Connie Francis displayed remarkable vocal ability beginning with her first recording as a teenager in 1955. Three years later she accomplished the the unimaginable feat of being the first female to break into an entirely male dominated rock scene....and on her own terms with her recording of  Who's Sorry Now in 1958. Over the course of 7 years she became one of the most recognizable figures in the world translating her singles into as many as 9 languages. She was a girl with a woman's voice.This guide is a list of her best CDs which comprise mainly of her Lp work. Connie has stated she preferred her Lp recordings over her hit 45 singles. I am listing recordings that are available or can still be found (although they may be a bit pricey).

US: The Swinging Connie Francis (a reissue of her Connie and Clyde Lp) is a bluesy, Dixieland jazz affair. Connie sings hit songs of the depression era. Her voice is powerful  and the arrangements are for the most part typical of the era. Many critics considered this a novelty record when in fact, it is a sincere tribute to one the most dismal times in US history and worthy of praise. Souvenirs, a 4 CD box set was the only ambitious CD project released in this country and contained all her singles from 1955-69 opening with her first single Freddy and ending with the magnificient Zingara. This set displays Connie's growing vocal maturity. And is a must for collectors.

Her 5 US Italian language Lps were released on two seperate CDs a year later in 1997 The Italian Collection Vol I & II. This was a bold move on the record label's behalf and paid off (despite objections from Polydor), as it is still in print as of this writing. Her last Italian recording Love Italian Style fortunately forms most of these 2 discs. It is one of the most romantic outings ever released on CD and if this doesn't melt even the coldest heart, then consider yourself clinically dead!

For those who have difficulty obtaining the career spanning 4 disc set, Universal released Gold in 2005, a rather lame tribute to her 50th anniversary as a recording artist. This 2 CD set also spans her career but not as meticulously as the 4 CD outing but is easy to obtain. It is one of her biggest sellers. The majority of her best work comes from overseas.

Japan: This country not only known for the best sound is also very nostalgic and has released many of Connie's finest work. Their clever anthologies mixing hits with Lp tracks is unsurpassed in sound and imagination. For her anniversary they released in 24 bit master sound her first best selling Lp (#2) Sings Italian Favorites, Sings Burt Bacharch, and Live At The Sahara In Las Vegas. The first offering serves us a youthful Connie who stated she did not know Italian when she recorded this Lp, but her unique mastering of foreign languages is apparent--she sounds as if she were singing the language all her life. The later two recordings are two of her best Lps from the late 60's. All the Bacharach songs sans one, were made famous by others. After you have listened to this recording, they sound as if the songs were written especially for Connie. Her live Lp was her last on a major label and simply exudes the excitement of her magnificient vocal ability. She is a crowd pleaser. Hawaii Connie a limited edition (also released in a cardboard mini Lp sleeve the similiar to the aforementioned Japanese releases called a "digipak"),  is one of her finest outings. She sings in a mid-range to soft high soprano throughout the recording accompanied by authentic Hawaiian instrumentation and background singers. This underrated recording is a living testament to her vocal agility that ranks her among the all-time great singers. Her astounding control and her lush melodic voice has never been put to better use despite the difficulty it would take to maintain singing in this range through a complete Lp recording. 

South Africa: This country released 6 CDs and are almost impossible to obtain. The first 3 are out of print which covered mainly her unrelased older material and some of her obscure foreign recordings. All are worth finding.  The Wedding is an international CD in nine languages and contains some her finest work. The Incomparable Connie Francis is the best anthology of her Lp work to date A Lifetime Of Live--50th Anniversary is not your typical tribute as it contains many unissued tracks and does not go back farther than 1965. If you can obtain her material from this country it will not be cheap but worth the effort.

Connie who has been touring for several years now issued two live CDs on her own private label The European Concert and The America Tour. This is Connie now and she is breathtaking considering she is in her 60's. Her voice is as strong as ever and she continues to wow her audiences and win new fans. Alas, these two CDs are also extremely hard to obtain. However, Sony released portions of both on the recent Standards Live, a nice budget line item that is sure to please all music lovers. This is a fine example of Connie Francis who has become one of great interpretors of the American Classic Song and this disc shouldn't be missed.

For those experienced fans, I am sure the reader has ascertained by now, I am more inclined to her later work. This is due to the fact that Connie sings more sophisticated material and her voice is at her vocal peak.

These are considered her finest CDs in my opinion. The Cream Of The Crop!  There are many hit reissues on the market for those who love to walk down memory lane, but I have concentrated on what I consider her finest work that has been released on CD. But anything Connie sings, is always her best; whether circa 1960 or the present. She is truly one of last iconic female singers still performing today that has not lost but enhanced her magnificent emotion-laden voice coupled with her equisite phrasing unlike as so many of her peers who have retired due to their loss of voice or have unfortunately, passed away. She is a one of a kind legend that belongs in all serious music lovers collections. She continues to be a worldwide favorite after half a century through her reissues and personal appearanes.

I hope this review was helpful. God bless and many thanks.