Mario Lanza: A Discography

English Recordings (A-K)
by Derek McGovern

Listen to the 24-year-old Lanza in one of his earliest recordings in English. This is a live radio performance of the demanding "Ah, Moon of My Delight" from Lehmann's 1896 song cycle In a Persian Garden on CBS's "Great Moments in Music," 26 December 1945. The conductor is Georges Sebastian. 

• On the Forum: The Best of Everything? Mario's Coke Performances


• Mario Lanza: LPs and Selected CDs.


• On the Forum: Song of India


• On the Forum: The Immortal Serenade

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About the English-Language Recordings

Lanza's recorded legacy consists of multiple versions in many instances. Where these occur, I have highlighted what I consider the best rendition(s) in bold. In most instances (irrespective of whether Lanza recorded the song once or multiple times), the best CD reproduction of the rendition can be located by "rolling over" the text. 

Note: If you are new to Lanza, or simply want to hear him at his consistent best in the English-language repertoire, I would recommend the 2016/2017 Sepia Records CDs Never Till Now and One Alone. Full details about these releases can be found here and here. 

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A

Ah, Moon of My Delight

(from In A Persian Garden) (Lehmann)

• 1945 live radio broadcast: Great Moments in MusicMario Lanza: All the Things You Are (Sepia, 2019)

Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life

(from Naughty Marietta) (Herbert-Young)

• 1951 Coca-Cola Radio ShowMario Lanza: The Ultimate Collection (BMG, 1999: 2CD version) and The Essential Mario Lanza (BMG/RCA 2007)

All Alone/What'll I Do?

(Berlin)

• 1946 Live radio broadcast: Great Moments in Music

All the Things You Are

(from Very Warm for May) (Kern-Hammerstein)

• 1951 two versions: Coca-Cola radio performance and
  MGM outtakeBe My Love: Mario Lanza's Greatest Performances at MGM (Rhino, 1998)
• 1956 RCA versionMario Lanza: All the Things You Are (Sepia, 2019)

All Ye Thankful People Come

(Alford)

• 1945 Live radio broadcast

Alone Together

(Schwartz-Dietz)

• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio ShowMario Lanza: When Day Is Done (BMG, 1998) and (with Lanza's spoken introduction) Mario Lanza: The Toast of Hollywood (2-CD set, Sony/TCM 2013)

Among My Souvenirs

(Wright-Leslie)

• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio ShowMario Lanza: The Toast of Hollywood (2-CD set, Sony/TCM 2013)

And Here You Are

(Iovello-Levin)

• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio ShowThe Mario Lanza Collection (BMG, 1991: 3-CD set)

And This Is My Beloved

(from Kismet) (adapted from Borodin/Wright-Forrest)

• 1956 RCA Coca-Cola Radio ShowMario Lanza: The Legendary Tenor (BMG 1987)

April in Paris

(from Walk A Little Faster) (Duke-Harburg)

• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio ShowMario Lanza: When Day Is Done (BMG, 1998)

Arrivederci Roma

(Rascel-Garinei-Giovannini-Sigman)

• 1957 RCA Serenade: A Mario Lanza Songbook (SonyBMG 2009) and Mario Lanza: The Toast of Hollywood (2-CD set, Sony/TCM 2013)
  (in Italian and English; see Italian Songs Discography for Lanza's all-Italian version)

Away in a Manger

(Kirkpatrick)

• 1951 RCAChristmas with Mario Lanza (RCA/BMG, 1987)
• 1959 RCA

Azuri's Dance

(from The Desert Song) (Romberg-Harbach-Hammerstein-Mandel)

• 1959 RCAMario Lanza: The Student Prince and The Desert Song (BMG, 1989)

B

The Bayou Lullaby

(Brodszky-Cahn)

• 1949 The Toast of New Orleans soundtrack
• 1950 RCAThe Mario Lanza Collection (BMG 3-CD set, 1991 or Mario Lanza in Hollywood (BMG, 1999)

Be My Love

(Brodszky-Cahn)

• 1949 two duet versions with Kathryn Grayson for The Toast of New Orleans soundtrack
• 1950 two versions: Hedda Hopper radio show performance;
  RCA studio recording Lanza: Greatest Hits (BMG, 1995)
• 1951 Coca-Cola Radio Show

