The Billy's

The Billy's

The Billy's

Track Listings
 
1. Billy and Bills House
2. Ooze
3. Back to the Soil
4. Some Houses
5. Game-Set Match
6. Power of Love
7. Work and Play
8. The Bus
9. Let Them Walk Away
10. Celeste

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
The Billys (Bill Melanson and Billy Jonas) met in 1990 while accompanying singer-songwriter David Wilcox at the Black Mountain Folk Festival in North Carolina. While on stage they grabbed nearby recycling containers and led the audience in a spontaneous, improvised "re-percussion" jam. The response was overwhelming: THE BILLYS were born.

The Billys made 2 recordings during their illustrious 5 year international career. The second, entitled "THE TIME HAS COME," is available on cd, and is a studio recording (see above).

For current information:
***Bill Melanson is a current member of "The Junk-A-Delic Orchestra", and can be reached at melstring65@aol.com
***Billy Jonas is touring nationally to support his latest CD "Life So Far" (which also features Bill Melanson on several songs).For booking a concert call Loyd Artists Agency at 800-476-6240, or e-mail info@loydartists.

Product Description
The Billys' first recording is appropriately entitled 'THE BILLYS,' and is available only on cassette. It was recorded originally in 1991 as a live 6 song demo at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, NC. Later that year, 4 more songs were added, recorded live at Possum Palace Studio in Asheville, NC. It features the signature funky rhythms, heartfelt lyrics, lyricism, word play, mellifluous harmonies, and intriguing sonic emanations (from their homemade 're-percussion' instruments) that are the hallmarks of The Billys sound.

The Billy's,The Billy's
Home At Last
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Great CD
  • Home is where the heart is
  • Being a Flatwoods native, I proudly proclaim this a great album.
  • Excellent CD!
  • I love Home At Last!
 Home At Last
Billy Ray Cyrus
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Country | Styles | Music
DisneyDisney | Children's Music | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000QCQGLE
Release Date: 2007-07-24

Tracks:

  1. Ready, Set, Don't Go
  2. The Beginning
  3. The Buffalo
  4. Flying By
  5. Brown Eyed Girl
  6. Don't Give Up On Me
  7. You've Got a Friend
  8. You Can't Lose Me
  9. I Can't Live Without Your Love
  10. My Everything
  11. Put a Little Love in Your Heart
  12. Over the Rainbow
  13. BONUS TRACK: Stand

Album Description

Billy Ray Cyrus, multi-platinum recording artist and star of the Disney Channel's Hannah Montana and ABC's Dancing with the Stars, returns with a heartfelt, family-inspired album.

Album Description

Hot off of the heels of his successful run on ABC's Dancing With The Stars and now back by popular demand, multi-Platinum singer/songwriter Billy Ray Cyrus, America's Favorite Dad and star of the hit show Hannah Montana, returns to his musical roots with his debut album on Walt Disney Records, Home At Last. This CD features a collection of heartwarming songs written by Billy Ray Cyrus including Ready, Set, Don't Go (as seen on his hit TV show), original music from Grammy® Award winner and uber hit-maker Dianne Warren, a new song from one of Country music's hottest songwriting teams and the creators of Rascal Flatts' #1 song, What Hurts the Most Tom Hambridge, Joanna Smith and Jeffrey Steele, plus four covers of timeless classics!

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great CD.......2007-08-02

I have been a fan of Billy Ray's since 1992 and through the years have enjoyed all of his albums. His new CD "Home at Last" showcases just what a diverse and talented artist he is. I loved every single song on this CD, each performed in his own unique style. Some of the old songs are better than the original recordings. It is an album people of all ages will enjoy!

4 out of 5 stars Home is where the heart is.......2007-08-01

Soft tunes and ballads with a little (not much) expected country influence. Good production like always with Walt Disney and family influenced that is just something that sounds great and worth buying.

5 out of 5 stars Being a Flatwoods native, I proudly proclaim this a great album........2007-08-01

Bias from living in the same hometown as Billy Ray, possibly. Bias to enjoying this new album, most likely. But what is most important is the bias I have to the songs that are portrayed in this newest Album. Some may proclaim this may be a comeback album, but would you consider a come back from someone who has sold millions of albums, had a hit primetime tv show "dancing with the stars," to a hit television series "doc," to a hit kids television series "hanna montanna." Billy Ray Cyrus has done it all. He has defied any and all odds that were ever placed against him. He has never once been ashamed of his hometown roots nor ashamed of his country factor. He is the real deal. The REAL McCoy as some may use in refference. We here in his hometown call him an inspiration and a figure to look up to. Others call him a great dad and cool actor/song writer/musician. Regardless, no denying the factor that Billy Ray has the "it factor" persona and the talent to back it up. What a great Role Model. In this new album, Billy Ray showcases his talents even further and provides the proof that he can not only sing but entertain. The songs are great and provide new edge to his previous flares. I wouldn't go on to label Billy Ray as country, especially with this new album. Instead, I'd just say he's got country talent with big city tones. Each song is hand crafted to bellow out inspiration and provide that uplift in emotion that makes you just wanna dance. Maybe that's fitting considering Billy Ray himself is a dance finalist, but the irony is more after the music itself. Dancing isn't the only thing you will do once you've heard this new cd, you will share it with a friend and enjoy it's every tune. If you are a Billy Ray fan, this song isn't just for you, it's EXACTLY for you. If you are not new to Billy Ray's work and want to fill a curious void, how about this CD to start? This man has got it, the looks, the talent and not to mention the entertainment factor. The real deal has proven himself time and time again and now... he's given those doubters another reason to give him another listen. It's without question, Billy Ray has done it again, he's produced great music that will be talked about years to come. Experience it for yourself.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent CD!.......2007-07-27

I've been a fan of Billy Ray since the very beginning. The quality of his music has never let me down---one great CD after another. They are always excellent, as is this new one, Home At Last. He has been under-rated for far too long. He has emotional depth, a great voice, and great material. Billy Ray is the real deal in a musical landscape occupied by way too many phoneys. If you're not already a Billy Ray fan,do yourself a favor and give his new CD a listen. I might add, that anyone who has raised children or has dealt with life as an adult will thoroughly relate to many of the songs.

Bewick Cory

5 out of 5 stars I love Home At Last!.......2007-07-26

This is a really a great album. I saw the video on the Disney channel and had already fallen in love with Ready, Set, Don't go and then heard The Beginning and fell in love with that one and it just kept going. I really hope he can get some air play with radio and video channels this time. His last album, Wanna Be Your Joe was equally good but couldn't get any air or video play in the US. I hope Billy Ray gets the recognition he deserves with this album. I would love to see him at the top of the charts again.
Billy Joel - Greatest Hits Vol. 1-2
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • wel,billy i'm 'living here in allentown,and i love it!
  • Billy Joel - A Decent Compilation
  • Greatest Hits
  • WARNING: Not the Complete Versions
  • I love it
 Billy Joel - Greatest Hits Vol. 1-2
Billy Joel
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000DCHI
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

  1. Piano Man
  2. Captain Jack
  3. Entertainer
  4. Say Goodbye to Hollywood
  5. New York State of Mind
  6. Stranger
  7. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
  8. Just the Way You Are
  9. Movin' out (Anthony's Song)
  10. Only the Good Die Young

Tracks:

  1. My Life
  2. Big Shot
  3. You May Be Right
  4. It's Still Rock And Roll To Me
  5. Don't Ask Me Why
  6. She's Got A Way
  7. Pressure
  8. Allentown
  9. Goodnight Saigon
  10. Tell Her About It
  11. Uptown Girl
  12. The Longest Time
  13. You're Only Human (Second Wind)
  14. The Night Is Still Young

Amazon.com essential recording

It's one of the cruel ironies of music today that Billy Joel has been relegated to a kind of adult-contemporary hell, where his legacy is measured by soft-rock staples such as "Just the Way You Are," "Piano Man," and "New York State of Mind." To be sure, well-crafted ballads are a part of his legacy, but they're hardly the whole story, as this collection of his early and mid-period hits amply demonstrates. From the unbridled biographical boasting of "The Entertainer" and the ambitious storytelling of "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" to the careening abandon of "Only the Good Die Young" and the thoughtful social commentary of "Allentown," Joel was as complete an artist as the last three decades have produced. --Daniel Durchholz

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars wel,billy i'm 'living here in allentown,and i love it!.......2007-07-19

billy joel's greatest hit volumes 1&2 has alot of good songs on it. piano man,say goodbye to hollywood,just the way you are,the stranger,movin out(anthony's song),my life(from bussom buddies),it's still rock n'roll to me,allentown,tell her about it,uptown girl,you're only human(second wind),and the night is still young are all good songs. thank you billy, i love the music. ed wilson

4 out of 5 stars Billy Joel - A Decent Compilation.......2007-06-11

These days Billy Joel is often lumped in with Elton John as being remembered only for his top 40 radio hits and mushy ballads from the past several decades. Many people forget that like Elton, Joel put out some really strong albums in his early and mid-career. The guy was a songwriter's songwriter and not only could play a hell of a piano, but could be a very clever lyricist as well. Like Elton, Joel's output could be very inconsistent. For every "Goodnight Saigon" or "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" he wrote more throwaway stuff like "Uptown Girl" or "Tell Her About It". This two disc compilation captures all of his singles and some of his album tracks up to 1985. For the most part the material here is good, as you hear him move from an album oriented artist to a more commercial singles oriented one over the course of a little over a decade. The first disc is the best and starts out with some of the best cuts from his pre-superstar days. "Piano Man", "Captain Jack", "The Entertainer", and "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" are all great tracks and show a much different side of Joel than much of his later output. "The Stranger" is also included here. Although I was never crazy about the music or the chorus to this one, the lyrics are some of Joel's all time best. The rest of disc one starts dipping into Joel's big hit territory with the mush ballads "Just The Way You Are", and "She's Always A Woman" (written for his 1st wife who he would divorce not too many years later). The big hits "Only The Good Die Young" and "Moving Out" are also included. Disc two is not quite as strong. Three strong songs open the disc "My Life", "Big Shot" and "You May Be Right" all decent songs that got played to death on radio. Then it is back to mediocrity land with "It's Still Rock n Roll To Me" (I always think of the Weird Al Yankovic parody "It's Still Billy Joel To Me"), "Don't Ask Me Why", and "She's Got A Way". The best part of this disc is the three tracks from what is in my opinion Joel's strongest album "The Nylon Curtain". For this one Joel took a serious turn and came up with some really great songs. The 3 singles from the album are all represented here and they are all good ones. "Allentown" is a portrait of the Pennsylvania steel town after the industry pretty much pulled out. "Pressure" is another good one about the pressure of modern day life. "Goodnight Saigon" may be Joel's best all time work, and is a striking portrait of the Vietnam War. The last half of the CD covers Joel's Do Wop period with "Uptown Girl", "The Longest Time", and "Tell Her About It" (songs about his second wife whom he would eventually divorce). I am not much of a Do Wop fan so these don't do a lot for me. Two new (at the time) songs close the disc out and are pretty much both throw aways in my opinion. In the end this is a nice compilation of early Joel material. If you are looking for an overview this would be a good pick up.

5 out of 5 stars Greatest Hits.......2007-05-11

Many "Greatest Hits..." albums and sets are lacking or down right suck. This set is great. The songs you want to hear the way you expect to hear them.

1 out of 5 stars WARNING: Not the Complete Versions.......2007-03-31

I don't often get "greatest hits" collections, preferring instead to buy original albums, but in this case I did, because there are a handful of Billy Joel songs I wanted in my collection, but I didn't want to invest enough to purchase all of his albums. Unfortunately, they don't tell you that what you get here, at least in some instances, are the "single" versions of these songs, not the full-length versions from the original albums. Case in point: One of my favorite Billy Joel songs is "Just the Way You Are," but the version on this set cuts an entire verse. I haven't done comparisons on all of the other songs, but if they'd pull that on this song, they probably did so on others as well. It's incomprehensible to me; if someone wants Billy Joel songs, the odds are that they want the complete songs, not truncated re-edits.

5 out of 5 stars I love it.......2007-01-11

I was familiar with a few of Billy Joel's songs, but I thought my disc collection would not be complete if I did not own a good sample of his material.
This product proposes a chronological approach and that suited me just fine. The two discs are loaded with all the classics. All of them wonderfully digitalized. I was able to appreciate the enormous range of Billy Joel. Great songwriter, great singer, great piano player. Although I am drummer, I do understand why people like him, or Sting, or Stevie Wonder, or Elton John, are on top of the music industry food chain. It is truly difficult to be able to master so many areas of music. And I am not talking about the performing, the band leading chores, the musical direction, production, publicity, all these extra skills to own in order to arrive where they are.
Getting one hit out is already a rare feat, but 35 or 40 like the ones presented in this compilation, require a truly great mind (something many one hit wonders wish to have).
I love this compilation. A great buy!
Billy Idol - Greatest Hits
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • THIS IS A GREAT BILLY IDOL GREATEST HITS COMPILATION ALBUM!
  • I love Billy Idol!
  • Entertaining--sometimes for the wrong reasons
  • For some of the great guitar cameos in music
  • Awesome!
 Billy Idol - Greatest Hits
Billy Idol
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000059QYB
Release Date: 2001-03-27

Tracks:

  1. Dancing With Myself
  2. Mony Mony
  3. Hot In The City
  4. White Wedding (Part 1)
  5. Rebel Yell
  6. Eyes Without A Face
  7. Flesh For Fantasy
  8. Catch My Fall
  9. To Be A Lover
  10. Don't Need A Gun (Single Edit)
  11. Sweet Sixteen
  12. Cradle Of Love
  13. L.A. Woman (Single Edit)
  14. Shock To The System
  15. Rebel Yell (Live And Acoustic)
  16. Don't You (Forget About Me)

Amazon.com

Billy Idol's secret is one that he shares with, of all people, Trent Reznor--the ability to take a pop base and disguise it with layers of other genres, most notably hard rock. His adaptability is on display throughout this 16-song career retrospective. It's amazing just how well the former Generation X frontman's songs have aged. Songs such as the disco-punk hit "Dancing with Myself," "White Wedding," and "Cradle of Love" are as appealing as ever, as is even "Shock to the System," just about the only listenable thing from 1993's Cyberpunk, an object lesson on the inadvisability of jumping blindly on a bandwagon. Fleshing out this best-of is a newly recorded cover of Simple Minds' "Don't You (Forget About Me)," as well as a live, acoustic version of "Rebel Yell," and a few other choice rarities. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars THIS IS A GREAT BILLY IDOL GREATEST HITS COMPILATION ALBUM!.......2007-07-26

I am writing a review on the legendary greatest hits compilation album entitled "BILLY IDOL, GREATEST HITS" by one of Rock's all-time greatest artists ever. I give you one of England's pride and joy's and one of Britain's favorite sons, M-R. B-I-L-L-Y I-D-O-L! "BILLY IDOL, GREATEST HITS" was originally released in 2001 on Compact Disc on the Chrysalis Records label which is a division of Capitol Records, Inc.

