Popular Songbook

Popular Songbook

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The late Alan Lomax, like his father John A. Lomax before him, was one of America's most influential and tireless scholars and chroniclers of folk and ethnic music. Yet Lomax also enthusiastically embraced rock n' roll as it became a powerful cultural force in the 1950s. He also had a life-long fascination with the evolution of music performances and how particular songs were adapted from one style or era to the next.

This intriguing 22-song collection was culled from the hundreds of grassroots recordings that Lomax, who died in 2002 at 87, collected from the early 1930s, onward. The common thread is that they have all found their way, in one form or another, into the lexicon of modern rock and pop music. Cuts like Leadbelly's 1934 rendition of "Midnight Special," Woody Guthrie's 1940 recording of an old slave lament called "Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad," the Cleveland Simmons Group's 1935 version of "Sloop John B," the Duke of Iron's 1946 calypso version of "Ugly Woman," and Georgia Turner's 1937 "House Of The Rising Sun" offer vivid glimpses at how great songs evolve with changing times and changing tastes, as they are passed from one generation of musicians to the next. --Bob Allen

Tracks:

Beauty and the Beast
Mary Poppins Medley: Chim Chim Cheree/Feed the Birds/Let's Go Fly a Ki
Cruella De Vil
Beautiful - Wayne Brady, Jim Brickman
Reflection
When I See an Elephant Fly - Jim Brickman, Josh Gracin
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
Baby Mine - Jim Brickman, Kassie Depaiva
Can You Feel the Love Tonight
Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes - Jim Brickman, Kimberley Locke,
Someday My Prince Will Come
I'm Amazed - Jim Brickman, Lila McCann
When You Wish Upon a Star
Beautiful [Music Video] - Wayne Brady, Jim Brickman

Amazon.com

New Agey pianist Jim Brickman's history with children-friendly material goes back a long way--one of his early assignments was writing for Jim Henson, after all. On this album, he tackles Disney songs, although that definition is rather flexible. New tracks "Beautiful" (featuring vocalist Wayne Brady) and "I'm Amazed" (featuring country singer Lila McCann) aren't actually from any movie or TV show but inspired by Cinderella. (Other singing guests of note include former American Idol contestants Kimberley Locke and Josh Gracin.) Brickman's approach is so mellow that it's hard to tell the tunes apart in a Mary Poppins medley made up of five different songs, including the usually upbeat "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." This actually extends to the entire album, which feels like an extended medley. On the plus side, nothing comes in to peskily disrupt the soothing vibe. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Jim Brickman-The Disney Songbook.......2007-05-14

I am a HUGE Jim Brickman fan. I love his music. This CD is probably my favorite.The Disney Songbook

Incredible music.......2007-01-04

I love this CD! Will buy others by this artist...love the Disney music..wonderful to listen to anytime and a great CD to share with others.

The Disney Songbook.......2006-11-10

I am a great fan of Jim Brickman and as usual he has not disappointed me.
All of the Disney favories sound great! I would definitely recommend this CD to all.

Best Jim Brickman ever in a huge Disney fan's opinion!.......2006-05-25

I have been looking for this CD for a long time, and I bought it in a CD shop near my university yesterday. I think this is the best album of Jim Brickman, but not only because I'm a huge Disney fan.
I'm so happy that there is a lyric paper went with the CD, because I have been looking for the lyric of "Beautiful". However, my favorite track is "Beauty and the Beast". Even though it's without vocal and lyric, it's still so romantic, the sound of piano even made it more romantic! The track "Mary Poppins Medley" is also one of the best, some well-known Mary Poppins songs get together and played by piano, it gives me an all-new feeling, even better that the original in the movie. Before I listened to this album, I couldn't imagine how the track "Cruella De Vil" was, but I found it's wonderful when I listened to it, the initial comical feeling hasn't lost because of without vocal! I didn't like songs from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" before, but "Someday My Prince Will Come" in this album is very beautiful, then I realized that a Disney song can be more wonderful while it's without vocal. "When You Wish Upon A Star" is pretty good, the sound of piano feels just like the sound of shinning stars in the sky. "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" is good, but the beginning of this track made me a little confused. "Reflection" is very different from my anticipation, the principal tune seems lost, but it still gives me a different and good feeling.
In the songs with vocals, "Beautiful" is one of the best. Before I hear this original version, I have heard the Christmas Version in "Disney Princess Christmas Album" and all my roommates love this very much. The 2 versions have the same melody and rhythm but different lyric, but the romantic feeling is just the same! "Baby Mine" is the best in my opinion, it's warm and gentle, it makes me cry easily. "When I See An Alephant Fly" is good too, the tune has been changed a lot, but the wonderful feeling it gives me hasn't changed at all! I have never heard the song "I'm Amazed" before, maybe it's just as "Beautiful", it's not a song from Disney movies. However, it's tune and lyric is just great as every Disney song's.
Well, this album is wonderful, Jim Brickman takes us into a magical Disney world by playing piano. I bet every Disney fan won't miss this great album and the wonderful feeling it brings!

Amazing.......2006-03-23

This CD is absolutly amazing. The talent displayed by Jim Brickman and all the other vocalists on the CD is superb.

Bette Midler Sings The Rosemary Clooney Songbook

Average customer rating:

GREAT, but....
You can BETTE it'll please ya !!!
Excellent
This CD is Outstanding
Bette is the Bomb

Bette Midler Sings The Rosemary Clooney Songbook
Bette Midler
Manufacturer: Sony/ Columbia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook
Thanks For The Memory...The Great American Songbook IV
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As Time Goes By...The Great American Songbook: Volume II
Stardust... The Great American Songbook, Vol. III

ASIN: B0000BYMYK
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Tracks:

You'll Never Know
This Ole House
On a Slow Boat to China
Hey There
Tenderly
Come On-A My House
Mambo Italiano
Sisters
Memories of You
In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening
White Christmas

Amazon.com

It's nice to see Bette Midler putting her spin on an American classic after less-than-convincing detours through adult-contemporary cheese. This tribute focuses on Rosemary Clooney in the early to mid-1950s--so we don't get any of the fabulous Nelson Riddle material--but it's a fairly strong offering. It was produced and arranged by Midler's old musical director, Barry Manilow--who actually dueted with Clooney on a couple of songs in the 1990s and here replaces Bing Crosby on the duet "On a Slow Boat to China." Mostly, the CD is about hits: "Hey There" and "White Christmas" are done in straightforward manner, while Linda Ronstadt fills in for Rosemary's actual sister Betty on a slinky version of "Sisters." Happily, Midler plays "Come On-A My House" down instead of up (the old Bette would have milked its comic aspect) but the singer lets loose on "Mambo Italiano." That's pretty much the only time the Divine Miss M peeks out from behind Clooney's elegant persona, and it's a delight. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

GREAT, but...........2007-06-26

This is a fine tribute to a truly great singer. Bette is in wonderful voice, and does full justice to Rosemary Clooney. "Mambo Italiano", and "Slow Boat to China" are delightful; in fact, I prefer Bette's "Slow Boat" to the original. "Come On A My House" is quirky enough to be great. It's actually a historically important song; the harpsichord was ubiquitous in the days of Bach and Mozart, but by the 1950's, it was forgotten; Miss Clooney used one in the background, and the instrument made a comeback. Of course, Bette uses it, too. Most people don't know that "This Ole House" was originally a hymn by the late Stuart Hamblin...quite a story. "Sisters" is a pure joy, with Bette paired with Linda Ronstadt; I can't tell their voices apart, but I can't tell Rosemary and Betty apart on the original, either.

Great album...five stars for the musical quality. But, 31 minutes is kind of short for a full price album. Also, and this may be picky, the breaks between songs are a bit shorter than I like. Caveats aside, still a super choice. Enjoy.

You can BETTE it'll please ya !!!.......2007-01-23

Bette Midler and Barry Manilow do justice to the masterful art of Rosemary Clooney with this album of Rosemary's hits. The sound is exceptionally crisp and clear; the song selection sublime and the musical arrangements very well executed. This CD proves it.