Beautiful Love

(King-Young-Van Alstyne-Gillespie)

• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio ShowMario Lanza: Poetry and Passion (Sepia Records, 2018)



Because

(d'Hardelot-Teschemacher)
• 1950 two versions: one RCA take and a much superior soundtrack recording for The Great Caruso [best heard on the film DVD; not available on CD]
• 1951 two versions: one RCA and one Coca-Cola Radio Show



Because You're Mine

(Brodszky-Cahn)
• 1951 three versions for Because You're Mine soundtrack--two of them as duets with Doretta Morrow, soprano
• 1952 RCA Lanza: Greatest Hits (BMG, 1995) and Mario Lanza: The Toast of Hollywood (2-CD set, Sony/TCM 2013)
• 1957 two live versions (both viewable in our Multimedia section): London Palladium and The Christophers TV program
• 1958 Royal Albert Hall recital



Begin the Beguine

(Porter)
• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio ShowMario Lanza: When Day Is Done (BMG, 1998)



Behold!

(Moore-Reed)
• 1957 RCAOne Alone (Sepia Records, 2017)



Beloved

(Brodszky-Webster)
• 1952 Outtake for The Student Prince soundtrack
• 1953 The Student Prince soundtrack The Mario Lanza Collection (BMG, 1991) OR Mario Lanza: Greatest Hits (BMG, 1995)
• 1959 RCA



Besame Mucho

(Velazquez-Skylar)
• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio ShowSerenade: A Mario Lanza Songbook (Sony 2009)



The Best Things in Life Are Free

(De Silva-Henderson-Brown)
• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio ShowWhen Day Is Done (BMG, 1998) and Mario Lanza: The Toast of Hollywood (2-CD set, Sony/TCM 2013)



Blue Skies

(Berlin)
• 1946 Live radio: Great Moments in Music



Bonjour, Ma Belle

(Behrend-Eden)
• 1958 Albert Hall RecitalMario Lanza: Live From London (BMG 1994)



Boom Biddy Boom

(featured in The Toast of New Orleans) (Brodszky-Cahn)
• 1950 two versions: one soundtrack and
  one for RCAMario Lanza in Hollywood (BMG 1999) and The Mario Lanza Collection (3-CD set, 1991)
• 1951 Coca-Cola Radio Show



C

Call Me Fool

(Kauderer)
• 1953 RCAThe Mario Lanza Collection (BMG, 1991)



Charmaine

(Rapee-Pollack)
• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio ShowA ghastly recording, mercifully released only once: on the 1994 3-CD Reader's Digest set The Very Best of Mario Lanza)



Come Dance With Me

(Blake-Leibert)
• 1957 two versions:
  RCA version in AprilThe Mario Lanza Collection (BMG, 1991)
  and
  Seven Hills of Rome soundtrack in JuneMario Lanza: Original Album Classics (5-CD set, Sony 2009)



Come Prima (For The First Time)

(Di Paola-Taccani-Ram)
• 1958For the First Time/Caruso Favorites (BMG/Collectables, 2004) OR Mario Lanza: The Ultimate Collection (2-CD set, BMG 1999)



Cosi Cosa

(Kaper-Jurmann-Washington)
• 1948 Elgin Watch Thanksgiving Show (live radio broadcast)
• 1951 Coca-Cola Radio Show



D

Danny Boy

(Weatherley)
• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio ShowMario Lanza: The Ultimate Collection (2-CD set, BMG 1999)



Day In, Day Out

(Bloom-Mercer)
• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio Show: two takes
  (both released)One on Mario Lanza: Original Album Classics (Sony 2009); the other on Mario Lanza: The Toast of Hollywood (2-CD set, Sony/TCM 2013)



Deck the Halls

(Trad.)
• 1956 RCAChristmas with Mario Lanza (RCA/BMG, 1987)
• 1959 RCA, Lanza Sings Christmas Carols



Deep In My Heart, Dear

(from The Student Prince) (Romberg-Donnelly)
• 1946 Live radio version with Winifred Smith, soprano
• 1952 four versions: three takes forThe Student Prince with Ann Blyth, soprano; one (solo) radio version.
• 1959 RCA (with Norma Giusti)



The Desert Song

(from The Desert Song) (Romberg-Harbach-Hammerstein-Mandel)
• 1951 Coca-Cola Radio Show
• 1959 RCA (with Judith Raskin) Mario Lanza: The Student Prince and the Desert Song (BMG 1987)



Diane

(Rapee-Pollack)
• 1951 Coca-Cola Radio ShowMario Lanza: Don't Forget Me (BMG 1993)



Do You Wonder?