WILLIAM MICHAEL ALBERT BROAD A.K.A. BILLY IDOL will forever go down in Rock n' Roll history and be remembered for composing and recording some of Rock's all-time greatest Punk anthems ever. BILLY IDOL will also forever be known for popularizing Punk Rock music in the 1980's. When BILLY IDOL came on the music scene in the early 1980's, the stage was set and there would be no looking back for this legendary artist. In my opinion, "BILLY IDOL, GREATEST HITS" is without a doubt, a true testament of the brilliance and musical creativity of legendary genius. This legendary compilation album is also a fine fitting tribute to a great 1980's icon that was truly indeed, far ahead of his time. This is the tales in the life and times of one BILLY IDOL. His music is his story that speaks for itself.

"BILLY IDOL, GREATEST HITS" begins with the a*s kicking Punk Rocker "Dancing With Myself," the a*s kicking Rockin' rendition of the TOMMY JAMES classic song "Mony Mony," the soulful synthesized Rocker "Hot In The City," the a*s kicking Progressive Punk Rocker "White Wedding (Part 1)," the a*s kicking Hard Rocker "Rebel Yell," the beautifully slow, bass pumping and synthesized mild turned Hard Rocker "Eyes Without A Face," the bass pumping and danceable Rocker "Flesh For Fantasy," the bass thumping a*s kicking Rocker "Catch My Fall," the smooth synthesized mild Rocker "To Be A Lover," the synthesized Rocker "Don't Need A Gun (Single Edit)," the beautifully slow synthesized and electric acoustic mild Rocker "Sweet Sixteen," the synthesized Hard Rocker "Cradle Of Love," the fast synthesized Hard Rockin' rendition of the legendary DOORS classic Rocker "L.A. Woman (Single Edit)," the blistering synthesized Hard Rocker "Shock To The System," the incredible live and acoustic Hard Rockin' version of "Rebel Yell" and the amazing synthesized and danceable rendition the SIMPLE MINDS classic song "Don't You (Forget About Me)." I would also like to commend BILLY IDOL on a great job well done. His merciless lead vocals truly added the finishing touches and takes the music to a different level unimagined. BILLY IDOL has the ultimate Rock n' Roll voice.

This is another great compilation album that I would highly recommend to everyone of all ages to purchase and own as a valuable and important part of his or her own personal music collection. This is a priceless gem of an album that everyone should also cherish and enjoy for many years to come. This album has definitely proven to stand the test of time and will always be around NOW AND FOREVER.

In closing, BILLY IDOL has successfully continued in releasing more great albums and performing to sell-out audiences the world over up to this very day. Knowing this, I guess it is safe to say that BILLY IDOL is here to stay and isn't going anywhere anytime soon. With this in mind, there will be more tales and stories in the BILLY IDOL legend that will still need to be told and written in many pages and chapters. But that, my fellow readers and reviewers, you will just have to stay tuned and read further more about it at a later date. In my opinion, BILLY IDOL has forever left his mark and place in Rock n' Roll history and his many contributions, accomplishments and achievements as a Rock artist will never be forgotten. So here's to you BILLY! Thanks for the many great memories and moments with many more still yet to come. Keep Persevering. Keep The Faith. And as the saying goes, "AND THE REST IS ROCK N' ROLL HISTORY," need I say more? Thanks for reading my review and I truly hope that you have enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it for your reading pleasure. I also deeply hope that you will continue in reading all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. BILLY IDOL RULES! Long Live Rock n' Roll! Rock out always and take it easy. Forever in Rock, John L.

5 out of 5 stars I love Billy Idol!.......2007-06-18

This CD is the best workout CD ever!! It's not crappy, overly synthesized music with fake drums that everyone expects you to work out to. It's Billy Idol's LOVERLY voice, and beautiful, gorgeous guitars and strong, steady drum beats that help keep your mind off the hard work. The best songs to jump rope or kick box or stair step or whatever you like to do are White Wedding, Rebel Yell (really gets your heart pumping) Don't Need a Gun,and Cradle of Love. Well, just listening to Dancing with Myself, To Be a Lover, L.A. Woman, and Shock to the System, at least makes you want to just get up and boogie which is better than nothing.

4 out of 5 stars Entertaining--sometimes for the wrong reasons.......2007-05-16

In the world of pop artists inspired by punk and new wave, Billy Idol is certainly above average. He didn't have nearly enough good songs to do toe-to-toe with Duran Duran or Depeche Mode, but the guy definitely had six strong singles that stand the test of time, and this album is worth having because you can find them all here. Dancing With Myself. White Wedding. Rebel Yell. Cradle of Love. Eyes Without a Face. Flesh for Fantasy. You'll find everyone of the greats, as well as his Mony Mony cover, which was also pretty successful.

Those songs along make this album a must-have if you like eighties music. But wait--there's more. Also with the album you get an acoustic, live version of Rebel Yell. That might sound scary, but it's actually not half bad.

On the other hand, you get Billy attempting to cover "LA Woman" by the Doors. No matter what you are imagining in your head, I promise you that it's worse. But it's worse in all the best ways--like a terrible movie that you watch over and over with your friends so you can make jokes about the diabolical acting, ridiculous plot twists, and run-of-the-mill dialog and action. Everyone should own this cover of "LA Woman" so you can break it out at parties and have a laugh with your friends. Equally atrocious--Idol takes a shot at "Don't You (Forget About Me)" (originally recorded by Simple Minds for the movie "The Breakfast Club.") While it's not a full on train wreck, it's pretty bad and good for a laugh when you're down in the dumps.

4 out of 5 stars For some of the great guitar cameos in music.......2007-05-15


Firstly, I'll just say that I rate AC/DC as the kings of the rock riff. What you get in Billy Idol's music, especially the good songs, are just a taste of a great guitar riff or lick. I.e. the riff/lick doesn't permeate the whole song, just a really cool bit of the song.

I'd say that this would have to be due to the guitar work of Steve Stevens. The songs that I rate highly on this compilation are:

Hot In The City, White Wedding (Part 1), Eyes Without A Face, and Flesh For Fantasy.

There are other good songs of course, and politically active songs like "You don't need a gun", as relevant as ever in light of the frequent massacres that occur in the US, always involving guns.

For examples of what I mean by great "cameo" guitar bits in songs, check out "Eyes without a face", which has a very fluid and mellow guitar break, and "Flesh for fantasy" which has a spiky and dirty sounding guitar riff with a cool synth drum beat. In AC/DC songs, often the riff forms the backbone of the whole song. With Billy Idol, the guitar is often the cherry on top of the ice-cream.

