Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers - Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers at RKO (CD)

All Music Guide

Fred Astaire Ginger Rogers is a stunning double-disc set featuring 35 tracks (including ten previously unreleased songs) culled from 11 musicals the pair made for RKO between 1933 and 1943, including The Gay Divorcee, Swing Time, Flying Down to Rio, Top Hat and The Sky's the Limit. The duo were at the height of their popularity and creativity during this era, and many of the songs that appeared in these films became standards, including "A Needle in a Haystack," "Night and Day," "The Continental," "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails," "Cheek to Cheek," "Let's Begin," "I'll Be Hard to Handle," "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket," "Let's Face the Music and Dance," "Pick Yourself Up," "The Way You Look Tonight," "A Fine Romance," "A Foggy Day," "Nice Work If You Can Get It," "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," "They Can't Take That Away From Me," and "One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)." These are the versions that became popular through their appearances in movies, and while Astaire was limited as a singer, his voice was charming and helped make these songs the standards they are. And there is no better way to get his best, original versions than Fred Astaire Ginger Rogers at RKO.

- Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide