School of Rock [Soundtrack]

School of Rock [Soundtrack]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
The "School of Rock" album features rock classics from Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Ramones, Cream, T-Rex, The Doors, and Stevie Nicks, alongside tracks from acclaimed new outfits The Darkness and The Black Keys. In addition, the collection contains original material from the film, including vocal excerpts from Jack Black, along with songs performed by the cast (backed by New York City-based garage rock sensations, the Mooney Suzuki). The Jack Black/School of Rock performances include the first single, 'School Of Rock,' and a rousing album-closing cover of AC/DC's 'It's A Long Way To The Top.'

Tracks:

1st period: The Queen and I
2nd period: Shoot Down the Stars
3rd Period: New Friend Request
4th period: Clothes Off!!
Lunch: Sloppy Love Jingle Pt. 1
6th period: Viva La White
7th Period: 7 Weeks
8th period: It's Ok, But Just This Once!
Study Hall: Sloppy Love Jingle Pt. 2
10th Period: Biters Block
Yearbook Club: Boys In Bands Interlude
12th period: Scandalous Scholastics
13th period: On My Own Time (Write On!)
Intramurals: Cupid's Chokehold
Detention: Sloppy Love Jingle Pt. 3

Amazon.com

The Roots aren't the only hip-hop group to build their sound around live instrumentation. Yet this Upstate New York quartet doesn't sound much like Philly's finest. Further, As Cruel as School Children is more radio-ready than previous efforts, especially "Cupid's Chokehold," which appropriates Supertramp's "Breakfast in America" to fine effect, i.e. "Take a look at my girlfriend / She's the only one I got." (A different mix appears on The Papercut Chronicles.) Not many indie-pop artists can freestyle, though, as frontman Travis McCoy proves on "Sloppy Love Jingle, Pts. 1-3," a trio of a cappella raps. Aside from dividing these tracks into "periods," "study halls," and the like, in fitting with the high school theme, McCoy's narratives touch on teachers, cheerleaders, and lunch room chatter. Guests include William Beckett (The Academy Is...) on "7 Weeks" and Speech (Arrested Development) on "Biter's Block." Cruel as School Children was co-produced by Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy) and released by band mate Pete Wentz's Decaydance imprint. Stump, who pops up in the "Cupid" video, also provides programming and backing vocals. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Album Description

This upstate NY 4-piece hip-hop band fuse crisp guitar rhythms, deep melodic bass lines, head cracking beats, and conscious lyrics to create a sound truly their own. Their debut full-length, "The Papercut Chronicles", has sold over 32,000 copies, converting anyone within ear shot into fans. This, their follow-up, is surely going to launch the band to the next level.

Customer Reviews:

Musical breath of fresh air!!.......2007-07-24

I'm just in love this album is great all the way through. Young music of today minus the deg ration, ignorance and profanity. Plus I met them in person and their wonderful and down to earth!!

Took a chance and was well rewarded.......2007-07-09

I hadn't really heard much of Gym Class Heroes when I bought this CD. I saw/heard Cupid's Chokehold on Fuse once and that was about it. I bought it based on Amazon's recommendation system. I'm a big fan of hip-hop like Jurassic 5 & A Tribe Called Quest and I have to say, based on my preferences, this CD was excellent. I don't think I've taken this CD out of my car's CD player since I bought it a month ago. It's just really darn good.

Good radio rap never hurt anyone???.......2007-06-22

Trading on their live status and their need to bring back the fun element of hip-hop which has indefinately been missing, this is like being stuck in a wacky-coloured room with four hyperactive but unimaginative goons desperate for you to like them. "Hey cheer up! It might never happen! Watch me bust a move," were the last words they uttered as I clubbed them unconscious with Public Enemy albums...but hey I really like Public Enemy for the record..

Smoothed out and mellow is the modus operandi of this four man crew from Geneva, New York. For those who are seeking a hip hop revival like Common's "Be" last year or the wonderful delight that helped pioneered MF Doom's to greater heights (I'm talking 2004's brilliant Madvillain - Madvillainy) you might want to look elsewhere. Friends this is hip hop for the Hollister/Abercrombie/Lacoste crowd.

To put it into a pop cultural perspective, this is the type of rap you'd expect to catch Dawson or one of the Gilmore Girls listening to, or if we still even cared about him, Seth from the OC. You'd never hear it bumping out of the trunk of any of the thugs on The Shield, that's for sure.

But before you get this impression that I am totally dismissing this album, let me preface back and say that I actually very much so like this work. The Queen And I tells of a drunk girlfriend who's 'only one more swallow from being oh so hollow' (and you're complaining?) over an acoustic strum and a 'hey-hey' chorus. Shoot Down The Stars contrasts a grim verse with a positive chorus of sunshine harmonies.

Their one track which could be redeeming, the of-its-moment track New Friend Request, plays on the desperate need to be liked on the MySpace website, is actually quite clever even if the pieces are a bit taken from Jurassic 5. I mean really the lyrics can appeal to anyone who has used Myspace - 'I didn't take it personal when you ignored my request to be your friend. I spilled my guts and hit send; I waited two weeks for a response and got nothing. Honestly, it only made me want you more.'

Particularly nasty are covers of Jermaine Jackson's We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off (To Have a Good Time) which ticks a smug '80s referencing box with no tongue in no cheek.

Talking of musical cross-pollination, Gym Class Heroes may apparently be able to 'put the f u back into fun' but on this evidence they could put something into country music (without the r). Putting the fun back into hip-hop isn't too challenging, but their need to show the breadth of their musical styles when they can't even master one isn't ambition, its truly arrested development.

As Cruel as School Children is a great feel good summer album but with quirky tunes and tongue-in-cheek raps which possibly border a little too much on pop culture, I can't see it surviving much past this year when the scene and pop culture take a new shape in 2008. Still regardless I have to say again I think it's a really fun RAP album to listen to care free, and really in a genre bending so much over hos, bling and pimpin' rides it's a nice diversion from the norm.

What's the big deal about these guys anyway?.......2007-05-06

Gym Class Heroes are an alternative hip-hop band that I discovered on MTV Hits last year when their video "The Queen and I" was playing. I didn't really know what to make of that song, but I still decided to check out the band's latest album, As Cruel As School Children.

I really don't see what all the hype is about these guys. I'm not saying they don't have talent, because the production is definitely on point, and leader Travis McCoy does have a nice flow. It's what he SAYS that's his downfall. If you really listen to the lyrics, you'll find that most of these songs have the stupidest concepts in the world. I realize that the album is following a high school theme, but missteps still can't be ignored, like the statutory "Scandalous Scholastics", a tale about a 15-year-old Travis having relations with one of his teachers (even though that kind of thing isn't really news any more, but...). And there is a series of a cappella raps called "Sloppy Love Jingle" that are all skippable.