5 out of 5 stars Awesome!.......2007-01-12

This CD is one of the best greatest hits CD's I have heard in a long time. There are no songs that aren't worth hearing over and over again. Best value for the money I have made in a long time.
Beautiful Door
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Great
  • Love this album
  • He's really done it this time
 Beautiful Door
Billy Bob Thornton
Manufacturer: New Door Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000RIWASA
Release Date: 2007-07-24

Tracks:

  1. It's Just Me
  2. Restin' Your Soul
  3. In the Day
  4. Beautiful Door
  5. I Gotta Grow Up
  6. Hearts Like Mine
  7. Carnival Girl
  8. Always Countin'
  9. Pretty People
  10. I Can Tell You
  11. Hope for Glory
  12. Boys Is Gone

Amazon.com

Awright, den. Karl Childers's alter ego arrives on his fourth solo album mired in memories, awash in tears for too many lives and relationships that ended too soon. He's mournful for the war and the misguided politics that begat it, for a friend who suicided out, for a woman who broke his heart, and for a boy who died too soon. Unlike its predecessors, Beautiful Door seems stuck in a time warp of the '60s and '70s, from which it draws much of its lyrical inspiration and musical framework (folk, country, and roots rock, all a showcase for cowriter Brad Davis's eloquent, punch-in-the-gut guitar playing). Billy Bob Thornton doesn't so much sing as speak over music, his gravelly Arkansas drawl occasionally sustaining pitch long enough to approximate a melody. But his forthright vocals here owe more to The Edge of the World than to the whispery Private Radio or Hobo, though guest Graham Nash is so underground (on three cuts) you'd need a Geiger counter to find him. As his own producer, then, Thornton puts the focus squarely on the songs, which seem the private writings of a man who lives an intensely insular life, not an internationally known actor/director. Ghosts float across the ceiling throughout--the leadoff track, "It's Just Me," takes the point of view of the suicide who refuses to abandon the living, while the second song ("Restin' Your Soul") tells the same story from the companion left behind. Two other confessionals ("I Gotta Grow Up" and the winsome "Hearts Like Mine") may reference ex-wife Angelina Jolie. If the social commentary of "Pretty People" arrives DOA, Thornton turns drolly novelistic on the honky-tonking "Carnival Girl," an encounter with an unusually confident midway worker ("Her bottom lip and both ears were linked by chains/She even had a tattoo on her aura"). Consider Beautiful Door another strange visit with an artist who isn't afraid to put himself on the line. --Alanna Nash

Album Description

A collection of twelve tracks, BEAUTIFUL DOOR, is a lyrical, sonic story about life and death, beginnings and ends. A blend of roots rock, country, and folk, the musical genres Billy Bob Thornton has always loved most, BEAUTIFUL DOOR is the follow up album to his third solo release in 2005, HOBO -- and like HOBO, BEAUTIFUL DOOR is a collection of songs Thornton intended to have listened to as an "album," in its entirety. "The album had to have a sequence. And even if it's not an A+B+C song type of story-- BEAUTIFUL DOOR is still a sonic landscape that both musically and lyrically flows from one track to the next."

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great.......2007-07-28

The first actor-gone-singer that I feel is worth listening to. This guy writes good music with very intelligent lyrics. Also, he is not just another shallow Hollywood member.

Every song here is great.

5 out of 5 stars Love this album.......2007-07-26

As a country music lover, I was pleasantly surprised when I listened to Billy Bob Thornton's latest record, Beautiful Door. I've already listened to it over and over, and enjoy it more each time. It's easy to hear that music is Billy's true passion - his talent really comes through in the awesome music and great lyrics. Even if you didn't like Hobo, or some of his other albums, check this one out. I promise, if you appreciate good music, you won't regret it. Defnitely a "5." No question.

5 out of 5 stars He's really done it this time.......2007-07-24

Hard to believe it's been this long, but "Private Radio" was my favorite record that came out in 2001. Thousands of listens and several copies later, that album has not lost one ounce of punch and I still break it out frequently. "Edge of the World" (2003), despite a few flaws, was by far and away my favorite. I loved the story it told by weaving together so many different styles and it still stays on heavy rotation in my truck or on my ipod. I thought He could never top that one. There was a certain magic going on that could have had to do with the personal drama he had going on at the time. It was (and still is) one of the most ambitious albums, in my opinion, since Willie Nelson gave us "Red Headed Stranger". Unfortunately, it wasn't as well recieved as it should have been. The combination of so many styles kinda threw people off, and the mere fact that Billy is not what one would call a "crooner". His voice is exactly what it should be for the songs that he writes. Their sorta mini-stories about (or told through the perspective of) the everyday folk. The guy or gal who takes your money and gives back your change at the local convenience store. That one guy that no one seems to notice, sitting alone at the end of the bar staring at a half-empty bottle of High-Life. The lonely. The misunderstood. The brokenhearted. The downtrodden. Their all there. It's the same sort of approach that he used when he wrote out the characters in "Sling Blade" and "Daddy and Them". It all translates seemlessly into his songwriting and delivery.

"Hobo" was a unique and great effort in its own right. It was on a smaller scale and with that one, he found a certain vibe and stuck with it. The theme was about California being "the new frontier" and it was sorta semi-autobiographical. It all resulted in a wonderfully re-playable and rewarding record that played oh-so-wonderful late at night with the candles lit and a fifth of rum (or maybe a little Purple Passion). I was still so wrapped up in "The Edge of the World" it took me a good year to really appreciate its greatness.

With "Beautiful Door", he's finally done it. He's made a classic that will stand the test of time and serve as a time capsul for the era. I'm happy/sad to admit that he did the unthinkable (for me, anyway) and topped "The Edge of the World". This time out, he co-wrote with Brad Davis, handled vocals, drums, and production on his own. If you've been there for the last three records, then the first thing you will notice is that everything is tighter. Tone wise, it's similar to "Hobo" with more of a 60s and 70s vibe and it rocks a little harder and a lot more frequently. His vocals are a bit different. I can't make any comparisons because I can't think of anyone that sounds like him. He's certainly found a vocal style that is more versatile and distinctive, and 100% his.

"Beautiful Door" isn't what I would call a bonafide concept-album, but all of the songs do flow together, despite covering such a wide variety of styles. The theme here is a lot broader than "Hobo". The lead-off track, "It's Just Me" is a song about suicide told in first person and "Restin' Your Soul" is the companion track told through perspective of the person left behind. Very unique and oddly comforting. "In the Day" is a look back to how we all remember our younger days as being more innocent even though the world was still far from it. "Hearts Like Mine" is perfect for radio play and will, I'm pretty sure, have a few people wondering just who he is talking about. "Always Countin'" is already one of my faves. It's about OCD and it's dead on. One of the boldest statements on the album comes in the form of the album's most rocking track "Hope For Glory". And it's awesome.