(Ray-Hill)
• 1956 RCAThe Mario Lanza Collection (BMG 1991) OR Mario Lanza: Original Album Classics (5-CD set; Sony 2009)



The Donkey Serenade

(Friml-Forrest-Stothart-Wright)
• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio Show
• 1956 RCAMario Lanza: Serenade/A Cavalcade of Show Tunes (BMG UK, 2004) OR The Essential Mario Lanza (2-CD BMG set, 2007)



Drink! Drink! Drink!

(from The Student Prince) (Romberg-Donnelly)
• 1952 soundtrack recording Mario Lanza: Original Album Classics (Sony, 2009)
• 1959 RCA



Drinking Song

(from The Vagabond King) (Friml-Hooker)
• 1959 RCAThe Immortal Voice of Mario Lanza: A Centennial Celebration (Sepia, 2021)

E

Earthbound

(Taylor-Richardson-Musel)

• 1956 RCA Mario Lanza: Poetry and Passion (Sepia Records, 2018)

Ergo Bibamus

(Eberwein; lyrics adapted and translated from Goethe)

• 1952 MGMThe Immortal Voice of Mario Lanza: A Centennial Celebration (Sepia, 2021)

F

Falling In Love With Love

(from The Boys from Syracuse) (Rodgers-Hart)

• 1956 Lanza on Broadway album

The First Noel

(Trad.)

• 1951 two versions:
  1951 RCA;Christmas with Mario Lanza (RCA/BMG, 1987)
  the other for the Coca-Cola Radio Show
• 1959 RCA

Fluffy Foam

(novelty song from the soundtrack of Because You're Mine; not available on any official CD)

• 1951 MGM

Fools Rush In

(Bloom-Mercer)

• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio ShowWhen Day Is Done (BMG, 1998)

For You Alone

(Geehl-O'Reilly)

• 1950 RCA (unreleased commercially)
• 1951 two versions:
  RCA version Never Till Now (Sepia Records, 2016)
  and Coca-Cola Radio show

Funiculì Funiculà (in English)

(Denza, composer-English lyricist unknown)

• 1951 Coca-Cola Radio ShowDon't Forget Me (BMG, 1993)

G

Giannina Mia

(from The Firefly) (Friml-Harbach)

• 1956 RCAMario Lanza: Serenade/A Cavalcade of Show Tunes (BMG UK, 2004)

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

(Trad.)

• 1956 RCAChristmas with Mario Lanza (RCA/BMG, 1987)
• 1959 RCA

Golden Days

(from The Student Prince) (Romberg-Donnelly)

• 1946 with Robert Weede, Baritone, Celanese Radio Show
• 1952 soundtrack for The Student PrinceOriginal Album Classics (Sony, 2009)
• 1959 RCA

Guardian Angels

(Marx-Beilenson)

• 1951 two versions:
  RCA renditionChristmas With Mario Lanza (RCA/BMG 1987)
  and Coca-Cola Radio Show
• 1959 RCA

Gypsy Love Song

(from The Fortune Teller) (Herbert-Smith)

• 1956 RCAMario Lanza: All the Things You Are (Sepia, 2019)

H

Halloween Suite

(Barrymore)

• 1948 Hollywood Bowl concert

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

(Mendelssohn-Wesley)

• 1956 RCAChristmas with Mario Lanza (RCA/BMG, 1987)
• 1959 RCA

The Hills of Home

(Fox-Calhoun)

• 1952 two renditions for Coca-Cola Radio Show; the unreleased version is marginally superior to the version on You'll Never Walk Alone (BMG, 1995)

The House on the Hill

(Charles)

• 1945 live radio broadcast
• 1958 Albert Hall RecitalMario Lanza: Live From London (BMG 1994)

I

If

(Evans-Hargreaves-Damerell)