If people are wondering where "Cupid's Chokehold" is, the thing is, that's actually a song from the band's previous album The Papercut Chronicles, and the fact that it's being re-released NOW suggests that the guys were getting really desperate for a hit single. And as you know, the song features Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump, and although he sounds fine there, he sounds ridiculous on "Clothes Off", an already horrendous reworking of Jermaine Stewart's "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off", this time stating "We HAVE to take our clothes off."

Lame ideas continue, as "New Friend Request" is a dry story about meeting a girl on MySpace; and although I'm married to a white girl, "Viva la White Girl" didn't do anything for me (probably because it doesn't make much sense). Basically, if Travis rapped more like the way he does on "Shoot Down the Stars", then maybe the band would be more accessible. I'm all for silly music, but As Cruel As School Children is a little too experimental for my taste.

Anthony Rupert

Not what you hear on the radio....but much better.......2007-04-14

This album when I first saw the cover and the songs they play on the radio I thought it would be just another pop album but I love how they mix pop and rap together to come up with their own style. I especially like the sloppy love jingles especially the last one because that's how most women feel after a night out.

Average customer rating:

listen to this classic....and party!
Always a classic
The Beginning of the Beastie Boys' Dynasty
The Joke Is...
A near-excellent album

Licensed to Ill
Beastie Boys
Manufacturer: Def Jam
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Paul's Boutique
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Run-D.M.C. - Greatest Hits

ASIN: B0000024JN
Release Date: 1995-03-28

Tracks:

Rhymin & Stealin
The New Style
She's Crafty
Posse In Effect
Slow Ride
Girls
Fight For Your Right
No Sleep Till Brooklyn
Paul Revere
Hold It Now, Hit It
Brass Monkey
Slow And Low
Time To Get Ill

Amazon.com essential recording

The joke of Licensed to Ill's cover--that the Beasties could crash their jet into the side of a mountain and keep on tickin'--serves as a good metaphor for a career that even some of their 1986 admirers thought might be over after the one-time-only shock of this full-length debut. That thousands of funk-junkie wannabes have since failed at re-creating its groove, breaking-the-law vibe, and ear-splitting mix of rock and rap is an even better joke. And funniest of all is the record itself, which packs dexterous boasts, aural puns, and lots and lots of yelling into a disc that can still be listened to with as much pleasure as it gave in '86. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

listen to this classic....and party!.......2007-07-29

listen to licensed to ill and...party! there are lots of party classics on this album.(you've gotta)fight for your right (to party),brass monkey,no sleep 'til brooklyn,girls,hlod it now hit it,she's crafty,and time to get ill still sound good and funny today. so check out this album,party,and laugh. ed wilson

Always a classic.......2007-06-09

I finally had to replace my old copy of this. I love it! Beastie Boys' classic album mixes their "new style" lyrics (one-liners as I like to think of them) with all the classic party/dance tracks: No Sleep 'til Brooklyn, Fight for Your Right to Party, and Brass Monkey, not to mention "GIRLS". What fun it is, they obviously had so much fun with this album.

The Beginning of the Beastie Boys' Dynasty.......2007-06-05

License to Ill--

Formerly a punk-rock outfit called the Young & the Useless, New Yorkers Mike D, MCA and King Ad-Rock hooked up with Def Jam founder Rick Rubin in the mid-1980's to create a hip-hop masterpiece. Released in the fall of 1986, License to Ill took both the hip-hop world and mainstream pop culture by storm. Though this was their debut LP, the three MC's traded verses like veterans. Hip-hop rhythm tracks were combined with guitar licks for one of the first rap/rock fusion efforts, sowing seeds for the sub-genre's late 90's resurgence in the likes of Limp Bizkit and Rage Against the Machine.

Lyrically, the Beasties are basically college-age party animals throughout the album, telling wild stories about getting kicked out of White Castle, get-togethers stocked with Budweiser, and related tales of cheerful, hedonistic mayhem. In interviews, band members admitted to having a Schoolly-D fixation at the time, and so there are also some casual gun references here and there. "Slow and Low" covers an unreleased Run-DMC song, with the unforgettable line "White Castle fries only come in one size.." "Rhymin' & Stealin'" is pre-gangster rap pirate fantasy, where the Boys vow to send sucker MC's "to Davy Jones' locker.." "No Sleep `til Brooklyn" has a great guitar contribution by Slayer's Kerry King, as the Boys vow to keep the party going "eight days a week.."; the now-legendary "Paul Revere" is a cowboy fantasy (co-written with Run DMC) where the Beasties play desperadoes on the frontier, set to a reverse-drum track rhythm: "MCA was with it, and he's my ace, so I grab the piano player and I punched him in the face; piano player's out, the music stopped; his boy had beef, and he got dropped.."

The album's signature song was the top-10 pop smash "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right". The rocker is almost out of place amidst all the straightforward hip-hop, but it's just as well that it was the album's closer. The Beasties expanded the cultural diversity of rap as well as expanding its cultural acceptance worldwide.

As of 2007, the LP's 20th anniversary has already passed; a deluxe re-release is in order; it should include any unreleased songs (such as the early "Rock Hard" EP; also, bootleg releases have included rare songs like "Scenario", "I'm Down" and an alternate take of "Fight for Your Right"), as well as a DVD version of the now-rare VHS home video compilation.

The Joke Is..........2007-05-08

In response to Rickey Wright's editorial review (this guy's an editor and didn't see this?)...

The joke, Mr. Wright, is not them crashing their jet into the side of a mountain and surviving, but rather what the image turns into when you unfold the album cover and hold it length-wise with the tail-end up. It's the image of a 'joint' being mashed out (like a cigarette in an ashtray). So I think the genius behind it works, making the obvious - unobvious.

Also, the call letters on the rear of the plane (3MTA3) actually spell 'EAT ME' when viewed in reverse - which is what is usually done when you're smokin' a fatty and 'Jake' is on ya.

As for the album itself - CLASSIC! True Beastie Boy gold!

A near-excellent album.......2007-03-09

Who didn't listen to the Beastie Boys back in the '80's? Their crossover appeal to rap and rock fans made the group one of the biggest hits during that era. The album was indicative of their unique style of rap, along with their penchant for including heavy rock sounds/backgrounds into their music. Although some thought that this album was a bit commercialized, it didn't keep it from becoming one of the most popular releases during that time. "Brass Monkey" is a memorable track that almost every Beastie fan can sing along to, and "Fight For Your Right" almost became an anthem for party-crazed teens in the '80's. "Time To Get Ill" was one of my favorite songs on this album, since it displayed skilled Dj'ing and catchy backdrop beats. Lyrics were also easy to memorize, which always helps when you feel like rappin' along with the track being played in your car. "Hold It Now, Hit It" is still one of the most sampled tracks in today's rap songs, and its catchy beat and rhythm allows for regular play in many listener's stereos. "She's Crafty" and "The New Style" were less-known hits, but still allows for fans to enjoy, as beats and sounds are similar to other hits... but, just different enough to keep the album from being boring. With their unique style and memorable lyrics, who wouldn't want to buy this album for the right price?