It's probably fair to say that the scope on "Beautiful Door" is on par with "The Edge of the World", even if it doesn't tell one specific story. The varitey is there too, without killing any of the vibe. Needless to say, it was well worth the wait and it's his best album yet.
Doin' Somethin' Right
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Great Directions!
  • good cd
  • Definitely Doin' Somethin' Right
  • Currington's Second
  • He must be doin' somethin' right
 Doin' Somethin' Right
Billy Currington
Manufacturer: Mercury Nashville
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Billy Currington
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ASIN: B000AXWHQC
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Tracks:

  1. I Wanna Be A Hillbilly
  2. Good Directions
  3. Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right
  4. Why, Why, Why
  5. That Changes Everything
  6. Little Bit Lonely
  7. She's Got A Way With Me
  8. Lucille
  9. Whole Lot More
  10. Here I Am
  11. She Knows What To Do With A Saturday Night

Amazon.com

With his sophomore release, the Georgia singer reinforces the trend toward redneck beefcake, matching a bare-chested sleeve photo with material such as the album-opening "I Wanna Be a Hillbilly" (apparently a hillbilly with a penchant for screaming, arena-rock guitars). He engages in some pillow talk with the breathy balladry of "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right" and takes a turn toward a dreamier romanticism with "She's Got a Way With Me," featuring vocal support from Michael McDonald. A straightforward revival of Kenny Rogers's "Lucille" connects country present with country past, while the reggae tinge of "Little Bit Lonely" jumps on the contemporary country & Caribbean boat. The genial charm that he brings to mid-tempo fare such as "Good Directions" (despite its hackneyed story of the city girl who falls for the country hunk), "That Changes Everything," and "Here I Am" suggests that Currington is more engaging when he isn't trying so hard to be so sexy. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great Directions!.......2007-07-15

As is always the case with me, I hear a song, fall in love with it, and then I just have to own it! When I bought this CD, I was primarily interested in the hit, "Good Directions", so imagine my surprise when I found several other of my favorite songs on this album, as well! As a woman from Hollywood, though, "Good Directions" is by far my favorite song on the CD.

Country fan or not, cutesy as this song may be to some critics or not, I absolutely love it!

Good job, Billy!!!

Joyce Marie Taylor-Author and Poet

4 out of 5 stars good cd.......2007-05-12

Definitely a good buy. It has enough good songs on the cd to make it well worth the money.

5 out of 5 stars Definitely Doin' Somethin' Right.......2007-05-07

Billy has a great combination of crooning sing-along-songs and songs with a kick on this CD. He can go from a romantic song like "Here I Am" to a turn-up-the-sound kicker like "She Knows What To Do On A Saturday Night".
When you listen carefully, you can hear that Billy is a good song stylist.

4 out of 5 stars Currington's Second.......2006-12-05

A very good second outing for Billy Currington. A very good listen from first song to last. Besides the two songs that were made into videos, I also like She's Got a Way with Me, I Wanna be a Hillbilly, Good Directions and Whole lot More.

An album where the skip button is an uneccesary option. Very smooth Country album, that's relaxing.

5 out of 5 stars He must be doin' somethin' right.......2006-11-08

That son stuck on my head up to the point I had to get the album and you know what.. it's great!
The Essential Billy Joel
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Joel on a Roll
  • A strong selection of Billy Joel's best
  • MARVELOUS COLLECTION!!!
  • A great compilation very much like the three Greatest Hits discs
  • Joe's Review
 The Essential Billy Joel

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005OSX8
Release Date: 2001-10-02

Tracks:

  1. Piano Man
  2. You're My Home
  3. Captain Jack
  4. The Entertainer
  5. Say Goodbye To Hollywood
  6. Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)
  7. New York State Of Mind
  8. She's Always A Woman
  9. Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
  10. Only The Good Die Young
  11. Just The Way You Are
  12. Honesty
  13. My Life
  14. It's Still Rock And Roll To Me
  15. You May Be Right
  16. Don't Ask Me Why
  17. She's Got A Way
  18. Allentown

Tracks:

  1. Goodnight Saigon
  2. An Innocent Man
  3. Uptown Girl
  4. The Longest Time
  5. Tell Her About It
  6. Leave A Tender Moment Alone
  7. A Matter Of Trust
  8. Baby Grand (duet with Ray Charles)
  9. I Go To Extremes
  10. We Didn't Start The Fire
  11. Leningrad
  12. The Downeaster "Alexa"
  13. And So It Goes
  14. The River Of Dreams
  15. All About Soul (Remix)
  16. Lullbye (Goodnight My Angel)
  17. Waltz No. 1 (Nunley's Carousel) *
  18. Invention In C Minor*

Amazon.com

Early in his career, Billy Joel seemed cynical about fame, even as that distrust bore strange fruit: mainstream superstardom (thanks to "Just the Way You Are," "Honesty," and "My Life") and multiple Grammy awards, as well as the critic's-whipping-boy status that went with them. Maybe it was that restlessness--or undiluted cynicism--that inspired left turns into roots and nostalgia (the spunky "It's Still Rock & Roll to Me," "You May Be Right," "Uptown Girl," and "The Longest Time") as his career peaked. Perhaps not surprisingly, not long after Joel's songs seemed to find their most satisfying balance of angst and mature reflection on songs like "Storm Front" and "River of Dreams," he threatened to bolt the pop music business altogether. The 2001 recordings of "Waltz No. 1" and "Invention in C Minor" that round out this set are the unlikely products of Joel's commitment to classical music. Billy Joel remains both a true, if oft-lambasted, American pop icon and that rarest of animals: a bonafide crowd-pleaser with a serious case of 'tude. Both are well chronicled here. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Joel on a Roll.......2007-07-09

This 2-disc set is a very good overview of Billy Joel's music over the years. There's about 2.5 hours of music on the 2 discs, so definitely getting money's worth. All the songs you've heard on the radio are here, plus a bunch of lesser knowns. I note that Disc 2 contains 2 excellent lesser knowns: Lenningrad and Downeaster Alexa.

4 out of 5 stars A strong selection of Billy Joel's best.......2007-06-16

With as many "best ofs" as Billy Joel has, calling this "Essential" is a grossly deceptive marketing ploy. While the name alone might raise your hackles, the music most certainly should not. On these two discs, you can follow the growth of Billy Joel as he evolves from angry young Piano Man to the classical composer of "Essential's" final selection.

The troubadour that composed the slice of life "Piano Man" was a troubled wayfarer with an attitude. His peers were trying to cope with the ennui of everyday life ("Captain Jack") and his early romanticism ("New York State of Mind") began to show fruit. But he was a rapid changer, and by the time "The Stranger" hit the charts, his melodic sense had sharpened to the point where he began having hits ("Just The Way You Are," "Moving Out"). That commercial success also came with a critical drubbing...he was often accused of being a lightweight. By the time the 80's rolled around, this name calling and the emergence of New Wave caused Billy to lash out with energy on "Glass Houses," declaring "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" and hitting number one. It was also about now that he changed the course of his career from Piano Man to Arena Rocker.

But Billy had bigger musical ideas. His Beatle-esque concept album "The Nylon Curtain" portrayed the once angry young man as a more pensive baby boomer casting a jaded eye on the Reagan Era. It also contains one of the best songs Billy has ever written, "Goodnight Saigon." He followed that by looking even further back, with the youthfully nostalgic and love-fests on "An Innocent Man." The Four Seasons tribute in "Uptown Girl" made Billy more popular than ever, and effectively bookmarked a chapter in his ongoing evolution.

