Reviews (1)

Lots of fun, good compilation,gives a taste for the era!
Let me confess that I have an unabashed love for this sort of music!I heard my parents play it when I was younger, and as an avid reader, I found it was easy to read to. A lot of this seems sappy now, but remember that the world was a lot tougher then, in so many ways. The people listening to this sort of music had lived through a decade long depression and a four year war. For them, music was something that was meant to make you feel better, not worse, and to uplift, not depress. I'm not downplaying any particular current musical styles, understand me, I'm just saying that this works for me, and I'd recommend it highly! ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's been suggested that almost as many baby boomers were conceived to the romantic sounds of Johnny Mathis's voice as to Sinatra's--and when you consider that Johnny's Greatest Hits stayed on Billboard's Top 40 chart for 178 weeks beginning in '58 (that's more than twice as long as Dark Side of the Moon, folks!), it's easy to understand why. Sony has used this "16 Most Requested" routine on a number of their easy-listening vocalists (including Sinatra and Andy Williams), but this one is special in that it takes the cream of Mathis's Greatest Hits album and rounds it out with his 1970s take on several movie theme hits, including Love Story and Romeo & Juliet. A truly unique and romantic sound. --Bill Holdship ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Johnny Mathis's Voice Keeps Me Going
I have almost every album of Johnny Mathis, as well as the "16 Most Requested Songs by Johnny Mathis." Since my husband passed away this past year, and he also loved to hear Johnny sing, I listen to him on CD every morning before I go to work, and as soon as I come home from work. His beautiful voice (with so much sweetness in it) just makes my day and he is just unique. I like many singers, but Johnny Mathis is the very best. One of my biggest wishes is to meet Johnny Mathis in person one day.

Last fall my brother drove me to San Antonio, TX, to hear him in concert at the Magestic Theater. Of course, it was a tremendous thrill for me to hear and see him in person. He is just the best of all, and I love him -- I thank him for being him.

Johnny Mathis, having the voice that he does, has to be a very kind and sweet person. I just love him, and his voice fills a void in my heart.

Thank you, Johnny.

Marcia Hendricks

Innocence Never Sung As Sweetly As On This Mathis Collection
Most 1950S crooners played (and lived, to a degree) the life of martini-mixing men of the world. Johnny Mathis, here with 16 of his greatest hits, gained his strength and fame from naivete'.

Handsome, athletic, gifted with pipes the timbre of Ella Fitzgerald's, Mathis and orchestral collaborators Percy Faith, Ray Conniff, Frank DeVol, and Glenn Osser crafted sparsely orchestrated, delicately sung hits celebrating love's opening moments. Mathis sings convincingly of love's discovery ("Gina," "Maria," the oh-so-good "Small World.") and fear of the unknown ("Chances Are," "It's Not For Me To Say," the definitive vocal "Misty," featuring music's most romantic introduction). Teenagers fell for this music which shared, at best, a thread with rock n' roll; Mathis sung the confusion and exhiliration they felt, only more tenderly.

The 60s-70s film songs (themes from "Star is Born," "Romeo and Juliet," and "Love Story," plus Jimmy Webb's "Didn't We") are well-sung, romantically done filler. They keep up the album's romantic mood, but lack the drama (and bombast)of the Streisand/Williams originals. Better to hear "Wonderful, Wonderful" and even the hokey "What Would My Mary Say?" for the jazz singer Johnny Mathis might have become but (fortunately, for him and us), did not. A classy set, and highly recommended.

Soulful, Jazzy ... A real classical evergreen ballads.....
A beautiful vocal by Johnny Mathis, especially songs like 'Misty', 'Chances Are'', 'Gina', 'It's not for me to say' etc .... a classical ballad worth keeping and listening as part of your collection........ this album had been digitally remastered to bring back the perfect vocal and songs ....

Not the songs I would request...
This is more of a greatest hits package (yet again) rather than a cd of actual requests. Perhaps the older fans would request these songs, and that's fine, but as for me, I'd rather hear songs like Pieces of Dreams, Life is a Song Worth Singing, Evie, anything off the I'm Coming Home album, This Way Mary, I could go on but won't. So I give it three stars because it's just the same stuff again.