Average customer rating:

It's what you want on the road.
Ear-splitting goodness
i don't own this...
When Rap Was Cool
great introduction to beastie boys

Solid Gold Hits
Beastie Boys
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Licensed to Ill
Run-D.M.C. - Greatest Hits
Greatest Hitz
Check Your Head
Ill Communication

ASIN: B000BGR0SS
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Tracks:

So What'cha Want
Brass Monkey
Ch-Check It Out
No Sleep 'till Brooklyn
Hey Ladies
Pass The Mic
An Open Letter To NYC
Root Down
Shake Your Rump
Intergalactic
Sure Shot
Body Movin' (Fatboy Slim Remix)
Triple Trouble
Sabotage
Fight For Your Right

Amazon.com

In celebration of Beastie Boys' 24th anniversary, Capitol Records has decided to pay tribute to Michael "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "Adrock" Horovitz and Adam "MCA" Yauch-- known collectively as Beastie Boys, with the release of Solid Gold Hits. (No, the group is not breaking up.) The infomercial-worthy 15-track compendium distills the NYC trio's storied career into an ADD-friendly digest format: Covering the Boys' first platinum-mining expeditions with "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn" and "Fight For Your Right" through west coast detours "Shake Your Rump," "So What'cha Want" and "Sabotage," up to last year's return to #1 with the million-plus-selling To The 5 Boroughs' "Ch-Check It Out," "An Open Letter To NYC" and "Triple Trouble" -and all points between.

Beastie Boys Photos

More from Beastie Boys

Paul's Boutique
Check Your Head
IIll Communication

Licensed to Ill
Awesome, I Shot That
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Customer Reviews:

It's what you want on the road........2007-05-31

It's Capitol puttin' out the s*%t like Endless Summer for the California Kids bustin' their own in the early 60s. Well, This is decent for a Saturday or even Sunday drive. I think anything off of Paul's Boutique on a compilation makes you want to just ditch this shti and listen to that whole album.. but I think I just found out the same siht happens when you listen to like Pet Sounds or Rubber Soul or like you know what I mean .. the Beatsies are mackin'.......

Ear-splitting goodness.......2007-03-25

Every time you play this album, an angel gets its wings.

Okay, maybe not that. But your neighbors will probably tell you to turn it down. Hey, just tell them you've got a right to party.

i don't own this..........2006-11-08

..and what's the point? All of these songs (minus a few) are on the anthology, along with countless others. The Beastie Boys didn't put this out, their record label did. It's just way for corporate to make money. If you consider yourself a real Beastie Boys fan, that is you're interested in all the other music they made that wasn't put on radio, then don't buy this. If you occasionally heard them on the radio and Fight For Your Right is your favorite song, then go ahead. The Beastie Boys are much more than just their greatest hits. To fully appreciate them, you have to listen to an album all the way through.

When Rap Was Cool.......2006-08-21

If you're a Beastie Boys Fanatic, you will love this. It's got the best of the best. Who can't listen to "Hey Ladies" and "Intergalactic" over and over again? A great compilation for a road trip or your next retro party.

great introduction to beastie boys.......2006-03-03

if you are new to the beastie boys (like me) this is a great first album to get. it has all their best song and no filler. heres a song by song breakdown.
1. So What'cha Want - 4/5 - Great intro song, but not the best.
2. Brass Monkey - 5/5 - Amazing song, the best song from their debut album.
3. Ch-Check it Out - 5/5 - Best song on the album, although MCA's voice sounds shot compared to some of the earlier songs. Also, I think the Just Blaze Remix is better if you can find that.
4. No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn - 3/5 - not one of my favorites, but its still pretty good.
5. Hey Ladies - 5/5 - Great song, really shows off the genious of Paul's Boutique.
6. Pass The Mic - 3/5 - The worst song on the album, although it's ok.
7. An Open Letter to NYC - 4/5 - Great tribute to NYC, but like with Ch-Check it Out, MCA's voice isn't as good as in the older songs.
8. Root Down - 4/5 - Great song.
9. Shake Your Rump - 4/5 - Another one from Paul's Boutique, although not as good as Hey Ladies.
10. Intergalactic - 5/5 - The first Beastie Boys song I ever heard, back when it came out in 98, great song.
11. Sure Shot - 4/5 - Great song, the only rap song I've ever heard that successfully incorporates a flute.
12. Body Movin' (Fatboy Slim Remix) - 5/5 - Takes the original, which was an ok song, and turns it into something sublime.
13. Triple Trouble - 4/5 - Great song, but it has the same beat as Rapper's Delight by Sugarhill Gang.
14. Sabotage - 4/5 - Great song, more metal than rap.
15. Fight for your Right - 5/5 - How can you not love this song?

Average customer rating:

Great Buy
Old School Jams, Vol. 3
If You're Not Concerned With Quality..................
The Word Is Out
back to the old school

Old School Jams, Vol. 3
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Spg Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Old School Jams, Vol. 4
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Old School Nation

ASIN: B00005Q4AN
Release Date: 2002-05-17

Tracks:

Word Up (12' Vocal Version) - Cameo
Super Freak(Disoc Mix) - Rick James
Let It Whip(Original Mix) - Dazz Band
The Roof Is On Fire(CLub DJ Mix) - Rock Master Scott And The Dynamic Three
Freak-A-Zoid(Full Length Album Version) - Midnight Star
Hip Hop, Be Bop (Don't Stop)(Original Mix) - Man Parrish
In My House(12' Version) - Mary Jane Girls
You Dropped A Bomb On Me(Original Mix) - Gap Band
Ladies Night(12' Remix) - Kool & The Gang
A Night To Remember(Original mix) - Shalamar
The Word Is Out(West Mix Extended Version) - Jermaine Stewart
Hangin' On A String(Extended Dance Mix) - Loose Ends

Tracks:

Celebration(Original Version) - Kool & The Gang
Rumors(Long Version) - Timex Social Club
Candy Girl(Original 12' Vocal Version) - New Edition
Rapture(Long Version) - Blondie
Last Night A DJ Saved My Life(Original 12' Mix) - Indeep
Ain't Nothing Gon' On But The Rent(Original mix) - Gwen Guthrie
Rock Steady(12' Extended VErsion) - The Whispers
You're The One For Me(Francios Kevorkian & Hubert Eaves lll Remix) - 'D' Train
Heartbeat(Larry Levan's CLub Version) - Taana Gardner
Jam On It(Original Mix) - Newcleus
Play At Your Own Risk(Original Mix) - Planet Patrol
The Show (Original 12 Inch Vocal Mix) - Doug E. Fresh And The Get Fresh Crew

Album Description

2 CDs featuring original extended mixes by New Edition, Cameo, Doug E. Fresh, Gap Band, Kool & The Gang, Blondie, Jermaine Sweet, The Whispers Rick James and more. 24 tracks. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Great Buy.......2007-04-26

I agree with Mr. Pac Dan about some of the songs not being 12 inches, but still is a great buy, especially as a constant enjoyment reminder of the real essence of music and just havin' a phenomenally great/quality time whenever you heard these songs.