The album starts off with "You'll Never Know" and Bette begins this song with passion a cappella. The musical arrangement that then joins her is flawless and Bette's voice is strong, vibrant and full of energy. The CD changes gears somewhat for the next track, "This Ole House," which Bette performs with an awesome country twist.

Most of the CD boasts classic ballads that true music aficionados could never forget. These great songs include "On a Slow Boat to China" that offers some great chemistry and banter between Bette Midler and Barry Manilow; "Hey There;" "Tenderly;" "Memories of You;" "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening" and "White Christmas." Excellent!

"Mambo Italiano" is a fun song and Bette works this number to the hilt with her passion; she communicates her emotions so well for this number. Linda Ronstadt does a great job with Bette for their duet of "Sisters."

The liner notes include great pictures of Bette and Barry Manilow as well as the credits for each song.

Unfortunately, however, although there are eleven songs on this CD, the total running time is barely more than 30 minutes. That's too short a songbook to honor and remember the great Rosemary Clooney. Where are some of the songs Clooney did with Nelson Riddle? Amazon correctly mentions that the focus of the material is too skewed toward the early to mid 1950s. Could a Bette Midler Sings The Rosemary Clooney Songbook, volume 2, come to fruition in the near future? It would sure please this author! Unfortunately, these drawbacks frustrate me so I will take off one star to make this a four star review.

Overall, Bette does a superlative job of honoring Rosemary Clooney with the help of Barry Manilow and Linda Ronstadt. Bette delivers a strong, upbeat and vibrant performance that leaves you wanting more! I agree with the reviewer who writes that this CD will make you want to hear Rosemary's original recordings of these classic songs. Fans of Rosemary Clooney and Bette Midler will definitely enjoy this album; and I highly recommend this CD for fans of classic pop vocals as well.

Excellent.......2006-11-10

We thoroughly enjoy this CD and the song selections chosen. The combination of Bette's vocals and excellent background musicians make it a great choice for anyone who loves the nostalgic era of Rosemary Clooney. Makes you want to learn how to swing dance!

This CD is Outstanding.......2006-11-10

My husband and I like Bette Midler to begin with . . . . but . . . this is by far the best album we have of hers. We dance, we sing and in general enjoy every song on the album.

We're going to purchase her new Christmas album in hopes that it is equally as great!

Bette is the Bomb.......2006-07-28

Rosemary Clooney had some beautiful songs that needed to be shared with the younger generations. And who else but Bette could do them with such passion! This is a treasured CD.

Oh, Lady, Be Good! Best of the Gershwin Songbook

Average customer rating:

Oh, Lady, Be Good! Best of the Gershwin Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald
no one like Ella...
Oh Lady Be Good is BETTER Than Good!
MUST HAVE!!!!
The Best of the Best....

Oh, Lady, Be Good! Best of the Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Cole Porter Songbook
The Best of the Song Books
The Best of the Song Books: The Ballads
Sings the Rodgers and Hart Song Book
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ASIN: B000004711
Release Date: 1996-01-30

Tracks:

Fascinating Rhythm
'S Wonderful
Someone to Watch over Me
He Loves and She Loves
Oh, Lady, Be Good!
A Foggy Day
How Long Has This Been Going On?
Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
But for Me
My One & Only
I've Got a Crush on You
Nice Work if You Can Get It
The Man I Love
Funny Face
Embraceable You
They Can't Take That Away From Me
I Got Rhythm

Amazon.com essential recording

Ella recorded five LPs' worth of Gershwin tunes for her songbook series, which was frankly a little much, so this single disc skims the cream. These songs are the ur-texts of American pre-war pop, straightforward love songs made to flow off a singer's tongue, and here they're in the hands of a master. Nelson Riddle's arrangements tend toward the soupy side--the bombastic string sections are distinctly nonjazz--but Ella, as always, sings with absolute taste and authority. She doesn't seem to be living inside the lyrics the way she does with, say, the Cole Porter songbook, but the simplicity of the Gershwins' melodies and sentiments let her get across some gently nuanced, technically exquisite singing. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews:

Oh, Lady, Be Good! Best of the Gershwin Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald.......2007-01-09

I love Ella and I love Gershwin. They're both great! The musical arrangements by Nelson Riddle are another story. They take away from Ella's beautiful voice and misinterpret Gershwin beautiful music. You get over it after a few listenings however and the music is still enjoyable. I guess it's a product of the era it was made in.

no one like Ella..........2004-08-18

frankly, there's no one out there i'd rather hear sing gershwin than ella fitzgerald, and this is an excellent compilation of ella singing some gershwin classics.

however, i was initially disappointed by this cd b/c i'd been searching for an album the showcased ella as opposed to the songs themselves. the highlights of this album are gershwin's songs (and ella does them sweet justice), but if you want a simple collection of ella at her best, in my opinion this isn't it.

Oh Lady Be Good is BETTER Than Good!.......2003-07-11

For those who want to hear Ella weave her magic in crisp, sparkling STEREO this is one of the VERY best of her many CDs. On this one she performs a unique, slow-tempo "Oh Lady Be Good" (that's right, SLOW and MELLOW as you've never heard it before and as only she could do it - and this alone is worth the price of admission). All the other top Gershwin goodies ("A Foggy Day", "But not For Me", "The Man I Love", etc.) are enhanced by Nelson Riddle's incomparable arrangements recorded in magnificent wrap-around sound that puts you right in front row center. So buckle up. This is a thrill-ride you'll want to experience again and again and again!

MUST HAVE!!!!.......2002-10-13

Anyone who enjoys Ella Fitzgerald has to have this album in their collection. Every since I bought it, it's played on a continual basis on my stereo system.You'll appreciate this album as one her her greatest.

The Best of the Best...........2002-09-22

Ella's voice is part of my childhood. She and George Gershwin played my lullabies. Not a bad introduction to music. Even now when I can't sleep I bring her back and let her sing in my head. Was there ever anything as lovely as Ella's voice? Everything falls away except the for the pure magic of her voice, the orchestra soaring...
This CD comes as close to the old "Ella Sings Gershwin" LP my parents had that I have found. Only "Clap a'Yo Hands" is missing. These are songs you love to listen to and love to sing. All my life I'll be grateful that Ella taught me how to sing! How can you not sing when you hear "Someone to Watch Over Me"? "The Man I Love"? How sweet is "I've Got a Crush on You"? I feel like I've just found buried treasure! I've got more Ella recordings that anything else in my collection, but like the CD itself says, "The Best of the Best of the Best of the Best." It's fabulous to have the all these amazing songs on one CD.
I just got myself a great present. You should get one too!

Average customer rating:

I love Bette, but...
Miss Lee meer the divine Ms M
I love being here with Bette
FANTASTIC!
Defective product

Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook
Bette Midler
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bette Midler Sings The Rosemary Clooney Songbook
Thanks For The Memory...The Great American Songbook IV
Guilty Pleasures
Moonlight Serenade
Those Were the Days

ASIN: B000BBOFOK
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Tracks:

Fever
Alright, Okay, You Win
I Love Being Here With You
Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe
Is That All There Is?
I'm A Woman
He's A Tramp
The Folks Who Live On The Hill
Big Spender
Mr. Wonderful

Amazon.com

Bette Midler and musical director Barry Manilow follow their successful tribute to Rosemary Clooney with a collection of songs immortalized by Peggy Lee. It starts off with the inevitable "Fever," which Midler does in a brassy, finger-snapping way that would feel more at home at the Sands c. 1960 than in a dimly lit 1950s boudoir. It's a deliberate, clever choice that works for Midler. The selection hits predictable bases ("Is That All There Is?", "Big Spender") but it's hard to argue when those bases are so loaded. Midler actually sounds a lot more at ease than on the Clooney disc. She handles the upbeat material as well as could be expected, but she also shines on the slower numbers, delivering sultry takes on "Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe," "I'm a Woman," and "He's a Tramp" (a song copenned by Lee, from the Disney movie Lady and the Tramp). The neglected gem in the collection is Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's "The Folks Who Live on the Hill," popularized by Irene Dunne in 1937 before being covered by Lee. Manilow's arrangements are deliciously lush and Midler uses a slight vibrato at carefully chosen moments, somehow sounding as if she had suddenly been lifted back to the 1940s. It's a real treat that epitomizes an accomplished album. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

I love Bette, but..........2007-05-14

I cannot tell you how disappointed I was in this album. I love Bette Midler and think she is one of the greatest entertainers we have today. But, my impression of this album was that she came into the studio, sang a few Peggy Lee songs, told them where to send the check and went home. To add insult to injury, there isn't a photo or anything else on the CD itself, just barely legible "This side up." Sorry Bette, in the future I'll stick to you singing your own material.