A more mature Billy Joel continued with such albums as "Storm Front" and "The Bridge," which gave the history lesson as pop-tune "We Didn't Start The Fire," then the wonderfully mature "River of Dreams." His love for Christy Brinkley and his daughter Alexa came through on "Lullaby," but Billy also claimed that he had gone as far as he could with pop-music and was turning his sights to the classical "Fantasies & Delusions, Op. 1-10." While probably only fanatic would really be all that interested in those two songs presented here, they are from the last full album Billy Joel issued.

The strong points on all these songs remain their melodicism, Billy has always shared the same melodic sense as Paul McCartney (an obvious hero). What weakens the set is the omissions: where are "Pressure," "Big Shot," "You're Only Human/Second Wind" or "Keeping The Faith," to name a few. Also, a few obscurities might have spiced things up a bit, like "Why Should I Worry" from Oliver And Company: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack." Nevertheless, "The Essential Billy Joel" will fill a quick fix if you don't have many of Billy's 13 studio albums, and will certainly argue strongly that Joel's critics have been off-base all along.

5 out of 5 stars MARVELOUS COLLECTION!!!.......2007-05-06

This is the pure Billy Joel; I was always waiting for a collection like this; every song in my favourite song, all of this album is perfect, for me is teh most complete compilation of Billy Joel's songs, from the mystic PIANO MAN, the finest song HONESTY, the great ballads JUST THE WAY YOU ARE, SHE'S ALWAYS A WOMAN and INNOCENT MAN, great rhythms like ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG, DON'T ASK ME WHY, RIVER OF DREAMS and MY LIFE, fast rockers like WE DIDN'T START THE FIRE, GO TO THE EXTREME, humanitarian songs like GOODNIGHT SAIGON, and lullabyes like AND SO IT GOES and GOODNIGHT MY ANGEL; also it has two instrumental piano compositions whom are very brillant... the work of a GENIUS!!!

5 out of 5 stars A great compilation very much like the three Greatest Hits discs.......2007-04-04

First,three volumes of GREATEST HITS material,and now this essential compilation covering Billy Joel's career,spanning exactly three decades,at the time of this release. However,the last two tracks on disc two are instrumental classical pieces which were recorded following Joel's semi-retirement from pop/rock music. The other tracks that Joel's fans know and love were all previously released. Some of them never made it to the GREATEST HITS compilations,one of them being LEAVE A TENDER MOMENT ALONE from 1983's AN INNOCENT MAN. As for SAY GOODBYE TO HOLLYWOOD,a fan will wonder before purchasing this item,if the track is the TURNSTILES studio version or the live version from SONGS IN THE ATTIC. I would buy this item just for the classical tracks. Anyway,it's an excellent compilation.

5 out of 5 stars Joe's Review.......2007-01-05

I really enjoyed this CD and made it a part of my collection. I then went back and bought a second copy for my son who is a big BJ fan.
Mermaid Avenue
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Maybe my favourite record
  • Thanks Nora! Great Idea
  • Walt Whitman previously unrecorded
  • An incredibly productive colloboration....
  • There are some real jewels here
 Mermaid Avenue
Billy Bragg & Wilco
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000007NC0
Release Date: 1998-06-23

Tracks:

  1. Walt Whitman's Niece
  2. California Stars
  3. Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key
  4. Birds And Ships
  5. Hoodoo Voodoo
  6. She Came Along To Me
  7. At My Window Sad And Lonely
  8. Ingrid Bergman
  9. Christ For President
  10. I Guess I Planted
  11. One By One
  12. Eisler On The Go
  13. Hesitating Beauty
  14. Another Man's Done Gone
  15. The Unwelcome Guest

Amazon.com's Best of 1998

A ghost, a band, a troubadour. Easily the strangest co-op project ever, and easily one of the finest and most evocative albums of the year. British socialist and folkie Billy Bragg was given unprecedented access to Woody Guthrie's unrecorded lyrics. Teaming up with alt-country band Wilco and quoting from more than 50 years of country, folk, and rock music, Billy and company bring Guthrie's politics, poetry, and morality to the end of the century and prove he's as necessary now as ever. --Tod Nelson

Amazon.com essential recording

When you first heard that Billy Bragg and Wilco were teaming up to set some Woody Guthrie lyrics to music, you knew it'd be an interesting project. But did anyone realistically think Mermaid Avenue would also wind up being one of 1998's finest albums? That's exactly what it is, a distinction it pulls off by simultaneously honoring Guthrie and blasting away any folksy expectations we might have of his music. Walking Guthrie's World War II-era lyrics into the 20th century's second, rock & roll half, Bragg and Wilco's Jeff Tweedy take turns on lead vocals, and the entire group collaborates on a sound that draws on folk- and country-rock, from Bob Dylan and the Band to Gram Parsons and Uncle Tupelo. The results are nearly flawless, ranging from yearning laments and playful children's rockers to horny ballads and brave protest songs that are not merely political but also profoundly moral. Like all of Guthrie's work, Mermaid Avenue is music to live better by. --David Cantwell

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Maybe my favourite record.......2007-06-01

I think everything has been said already in the previous reviews so there's not much - or rather nothing - I can add.

All I wanted to say is that this is a very special record for me. I listen to a lot of music and own several hundred CDs but this one is really outstanding. I think that this record is really emotional but in a pleasent kind of way. A lot of songs on the album bring tears to my eyes everytime I hear them. The whole project was a great idea and one can feel that the participators put all their heart and love into it.

In short: Mermaid Avenue is one of the records that makes live worth living for me.

I'm a fan of Wilco but I love this one better than any of their studio-albums.

5 out of 5 stars Thanks Nora! Great Idea.......2007-05-19

We should all thank Nora Gutherie for selecting Billy Bragg and Wilco to put this album together. What a fantastic combination. There are several wonderful songs on this cd. My favorite is "Hesitating Beauty". I was lucky enough to see Wilco perform this on Prairie Home Comapanion last week. It caused me to revisit this album and I'm glad I did.

5 out of 5 stars Walt Whitman previously unrecorded.......2007-04-24

Billy Bragg and Wilco (what a combo!) team up on previously unrecorded Walt Whitman writings and the result is increcible. This is still one of my favorite albums, and, although my husband and I play a wide variety of music, this is an album that everyone likes. For me, it's perfect for a Sunday afternoon.

5 out of 5 stars An incredibly productive colloboration...........2007-04-08

This is one of my all time favorite albums. It is a great colloboration between Wilco, who is one of the greatest bands to come out of the 1990's. I think Jeff Tweedy may be the greatest songwriter working today. For all the talk of the 90's being the grunge, "ironic" decade, there were a few real artists working under the radar, and Wilco/Tweedy was one of them. Billy Bragg is very good here as well. The songs are absolutely wonderful, with the first 5 songs absolutely perfect. Walt Whitman's Niece is a rousing opening number, and California Stars is ethereral and delicate, one of the most beautiful songs ever. Christ for President is really good, along with the raucous I Guess I Planted. Sadly, there will more than likely no more Mermaid Avenue albums, as Bragg and Tweedy weren't seeing eye to eye on a lot of things. Bragg is a political activist, and really wanted to concentrate strictly on Guthrie's political writings. Tweedy wanted to do more of the personal lyrics, and wanted to stay away from the political stuff. Regardless, this album is a masterpiece, and I'm glad that Nora Guthrie instigated this project, and gave it to two passionate, immensely talented people to interpret her late father's lyrics.