Old School Jams, Vol. 3.......2006-12-21

It has taken me years to finally find a disk with the "Original" version of "The Show" with Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew. For those in the know, the part where Slick Rick says "Me-Shell, Ma-Bell...." was strangely edited out in every other version of the song that I've ever come across on Compact Disc. A special "Thank You" to whomever found the "Original" 12-inch version!

The rest of the disk isn't bad, either. But, for me, it's strictly "The Show!" Four stars!!

If You're Not Concerned With Quality.........................2006-09-13

Then you will enjoy this CD otherwise it's a waste of money, mostly Vinyl records transferred to CD and poorly done at that. You can clearly hear vinyl noise and pops/crackles. There should be a law that CD's transfered from vinyl records should state so on the package. I wasted my money.
"D-"

The Word Is Out.......2006-07-17

I bought this CD for one song - "The Word Is Out" by Jermaine Stewart. I can't even tell you what is on the rest of the CD. I received it in a hurry, though, and I appreciate that. Thanks much, Angelia

back to the old school.......2005-09-23

this is a nice collection of old school songs theres not one song I cant listen to.
I would recommened it for everybody who used to go clubbing back in the 80s..

Average customer rating:

As Wicked as it gets!
Very cool return
IE Shouldn't Look Back
NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
This really didn't need to be done. But it's still pretty cool.

Overture of the Wicked
Iced Earth
Manufacturer: Steamhammer/SPV
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000PA9PME
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

Ten Thousand Strong 3:53
Something Wicked Trilogy: Prophecy / Birth Of The Wicked / The Coming Curse 18:31

Album Description

America's most successful pure Heavy Metal band has returned with the kickoff for their most ambitious project to date! Iced Earth have long been known as the champions of American Metal and have consistently delivered absolute quality for their legions of fans. Overture Of The Wicked is the opening salvo in their forthcoming two-part series that continues their famed Something Wicked This Way Comes series. The Overture Of The Wicked CDS contains a brand new song along with a re-recording of some of the Something Wicked... material. The first shot has been fired and Iced Earth is back!

Customer Reviews:

As Wicked as it gets!.......2007-07-24

This was my first experience with Iced Earth, and I am shocked, shocked that I haven't gotten into them before now. This EP is arguably one of the best things I have heard in a long long time. So as a consequence I have since bought 3 other Iced Earth albums. The musicmanship and production is top notch........I can't wait for the new album.

Very cool return.......2007-07-13

First off, I've been a fan of this band since I took a chance in the metal-dead environment of the late 90's and bought the wonderful 'Alive in Athens' CD (one of the greatest live albums of all time) in 1999. Like many, I felt very sorry about Matt Barlow leaving some years ago, the disintegration that followed and the multitude ill-turns suffered by leader Jon Schaffer.

So that's why I'm happy as hell for the return of the band and in this metal-happy musical climate of today I wholeheartedly wish Schaffer has finally his revenge and gathers the recognition that always eluded the band through 15 years of hard work and excellent music.

So what we have here is a taster of the forthcoming new album and a reworking of the classic "Something Wicked" trilogy from 1998's 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'.

Well, the new song "Ten Thousand Strong" is the first Iced Earth song we've heard written specifically for new singer Tim 'Ripper' Owens (since the 'Glorious Burden' album was written with Barlow in tow and only later was resung by Owens), and it shows; the guy is a monster singer. The song is pretty much 'Glorious Burden' fare, except perhaps a bit better. This is killer, even if simple, stuff.

No doubt the eyeopener here is the remake of the old trilogy, and so Ripper is *again* cast to repeat a Barlow performance, and one much loved by fans no less. And again, he falls short; clearly he is no match for Matt's tone and emotional delivery and comes across a bit forced and shrill sounding. The re-recording itself (I mean the music) is cool, even if I still prefere the original.

One very cool feature of this record is the return of 'Alive in Athens's excellent skinsman Brent Smedley, and if you fear after 8 years out of the band he may have lost his touch, well rest assured it's not the case because he is an absolute monster, even more than on the old days. If someone said it's Richard Christy playing, no one would doubt it, it's that good, stunning machine gun precision all the way. Another thing to mention are new axeman Tim Mills' lead guitar breaks, which are probably the best lead guitar ever featured in the band.

Finally a special mention to the excellent cover art, depicting the return of the Set Abominae character.

So all in all a very nice taster for what I hope is a killer CD to come in September, and one to finally put this great band where it has always deserved: at the top of the metal world :)

Let's just hope Schaffer manages to keep a lineup together long enough to see it happen.

IE Shouldn't Look Back.......2007-07-05

If the new single is an indication of what to expect from the new album, then this will probably be the best since 'Wicked'. The problem with this disk lies in the re-recorded material. When judged on his own merits, Ripper has a great voice, and he shows it off on the first track. However, the 'Something Wicked' trilogy can't be listened to without comparing it directly to Barlow's version, and in this context, the Ripper just can't win. The original was nothing short of amazing, and could hardly be improved upon, Barlow's voice thick and powerful. In comparison, Ripper sounds hollow and weak. It's not a fair comparison to make, because the two singers have completely different styles, but it's a comparison that's impossible not to make when Ripper sings Matt's songs.
If Iced Earth and its fans can manage to look forward to the future instead of looking back at what was, then there is reason to be optimistic. This single will serve as a good primer for the full-length.

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!.......2007-07-03

I don't hate Tim Owens. I loved "The Glorious Burden", almost as a different Iced Earth than the ones previously. I love Tim Owens' voice for Iced Earth. I loved Matt Barlow's voice for Iced Earth.

This is only four songs on a single, and only one of them is new. The new song "Ten Thousand Strong" is great. It bears traces of old Iced Earth without being the same old crap or repetitive.

Why do I scream "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" for the title then? The other three tracks.