Miss Lee meer the divine Ms M.......2007-03-27

The trend in music lately is singers (Like Midler, Manilow, Rod Stewart)are recoring classics or standards. It seems to work, because it record sale magic.

Bette Midler has always been a great soulful singer, from the 1970's to present. Last year, Ms M took on the task for recording the Rosemary Clooney (that's George's aunt) songbook. This time she recorded the songs of Peggy Lee.

Lee has been a soulful jazz queen. Midler is one of the few singers today that could take on such Lee standards like "Fever", "He's a Tramp" , "Big Spender", and "Is that all there is?". Midler take on these pieces with such an aplome that you feel they were written today for Midler herself. The weakest song "The Folks who live on the Hill" does not fit Midler's vocal pattern range, she seem straining in that song. The duet with Barry Manilow on "I Love Being Here with you" reminds me of classic Ms M.

Talking about Manilow, who has recorded songs of the 1950, 1960, and the 1970, produced this CD for Midler. He has done a great job arranging & Producing this cd, Mailow make this seem so easy. It reminds that he was Midler's Piano man for years. He arranges these to suit her brassy style and it works so well

The DVD side has some rare Peggy Lee footage and interviews with Midler and others.

So, to quote Peggy Lee, "Is that all There is? Depressingly YES there is, and you want MORE

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

I love being here with Bette.......2006-07-20

Bette follows up her tribute to friend Rosemary Clooney, with a tribute to the great Peggy Lee. This set may not be as adventurous as the Rosie tribute, as the arrangements are very traditional (which suites these songs), however this is still a wonderful album. The ballads "the folks who live on the hill" and Harold Arlen's lovely "happiness is just a thing called Joe" are simply stunning and two of Bette's finest ever vocal performances. "fever" (revelatory interpretation) and "he's a tramp" come up a treat, and "I am w-o-m-a-n" is the divine Miss M in all her glory. Bette's been recording standards since `am I blue" on her first album (1972) and with the possible exception of Linda Ronstadt no rock singer sings the standards better then Bette and this album is a testament to that. Great songs, great arrangements, great singing, great album and a lovely tribute to a dearly missed singer (and songwriter).

FANTASTIC!.......2006-07-13

Bette midler has done justice to the talents of Peggy Lee! Not only does she add to the style of Peggy Lee, she embelishes it. An added feature are the DVD performances of some of the songs. Bette Midler's rendition of 'Is That All There Is' is unforgetable.

Defective product.......2006-04-20

I wish I knew if this recording was good or not. The dual format CD/DVD does not work. I thought the first defective and Amazon promptly replaced it. The newer version does not work either, it just clicks away. I tried it both in my MAC G4 as well as my Sony CD player. Nada. Invest your money is something that might actually work and avoid dual format.

Average customer rating:

It is Very Different Then Anything Else from G.M.
Hard to accept that this masterpiece has never been recognized.
Wow, how did I miss this one gem all these years?
Wonderful Trip to Yesterday
George Michael: Songs From The Last Century (1999)

Songs from the Last Century
George Michael
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Patience
Five Live
Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1
Older
An Easier Affair

ASIN: B000026AYH
Release Date: 1999-12-14

Tracks:

Brother Can You Spare A Dime
Roxanne
You've Changed
My Baby Just Cares For Me
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Miss Sarajevo
I Remember You
Secret Love
Wild Is The Wind
Where Or When

Amazon.com

A hint: there are no Wham songs on George Michael's 10-tune tribute to the music of the 20th century. There is a song by the Police ("Roxanne"), but the reggae ballad is rendered in such a turgid manner, it resembles nothing so much as a lounge singer stoned on Quaaludes. Elsewhere, the silver-tongued former club kid covers Rodgers & Hart ("Where or When"), U2 ("Miss Sarajevo"), and Ewan MacColl ("The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"). He pours so much calculated sentiment on top of each track that the entire record oozes a prefab corniness even Hallmark would recoil at. This is not to deny the power of George Michael's velvety, potent voice (although it does sound much better singing catchy dance-pop ditties) nor the fact that he's selected an interesting selection of ballads and folk and torch tunes. And Phil Ramone's production never veers from the middle of the road, unobtrusively shifting from smooth big-band jazz to Disney movie-ish harp accompaniment. If this CD is Michael's attempt to join the company of great song interpreters of the past, from Frank Sinatra to Billie Holiday, he will have to take a lot more chances and lose the sappy reserve. --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews:

It is Very Different Then Anything Else from G.M. .......2007-04-12

I like listening to George Michael as I personally feel he has a great voice but this album is not really for me. I like almost all of his music but I could have skipped this one and it would not have been a loss.

Hard to accept that this masterpiece has never been recognized........2007-02-28

Can one album change the entire genre of music you're listening? This album did for me! I used to be an average pop-rock listener, until I came across with it. Since then gradually I've become a jazz fan.

The songs are excellently performed by GM while I wouldn't ignore the great influence and contribution of the producer Phil Ramone.

The album is one of the rare albums in my whole life that I like from Track 1 till the end and have kept in my cd-changer for several years, and each year I found another track to really enjoy listening to.

I believe GM's voice suits more in jazz music than any other genre, and hope he releases a second volume of this album.

Wow, how did I miss this one gem all these years?.......2006-02-09

I always know George Michael has a nice voice unlike lots of crappy pop singers. But this just totally blew me away. I'm a big fan of his Faith album, but I'd never imagined him singing these songs so beautifully. What a rare talent. Wish he had recorded more albums like this.

Wonderful Trip to Yesterday.......2006-02-01

Yes this CD is NOT for everyone. But that being said I thought it was masterfully done. From Doris Day's "Secret Love" to "Brother Can You Spare a Dime" the tracks are fulled with emotion and power of an artist not afraid to move out of his expected nitch and risk everything to explore another side of himself. So if you're up to a little old fashioned style I think you'd be pleasently suprized. - Jim Chappelle, L.A. CA.

George Michael: Songs From The Last Century (1999).......2005-11-20

In 1999, George Michael released his fifth album entitled, SONGS FROM THE LAST CENTURY. This album is not as good as I had hoped it would be, but the brilliance of it is what persuaded me to give the album five stars.

BROTHER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME
Originally recorded by Tom Waites. I've never heard the original, but George did not do a bad job with recording this one. It's a song I can easily enjoy.

ROXANNE
Originally recorded by The Police. Between The Police's rendition and George's rendition, I prefer both. Both versions are incredible.

YOU'VE CHANGED
Originally recorded by Joni Mitchell. Both Joni's original and George's rendition are definitely worth listening to. Believe me.

MY BABY JUST CARES FOR ME
Originally recorded by Frank Sinatra. I am not a fan of Frank Sinatra's, although, his voice is very soothing. I did not really go for George's version either.

THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE
Originally recorded by Roberta Flack. Roberta Flack's version will always be the definitive version. George Michael's rendition is just as good as Roberta Flack's version.

MISS SARAJEVO
Originally recorded by U2. Never liked either version.

