Moon River: The Very Best of Andy Williams

Editors’ Notes Though the song has been sung by everyone from Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s to Chevy Chase in Fletch, it’s impossible not to think of the late, great Andy Williams when hearing “Moon River.” Featuring 18 songs released between the late '50s and early '70s, this compilation does well to emphasize Williams’ '60s heyday. Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman’s “Can’t Get Used to Losing You” sounds like it was customized for Williams’ buttery tenor. Similarly, John Barry and Don Black's title track for the 1966 film Born Free could have been tailor-made for Williams’ soaring range; there are movements in the song where his elongated inflections upstage the French horn and strings. Standouts from the '70s include a cover of Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” (Williams’ version is much more flirty and seductive than Frankie Valli’s) and the amorous “We’ve Only Just Begun.” While Karen Carpenter made the song famous, Williams gave it a smoothly masculine authority. Overall, an outstanding collection of one of pop's most versatile vocalists.