The other three tracks are not re-recordings, but new versions of the "Something Wicked..." trilogy at the end of "Something Wicked This Way Comes", "Prophecy", "Birth of the Wicked", and "The Coming Curse"

I don't mind having Tim Owens sing over songs that were originally done by Matt Barlow. But they completely RE-DID these songs! They sound very little, if anything like the originals. I am sort of a music traditionalist by nature. Cover songs don't appeal to me as much as originals, re-recorded albums are never better than originals unless it's an unchanged remastering.

It's not just the lack of Barlow's deeper, more husky voice in these songs, it's a completely new guitar, bass, and drum lines used. The rhythms are done at different speeds, the moods are changed. Where once "Prophecy" was a darkly moody, brooding song, it's now something resembling generic "demonic" metal.

I look forward to the new Iced Earth album. I love Iced Earth, and if Schaffer continues to get better with age like his previous albums, I will love it. What I do NOT like is the "rewriting of history" so to speak, the re-writing of these three classic songs of the "Wicked" trilogy. Please... if you don't want Barlow's voice on them, just record Owens over the song as it was! Don't totally rewrite the rhthyms, tempos, moods, etc! It ruins it for traditionalists who have stuck with IE through the ages.

This really didn't need to be done. But it's still pretty cool........2007-07-02

I am going to be brief. "Something Wicked" was my first Iced Earth album, and the original trilogy sent chills down my spine when I listened to it. Iced Earth have changed the trilogy.

First off, the trilogy sounds more produced than ever. Some parts sound really cool and dark, but in general the song just sounds more computerized and polished than the original's. One good thing, however, is the ethnic addition. The song sounds very middle eastern now, which it sort of lacked before. Anyway, I'll take the original version any day. But this version is still pretty good. Makes for a good recap before the new album comes out, but like I said it just sounds too computerized and polished. Also, I like Owens, but he can't match this song which was written with Barlow in mind.

"10,000 Strong" is unremarkable. It's just a single, so I can't complain to much, but it doesn't feel as heavy as it should be. I blame this on the mix and the production.

Average customer rating:

Fun CD!
One of my FAVORITES!!!
Rock om
School of Rock, ROCKS!
If you like this kind of stuff

School of Rock
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000C8AQM
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Tracks:

School Of Rock - School of Rock
"Your Head And Your Mind And Your Brain" - Film Excerpt
Substitute - The Who
Fight - No Vacancy
Touch Me - The Doors
"I Pledge Allegiance To The Band..." - Film Excerpt
Sunshine of Your Love - Cream
Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin
Set You Free - The Black Keys
Edge of Seventeen - Stevie Nicks
Heal Me, I'm Heartsick - No Vacancy
Growing On Me - The Darkness
Ballrooms Of Mars - T-Rex
"Those Who Can Do..." - Film Excerpt
My Brain is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes to Bitburg) - The Ramones
T.V. Eye - Wylde Rattz
It's a Long Way to the Top - School of Rock

Album Description

The "School of Rock" album features rock classics from Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Ramones, Cream, T-Rex, The Doors, and Stevie Nicks, alongside tracks from acclaimed new outfits The Darkness and The Black Keys. In addition, the collection contains original material from the film, including vocal excerpts from Jack Black, along with songs performed by the cast (backed by New York City-based garage rock sensations, the Mooney Suzuki). The Jack Black/School of Rock performances include the first single, 'School Of Rock,' and a rousing album-closing cover of AC/DC's 'It's A Long Way To The Top.'

Customer Reviews:

Fun CD!.......2007-07-25

My two young boys (ages 5 and 7) and I really love this CD! Jack Black is the king!

One of my FAVORITES!!!.......2007-07-15

This is one of my favorite CD's that I have. It is filled with TRUE roack and roll from several genre's....

Rock om.......2007-06-09

Loved thsi CD School of Rock, so much easier to find it on Amazon instead of searching the stores.

School of Rock, ROCKS!.......2007-01-22

I Love this soundtrack , the songs all Rock. This Album has many classic hit songs,as well to the new rockin songs. The song "FIGHT" by No Vacancy is a hot song and the songs by "School of Rock" totally Rock with Jack Black and those tallented chilldren.

If you like this kind of stuff.......2007-01-05

I did not care for this movie but my husband and older daughters liked it. Depends on if you like the stupid comedy.

Average customer rating:

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead book review
Reading the book? Buying the reissues? Don't overlook "Bad Luck Streak..."
Play them all night long!
Warren Zevon's Third Great Album In A Row
My Favorite Zevon Album

Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School
Warren Zevon
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Warren Zevon
The Envoy
Sentimental Hygiene
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Mutineer

ASIN: B000002H47
Release Date: 1992-06-30

Tracks:

Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School
A Certain Girl
Jungle Work
Empty-Handed Heart
Interlude No.1
Play It All Night Long
Jeannie Needs A Shooter
Interlude No.2
Bill Lee
Gorilla, You're A Desperado
Bed Of Coals
Wild Age

Customer Reviews:

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead book review.......2007-05-20

Very interesting. It gives some good details into the life of Warren zevon, showing the things that tortured, but created the artist. You learn alot about the man.

Reading the book? Buying the reissues? Don't overlook "Bad Luck Streak...".......2007-05-07

Tracing Warren Zevon's career from his self-titled "first" album, to this one, you can certainly see some slippage. "Warren Zevon" represented the fruits of several years of writing songs in obscurity -- great songs, as it turned out. "Excitable Boy" didn't have as many good songs, but it had enough, and it was zesty and captured its moment, bringing the pugilistic spirit of Norman Mailer, Hunter S. Thompson or Ernest Hemingway into rock for the first time. "Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School" is actually a better album than "Excitable Boy," but at the time it came out it was treated like a disappointment. Musically, it is as sophisticated as "Warren Zevon." The string interludes are actually quite beautiful. The sad ballads "Empty Handed Heart" and "Bed of Coals" are quite affecting and artful. "Gorilla You're a Desperado" and "Play it All Night Long" are two of his funniest lyrics, and the title tune is efficient and cinematic in its depiction of a loser running out of luck in an unlikely place. "Bill Lee," about a maverick baseball player of the 1970s, is a brief song in three parts, a perfect little profile in music and words. The two weakest songs are "Jungle Work," which strikes me as a rehash of the great "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner," and "Jeannie Needs a Shooter," which is supposedly a collaboration with Bruce Springsteen (but I don't believe it.) But they are listenable -- you don't skip them. I love the final track, "Wild Age," a hard-rocking meditation on the fear parents have that their kids might go bad and never come back. Can't help but think he was worrying about himself as well as his kids, because as we know, he was trying and failing to deal with his alcoholism at this time.