I REMEMBER YOU
I am not sure who originall recorded this song, but it has been covered by many artists over the years, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, The Ramones, Roxette, The Pretenders, etc. Not a bad rendition.

SECRET LOVE
Originally recorded by Frank Sinatra. Not bad.

WILD IS THE WIND
Originally recorded by Johnny Mathis. Never liked either version.

WHEN OR WHERE
Originally recorded by Rodgers & Hart. Not bad.

This is an album that'll remind you of the past and it is worth the money. At least in my opinion. But, anyway, buy yourself a copy if you don't have it already.

Average customer rating:

Randy Newman...at his best
Pleasant But Inessential
Diamonds in the Smooth
If You LIke Wry On The Rocks, Randy's Your Man
Randy' Still Got It

The Randy Newman Songbook, Vol. 1
Randy Newman
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000AKNEM
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Tracks:

It's Lonely at the Top
God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)
Louisiana 1927
Let Me Go
Rednecks
Avalon
Living Without You
I Think It's Going to Rain Today
You Can Leave Your Hat On
It's Money That I Love
Marie
When She Loved Me
Sail Away
The World Isn't Fair
Political Science
The Great Nations of Europe
In Germany Before the War
Ragtime

Amazon.com

Although he's now best known as the curly haired Prince of Pixar (he's written hit songs for a number of animated blockbusters, including Toy Story 2 and A Bug's Life, Randy Newman began his career as a misanthropic satirist and thwarted romantic. It's this version of Newman who shows up for Songbook Vol. 1, revisiting 18 of his compositions, most written in the '60s or '70s, and all stripped down to just voice and piano. The idea is borrowed from vintage tributes to the masters, the "songbooks" of Jerome Kern or Cole Porter, usually interpreted by a great vocalist such as Ella Fitzgerald. In Newman's case, it's hard to imagine anyone else singing a slave trader's smooth sales pitch ("Sail Away"), a deity's bemused take on mankind ("God's Song"), or a child murderer's creepy meditation ("In Germany Before the War"). Stripped of rock backbeats or orchestral sweetening, Newman's songs reveal their stark beauty and classic craftsmanship even more keenly. What may be most remarkable, however, is how prescient some of the songs seem now ("Lonely at the Top" predates the rise of People magazine and a revolving cast of whining superstars by half-a-decade) and how timely some of its humor is. "Political Science" may have been written during the Vietnam War, but its clueless narrator ("No one likes us I don't know why/We may not be perfect but heaven knows we try") sounds a lot like a Bush Jr. cabinet member or this season's hottest Fox News pundit. Since the early `80s, Newman has focused the lion's share of his attention on soundtrack scores and sly but cuddly buddy songs. Songbook Vol. 1 makes one wish Newman would devote more of his energies to writing new songs as topical, vibrant, and biting as his old ones. --Keith Moerer

Customer Reviews:

Randy Newman...at his best.......2007-07-05

To listen to Randy Newman sitting at a piano is pure pleasure. His lyrics are thought out and have meaning and purpose. The CD starts with "It's Lonely at the Top" with a quiet piano composition that flows into words about being the best (and still being lonely). Other great songs include "Louisiana 1927" (which tells about the 1927 Flood) with historical accuracy. The songs on the album make you think including the song "The World Isn't Fair" in which Newman tells Karl Marx the world isn't fair....it isn't and never shall be despite the ideas of Marx. Then, the song "Political Science" comes along with lyrics such as "We give them money, but are they grateful? No they're spiteful and they're hateful" when talking about the United States giving money to our "friends" (countries) with a great U.S. Centristic view of the world.

This is a great CD. Great music (including the piano version from one of his songs from "Toy Story") that makes you think about life, the world and the top notch lyrics of Randy Newman.

Pleasant But Inessential.......2007-05-26

Sometimes it pays to revisit something before sounding off. I thought that this disc had been substantially overpraised here and elsewhere, and was sharpening my pen to give it an outright pan: a substantial set of songs ill-served by mummified late-career recreations; pencil sketches beside the richer hues of the original oil paintings. I gave it another listen in its entirety before writing, and that would have been too harsh a view. It even has some competitive strengths I had forgotten: it's a very generously filled disc, and it has been beautifully produced by the distinguished Mitchell Froom -- Newman's piano (the only musical instrument) is heard in glowing recorded sound of such precise fidelity that one can hear the felt covering the strings when he pedals. The reservations I have are at the level of performance and concept rather than production.

When a musical artist returns after a period of decades to the same material he has previously set down, the main criterion by which we must evaluate the wisdom of the endeavor is, does he have anything new to say? Has his interpretation "deepened"? Are there shadings available to him that were not available before? To all of these questions I would have to say no (although my questions do not always apply well here; I'm not sure a "deeper" version of "Political Science," which was always puerile and probably was intended to be, is possible or desirable). Newman's performances throughout this set are assured but cautious and low-key; he's *too* familiar with these songs. There's no discovery, or rediscovery, only the professionalism of routine. It's telling that he seems most enthusiastic in the two most recent songs ("The Great Nations of Europe" and "The World Isn't Fair," from '99's unjustly commercially ignored BAD LOVE).

Some reviewers have praised the disc because they prefer to hear him with the accompaniment only of his piano. I don't quite go along with that, as it applies to this set, for a couple of reasons:

(1) Newman is, of course, an estimable composer of orchestral scores, and his skill as an arranger is one of the things that most attract me to his work. I almost invariably have the sense on his pop albums that he has chosen a particular setting for a song for very specific reasons, be that setting spare, lush, something in between, or spare and building *to* lush. Think, for example, of the swell of the strings and brass as the slave trader drives home his pitch in the chorus of "Sail Away" (the verses of which are much more lightly scored). The beauty is as false as the promises the character is making, but the music is as compelling and seductive as it should be: sweetness with a terrible, decadent rot at the center. The "unplugged" version of the same song on the present album seems pallid by comparison. I believe that goes for other songs here that were originally recorded with orchestra: certainly "Louisiana 1927" and "Marie." The quiet, stark version of "In Germany Before The War" included here, on the other hand, matches the LITTLE CRIMINALS version; both treatments well serve this creepy, disturbing song -- a minor masterpiece of elliptical dread and implied menace.

(2) Even though I grant the premise that Newman is capable of captivating performances when he's alone at the piano, I don't think the safety-first displays on THE RANDY NEWMAN SONGBOOK should be anyone's Exhibit A. If you have the 1998 box set, compare the present disc to the demos of "Days of Heaven," "Going Home (1918)," "Something To Sing About," "What Have You Done To Me?" "The Longest Night," and "Laugh And Be Happy." Despite the occasional ragged edge, *those* recordings paradoxically seem like true "performances"; they're full of wit, daring, feeling, boldness, variety of delivery. The SONGBOOK recordings (though intended all along for commercial release) seem like the "demonstrations." Both his playing and his singing were dynamic and energized on the demos, at any tempo, in a way that I missed here. The comparison brings me to another point: while he has lost nothing in his touch at the piano, his vocals have declined post LAND OF DREAMS, and I'm not sure whether it's attributable to the aging process or just a layer of rust that's set in from his devoting more of his time to writing film scores than singing in the last 15 years. I noticed a heavy-handedness creeping in on FAUST and BAD LOVE -- a tendency to sing monotonously loudly and sort of shamble and belt through songs where a lighter touch would have been appropriate (e.g., "Every Time It Rains"; "I Miss You"; "My Country"). It's even more noticeable here, on songs he sang better (in a purely mechanical sense) decades ago.

When I saw the track listing, I most looked forward to hearing "When She Loved Me" -- the poignant ballad sung by Sarah McLachlan for TOY STORY 2 -- performed by its composer, but be forewarned that the version here is only a brief thematic reminiscence on the piano (as are the other movie themes). Thus the album deprives itself of another potential boasting point.