16 Most Requsted Songs by Johnny Mathis
This is an excetional grouping of Mr. Mathis's best songs. I have enjoyed it thoroughly. I would not hesitate to recommend this C.D. to any Johnny Mathis fan. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Cheated out of playing nightclub canary Sally Bowles on Broadway in director Hal Price's Cabaret, Liza Minnelli nevertheless delivered an Oscar-winning star turn in Bob Fosse's cinematic reinvention of the show (which had the good sense to retain perverse imp Joel Grey from the stage production). Although the 1972 film discarded several songs from the original score, the new ones sound even better: Minnelli's breast-beating "Maybe This Time," the sultry "Mein Herr," and the salaciously satirical "Money, Money." By placing almost all the pertinent musical action on the stage of the decadent Kit Kit Club, the Kurt Weill-like compositional nuances and political underpinnings bask in the spotlight...that is, when Minnelli stops eclipsing it with her no-holds-barred performance. --Kurt B. Reighley ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Huge Improvement from the Original Score
Even though "Cabaret" is DEFINATELY my favorite musical, I have to say the movie version is my favorite recording. Yes Lotte Lenya and Joel Grey were excellent in the original recording, there were some pretty so-so songs that didn't stand out as the ones on this soundtrack do. First of all, the movie version of "Cabaret" was NOT the Broadway version. The only songs taken from the original are "Wilkommen", "Money, Money", "Two Ladies", a translated version of "Married and the concluding title track. Two new Bob Fosse tunes are included which spruce up the score: the sultry "Mein Herr" and the unforgettable "Maybe This Time" performed FLAWLESSLY by Minnelli. Another original tune is the delightful yet disturbing "If You Could See Her" by Joel Grey. Overall as I said earlier this is my favorite recording as it's the best vocally. The instrumentals are also incredible and are an improvement over the Broadway. Granted, classics like "Don't Tell Mama", "So What" and "Perfectly Marvelous" were omitted, but who cares? Fosse, Minnelli and Grey make this show their own. "Cabaret" will always remain my favorite musical and the movie soundtrack my favorite recording. A+

PERFECT SOUNDTRACK TO PERFECT MOVIE
This soundtrack is absolutely perfect, without one throwaway track. You needn't even have to have seen the movie to enjoy these marvellous songs, but it certainly helps. I consider the movie and this album the highlight of Liza Minnelli's career. It starts with Joel Grey's Wilkommen, after which Sally Bowles is introduced and lets rip with Mein Herr. Two Ladies is risqué and very funny, while Maybe This Time is a sad love song. Money Money is energetic and very funny while Heiraten sounds like a real period piece, a German love song from the 1930s. If You Could See Her Through My Eyes (the love song to a gorilla maiden) is full of irony, while Tomorrow Belongs To Me is as chilling and sinister as it is anthemic. The title track Cabaret needs no comment as it is so familiar, but it does encapsulate the mood of the film very well. Even the two instrumentals, Tiller Girls and Sitting Pretty are memorable and charming. The Cabaret soundtrack is a masterpiece, as is the movie, a true work of art.

Legendary....
This movie picked up 8 Academy awards, including a best actress award for Liza Minnelli and a best supporting actor for Joel Grey. We follow a night club singer called Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) who struggles to make a living as a performer in the 1930's Berlin under world war two. Sally seems happy and unsually bored until one day a man walks into her life...little did she know that the man would change her life forever as it seems...Life is a cabaret, old chum...come to the cabaret.

Willkommen 5/5
The opening act brilliantly performed by the master of command, Joel Grey's performance is strange, gothic and weird but it always comes off strong and vital as Joel himself.

Mein Herr 5/5
Liza Minnelli's first song, it's ferious, fearless groundbreaking and stunning, it has a great beat and Liza shines both with voice and with her dancing act, the song perfectly represents what Sally Bowles is all about.