3 out of 5 stars There are some real jewels here.......2007-03-01

"California Stars" is as beautiful a song as I have ever heard, all the credit in the world to Wilco for really bringing those lyrics to life. I think Woody Guthrie would have been more than thrilled with the rendition. Moreover, Bragg does a nice job with "Way Over Yander.." I think these are the two clearly outstanding songs on the album. My problem with this album is that some of the other songs are a tad weak, especially the ones that tend to be Bragg numbers. I think Wilco does carry their weight for the most part, but if you are expecting "Summerteeth" or "Yankee Hotel.." you will be very letdown.
Tres Hombres
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Everything's alright...
  • Top's 1st Breakthrough (second being Eliminator)
  • zz top tres hombres
  • Captures the ZZ Top spirit
  • FINALLY! The original mix for this classic album has been restored!
 Tres Hombres
ZZ Top
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000CCD0HQ
Release Date: 2006-02-28

Tracks:

  1. Waitin' For The Bus
  2. Jesus Just Left Chicago
  3. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers
  4. Master Of Sparks
  5. Hot, Blue And Righteous
  6. Move Me On Down The Line
  7. Precious And Grace
  8. La Grange
  9. Shiek
  10. Have You Heard?
  11. Waitin' For The Bus (Live)
  12. Jesus Just Left Chicago (Live)
  13. La Grange (Live)

Album Description

One of the world's greatest rock 'n' roll bands ever to strut the 50 States, these sharp-dressed Texas titans-Billy F. Gibbons, Frank Beard, and Dusty Hill-are a righteously hell rain' power trio boasting a 30-plus year hit-making legacy, both in the studio and at concert arenas. With their revved up blues 'n' boogie, they always make the most of their Texas birthright with with a distinctive sound that shakes up rock, blues, soul, garage-funk, Americana, and more. Nowhere is their force of nature musicianship better displayed than on these two album classics, revved up wtih red-hot bonus rarities. "You know what I'm talkin' about...an how how how how."

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Everything's alright..........2007-06-09

Along with Fandango!, Tres Hombres is essential ZZ Top. There is one fantastic song after another on this recording, and while the FM staples might be what lures many in, it is the lesser known songs that sink the hook firmly in place. Precious and Grace, Hot, Blue, and Righteous, and Master of Sparks are all excellent songs that many have not heard before. The stinging, tasteful, and concise guitar work of Billy Gibbons can never be undervalued and perhaps one of the finer qualities of this master is how he never overplays. The band is always tight and razor sharp and this is an album that I never tire of. This is not only an essential Top album, it is a vital part of any rock fan's collection. ZZ Top is one of America's best bands and this brilliant cd demonstrates why.

4 out of 5 stars Top's 1st Breakthrough (second being Eliminator).......2007-04-24

This is where Top buckled down, got their sound straightened out, and focused on delivering one killer blues-rocker after another. Yeah, they had done so before with Rio Grande Mud (another good one), but this was a tighter, better album. Which is why it produced the group's breakthrough hit, the dirty-voiceover-meets-Hip Shake-riff-meets-stellar-guitar-solo La Grange. It didn't break the Top 40, but it came close enough and is today justly a classic rock radio staple. Speaking of which, I assume you've also heard cuts like Waiting for the Bus/Jesus Just Left Chicago and Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers. Both songs are essential ZZ. Scorching, brilliantly simple blues-rock. Actually, that's what the whole album's like, so if you like those you shouldn't forget about Master of Sparks, Move Me on Down the Line or Precious and Grace. Those seven are good enough to make this ZZ's best album ever. But it's second to Deguello because some of it isn't very impressive - Hot Blue and Righteous could be my least favorite classic-era ZZ Top song, I don't know. But I'm not a fan of it. Ballads never were Top's strong suit in the first place. I'm not exactly blown away by Shiek or Have You Heard Either. But this should belong to anyone who appreciates the little ol' blues band from Texas.

5 out of 5 stars zz top tres hombres.......2007-03-28

great to hear it again. always wanted to buy it again. brings back memories.the first 3 albums were the best.jojo

5 out of 5 stars Captures the ZZ Top spirit.......2007-03-26

If you want one ZZ Top album to capture their spirit, it's not Eliminator, it's Tres Hombres. La Grange captures their classic Texas shuffle in a song that's become a movie soundtrack staple. Waitin' for the Bus and Jesus Just Left Chicago are outstanding songs in their own right - the slide from one to the other is one of the smoothese medley transitions in rock. 2 great old school blues tunes fused together. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers captures the rowdy side of the band, while Hot, Blue and Righteous shows their love of the classic auto. Truly a definitive work of ZZ Top.

5 out of 5 stars FINALLY! The original mix for this classic album has been restored!.......2007-03-12

Having grown up with this album on vinyl, I've been consistently disappointed with all the CD releases of this gem. Buried under overdubs and mountains of reverb (most noticeable on the drums), somebody should've been smacked around for allowing the CDs to be released. With this re-issue, they finally got it right: crisp, immediate, in your face. Exactly what I remember from the vinyl but cleaned up. While the added live tracks are a welcome addition, the sound quality isn't the best. Nonetheless, this remains, in my opinion, ZZ Top's best work and a must-have.
Bernstein Century - Copland: Appalachian Spring, Rodeo, etc / Bernstein, New York PO
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • What more could one ask for?
  • Definitive Is Right
  • Definitive Recordings of Copland's Popular Ballet Scores From Bernstein, NYPO
  • American Music at its Highest
  • The best of Copland
 Bernstein Century - Copland: Appalachian Spring, Rodeo, etc / Bernstein, New York PO

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Bernstein Century - Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue, etc
  2. Bernstein: Candide; West Side Story; On the Waterfront; Fancy Free
  3. Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue - Piano Concerto in F - An American in Paris
  4. Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue/An American In Paris
  5. Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring, Fireworks, Petrouchka / Ozawa, Tilson Thomas, Chicago Symphony

ASIN: B0000029XG
Release Date: 1997-10-28

Tracks:

  1. Appalachian Spring: Very Slowly
  2. Appalachian Spring: Allegro
  3. Appalachian Spring: Moderato
  4. Appalachian Spring: Fast
  5. Appalachian Spring: Subito Allegro
  6. Appalachian Spring: As At First (Slowly)
  7. Appalachian Spring: Doppio movimento
  8. Appalachian Spring: Moderato - Coda
  9. Rodeo: Buckaroo Holiday - Allegro con spirito
  10. Rodeo: Corral Nocturne - Moderato
  11. Rodeo: aturday Night Waltz - Introduction - Slow Waltz
  12. Rodeo: Hoe-Down - Allegro
  13. Billy The Kid: Introduction. The Open Prairie
  14. Billy The Kid: Street In A Frontier Town
  15. Billy The Kid: Mexican Dance And Finale
  16. Billy The Kid: Prairie Night (Card Game At Night)
  17. Billy The Kid: Gun Battle
  18. Billy The Kid: Celbration (After Billy's Capture)
  19. Billy The Kid: Billy's Death
  20. Billy The Kid: The Open Prairie Again
  21. Fanfare for the Common Man: Molto deliberato

Amazon.com essential recording

Happy is the composer who has an advocate as passionate and talented as Leonard Bernstein. These Copland performances have been the preferred versions since they were first issued--better even than the composer's own, later recordings. Originally they were spread over two discs, but thanks to the extended playing time of the compact disc, you can now get all three great Copland ballets together, along with the ever popular Fanfare for the Common Man. Bernstein brings to this music the right sharpness of rhythm but also a typically open-hearted warmth. He coaxes a virtuoso response from the New York Philharmonic, which knows this music as well (or better) than anyone. Self- recommending. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars What more could one ask for?.......2007-06-27

Aaron Copland's masterful works are here interpreted by Bernstein. Nothing says the American sound like Copland, and there is no better interpreter than Bernstein. This recording is one of the best in my collection. I would recommend this to anyone (even non-classical music fans).