It may seem as though I still am being unduly negative. This warrants three stars for the quality of the songs and the immaculate sonics, but I feel it amounts to less than any non-soundtrack album Newman has ever released, and is less essential even than a few of the soundtracks (certainly RAGTIME). It likely came about as a result of commercial calculations, not on Newman's part but on that of his new label. With Rhino having a one-disc greatest hits album on the market, culled from the superb box set and containing many of these same songs in their original, definitive renditions, his current label, Nonesuch, wanted a competing disc to tempt cultists and to snare (dare I say, mislead) newcomers. I don't blame Newman for going along with it; he has always simply wanted his songs to have the widest possible exposure, and whatever I feel about this particular disc, his songs deserve all the attention they get and more. I only hope that he's been busy writing in the ensuing years, and that his next release for Nonesuch will be as thoroughly original as he is. His gifts are as an observer and a creator, not as the docent of his own musical museum, however gamely he plays that role.

Diamonds in the Smooth.......2006-11-22

Twenty years ago, while on tour promoting his then-recent release of Trouble in Paradise, Randy Newman told me in an interview that though he'd performed his songs in concert with an orchestra, a band, and solo, he thought solo was best for what he does. Having just returned from his historic, sell-out solo concert in the LA Philharmonic's Songbook series, and having also auditioned this latest release - The Randy Newman Songbook, Vol. 1 - I would have to agree: Newman is first and foremost a solo act. He is absolutely unique, and a delightful enigma. His current concert tour has featured most if not all of the tracks on this album, to very good effect. This is a terrific cross-section of songs by one of America's most consistently excellent songwriter/composers. The album spans the history of Newman's iconoclastic portfolio, and contains what many, including Newman himself, would consider some of his best work. A personal favorite of mine is the haunting "In Germany Before the War," based, Newman has claimed, on the story of child-murderer Peter Kurten, also the subject of Fritz Lang's proto-noir classic "M". But all of the songs are good, and a few are true jewells; among the best in the entire American songbook. Newman is truly a great American living artistic treasure. If you only ever buy one Randy Newman album, this wouldn't be a bad choice at all. It is quintessentially Newmanesque. (Happy Birthday, Randy!)

If You LIke Wry On The Rocks, Randy's Your Man.......2006-10-15

"Most of my songs aren't autobiographical, or I'd be in an institution," Mr. Newman said after he had played half a dozen of them, getting an appreciative laugh. The audience was fully aware that his music enacts a tug of war between honesty and fallacy, and that his tone can oscillate from steeply ironic to disarmingly sincere." New York Times

Every once in awhile, you come across an artist that speaks to you, personally, intellectually, intuitively and gracefully. Someone you think, "I would love to have a conversation with, and what a great friend he would be." That person for me is Randy Newman. My best friend re-introduced me to him. We had the pleasure of seeing him in concert at Carnegie Hall, recently. Randy Newman walked on stage and it was his; his and the piano. He sat down and the evening became him. The songs are his and he speaks to us, and he brings us into the music. The Randy Newman Songbook, Vol.1 has taken awhile and as he says "Interviewers will ask why it took me five years to make an album and I'll say, `It didn't take five years -- I didn't do anything for five years,I watched tv like you do."

"It's Lonely at the Top", starts the CD and he is more reflective and mature. On this evening, Barbra Streisand was playing at "The Garden", and Randy had played this song to her. "She may be singing it this evening he mused." We all recognize his satire in "God's Song" - in which the Gods has contempt for all faiths. "Political Science" is even more to the point as it was in the Vietnam era, with its US view of the rest of the world. He may still be playing a devil in "Sail Away", and "Rednecks" which speaks about Lester Maddock and the wonderful self deprecating" It's Money That I Love". "Living Without You" and "I Think It's Going To Rain Today" shows us his poignant and tender songs. As with his would-be ladies man "You Can Leave Your Hat On" he makes these characters sound so human and we recognize them as us. It was Joe Cocker, he says, that put the beat and rhythm to the song that made it so popular. "Lousiana Rain" is as poignant and meaningful now as it was in the 1920's.

The intelligence, grace, and craft of Newman's songs are shown here at his peak. And while there's a little flash in his piano playing, a little boogie, alot of blues, he is recognized by me and others as a down to earth man, one we would like to know. This CD starts to summon his songs written over the years, and this is the first of three. It appears that Randy is not in any hurry to finish these songbooks, but we do know the best is yet to come.

The Guardian sums up Randy Newman; "He may well be the greatest contemporary American songwriter; he's easily the cleverest. And, by a long shot, the funniest. If you like wry on the rocks, Randy's your man."

Intelligently, Gracefully, Heartily, and Wryly Recommended. prisrob 10-15-06

Randy' Still Got It.......2006-08-02

I've been Randy Newman fan since the beginning -- got his first records when they were still that, vinyl, and then had to replace 'em as technology changed -- tapes, CDs, though I haven't been able to bring myself to iPod-ery.

This album, with Newman and his piano, is the "Randy Unplugged" version of songs ranging from his classics, like "Sail Away," and "It's Lonely at the Top," to newer material, like "The Great Nations of Europe," and "The World isn't Fair," and there is not a clunker in the bunch.

If you like Newman, you can't pass this up. If you are just discovering him, this is a terrific place to start. I still love the orchestral versions of these pieces, but stripped-down here, they offer a clean, clear look at the man's genius, just him and his keyboard.

(And you might want to find Bad Love, his previous album which was underrated and full of gems, while you are at it.)

Yeah, the movies and the Oscar(tm) and all, but this is where Newman shines -- when he is by himself and telling it like he sees it.

Rodgers & Hammerstein: Songbook for Orchestra (Orchestral Suites)

Average customer rating:

Irresistible
"Some Enchanted Evening" with Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops
Excellent!
Great Arrangments

Rodgers & Hammerstein: Songbook for Orchestra (Orchestral Suites)

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Lerner & Loewe Songbook for Orchestra
Rodgers & Hammerstein - The Complete Overtures ~ Opening Night / Hollywood Bowl Orchestra · Mauceri
Puttin' on the Ritz: The Great Hollywood Musicals
The Sound Of Music (1987 Studio Cast)
Classics of the Silver Screen

ASIN: B000003CXQ
Release Date: 1992-01-28

Tracks:

Oklahoma!
Carousel
State Fair
South Pacific
The King And I
Cinderella Waltz
Flower Drum Song
The Sound Of Music

Customer Reviews:

Irresistible.......2005-07-29

From beginning to end this CD is pure delight. A great recording has great music, a great performance, and great sound; this one scores on all three counts.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's musicals dominated Broadway in the 1940s and 1950s, and American musical theater has produced no more consistently eloquent and durable voice than Richard Rodgers. From his fertile genius flowed a surprising number of memorable songs, many of which have passed into and become an accepted and beloved part of modern American culture.

This well-filled CD (77:36) features symphonic arrangements (all but two by Robert Russell Bennett) of the music from Oklahoma (1943), Carousel (1945), State Fair (1945), South Pacific (1949), The King and I (1951), Flower Drum Song (1958), and The Sound of Music (1959). All the great tunes are here in suites from each musical that average 10-12 minutes in length. The arrangements are expert: rich, varied, and colorful. The performances are polished, idiomatic, and irresistible; Kunzel and this orchestra are thorough masters of this kind of material. And Telarc's sound (recorded 1991) is state-of-the-art (engineer Michael Bishop deserves to take a bow).

In short, there's nothing here to cloud your listening pleasure (the only quibble I can imagine is that some of your favorites may not last long enough), so it's hard for me to envision anyone with ears and a taste for music who wouldn't enjoy this CD. Warmly recommended. Finally, if you like this one as much as I do, you might want to know that the same team has produced a companion volume, the Lerner & Lowe Songbook for Orchestra.