Maybe This Time 4.5/5
What many people didn't know is that Liza has actually been singing this song since 1964, nonthelss it's melancholic and Liza Minnelli's performance is vital, strong and it remains a Liza Minnelli classic...Maybe this time....who knows?........

Money, Money 5/5
A fine duet between Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli, the song is fun, quirky and sataric, both Joel and Liza are perfect, Joel's growling vocal perfectly suits Liza's crystal clear multi-faceted singing, one of the best songs on the album.

Two Ladies 4.5/5
Another song performed solo by the ecclectric master of command, the fantastic Joel Grey. The song itself is fun, loving and very vulgar, but in a fun way. Joel Grey is outstanding and is obviously one of the biggest Broadway performers of out time...Two ladies...what a fantasy...??...

Sitting Pretty 4/5
A fine instrumental number, but what I don't understand is why Bob Fosse chose to leave out so many songs that is vital for the shows total running time...So What was a song that needed to be executed, Lotta Lenya's performance were ecclectric.

Tomorrow Belong To Me 2.5/5
This song gives me the shivers...it's strangely nationalized and it has a very scary mood and feeling about it, the one song that don't fit in with "Cabaret", it's strange and give me the shivers every time I hear it...how strange!!!...maybe not?..

Tiller Girls 4/5
Another instrumental song (the second and last) instrumental tune, again I still can't comprehend why there were so many vital songs cut out from this movie, but for anyone who hasn't seen the Lotta Lenya original Broadway production of Cabaret they won't miss a thing, I'm confounded. Still good though.

Heiraten (Married) 4.5/5
A great German song about the struggles of the married life, the song is beautifully performed, I can just imagine Marlene Dietrich, Zara Leander or Lenya performing this tune, it's simply great...same year Liza performed this song in english in her Tony award winning show called "Liza With A Z".

If You Could See Her 5/5
WoW this song really sturred something deep inside me, Joel is allegedly singing about his love for a jew and not the Orangutang his performing with, listen carefully and You'll the deeper message within the meaning of the song. Legendary.

Cabaret 5/5
WOW Liza Minnelli's classic act, her performance is forceful, prowess, ravingly stunning, legendary, shadowing, and one of the most memorable tunes ever performed by anyone, no wonder why Liza won a Academy award for best actress. Liza Minnelli is a legend and she truly deserves the title of one.

Finale 5/5
The ending song summons up the whole show, it's emotional and it will promtly remind You just how great Cabaret was, Liza Minnelli, Joel Grey, Michael York all performed with such a powerful and forceful energy that it will be remembered for a very long time, Cabaret was the last succesful musical movie, up until the release of the wonderful "Mounlin Rouge" and some years later "Chicago". A lost genre, it's truly sad.

Excellent CD but not Cabaret
The vocals on this CD are amazing. Liza Minnelli has a wonderfull voice but she is not Sally bowles. Liza sings the final and greatest number, Cabaret, belting and it leaves a good feeling with you. But, that is not how it's supposed to sound. Sally is not supposed to sound happy she is supposed to be upset that she left her love and is stuck in this awful place. This musical is not Cabaret it is something else with Liza Minnlli.
That is not the only problem with this CD. They toatally do away with the lnadlord's and her boyfriend's role. In the original the incriddible Lotta Lenya played the landlord and had to unbelievible songs. the movie also cut's out over eight of the fabulous songs in the origimnal. Including Cliff's only solo "Why Should I Wake Up." Overall the movie recording is not the dark and haunting cabaret it should be. The best on this rrecording is Joel Grey becuase he is the only one who keeps his true collor.
If you want a full and excellent recording of cabaret get the originall with Joel Grey also.

