In 1999, Academy Award-winning actorJoe Pesci(Goodfellas,Home Alone) decided to retire from acting. And he mostly made good on his promise, only breaking the fast to make a cameo in friendRobert De Niro’sThe Good Shepherdand star oppositeHelen MirreninLove Ranch. Now, Pesci has reunited with his collaborative maestroMartin Scorseseto deliver a leading performance in Netflix’sThe Irishman. It is, in many ways, a return to form for Pesci. An acting homecoming. And how is the actor celebrating his newfound publicity and renowned appreciation? By… releasing an album of standards calledStill Singing, of course.
You see, Pesci was a singer long before he was an actor. He’s semi-responsible for the founding ofThe Four Seasons, and put out a record in 1968 calledLittle Joe Sure Can Sing!before ever appearing in a film. Even during the height of his fame, Pesci kept the musical fires stoked. Did you love him inMy Cousin Vinny? Would you love to hear that same character belt out jazz standards and parody hip-hop songs? Then you simply must listen to 1998’sVincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just for You, a very real album that very really exists.
This is partially why Pesci retired – to get back into music. And now, as reported byConsequence of Sound, Pesci is figuring out how to make his two careers coexist.Still Singingboasts a litany of covers of well-known tunes, from “Round Midnight” to “My Cherie Amour,” alongside collaborators likeMaroon 5’sAdam Levine. They sing two songs together! Pesci and Levine, times two! What a time! Okay, I’m being a bit silly – and if you find this all a bit silly, I don’t blame you. But I do encourage you to listen to some Pesci crooning with an open mind. He has a pleasing, old-fashioned tone of voice, and his love for music shines through. It’s likely the most purely positive you’ll ever see Pesci, best known for his more violent, anger-prone performances.
Still Singingis available for your listening pleasure on November 29, the same day asThe Irishman’s release on Netflix. What a day to be a Pesci fan! EnjoyStill Singing’s tracklist below, and enjoy a beautiful live performance of a track that wound up on the album – “The Nearness of You” with the legendaryJimmy Scott. For more on Pesci,check him out talking aboutThe Irishmanwith De Niro, Pacino, and Scorsese.
01. How About You
02. Falling In Love is Wonderful
03. I Remember April
04. I’ll Be Seeing You
05. Round Midnight
- If I Should Lose You
07. My Cherie Amour (feat. Adam Levine)
08. In My Solitude
09. Folks Who Live On The Hill
- If I Ever Lost You