"Some Enchanted Evening" with Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops.......2003-12-26

Erich Kunzel's Rodgers and Hammerstein anthology with the Cincinatti Pops Orchestra is one of the best and most ravishing instrumental Rodgers and Hammerstein albums of all time. With sumptuous arrangements and warm, natural Telarc recording, this glorious 77-minute CD presents sweeping, melodic arrangements of over 60 Rodgers and Hammerstein selections, spanning eight scores, and Kunzel allows the Pops to play with a characterful and polished understanding of the Rodgers and Hammerstein idiom. The disc is enough to cheer you up on a dull day and make you smile, and it might even want to make you feel like a convert to Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals.

This CD has all the scores arranged chronologically. The OKLAHOMA! suite that opens this disc promises a feast for the senses, Kunzel ably evokes the territory's "bright, golden haze" in the way he conducts the various excerpts, until you feel the atmosphere of the country charm of the show, and the love-affair between Curly and Laurey. Then, in CAROUSEL, he ably evokes the pathos of this tragic R&H masterwork, especially in the truncated Waltz, but he leads a wonderfully melodic "June is Bustin' Out All Over" and a devotional "You'll Never Walk Alone." Although this suite does not include Billy's pivotal Soliloquy, it includes "If I Loved You" as an expression of his love for Julie, and within minutes you could be soaked in the ups and downs of the show's mood.

After a brief STATE FAIR suite, with sweeping renditions of "It Might As Well Be Spring" and "It's a Grand Night for Singing", we are brought into the disc's showstopping highlights. These highlights are the excerpts from SOUTH PACIFIC, THE KING AND I, and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. But yet Kunzel conducts the rest of the disc until the various suites amount to a series of showstoppers. These three suites present wonderfully-arranged versions of their many familiar classic songs, with well-played solos. The SOUTH PACIFIC suite presents the songs in chronological order, yet preserves the atmosphere of the show at the same time. Kunzel ably brings out the romance in "Some Enchanted Evening" and "Younger than Springtime," and contrasts it with the exotic and dreamlike "Bali Hai'i" and the comic "There is Nothing like a Dame" and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair". Although the suite ends quietly with a reprise of "Dites-Moi" rather than the reprise of "Some Enchanted Evening," within minutes we are swept into the KING AND I suite. Kunzel ably brings out the Oriental pathos in this score, and he captures the warmth of Anna's rapport with the King's Siamese children in "Getting to Know You", and with the King himself in "Shall We Dance." There is also romance in the love ballads "I Have Dreamed" and "We Kiss in a Shadow." Similarly, in the selection from THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Kunzel conducts this until the orchestra soaks itself in the atmosphere of this Austrian R&H score. This SOUND OF MUSIC suite has more of a feel of the score compared to the bonus track on Sony's reissued version of the Broadway recording. You can almost feel as if you are following the progress of the Trapp family and how it lifts its spirits with the joy of music. Kunzel gives us a soaring version of the title song, and spirited versions of "Do-Re-Mi" and "My Favourite Things." He balances it with the open-air quality of "Edelweiss" and "The Lonely Goatherd." Although this suite could have included "Something Good," the love ballad written for the film, the three recollections of the songs that were cut from the movie only last for a while. And, the towering version of "Climb Every Mountain" crowns this portion of the disc, and this sumptuously-produced recording. But, I should also mention the infectuous FLOWER DRUM SONG medley, where Kunzel turns this underrated score into a work of art, until it convinces you to buy the cast recording. And, don't forget about the brief CINDERELLA WALTZ, too, when Kunzel conducts it magically, until you feel like you are in the company of Cinderella and the Prince. He is able to show how this R&H score marked a comeback for R&H after the failiures of Me and Juliet, and Pipe Dream.

Overall, this glorious Rodgers and Hammerstein recording is guarunteed to make you want to pucker your lips out for a whistle or sing along (to paraphrase another revew for Kunzel's Disney Spectacular disc) - even if this recording is music only, and as long as you know the words to the songs (and you might know a large handful of them already.) There is always a certain magic in this fine CD that makes you feel like you're sitting in the theatre watching these musicals, until it makes you feel like it is truly, to borrow two R&H song titles, "Some Enchanted Evening" and "Something Wonderful" to be in Kunzel's company for this R&H offering. It would certainly be one recording that could make you feel willing to buy the complete cast recordings of the shows. And I guaruntee that it will make you feel willing to pull out your existing copies of the cast recordings to listen to them again. I also guaruntee that it will be a cornerstone in any Rodgers and Hammerstein collection, just as it is in mine. Recommended heartily to any Rodgers and Hammerstein enthusiast and to fans of Erich Kunzel's work. And, you can play it while reading the Richard Rodgers biography, Musical Stages, until Rodgers himself would count this as his favourite disc in the afterlife.

By the way, most of the arrangements for the suites on this CD were done by the veteran R&H orchestrator Robert Russell Bennett, and it surely adds to the appeal of this recording. This itself is enough to amount to the icing on the cake, since Kunzel conducts them well on here, and since this recording still allows the suites to have the original theatrical atmosphere. And, although this recording is like the Mauceri collection of the Rodgers & Hammerstein overtures in compiling orchestral suites of Rodgers & Hammerstein, I think that I like the Kunzel recording even more because Kunzel has more magic in his conducting of these suites.

Excellent!.......2003-04-08

This is one of the best Erich Kunzel/Cincinnati Pops collections we own! A must for Rodgers and Hammerstein fans, too.

Great Arrangments.......2001-09-02

This is a first rate album with great arrangments and orchestrations. If you're a Rodgers and Hammerstein fan, you can't afford to miss this specatacular album

Average customer rating:

Great Insight
I love Canadian songwriters...
gordon lightfoot songbook
A Grand Compendium
Songbook - Truly a Treat

Songbook
Gordon Lightfoot
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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United Artists Collection [2 CD Set]
Gordon Lightfoot - Live in Reno
Shadows
Dream Street Rose
Salute

ASIN: B00000J63I
Release Date: 1999-06-15

Tracks:

(Remember Me) I'm The One
It's Too Late, He Wins
For Lovin' Me
Early Morning Rain
The Way I Feel
Steel Rail Blues
A Message To The Wind
Song For A Winter's Night
Canadian Railroad Trilogy
Go-Go Round
Crossroads
You'll Still Be Needing Me
The Mountains And Maryann
The Last Time I Saw Her
Did She Mention My Name
Pussywillows, Cat-Tails
Boss Man
Something Very Special
Bitter Green
Affair On 8th Avenue
Medley: I'm Not Sayin'/Ribbon Of Darkness
Softly
Mama Said
Station Master

Tracks:

Sit Down Young Stranger
If You Could Read My Mind
Poor Little Allison
The Pony Man
Cobwebs & Dust
Too Much To Lose
Summer Side Of Life
Cotton Jenny
10 Degrees & Getting Colder
Nous Vivons Ensemble
Same Old Loverman
Heaven Don't Deserve Me
Don Quixote
Alberta Bound
Beautiful
Ode To Big Blue
Stone Cold Sober
Old Dan's Records
That Same Old Obsession
Lazy Mornin'
Hi'way Songs
Can't Depend On Love

Tracks:

Sundown
Carefree Highway
Seven Island Suite
Borderstone
Cold On The Shoulder
Now And Then
Rainy Day People
Fine As Fine Can Be
All The Lovely Ladies
Summertime Dream
The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald
Never Too Close
Betty Called Me In
Endless Wire
The Circle Is Small
Sea Of Tranquility
Make Way For The Lady
Dream Street Rose
Ghosts Of Cape Horn
Keepin' On Yearnin'
Canary Yellow Canoe

Tracks:

Shadows
She's Not The Same
14 Karat Gold
Baby Step Back
In My Fashion
Never Say Trust Me
Why Should I Feel Blue
Someone To Believe In
Romance
Broken Dreams
Always On The Bright Side
Forgive Me Lord
Lifeline
East Of Midnight
Morning Glory
A Lesson In Love
A Passing Ship
Waiting For You
Drink Yer Glasses Empty
I'll Prove My Love
A Painter Passing Through

Amazon.com essential recording

An institution north of the Canadian border, Gordon Lightfoot is practically the living embodiment of what many think of as the national character. Stoic, weathered, and hard-working, Lightfoot practices a husky brand of folk music that's as timeless as the Canadian landscape that seems to loom above his most memorable melodies. This overdue four-disc retrospective stretches all the way back to 1962, when the Ontario-born performer tried to make it in Nashville, up to 1998; 16 previously unreleased tracks and another 17 previously available only on vinyl add meat to its frame. Yes, the familiar tunes are here--"For Lovin' Me" (a hit for both Peter, Paul & Mary and Ian & Sylvia), "Early Morning Rain," "If You Could Read My Mind," "Sundown," "Carefree Highway," and the oft-parodied but truly evocative "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." But Songbook, like the artist it commemorates, isn't defined by radio staples. It's about the splendid expanse that is the decades-long career of a true musical workhorse. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

Great Insight.......2007-01-23

These are all really good cds. My whole family, especially the kids, love to listen to Gordon. He is awesome for writing songs that relax and put my children to sleep. You rock Gordon! What makes this set so good is the book that Gordon wrote explaining his journey to stardom and what each song means. It really makes you think and feel like you are a part of it all.