Beedly Deedly Dee-Two Thumbs Up
Cabaret is a musical filled with silly songs, but it is a serious musical as well. The soundtrack is well worth owning. There's parts of Cabaret that are about the Nazi era. If you've never seen the movie(which I have), you'd think that "Tomorrow Belongs to Me," is a comforting song. But in fact is a very synical song, sung quietly. I'd have to say that my favorite song in the musical is "Two Ladies." ... Read more

Amazon.com

Al Jarreau's style bridges Jon Hendricks's vocalese and Bobby McFerrin's incredible flights of fancy. This CD, with Diana Krall's rhythm section--guitarist Anthony Wilson, drummer Peter Erskine, and bassist ChristianMcBride--should please fans of albums like Jarreau's phenomenal 1977 live LP, Look to the Rainbow. Duke Ellington's "I'm Beginning to See the Light" is illuminated byLarry Goldings's down-home Hammond organ, while Lionel Hampton's "Midnight Sun" bops with hip-hop-friendly rim shots. Jarreau's tenor tones curve with saxophonic dexterity and pulse with percussive precision, especially on Dizzy Gillespie's "Groovin' High," where he slyly drops in a few words from the old show tune, "Whispering." --Eugene Holley, Jr. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

The greaatst collection of songs in the world.
I am 14 years old and most 14 year olds like heavy metal and rap, but I like people like Jimmy Durante, Louis Armstrong, Johnnie Ray, The Platters, etc. But this is the best collection of songs I have ever heard. I listen to it about six times a day.

"The Best" really is the best!
As a kid growing up, I found Jimmy Durante to have a style that was somewhat comic--and my reaction was exactly what he cultivated as part of his public persona. For those of us who were young during the waning years of his career, Jimmy was a clown.

Even now, no one ever could call his voice beautiful, yet I can think of no more fitting a talent to sing the songs on this CD. His raspy style perfectly fits the original moods of classics such as "As Time Goes By," "I'll Be Seeing You," and "Try A Little Tenderness." Every melody on this CD is a gem, and the way Jimmy styles them simultaneously makes the listener want to weep and to dance. Can there be a higher compliment for a crooner?

Nobody knows Jimmy Durante anymore
I've started an unscientific questionaire to determine a person's age. If someone has no idea who Jimmy Durante is, they are younger than 40 years old. It's a shame really. As this collection shows, you don't have to be beautiful, glitzy, or have multi-million dollar studio remixing to be a truly talented entertainer. Jimmy Durante had talent and ability in spades! I keep introducing this music to people under 40 whenever I get the chance. Every once in a while, they listen.

Will melt your heart!
Someone mentioned hearing this in a little shop in Northern California. Perhaps that is the same store I heard it in. The store was in Sonoma. The store ownere there said that it was the best selling item. She said that EVERYONE was buying this CD. Many brides who were planning their wedding receptions bought it for their first dance or the dance with their father. I used it during a conference for music during one of the dinners. It sets such a magical tone. Even if you grew up long after Jimmy Durante, you'll love this CD.

What Can One Say? . . .
. . . It's Jimmy Durante. That just about says it all. He brings is own, unique persoanlity and charm to these song renditions. And he does it in a way that no one else in the world can duplicate.Durante's one-of-a-kind, and what a pleasure to hear his distinctive voice rendering these beautiful ballads. Yes, everybody adores him, yet cannot exactly figure out what it is he does. Well, whatever it is, Durante's got my vote. Luv it. ... Read more

Album Description

Slow is Ann Hampton Callaway's most emotionally revealing, romantic and pop-inspired CD to date.This deeply personal recording showcases her keen compositional chops and equally impressive lyrical sensibilities.Her superb originals and timeless jazz standards like "Never Let Me Go" illustrate why Callaway has emerged as one of the leading singers of her generation.She has impeccable control of her three-octave contralto which resonates with heartfelt soul.A special highlight on Slow is "Tonight, You're All Mine," which Callaway wrote and recorded with the legendary songwriter Carole King.Also included on the record is a gorgeous cover of King's #1 smash hit "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow." ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Classy small-group music from Vaughan
At this stage of her career Vaughan was often put in front of larger bands; here, however, she's working just with Jimmy Jones's trio plus three horns: tenor saxophonist Paul Quinichette, flautist Herbie Mann & the great trumpeter Clifford Brown. The arrangements are by Ernie Wilkins, though the tracks aren't in fact highly "arranged" in feel.

