''Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just for You'' is the second studio album from actor and singer
Joe Pesci
Joseph Frank Pesci ( , ; born February 9, 1943) is an American actor and musician. He is best known for portraying tough, volatile characters, in a variety of genres, and for his collaborations with his best friend, Robert De Niro in the films ' ...
.
History
The idea for the album originated from Pesci's character Vincent LaGuardia Gambini, from his 1992 movie ''
My Cousin Vinny
''My Cousin Vinny'' is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn and written by Dale Launer. It stars Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, Marisa Tomei, Mitchell Whitfield, Lane Smith, Bruce McGill, and Fred Gwynne in his final film app ...
''. In the movie, Pesci starred as Vinny, an inexperienced lawyer who comes to the rescue of his wrongly accused cousin Billy Gambini, played by
Ralph Macchio
Ralph George Macchio Jr. ( , ; born November 4, 1961) is an American actor. He is known for portraying Daniel LaRusso in the ''Karate Kid'' films (1984–1989, 2025), a role he reprised in the martial arts series ''Cobra Kai'' (2018–2025). F ...
.
Before becoming a professional actor, Pesci was a
lounge singer
Lounge music is a type of easy listening music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It may be meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place, usually with a tranquil theme, such as a jungle, an island paradise or outer space. The ran ...
. When he announced his retirement from acting in 1999, he pursued a further career in singing. Pesci remained retired until his return to acting in
Robert De Niro
Robert Anthony De Niro ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor, director, and film producer. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of List of awards and ...
's 2006 film ''
The Good Shepherd'', where he played Joseph Palmi.
The album was released on October 13, 1998, on
. It is stamped with a
parental advisory sticker for explicit content. A music video was produced for the song "Wise Guy," featuring Pesci reciting his lyrics in various mob-themed settings. "Wise Guy" recreates elements from the
Blondie song "
Rapture
The Rapture is an Christian eschatology, eschatological position held by some Christians, particularly those of American evangelicalism, consisting of an end-time event when all dead Christian believers will be resurrected and, joined with Chr ...
" and features a chorus lyrically similar to that of
Fred Rogers
Fred McFeely Rogers (March 20, 1928 – February 27, 2003), better known as Mister Rogers, was an American television host, author, producer, and Presbyterian minister. He was the creator, showrunner, and host of the preschool television s ...
' "Won't You Be My Neighbor?".
Track listing
# "Yo Cousin Vinny"
# "Wise Guy"
# "Take Your Love and Shove It"
# "I've Got News for You"
# "How Do You Like Me So Far"
# "Robbie Hood"
# "Twenty-One"
# "Old Man Time"
# "He'll Have to Go"
# "
I Can't Give You Anything But Love"
# "If It Doesn't Snow for Christmas"
# "
What A Wonderful World
"What a Wonderful World" is a song written by Bob Thiele (as "George Douglas") and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong on August 16, 1967. In April 1968, it topped the pop chart in the United Kingdom, but performed p ...
"
# "Yo Cousin Vinny" (Italian)
# "Yo Cousin Vinny" (Spanish)
Reception
Critic Michael Gallucci of
Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
gave the album a negative review and a rating of 1 star out of a possible 5. Gallucci writes that apart from a few jazzy numbers drawing successfully on Pesci's experience as a lounge singer, the album is "a mound of failed songs and lame jokes."
References
{{Authority control
1998 albums
Joe Pesci albums
Columbia Records albums
Comedy albums by American artists
Albums produced by Trackmasters