• 1951 Coca-Cola Radio ShowMario Lanza: Don't Forget Me (BMG, 1993)

If I Loved You

(from Carousel) (Rodgers-Hammerstein)

• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio Show The Immortal Voice of Mario Lanza: A Centennial Celebration (Sepia, 2021)

If You Are But a Dream

(Adapted from Rubinstein/Jaffe-Fulton-Bonx)

• 1951 Coca-Cola Radio Show Mario Lanza: When Day Is Done (BMG 1998)

If You Were Mine

(Merrill)

• 1953; two takes (one released) The Mario Lanza Collection (3-CD set, BMG 1991)

I Know, I Know, I Know

(Kaper-Russell)

• 1948 That Midnight Kiss soundtrack
• 1949 two versions:
  one for RCA;Mario Lanza in Hollywood (BMG 1999)
  the other on a radio broadcast)

I’ll Be Seeing You

(Fain-Kahal)

• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio Show Mario Lanza: Original Album Classics (5-CD set) (SonyBMG 2009)

I’ll Never Love You

(Brodszky-Cahn)

• 1949 three versions recorded for The Toast of New Orleans (two of them featured in the film)
• 1950 RCAThe Mario Lanza Collection (3-CD set; BMG 1991) OR Mario Lanza in Hollywood (BMG 1999)
• 1951 Coca-Cola Radio Show

I’ll See You Again

(from Bitter Sweet) (Coward)

• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio ShowMy Romance (BMG, 2001)

I’ll See You In My Dreams

(Jones-Kahn)

• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio ShowReleased only once (apart from a dubious CD of the same name issued by BMG Special Products and only available from Jeff Rense) on the 1994 3-CD Reader's Digest set The Very Best of Mario Lanza.

I’ll Walk With God

(Brodszky-Webster)

• 1952 soundtrack for The Student Prince Mario Lanza: You'll Never Walk Alone (BMG, 1995) OR Never Till Now (Sepia Records, 2016)
• 1959 RCA

I Love Thee

(Grieg)

• 1950 RCA
• 1951 Coca-Cola Radio Show
• 1958One Alone (Sepia Records, 2017) Non-soundtrack version recorded for the official soundtrack album of For the First Time (the actual film version was only a partial take)

I’m Falling In Love With Someone

(from Naughty Marietta) (Herbert-Young)

• 1945 RCA test record
• 1945 Red Barber Review (live radio broadcast)
• 1951 two versions: Coca-Cola Radio Show
• 1958 two live versions: Royal Albert Hall recital and Saturday Spectacular TV Show

I Never Knew

(Fio Rito)

• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio Show The Mario Lanza Collection (3-CD set; BMG 1991)

I Saw Three Ships

(Trad.)

• 1956 RCAChristmas with Mario Lanza (RCA/BMG, 1987)
• 1959 RCA

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

(Sears-Willis)

• 1956 RCAChristmas with Mario Lanza (RCA/BMG, 1987)
• 1959 RCA

I’ve Got You Under My Skin

(Porter)

• 1951 Coca-Cola Radio ShowMy Romance (BMG, 2001)

I’ve Told Ev’ry Little Star

(from Music in the Air) (Kern-Hammerstein)

• 1956 RCAMario Lanza: Serenade/A Cavalcade of Show Tunes (BMG UK, 2004)

I Want a Kiss

(from The Desert Song) (Romberg-Harbach-Hammerstein-Mandel)

• 1959 RCA Mario Lanza: The Student Prince and the Desert Song (BMG 1987)

J

Joy to the World

(Watts-Mason)

• 1956 RCAChristmas with Mario Lanza (RCA/BMG, 1987)
• 1959 RCA

A Jug of Wine

(from In A Persian Garden) (Lehmann)

• 1945 (with Frances Yeend, sop.) Live radio broadcast: Great Moments in Music

Just We Two

(from The Student Prince)(Romberg-Donnelly)

• 1959 RCA (with Norma Giusti, sop.) The Immortal Voice of Mario Lanza: A Centennial Celebration (Sepia, 2021)

K

A Kiss

(Sinatra-Brooks)

• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio ShowMy Romance (BMG, 2001)

A Kiss in the Dark

(from Orange Blossoms) (Herbert-De Sylva)

• 1952 Coca-Cola Radio Show

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