I love Canadian songwriters..........2007-01-19

Gordon Lightfoot is one of the greatest songwriters ever, along with Bob Dylan and Lightfoot's fellow countryman, Leonard Cohen. Here you get 88 tracks of (mostly) brilliance. Lightfoot is known (somewhat notoriously) for rerecording his greatest hits. On the two volumes of Gord's Gold, he actually went back into the studio and re-recorded the songs, which dismayed many fans, who loved the originals. Here, all the songs are the original versions. The material on the 1st three discs is the best, especially Disc 2. The early, early songs on disc 1 are really something. Lightfoot's songs here sound like he's trying to do a Tony Bennett impression (none too well, though). He's singing like a Tin Pan Alley crooner, complete with tons of strings and sappy love lyrics. Luckily, he didn't follow this path too long. The songs on disc 4 aren't the best, but they're still worth listening too. The liner notes by Gordon are very illuminating as well. Overall, an excellent box set...

gordon lightfoot songbook.......2007-01-05

songbook is a great collection of music from gordon lightfoots vast selection. It includes several of his earlier recordings in which he sounds more like jim reeves than gordon lightfoot. It is a must for all lightfoot fans.

A Grand Compendium.......2006-07-01

It's not very often that a music lover can buy an 88 song compilation of an artist's work and not be forced to sit through at least one song that is just awful. So here is an opportunity to own just such a compilation.
There are so many good and even great songs here, I don't want to bore the reader by covering ground that has already been covered by other reviewers. I assume that anyone even faintly interested in this grand compendium is already quite familiar with most of what is here. So, if you already own most of Lightfoot's albums in one form or another, why buy this?
Two answers: One is the presence of some very decent rare and previously unreleased tracks, the other is the sound quality and the informative booklet that comes with the box set. Who knew that Lightfoot used to sing a lot of Marty Robbins songs? Though I've been a fan since the late 60s, I didn't! I knew that Robbins sang some Lightfoot, but not vice-versa. Yet those who also know Robbins will hear his influence from the first notes of the rare track (Remember Me) I'm The One. That booklet is full of tidbits that should increase both your understanding and appreciation of the music of Gordon Lightfoot.
I like all four CDs, but if I had to choose favorites, I lean toward the first two which bring the listener from his days as a budding troubador into the period of his career's full efflorescence.
Rhino Records did a magnificent job remastering these songs, and in choosing, in collaboration with Lightfoot himself, what would be included in the box set. If I had been in charge of choosing songs for the compilation, I would not have chosen much differently.
If you are new to the music of Gordon Lightfoot, then Songbook would be a much better CD set to own than other available compilations because of its breadth and its depth. If you are an old fan, then you should have decided by now that Songbook merits a place in your collection. It will reward you with a lifetime of listening enjoyment!
Take note of the seller's warning on CDs coming loose in shipping. One of the CDs in mine came loose and skipped a little when I first played it. But several plays through later, the skipping stopped and I was not forced to swap it out.

Songbook - Truly a Treat.......2006-02-22

This boxed set makes for a very good review of Gordon Lightfoot's career thus far. It is truly enjoyable to be able to sit back and listen to all of it. I went through it in sequence during a recent road trip and wanted to start it all over once the last song ended.

The Great American Songbook: Live at Michael's Pub

Average customer rating:

Mel at his very best
Perfect Pleasure
Superb Singer, Superb Entertainer!
Mel Torme: live, in a small club.... -Wow!
vintage Torme

The Great American Songbook: Live at Michael's Pub
Mel Tormé
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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An Evening with Mel Tormé
Jazz 'Round Midnight: Mel Tormé
That's All
Mel Tormé at the Red Hill/Live at the Maisonette
A Vintage Year

ASIN: B000003D3R
Release Date: 1993-09-28

Tracks:

You Gotta Try
Ridin' High/I'm Shootin' High
You Make Me Feel So Young
Stardust
I'm Gonna Go Fishin'
Don't Get Around Much Anymore/I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
Sophisticated Lady/I Didn't Know About You
Rockin' In Rhythm
It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing
A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening
I'll Remember April/I Concentrate On You
Autumn In New York
Just One Of Those Things/Green Dolphin Street
All God's Chillun' Got Rhythm
The Party's Over

Customer Reviews:

Mel at his very best.......2007-01-10

There are so many high points in a Mel Torme' performance, it is difficult to point out just a few. This recording captures Mel Torme' not only at the top of his game vocally, but in his ideal setting-LIVE. It is not the best quality recording on the planet, but the caliber of the musicianship here outweighs those considerations. For a collector-a must. For the casual Mel listener-a must. Just a remarkable performance in every way from one of the most talented performers/musicians that ever lived. A big statement-but in Mel's case, just the truth.

Perfect Pleasure.......2007-01-08

Imaginative and at times unbaerably cool, Mel Torme proves at this concert how great and creative artist he is. Using interesting material (not necessarily the best known songs from the great American songbook...) and a big band capable of following his fancifull and technically very strong and versatile vocal flights, Mel shines in the best light at this album.
A true jazz experience from seasoned singer, still at the very peak of his powers.

Superb Singer, Superb Entertainer!.......2002-10-28

A truly great singer who had a superb vocal range and extra ordinary breath control. Mel could really play to an audience and always (as on this cd) provided a wide range of material which included a variety of moods and tempos. Also he was a pretty good drummer as demonstrated on "Rockin' In Rhythm". I haven't heard anyone who could segue from one song to another as facilely as Mel ("Ridin' High" into "I'm Shootin' High").....or with as much humor ("I'll Remember April/I Concentrate On You"). I've never heard him fail to give credit to the accompanying musicians and he always keeps the audience informed of the music(listen to his intro on "I'm GonnaGo Fishin'").

If you dig a great vocalist.....and one who can scat with the best, this is a must!

Mel Torme: live, in a small club.... -Wow!.......2001-12-28

The greatest "missed opportunity" regret of my life, musically speaking, was missing a chance to see Mel and his band on a Canadian tour in the late '80s. I was booked to fly to Europe five days before he would play in my home city.
This CD gives a glimpse into the amazing experience of Mr. Torme in concert, even late in his life. This was recorded in NYC at a small club where Mel had an annual standing date with a big band. As it happens, this is the disc I had playing when I logged onto this site, and as I'm sitting here listening I had to write my endorsement. Quite simply, Mel Torme is arguably the most overlooked talent in Jazz singing, and compared to some of his contemporaries (Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Joe Williams) Mel's voice has aged amazingly; his voice is different than when he was 20, but I can't say it's diminished at all. This disc showcases his effortless phrasing, impeccable intonation and timing -a real vocal showcase! Listen as he perfectly scats a Charlie Parker solo on track 14! The song selections are summed up by the album title, but really are characteristic of a typical Torme live setlist: a mix of familiar and lesser-known songs by America's great composers.
One final detail to mention: the sonic quality of this disc is outstanding! It's on the Telarc label, noted for their quality recordings, and it really showcases what a good stereo system can do; there's a palpable sense of the recording venue, with a wide, deep soundstage and distinct imaging placement of the instruments.

vintage Torme.......1999-05-06

This is a very classy CD. Very smooth and listenable. Put this on along with other Torme CDs or some Julie London, Sarah Vaughn, maybe June Christie and pour yourself a double (Glenlivit or Crown Royal is my choice) , sit back in you favorite chair and let the music take you away.