Like "Excitable Boy" and a few of his other albums, this one is full of guest musicians, rock royalty of the late 70s. The best of them are Linda Ronstadt, a lovely duet partner on "Empty Handed Heart" and part of the background chorus on "Bed of Coal," and David Lindley, who fires up several songs here with his broad-gauge slide guitar.

This is a record that will grow on you. It doesn't fulfill the promise of that first album (the one with "Poor Pitiful Me" and "Desperados Under the Eaves," but it's his attempt to get back there, and when it works, it's fine.

Play them all night long!.......2005-03-05

This album did not spawn many hits as 1978's EXCITABLE BOY did. On the cover we see the late Warren Zevon,who died of lung cancer in 2003,standing inside of a dancing studio filled with beautiful female students. The only memorable song is PLAY IT ALL NIGHT LONG,which would appear on the compilation,THE BEST OF WARREN ZEVON-A QUIET NORMAL LIFE. The lyrics are pretty much silly("Grandpa pissed his pants again,he don't give a damn."). How about "Grandpa's doing sister Sally,Grandma's dying of cancer now."? Isn't that silly? PIALN is a ode to Lynyrd Skynyrd and their signature song SWEET HOME ALABAMA. Another lyric from the song is "play that dead band's song". Three LS members were killed in a plane crash in the seventies. The other songs are cool.

Warren Zevon's Third Great Album In A Row.......2004-08-01

BAD LUCK STREAK IN DANCING SCHOOL is Warren Zevon's third great album in a row. Zevon had gone clean and sober for the first time when this CD was recorded, and it didn't dull his sense of humor one bit. On the title track, he examined his bad habits in a sarcastic manner which anyone with ANY addiction (drugs, alcohol, tobacco, food, caffeine) can understand, while "Jungle Work" humorously describes mercenary violence in a way that inspired me to do what I need to in order to remind myself that "carb" stands for the names of four politicians who support such actions (Cheney, Ashcroft, Rumsfeld, Bush). The other songs are all great, too, and you should pick up this CD.

My Favorite Zevon Album.......2004-06-01

A couple of years ago, some friends and I were talking about the top 3 albums we would want if we were stranded on a desert island (with power, of course). My #1 choice would be "Bad Luck..." Zevon's classical training shines here, colliding with his off-the-wall lyrics, resulting in perfection.

Average customer rating:

"My Stars" are 4. It is a must own!
One Killer Guitar Lick
School's Out (Alice Cooper) R&R at it's best !
Nothing but a Teenage Rebellious Anthem
The opus of a 'Killer' band

School's Out
Alice Cooper
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Killer
Billion Dollar Babies
Love It to Death
Welcome to My Nightmare
Muscle of Love

ASIN: B000002KE5
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

School's Out
Luney Tune
Gutter Cat Vs. The Jets
Street Fight
Blue Turk
My Stars
Public Animal #9
Alma Mater
Grande Finale

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Alice Cooper used to claim he wrote entire albums worth of lyrics in an afternoon with the TV on. True or not, whatever led to moments of ultraclarity such as "We got no class / And we got no principles / And we got no innocence / We can't even think of a word that rhymes" should be bottled and force-fed to Marilyn Manson. School's Out (1972) is where Cooper's show-biz tendencies first fully flowered--"Gutter Cat Versus the Jets" more than nods to West Side Story and "Grande Finale" sounds like the band was trying to ace Elmer Bernstein out of a gig--but it also rocks hard, and most of the ambition-laden stuff (especially the epic "My Stars") really does work. Nasty and grande as they wanted to be. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

"My Stars" are 4. It is a must own!.......2007-07-19

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various music supplies and recordings from the 60's and 70's.

In 1972 Alice Cooper uttered the only imperative words a bored student craved. From the first time, those fixated on the clock that never seemed to move heard "School's Out" it would become an ANTHEM. Although the grooves in the record on the title cut would be warn out almost instantaneously, the entire album delivered the goods.

Beginning with the title track "School's Out" there could be no better attention getter for Cooper's audience. The brilliance of the lyrical composition was Alice's ability to say what we were thinking since the first day of kindergarten but with incredible sarcasm. The line "We can't even think of a word that rhymes" is perfect.

Track two "Luney Tune" continues with the no thrills in your face rock and roll. "Gutter Cat Vs. The Jets" could be the bronze metal winner of the LP. The vocal inflection is perfect with the energy of the band in fifth gear throughout. Alice showed tremendous musical diversity with "Blue Terk." You hear some jazz tints (Hence the name being close to Dave Brubeck's legendary Blue Rondo A La Turk) with homage to fifties rock and roll. "Public Animal #9" is another killer track. The in your face rock and roll apologizes to nobody. The final song "Grande Finale" gives us a dose of the blues on two fronts, the first the musical style and the second our sadness that such a great rock and roll recording had to end. Which leads us to ask why no bonus tracks?

After digesting the material that could be considered loose conceptual (School themes and West Side Story) isn't it pleasant to know next up would be "Billion Dollar Babies."

Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"

One Killer Guitar Lick.......2007-07-13

I have read the other reviews and I agree with all of them. But I had to add that this album is worth buying if only for the title song. The opening to School's Out is probably one of the best guitar licks around. Instantly recognizable, like Johnny B. Goode and Smoke on the Water, it is so simple but just screams off the album. Combined with the bass, and Alice's feral screams, the song is amazing. The rest of the album is good but would only merit 3.5-4 stars, especially when compared with Killer and Billion Dollar Babies. It is the title song that kicks it up to five stars.

School's Out (Alice Cooper) R&R at it's best !.......2007-06-27

Rock & Roll at it's best and Alice Cooper (and the original band membrs) at their very best - Great writing and talent - Is my favorite !

Nothing but a Teenage Rebellious Anthem.......2007-01-02

I also remember this being my first LP I ever bought. The title track was a claim for youngsters to have a voice and a right to shout out loud that School was out. Cooper was hated by many mother's,except mine who was super cool,she loved Alice and his voice. No matter what,Alice spoke out for youngsters and rebelion and this lp brought forth a strenth beyond belief of Cooper followers, look at me 35 years later,I'm still a fanatic of his stuff.

The music is very hard and rough,yet has elements of broadway musicals, West Side Story and some jazz. Ezrin went beyond the hard rock and flirted with many styles. The results was a very well thought out masterpiece that brought revolution to youths in the form of rebellion.

The opus of a 'Killer' band.......2006-12-11

It's nice to see that there are many fans around who still appreciate what a masterpiece this album was. I grew up a big, big fan of Alice's first band, who were incredibly talented musicians as well as powerful songwriters. People forget what an important player guitarist Michael Bruce was in those days, but if you look back, you'll see his songwriting credits on all the biggies from that era.

