder Mystery," but the next track was, to say the least, really quite unique. Pober based "I'm A Little Busbody" on the music of classical composer Nicolo Paganini, and the resulting track is a marvel of tape editing. The master tape of "Busybody" contains a total of 19 deft manual edits – a feat which would have been simply impossible in the pre-tape, acetate and lacquer recording era of just a few years before. The song is certainly a testament to the technical abilities of Capitol's engineers!

In September of 1950, Martin & Lewis began their now legendary run as hosts of NBC's Colgate Comedy Hour. The duo was presented live, performing uninhibited slapstick comedy for millions of Americans coast to coast. They alternated hosting the weekly broadcast with the likes of Abbott & Costello, Bob Hope, Donald O'Connor, and Eddie Cantor. Averaging one appearance a month, 'their' shows were always a ratings smash and easily beat out the otherwise popular Ed Sullivan show, which CBS aired opposite the Comedy Hour.

Dean and Jerry were also packing them in at movie theaters around the country with their guest appearances in "My Friend Irma" and "My Friend Irma Goes West." Paramount released their first starring vehicle, "At War With The Army," in December 1950.

Jerry was back in the studio on January 10,1951 to cut "Pa·Pa·Pa·Polka." This session marked the first time that Jerry recorded with Dick Stabile's orchestra. On his earlier dates, Capitol had insisted that he use Billy May's orchestra, which was already under contract with the label. This session also marked the first recordings with pianist Lou Brown. Stabile had known Lou for many years and had introduced him to Dean and Jerry back in September when they were in New York for their first Colgate show. Lou was a very fine musician and had an impressive Broadway background, having worked on shows like "Kiss Me Kate" and "Call Me Mister," though he had originally planned to go into education, even earning a B.S. in that field. Fortunately Lou opted for a musical career, and when Jerry asked him to join their 'troupe' following the Colgate broadcast, he jumped at the chance and is still with Jerry today as his pianist and musical director.

The next track was recorded on July 10, 1951. Dean and Jerry were in New York, playing one of their many record-breaking engagements at the Paramount Theater on Times Square. Instead of taking the night off after an exhausting day at the theater (seven performances, starting at 8 AM!), Jerry took the entire orchestra over to the studio at radio station WMGM to record "I Like It, I Like It" (another of his popular catch-phrases) and "I'll Tell A Policeman On You."

The next session on October 22 found Jerry back in Hollywood waxing two tracks, "Lay Somethin' On The Bar (Besides Your Elbows)", with a spoken introduction by Dick Stabile, and a cover of "I Love Girls" (from the Lippert film "G.I. Jane"), which features a swinging big band arrangement by Nelson Riddle. The single was released in November to coincide with the opening of Dean and Jerry’s latest Paramount comedy, "Sailor Beware."

Jerry took time out from filming "Jumping Jacks" at Paramount and spent January 7, 1952 at the Capitol studio recording "North Dakota, South Dakota (Illinois And Indiana Moon)," the first song Dick Stabile not only conducted but also arranged. Capitol appropriately held the next track, "I've Had A Very Merry Christmas," until just after Christmas 1952. On January 10th Jerry slipped off the Paramount lot again to record "The Book Was So Much Better Than The Picture."

Jerry's next musical effort, "The Noisy Eater" (not included here, but we can imagine ... ) was for Capitol's popular "Bozo-Approved" children's series, but in May he recorded three tracks for more general consumption. On "I Can't Carry A Tune," Jerry uses his natural voice to introduce the track. "Strictly For The Birds" features music written by Lou Brown and lyrics by two young writers who worked on Dean and Jerry's TV and radio shows - Ed Simmons and Norman Lear. Both would go on prominence in the television industry, Simmons as a top comedy writer and Lear as the hugely successful writer/producer/director of such popular sitcoms as ''AIl In The Family," "Maude" and "Sanford & Son." The next song, "Crazy Words – Crazy Tune (Vo-Do-De-O")," had been very popular in the 1920's, and Lou Brown got Jerry's attention with the idea of updating the lyrics by including Jerry's renditions of such popular contemporary personalities as Enzio Pinza and Marlon Brando.

Jerry squeezed in another recording session on July 16, 1952, just before he wrapped up the filming of "Scared Stiff." The first song, "They Go Wild, Simply Wild Over Me," gave him some trouble – he tried fourteen times before he got a take he was satisfied with, but the second track was much easier. "I Keep Her Picture Hanging Upside Down" was completed in two takes.

In 1953 Jerry juggled film and record work frequently; he recorded several more children's songs for his vast grade-school audience in January while "The Caddy" was in production, and ducked out during the shooting of "Money From Home" (Martin & Lewis' first Technicolor and only 3-D feature) to record "Y-Y-Y-Y-Yup!," written by Ross Bagdasarian, better-known as Dave Seville of The Chipmunks.

Right about this time, Jerry started to lose interest in his solo recording activities. His lack of commercial success in this area probably helped influence him, especially compared to the continuing phenomenal popularity of his films at the box office and his S.R.O. live appearances nationwide. On top of that, his TV shows with Dean Martin were still among the highest-rated programs on the air, so his undistinguished record on record simply wasn't important alongside his other successes. Actually, Jerry would eventually record a Top Ten Single, but that was still some years in the future.

