Dion and the Belmonts

This essential LP release presents Dion’s magnificent second album with The Belmonts, "Wish Upon a Star", which was originally released in 1960 on the Laurie label. It helped define the exact nature of early New York vocal rock & roll. It is perhaps more doo-wop oriented than its predecessor (the debut LP "Presenting Dion & The Belmonts"), with its title tune, a Bizarro World version of "Swinging on aStar," and a reading of "In the Still of the Night" that doubtless would have puzzled composer Cole Porter. Other album highlights include “A Lover’s Prayer,” and “All the Things You Are,” as well as the standards "Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)," “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” “September Song”, and the Christmas staple “When the Red, Red, Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along.” The group's take on Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman’s composition “My Private Joy,” reveals some of the real depth behind Dion DiMucci even at this early stage of his career. He may have looked and sounded like a teen idol on some of those numbers, but he had a musical soul that transcended the limitations of teen pop. DiMucci was responsible for some of thebest white rock & roll to come out of New York during this era.

In addition to the original album, this WaxTime collector’s LP also contains 2 bonus tracks from the same period – “Teen Angel,” and the soulful “Faith”.