Having been practically weaned on Alice, I found it as sad to see this band break up as I imagine it must have been for fans of groups such as Pink Floyd or Van Halen. Sadder even still was watching Alice become less of a musician over the years and more and more of a shock rocker, and knowing that younger generations would never be aware that he had once made some truly remarkable music. Although there were a few flashes of brilliance in his solo period (most notably on 'Welcome to my Nightmare' and 'From the Inside'), there was nothing, to my mind, that ever came close to the stuff that was put out on Love It To Death, Killer, Billion Dollar Babies and School's Out.

To me, however, School's Out was the pinnacle. Not as hard rocking as some of the others, yet delightfully sprinkled with touches of various musical influences ranging from jazz to Broadway musicals, this was the opus for Alice and company. Interestingly, the title song, which was Alice's biggest solo hit with this group, has always been my least favorite. While I do like how it sets the theme of the album, I've always thought that things really kicked off with the second track, "Luney Tune," which is a neatly packaged song about losing it that has what is arguably their tightest song-ending ever. "Gutter Cat," "Blue Turk," "My Stars" and "Alma Mater" are likewise among the band's best tracks, and the closer, "Grande Finale," makes a fitting finale indeed for this particular piece of music.

I agree totally with one of the earlier reviewers who lamented that School's Out has not yet been digitally remastered. If there was ever an Alice Cooper album that would be suited for it, School's Out, with its extensive musical range, is definitely the one. The day that happens, I'll be sending for a copy, and pronto.

Mainstream Alice fans, this might not be to your taste. It's pretty experimental, and there's a lot less rock and guitar work than usual. However, if you consider yourself an Alice Cooper fan and are into musicianship and songwriting, than this should definitely be in your library.

Average customer rating:

a classic, but not everyone's cup o tea
One of the defining albums of jazz electric bass.
Freaked Out......
FUNK YEAH
Schoolin'

School Days
Stanley Clarke
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Stanley Clarke
Journey to Love
Romantic Warrior
Jaco Pastorius
No Mystery

ASIN: B0000025L0
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

School Days
Quiet Afternoon
The Dancer
Desert Song
Hot Fun
Life Is Just A Game

Customer Reviews:

a classic, but not everyone's cup o tea.......2007-05-16

slightly improved song writing compared to his self titled album, but still not on par with the jazz fusion writing of his contemporaries (Zawinul, Shorter, Corea, Hancock, or even Pastorius at the time and since then Marcus Miller, etc). some great bass playing, a fun, funky spirit, but on the whole, sorta dull album if you prefer jazzier sounding fusion. maybe it's apples and oranges but i endlessly prefer the stuff Shorter and Zawinul were doing at that time. still an important bass record though.

One of the defining albums of jazz electric bass........2007-05-02

Widely considered one of the two essential jazz bass guitar records (the other being Jaco Pastorious' eponymous debut record, also released in 1976), "School Days" finds virtuoso Stanley Clarke providing a good indication of what he's made of. Supported by a fine ensemble (usually Raymond Gomez on guitar, David Sancious on keys and either Gerry Brown or Steve Gadd on drums), Clarke creates a record that is very much a funk bass call to arms. And certainly as a bassist, I find myself, even years after I've first heard this one, picking my jaw up off the ground (listening to the first 30 seconds of closer "Life is Just a Game" will do that to you).

One thing immediately noticable about the record is that it's startling diverse, sliding easily from loping funk ("School Days") to slithering synths ("Quiet Afternoon"), old school horn-driven funk jazz ("Life is Just a Game") and even a slice of acoustic calm in the midst of the storm ("Desert Song", featuring Clarke on an upright and guitarist John McLaughlin on acoustic guitar). Throughout, the playing is top notch and it maintains itself as engaging.

One point I'd like to make-- this album is screaming for remastering. The 1990 CD transfer just doesn't cut it. But this aside, "School Days" is a classic, a great slice of funk-driven fusion jazz, and for anyone wanting to see blazing chops on a bass guitar, this is where to look.

Freaked Out.............2005-12-06

Let me clear the line-up first:

Personnel includes: Stanley Clarke (vocals, piano, acoustic, electric & piccolo basses, handbells, gong, chimes); Jack Nimitz, Buddy Childers, Lew McCreary, George Bohanon, William Peterson, Stuart Blumberg, Albert Aarons (brass); David Sancious (organ, keyboards, Mini-Moog synthesizer, guitar); George Duke (keyboards); Billy Cobham (Moog synthesizer, drums); Icarus Johnson (acoustic & electric guitars); John McLaughlin (acoustic guitar); Raymond Gomez (guitar) Gerry Brown (drums, handbells); Steve Gadd (drums); Milt Holland (congas, triangle, percussion).

All the geniuses are together to show the best of their funk jazz effort. Stanley Clarke was always the best in bass rhythm no matter he is solo or with jean luc ponty. He can mix with any situation and creates something anew. This is one of the funkiest jazz I have it with me.

Grab it.....

FUNK YEAH.......2005-09-10

Im only a 15 white kid but I think I know good music when I hear it, Stanley Clarkes school days is my all time favorite jazz album, The bass playing blew me through puberty and the other musicians were all jazz legends. This is truly an amazing album.

Schoolin'.......2005-08-23

I keep telling friends that of all the jazz funk albums released back in the 1970's, "School Days" was probably the best of them all. It is probably because Stanley Clarke, the master bassist, didn't resist the time he was living and playing in; he embraced it. He put the funk right in the middle of this album, recruited a brilliant group of musicians who all played with energy and passion, and just let it all come together like any jazz album, be it fusion, traditional, bebop, New Orleans style, free jazz or whatever. This isn't simply funk and jazz riffs being fused; these are well crafted and composed compositions full of emotion, power, and tradition. "School Days," the title track, gets the album started by announcing to the world and any doubters, that funk is here to stay and jazz and funk can easily co-exist. Clarke provides the statement with the legendary funk opening, and the album is off and running. There are no wasted moments either. "Quiet Afternoon" is brilliant. "Hot Fun" is a jazz jam. "Life is Just a Game" is bold and majestic. Each song is a unique piece of creativity that adds to Clarke's statement. Perhaps, he is giving the world a lesson here or maybe he is just remembering when he was in school; regardless, "School Days" was a funk era masterpiece of electric jazz. None of Miles' electric stuff was ever this good, but then again, as I wrote at the beginning, this is the best jazz funk album ever recorded.