Average customer rating:

The most noble voice
PURCHASE THIS JEWEL WHILE YOU CAN
luminous artistry from a genius
A special Dignity and an Unfailing Beauty of Voice.

Songs Of Spain / De Los Angeles, et al

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Fabulous Victoria De Los Angeles
Isabel Bayrakdarian ~ Azulão
The Maiden and the Nightingale: Songs of Spain
The Very Best of Victoria de los Angeles
On the Wings Of Song and Zarzuela Arias - Victoria de los Angeles

ASIN: B00000I4KQ
Release Date: 1999-02-23

Tracks:

El rossinyol
El testament d'Amelia
Adios meu homino
Mina nay por me casare
Tengo que subir
Ahi tienes mi corazon
La vi llorando
Ya se van los pastores
Campanas de Belen
Jaeneras que yo canto
A dormir ahora mesmo
Granadinas
Hincarse de rodillas
Cancion de trilla
Parado de Valldemosa
Nik baditut
Andregaya
Din, dan, boleran
Mariam matrem
Ay, triste vida corporal!
Que es mi vida, preguntais?
Porque es, dama, tanto quereros?
No me llames segalaherba
Ay, luna que reluces
En esta larga ausencia
Molinillo que mueles amores
Confiado jilguerillo
Seguidillas religiosas
Cancion de cuna
El jilguerillo con pico de oro
El canape

Tracks:

Ah, el novio no quiere dinero
Coma la rosa en la guerta
Estavase la mora
Aquel rey de Francia
Damos gracias a ti, Dios
Sobre Baca estaba el rey
Ay que non hay!
Rosa das rosas
Maravillosos e piadosos
Tres moricas m'enamoran
Paseabase el rey moro
Dime a do tienes las mientes
Si no's huviera mirado
Dexo la venda
Puse mis amores
Aqui me declaro su pensamiento
Pues que me tienes
Gentil dama, non se gana
Mi querer tanto vos quiere
Una hija tiene el rey
Una matica de ruda
Si la noche se hace oscura
Pastorcico, non te aduermas
Ay triste que vengo
No soy you quien la descrube
Pase el agua, Julieta
Aquel caballero, madre
Duelete de mi, Senora
De Antequera salio el Moro
De los alamos vengo, madre
Enfermo estaba Antioco
Dame acogida en tu hato
Morenica, dame un beso
Senora, si te olvidare
De donde venis, amore?

Tracks:

La rosa enflorece
Ven querida
Adio, querida
Durme, durme, hermozo hijico
Paxaro d'hermosura
Avrix, mi galanica
Irme quiero, la mi madre
Ya viene el cativo
Yo m'enamori d'un aire
Una matica de ruda
Anda, jaleo
Los cuatro muleros
Las tres hojas
Los mozos de Monleon
Las morillas de Jaen
Sevillanas del siglo 18
El cafe de Chinitas
Nana de Sevilla
Los pelegrinitos
Zorongo
Romance de Don Boiso
Los reyes de la baraja
La tarara
El combat del somni: Damunt de tu, nomes les flors
A l'ombra del Lledoner: Canco de grumet
Canciones negras: Cancion de cuna para dormir a un negrito
Cuatro madrigales amatorios: De los alamos vengo, madre
Coleccion de tonadillas: Callejeo
Coleccion de tonadillas: El tra la la y el punteado
Seis canciones castellanas: No quiero tus avellanas
Seis canciones castellanas: Jota
Panxolina
Tu pupila es azul
Cantos populares espanolas: Malaguena
Cantos populares espanolas: Granadina
Cantos populares espanolas: El Vito
Cantos populares espanolas: Pano murciano
Clavelitos
Adios, Granada
Madrigal

Tracks:

Coleccion de tonadillas: Amor y odio
Coleccion de tonadillas: Callejeo
Coleccion de tonadillas: El majo discreto
Coleccion de tonadillas: El majo olvidado
Coleccion de tonadillas: El majo timido
Coleccion de tonadillas: El mirar de la maja
Coleccion de tonadillas: El tra la la y el punteado
Coleccion de tonadillas: La maja de Goya
Coleccion de tonadillas: Las currutacas modestas
Tres majas dolorosas: Oh muerte cruel!
Tres majas dolorosas: Ay majo de mi vida
Tres majas dolorosas: De aquel majo amante
Goyescas: La maja y el ruisenor (Rosario)
'La vida breve': Vivan los que rien! (Salud - Act 1)
'La vida breve': Alli esta! Riyendo! (Salud - Act 2)
'Acis y Galatea': Confiado jilguerillo
El tripili
Llorad, corazon
Iban al pinar
No lloreis, ojuelos
Mananica era
Mira que soy nina
Gracia mia
El pano moruno
Seguidilla murciana
Asturiana
Jota
Nana
Cancion
Polo
'La Tempranica': Zapateado (La tarantula e un bicho mu malo)

Customer Reviews:

The most noble voice.......2004-05-28

Victoria de los Angeles' voice not only has a silken quality and fascinating glow to it but it is one of the most regal, noble sounds you'll ever hear. She illuminated those moments of quietness, gentleness and noble, feminine pride and elegance like no other soprano before and after her. This release of her "Spanish Songs" has never been surpassed. The songs of her homeland seem to have been written for her beautiful instrument alone, she fills every piece with special beauty and charm, religious flair and beautiful, noble simplicity. Buy this recording and see why Victoria is one of the best sopranos ever having come from Spain.

PURCHASE THIS JEWEL WHILE YOU CAN.......2002-01-08

FOR A LONG TIME "SONGS OF SPAIN" HAS BEEN MY FAVORITE ALBUM OF CLASSICAL, POPULAR, SECULAR AND RELIGIOUS (CHRISTIAN AND SEPHARDIC) SPANISH SONGS. DE LOS ANGELES DEFIES A RIVAL IN THIS GENRE. DE LARROCHA, SORIANO AND ZANETTI PROVIDE UNEQUALED ACCOMPANIEMENTS. THE RECORDINGS ARE SECOND ONLY TO LIFE PERFORMANCES. I UNDERSTAND THAT EMI INTENDS TO TAKE THIS SET OUT OF PUBLICATION. PURCHASE THIS JEWEL WHILE YOU CAN! I JUST PURCHASED MY THIRD SET FROM AMAZON AND I TREASURE IT AS MUCH AS MY FIRST!

luminous artistry from a genius.......2000-12-26

the vocal artist of vocal artistsdisplays her absolutely gorgeous voice and musical understanding of spanish feeling with a warmth that is unmatched anywhere.the only thing better was to hear her in person!

A special Dignity and an Unfailing Beauty of Voice........2000-09-17

This set offers four generously-filled CDs comprising almost 140 Spanish songs from Victoria de los Angeles' repertoire. To all of them she brings a special dignity and an unfailing beauty of voice. The earliest recordings date from 1950 and the last is the items she sang at the opening of the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. Yes, you will find the ubiquitous "Clavelitos!" here, and a later version of "La maya el ruisenor" from "Goyescas". The enclosed booklet provides illuminating notes by Lionel Salter, who also translated many of the texts which are also included. Accompanists include Gerald Moore and Alicia de Larrocha, and Victoria de Los Angeles provides a guitar accompaniment herself in one song. The last track of all, a zapateado from a zarzuela, recorded live in New York, must almost have brought the house down.

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