3 out of 5 stars Definitive Is Right.......2007-02-27

I have the SACD version of these recordings (except for the "Fanfare" which, in this case, is the version taken from Bernstein's recording of Copland's Third Symphony) and I must agree with others here that the performances are definitive. The "Rodeo" has more energy than any other recording I know of, in fact it can almost go over the top! "Billy the Kid" is quiet and tender, dramatic and bold and "Appalachian Spring" is dead-on. The last section of this ballet is one of my very favorite pieces of music and Bernstein's tempo and phrasing here could well be called perfect.

5 out of 5 stars Definitive Recordings of Copland's Popular Ballet Scores From Bernstein, NYPO.......2007-02-11

Without question, this splendid CD is my favorite recording of some of Aaron Copland's most popular orchestral ballet scores. In Leonard Bernstein he had both a good friend and a devout ally, who successfully championed Copland's music, helping to ensure his reputation as one of the greatest - if not the greatest - 20th Century American composer. Sony has done a superb job in digitally remastering this recording, offering some of the best sound I've heard from a vintage Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic recording. But more importantly than the recording's superb sonic quality is the quality of these performances of Copland's scores. Bernstein leads in New York Philharmonic in these virtuoso performances, replete with lush, vibrant playing from the winds, horns and strings. His warm, truly heart-felt interpretation of "Applachian Spring" is truly mesmerizing, and the best I have heard from a recording. And yet, I am am just as impressed with his conducting of both "Rodeo" and "Billy the Kid"; the latter replete with superb solos from the orchestra's timpanist. An elegant performance of "Fanfare for the Common Man" closes out this CD recording. Fans of Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra shouldn't hesitate in acquiring this superb CD.

5 out of 5 stars American Music at its Highest .......2007-02-04

If I was forced to recommend one CD of American music, I would feel very safe in backing this one. These interpretations have yet to be surpassed, and not even Copland himself could muster the same type of perfection that Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic did in this recording. Bernstein's way with Rodeo is unbelievable, and this alone is worth the price of the disc. The music on this recording has a lot to do with why, as Americans, we can all be proud of our place in the history of western music.

With 39 reviews under me, I will dispense with the adjectives to try and describe each interpretation of each piece on this disc, and simply say that these performances have been recommended by almost everyone (professional critics included of course) since they appeared; get it and find out why.

5 out of 5 stars The best of Copland.......2007-01-09

For the Aaron Copland fan, this CD has the essentials: the most popular and easy listening of the Copland body of creations. Enjoy!
The Definitive Collection
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great collection
  • The Ultimate Billy Ray Album
  • banging
  • Aural Delight
  • gentle touch of bluegrass with that family edge
 The Definitive Collection
Billy Ray Cyrus
Manufacturer: Mercury Nashville
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Wanna Be Your Joe
  2. Home At Last
  3. The Other Side
  4. Some Gave All
  5. Trail of Tears

ASIN: B0002B1646
Release Date: 2004-06-22

Tracks:

  1. Achy Breaky Heart
  2. Some Gave All
  3. Could've Been Me
  4. She's Not Cryin' Anymore
  5. Wher'm I Gonna Live?
  6. In The Heart Of A Woman
  7. Somebody New
  8. Words By Heart
  9. Talk Some
  10. Storm In The Heartland
  11. Deja Blue
  12. The Fastest Horse In A One Horse Town
  13. Trail Of Tears
  14. Truth Is I Lied
  15. Three Little Words
  16. Harper Valley P.T.A.
  17. It's All The Same To Me
  18. Time For Letting Go
  19. Busy Man
  20. Give My Heart To You
  21. You Won't Be Lonely Now

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great collection.......2004-11-19

Great collection of songs. I can always listen to Billy Ray Cyrus, I never tire of his great voice. Worth buying.

5 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Billy Ray Album.......2004-08-11

Now this is what i call a greatest hits. 21 songs, you cant beat that.It blows the Cover To Cover hits package away.Except for the loss of "One Last Thrill" it covers all his main hits.Its a shame Billy Ray gets a bad rap all these years about his early years.I think he has blossomed into a better artist.Shame on you people who trash Billy,because back then you was singing in the car and line dancing to "Achy Breaky Heart".You all know who you are.So enjoy his music now and forever.

5 out of 5 stars banging.......2004-07-10

I like this albm and is good cos billy heart achy breaky like mine init. have been achy breaky since ma badger Joeline got out of hers cage and run int'ut road dis album like a shoulder to cry one. nab this disc cos it like full emotional meltdown but with ZZ Top in, five stavs

5 out of 5 stars Aural Delight.......2004-07-09

Billy delivers Country & Western warbles like no other. He has the charisma, the charm, the looks and the lyrical aptitude. I wish I was living in a small corner of Billy's head so that I would be a party to his musical genuis all the time. This is also an incredible versatile album, it perfectly suits driving, housekeeping, relaxing and seducing. There is something for everyone on this Billy Xtravaganza, including the timeless heartbreak ballad and line dancing anthem 'achy breaky heart'. What makes this musical maelstrom so perfectly peachy, is that you know Billy means each and every heart felt word he sings. You know he has been through the heartbreak, the tough times, and come through, like a rhinestone cowboy on the other side, strong, all powerful and ready to claim 'his woman'. If Billy wasn't a singer, he'd be a superhero. One things for sure, at the gas station of lurrrve, Billy didn't get the self service pump.

1 out of 5 stars gentle touch of bluegrass with that family edge.......2004-07-09

I have to say, Billy Ray Cyrus's work has been something of an epiphany for me and this Best Of is no exception. Not just changing my musical tastes but my life as well.

Life was never easy growing up in a British city. Dont wear checkered Levi's workshirts, my father would say. Comb your hair. Shave that mullet off. And for Christ's sake son, stop touching your sister.

So many days were spent rushing home from work in my toyoat Hi Lux just so that I could indulge in the feel of hot straw and faecal-encruted dungarees, long after the house had been vacated by my family after my suggestions of true Southern-style interbreeding, and this album has eased away the guilt for my wrongdoings like cheap treacle out of a paedophile's hand.

I cant reccommend Billy's sultry yet unshaven southern twang enough, especially if you are a british man with a penchant for barn dance, like me. You owe this to yourself.

Music Review:

  1. The Early Years
  2. The Fields of November/Old and New
  3. The Greatest Show on Earth
  4. The Turnaround: A Long Awaited Drama [Explicit Lyrics]
  5. The View from Home
  6. Tia's Simcha Songs
  7. Tonöga/Från Natt Idag/Vendeltid
  8. Touch & Go
  9. Tribute [Import]
  10. Turnaround

Music Review

music review

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