Average customer rating:

You 're The One That I Want
Prepare to be transported to Summer Nights
Great Soundtrack & Fun Extras from an Enduring Musical.
If You Love Grease, You'll Love This - Only 1 Major Flaw
Grease CD Reveiw

Grease - Deluxe Edition
Olivia Newton-John , John Travolta , and Stockard Channing
Manufacturer: Polydor / Umgd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000C16OQ
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

Grease - Fankie Valli
Summer Nights - Olivia Newton-John
Hopelessly Devoted To You - Olivia Newton-John
You're The One That I Want - Olivia Newton-John
Sandy - John Travolta
Beauty School Drop-Out - Frankie Avalon
Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee - Stockard Channing
Greased Lightnin' - John Travolta
It's Raining On Prom Night - Cindy Bullens
Alone At The Drive-In Movie (Instrumental) - Jim Jacobs
Blue Moon - Sha-Na-Na
Rock N' Roll Is Here To Stay - Sha-Na-Na
Those Magic Changes - Sha-Na-Na
Hound Dog - Sha-Na-Na
Born To Hand-Jive - Sha-Na-Na
Tears On My Pillow - Sha-Na-Na
Mooning - Cindy Bullens
Freddy, My Love - Cindy Bullens
Rock N' Roll Party Queen - Louis St. Louis
There Are Worse Things I Could - Stockard Channing
Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee (Reprise) - Olivia Newton-John
We Go Together - Olivia Newton-John
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing (Instrumental) - Sammy Fain
Grease (Reprise) - Frankie Valli

Tracks:

Grease (Instrumental Version) - Gary Brown
Summer Nights (Sing-A-Long Version) - Jim Jacobs
Hopelessly Devoted To You (Sing-A-Long Version) - John Farrar
You're The One That I Want (Sing-A-Long Version) - John Farrar
Sandy (Sing-A-Long Version) - Louis St. Louis
Greased Lightnin' (Single Version) - John Travolta
Rydell Fight Song (Instrumental) - Jim Jacobs
Greased Up And Ready To Go (Instrumental) - Jim Jacobs
Grease Megamix: You're The One That I Want/Greased Lightnin'/Summer Nights - Olivia Newton-John
Grease Dream Mix: Grease/Sandy/Hopelessly Devoted To You - Olivia Newton-John
Summer Nights (Martian Remix) - Olivia Newton-John
You're The One That I Want (Martian Remix) - Olivia Newton-John

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There's no better example of American pop culture's hall-of-mirrors ethos than producer Alan Carr's relentlessly buoyant 1978 film adaptation of the stage musical Grease. Inspired by that decade's rampant 50's nostalgia, it now paradoxically evokes the campy 70's excesses that spawned it. That sense of recycled decades in collision is underscored repeatedly on this deluxe, double-disc Grease-fest, especially on the set's second disc of bonus materials that spans vintage singles of the title track (its instrumental B-side) and "Greased Lightnin'," some sing-along karaoke tracks, and a handful of alternately slick/techo-savvy remixes (originally produced for the film's 20th anniversary) that are testament to its enduring, era-defying appeal. The original soundtrack itself has been treated to a stellar digital remastering that fills disc one, and remains a joyous monument to camp, sheer ambition, and exuberant nostalgic illusions. Includes a slip-cased, double-fold-out case and new booklet with complete song lyrics. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

You 're The One That I Want.......2007-04-03

The complete Grease experience. This cd is a two disc-set with disc one being the complete soundtrack, while disc two is all bonus material including the popular Grease Megamix. Fans of the movie would want to make this cd an essential part of their music collection.

Prepare to be transported to Summer Nights.......2006-03-26

Well here we are with a great piece of history.

This album has not only captured the spirit of the movie but the essence of a 1970's version of the 1950's. I have seen this play live and yes some things are different. Yet I grew up on the movie. I even find myself singing some of the songs now and then. Of course you will never see me singing "Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee." However I do keep this in my car as great driving music. This album is not you can pick apart and say things like missing songs, in the wrong order etc. It sounds and feels just right. There will be many versions yet this one is the Grease - Deluxe Edition [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED] [SOUNDTRACK] gives you more information about each of the tracks allowing you to feel that you have inside information and to feel that you know more of what went into the making of each song.

Great Soundtrack & Fun Extras from an Enduring Musical........2004-07-06

I'm enjoying listening to this great soundtrack that I loved as a child after a long hiatus. I had it on 8-track 25 years ago. So it's fitting that I should get the 25th Anniversary Edition on CD. The 24 songs from the movie are just as everyone remembers them, so I'll talk about the Bonus Disc, which contains 10 alternative versions of the songs plus 2 previously unreleased instrumentals from the film.

Track 1 on the Bonus Disc is an instrumental version of the film's theme, "Grease", written and produced by Barry Gibb. Frankie Valli's voice has been replaced by a saxophone. The chorus is vocal, but the voices are not those in the original song. You could use this as a sing-along version, as it would be easy to sing over the sax. Tracks 2-5 are officially sing-along versions. "Summer Nights" includes the chorus vocals from the film and sounds good. "You're the One That I Want" has new chorus vocals of questionable merit. "Sandy" is a new arrangement. It's not as good as the film version, but you can sing along. Track 6 is the single version of "Greased Lightning" that you may have heard on the radio back in the day. It's differs from the original in that the bad words have been replaced for radio airplay. Tracks 7-8 are previously unreleased instrumentals from the film. "Greased Up and Ready to Go" is lively. Tracks 9-10 are mixes that I occasionally hear on the radio. The "Grease Megamix" and the "Grease Dream Mix" are fun, if awkward. Tracks 11-12 are Martian Remixes of "Summer Nights" and "You're the One That I Want". They retain the original vocals, but set them to a Latin rhythm. They make pretty good dance tracks.

This 2-disc set isn't in a jewel case. The case is paperboard with 4 panels that fold out. This is inside of a clear vinyl slip case on which the tracks are written. This isn't convenient packaging. On the bright side, the case won't crack in the mail. Tucked inside one of the panels is a booklet that contains lyrics and credits.

The "Grease: 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition" is a terrifically fun soundtrack to one of the all-time great movie musicals. And for all those preteen girls who go wild over the movie with each new generation, the bonus material is perfect for parties and horsing around.

If You Love Grease, You'll Love This - Only 1 Major Flaw.......2004-05-15

Disc 1 is like the original album, which I also own. 1 major flaw is that "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" cuts off at the very end of it! I was upset by this, hence the 3 stars instead of 4. Disc 2 is a lot of fun w/some remixes and sing-a-longs, all in all, I'm pretty happy with it being that I'm a HUGE Grease fan. If you like Grease, you'll love this, it's fun. Too bad when they "remastered" it, they didn't catch there 1 mistake. Oh well, at least I have it on another album.

Grease CD Reveiw.......2004-04-26

This Grease CD is the best! I listen to it every week. I just love Your The One That I Want.:) Amazon.com has everything!Olivia Newton-John and the boy singer have the best voices. Now thatnks to Amazon.com I can listen to it! The Grease CD is the best!:)

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