MGM Presents Mario Lanza In For The First Time: A Slice of Golden-Era Swagger
Alright, buckle up, folks. We’re diving into MGM Presents Mario Lanza In For The First Time, a 1959 gem from the golden pipes of Mario Lanza himself. Genre? Stage & Screen. Style? Soundtrack. Country? Canada (who knew?). Label? RCA Victor. And let me tell you—this album is like finding an old vinyl at a garage sale that smells faintly of mothballs but still sounds like heaven.
First off, let’s talk tracks. You’ve got classics like “O Sole Mio” and “Ave Maria,” sure, but I’m here for the deep cuts that slap harder than your grandma’s meatloaf recipe. Two standouts? Oh boy, where do I start?
Track 6: Vesti La Giubba
This one hits different, doesn’t it? From the first note, Lanza belts out pain so raw you’d think he just found out his pizza delivery guy job got outsourced to robots. Spoiler alert: It’s not about pizza—it’s about clowns. Yes, clowns. But not the creepy ones with balloons; this is legit opera drama. He sings about putting on a happy face while dying inside, which honestly feels relatable after my last tax return. The passion here is nuts—you can practically hear him sweating through his tuxedo vest. It sticks with you because it’s equal parts devastating and kinda funny if you squint.
Track 10: Tarantella
Now THIS tune is fire. Imagine someone spilled espresso all over a mandolin player and told him to dance his way out of bankruptcy. That’s “Tarantella.” Lanza nails it with gusto, turning what could’ve been a snoozy folk number into something electric. Every time I listen, I half-expect him to burst into a full-on tarantula interpretive dance routine. It’s the kind of track that makes you want to grab a tambourine and annoy your neighbors at 2 AM. Infectious energy? Check. Earworm potential? Double check.
The rest of the album ain’t too shabby either. Tracks like “Hofbrauhaus Song” bring Bavarian vibes without requiring lederhosen, and “Neopolitan Dance” has more bounce than a kangaroo on Red Bull. Even the quieter moments, like “Ave Maria,” feel like they were recorded in some celestial cathedral floating above Earth’s petty problems.
Here’s the kicker though: Listening to this record feels like stepping back in time to when music wasn’t trying to sell you sneakers or avocado toast. Lanza didn’t need autotune or TikTok trends—he had lungs made of steel and charisma dripping off every syllable. Sure, the production might sound dated compared to today’s slick beats, but that’s part of its charm. Like retro video games, sometimes simpler is better.
So, would I recommend MGM Presents Mario Lanza In For The First Time? Absolutely. Just don’t blame me if you suddenly develop an uncontrollable urge to audition for community theater or belt opera in the shower. Final thought: If aliens ever invade Earth, we should totally play them this album instead of nukes. They’ll either surrender immediately or ask for encores. Either way, win-win.