On May 2,1954, Dean and Jerry celebrated their 8th anniversary as a team on a special Colgate Comedy Hour, which featured a sketch recreating that first outing at the 500 Club. They closed the show by getting down on horns and drums and doing some heavy jamming with the Treniers on "Rockin' Is Our Bizness." The next day found Jerry in the studio as a Capitol solo artist for what would be the last time: After a smokin' tenor sax intro, Jerry belted out a fine rendition of “Candelabra Boogie” for posterity. For this brief two-day period, Jerry seemed to be a strong supporter of the imminent rock and roll era. Somehow, Capitol didn't place much faith in this unruly musical trend on Jerry's part and waited nearly eight months before unleashing it on an unsuspecting public on New Year's Eve, 1954.

Around this time a certain tension started to build up between Martin & Lewis. On May 15, 1956 they entered the Capitol studios as a team for the last time, ironically enough to record songs for the soundtrack EP from an upcoming Paramount release called "Pardners." Two months after that, the inevitable finally happened: exactly ten years to the day after they had first teamed up in Atlantic City, Dean and Jerry gave their final performance together at the Copacabana in New York, July 25, 1956.

The reasons for the breakup are very complex. Both men had a desire to branch out and try their luck as solo performers in various areas of show business. Dean wanted to do some dramatic acting and get away from the broad slapstick comedies he and his partner had been making. Jerry was anxious to direct and be more active in the technical and creative aspects of filmmaking. Their ten years together had been very lucrative for them both, but it was just time for some changes.

The first thing Jerry did was take his wife Patti and some friends to Las Vegas for a vacation. They were due to return home August 6th, but Jerry got a call from Sid Luft that changed all that: Would Jerry fill in at the Frontier Hotel that night? Sid's wife, Judy Garland, had strep throat and couldn't perform. It took a great deal of encouragement from Patti, but a reluctant Jerry finally agreed to go on. That night, as the band played Judy's theme, "Over The Rainbow," Jerry walked onstage instead, much to the audience's amazement. Nervously, he offered "I don't look much like Judy, do I?" The startled crowd broke up - they loved it! Jerry improvised for nearly an hour, and the crowd was so enthusiastic they wouldn't let him leave the stage. Finally he escorted Judy out of the wings and asked her what her closing number normally was, then proceeded to give that finale, "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby (With A Dixie Melody)," everything he had. The response was tremendous, and an elated Jerry left the stage realizing he had really made it – he was absolutely capable of success as a solo act!

Two weeks later, Jerry went back to the Capitol studios with renewed interest and enthusiasm – this time he was in charge. He wasn't even under contract to any label at the time – he was paying for the studio time himself. Buddy Bregman and his orchestra were brought in to help work out the arrangements and back Jerry. In one day, he recorded "Come Rain Or Come Shine," ''I'm Sittin' On Top Of The World," "Back In Your Own Back Yard" and his triumphant Vegas closer, "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby (With A Dixie Melody)." He offered Capitol first crack at the finished songs, but the label was basically underwhelmed, based on the low sales for Jerry's earlier comedy/novelty records – surely, if the public wasn't buying comedy records by a comedian, why in the world would they buy him as a 'serious' singer?

Jerry approached Decca Records next, and they were willing to take a chance. They sent him hack to the Capitol studios in September to record enough songs to fill out an album. Jerry was shooting "The Delicate Delinquent" at the time, but managed to get 8 tracks done in one day anyway. Decca released "Rock-A-Bye" as a single on November 5, 1956 and much to everyone's surprise, it went to #10 within three weeks – Jerry Lewis finally had a bona fide hit record! It proved to be so successful that it took less than a month for the LP, Jerry Lewis Just Sings, to reach #3 on the pop album charts; it remained on the charts for nearly five months after that. Over the next few years, Jerry would score a few more minor pop chart hits, though nothing as dramatic as the runaway success of "Rock-A-Bye."

By the early 60's, Jerry was pouring all his creative energies into filmmaking. Serving as writer, producer, director and star, he turned out an incredible string of comedy classics, packing theaters around the country and abroad with films like "The Bellboy," "The Ladies Man," "It's Only Money," "The Errand Boy," "The Disorderly Orderly," and perhaps Jerry's most accomplished work as a filmmaker, "The Nutty Professor."

It was clear that Jerry's record-making days were pretty much behind him. He did take one last stab at the pop charts in 1965: An album called Yesterday And Other Folk-Rock Hits by The Jerry Lewis Singers came out on Paramount-owned Dot Records. Even though it featured contributions by everyone from Snuff Garett (producer) to Leon Russell (arrangements), it failed to excite the record-buying public.

It seems that Jerry may have had more tremendous hit in him, if circumstances had allowed: Early in 1962, Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley offered Jerry a new song they'd written. Jerry liked it and told the A&R department at Decca that he wanted to record it, but after hearing a demo of the tune, Decca sent him a telegram stating that "we won't release it – the song has no appeal" Since film was his primary interest at the time anyway, Jerry dropped the issue and forgot about the song. His close friend Sammy Davis, Jr. did record the song with "no appeal" soon afterwards, and had one of the biggest hits of his career with it - "What Kind Of Fool Am I," indeed …

Today, Jerry lives in Las Vegas, and is an acknowledged master still active in the fields of film, television, comedy, theater-all aspects of public entertainment. Rather than rest on his laurels, however, he now channels his enormous talents and energies into a humanitarian cause: he is recognized worldwide for his tireless efforts on behalf of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Over the last 41 years and 24 Labor Day Telethons, he has raised over $1 billion for the fight against muscular dystrophy.

In retrospect, even though making records was never specifically the point of Jerry's multi-faceted talents, the songs in this compilation (many unavailable for 30-odd years) represent a unique and diverting sidebar to his long career as an entertainer and public figure.

Enjoy!