Sarah Vaughan's voice was of course at its freshest & loveliest at this point, & it's truly mesmerizing no matter what the material. Or perhaps I should say "despite the material": there's an odd mix of classic songs like "September Song", "April in Paris" & "Embraceable You" with material that hardly was up to that calibre. "Lullaby of Birdland" is a great tune, but it's an instrumental: the lyrics superadded to Shearing's melody are truly atrocious, & Vaughan's near-operatic voice can't do much with rhymes like "birdland" and "word-land", or phrases like "magic music we make with our lips when we kiss". "Jim"'s lyrics mine the same kind of helpless pathos one associates with some of Billie Holiday's setpieces, & Vaughan's reading has some noticeable Holiday inflections, but it's not exactly a great tune, with a wretchedly clumsy B section lyric (rhyming "call it quits" with "breaking my heart in bits"....ouch!). -- All that said, Vaughan's superb on the material which actually can sustain some interpretive weight. "April in Paris" & "Embraceable You" are both done at dead-slow tempos & are very lovely; "Lullaby of Birdland", despite the rotten lyrics, also has an excellent bit of scatting on it.

The band is rather mixed. Herbie Mann is pretty undistinguished, tooting away rather vaguely & not showing much ability here as an improvisor. Quinichette was one of the most faithful of Lester Young's imitators--he was often dubbed "the Vice-Prez"--& while he doesn't set a foot wrong here, on the other hand does nothing especially distinctive, with a softness & blandness that compare poorly with the wonderful foggy, misterioso inwardness of his role model's playing. The unquestioned star on the disc is Clifford Brown, whose perfectly focussed & poised solos completely outshine the efforts of his companions except, of course, Vaughan herself.

A very good album, despite its imperfections. It's a pity that the relationship between Vaughan & Brown wasn't sustained beyond this one album. Listeners who want to hear more of Brown's work with singers are directed to his work with Helen Merrill.

A gorgeously restored classic
Sarah Vaughan's self-titled album featuring Clifford Brown has always been a landmark of her recording career; her warm, lush voice was in absolute top form and the musical backing was nothing short of stellar. And whereas most jazz vocalists of the 50's focused mainly on their own singing, this album explains why musicians considered Sarah one of their own; this isn't so much a singer's release as it is a project by a jazz combo that happens to feature a human voice as one of its counterparts. Generous solos are given throughout, and the album has an earthy, jam-session quality. "You're Not the Kind" and "Lullaby of Birdland" show Sarah at the height of her swinging abilities ("Birdland" even boasts what is arguably the best scat of her career) and "I'm Glad There is You," "April in Paris," and "Embraceable You" rank among the most moving and emotional ballads she's ever recorded.

Additionally, this release single-handedly justifies the remastering and reissuing process. This album has been available on CD for years and sounded just fine; the reissue, however, adds a texture to the music (especially noticeable on sax and drums) that is priceless. Amazingly, Sarah's voice sounds even more beautiful and the project as a whole no longer sounds like it was recorded decades ago. For artistic jazz standards of yesteryear and the sound technology of today, you can't find a better release than "Sarah Vaughan."

Come to Mama, come to Mama, do
From the opening intro you know you are in for something accesible and new at the same time with this one. I have listened sporadically to jazz since I was fifteen, I saw aging Gillespie and Basie live, and Ella and Joe Pass. I got hooked on a label that focused on Ella, and never listened to much Sarah Vaughan. I just have to say that this early stuff rocks(or Jazzes, I guess). The aforementioned first cut just cruises along is such a heartstoppingly beautiful way...for me, no music does this to me like Jazz. I listen to a lot of stuff(though I hate when people blow their own horn about how eclectic their musical tastes are...yeah yeah, get over yourself) I can think of no other music that creates these time stopping moments for me like jazz does. The first cut, lullaby of Birdland does this several times...it creates absloutely breathtaking moments, the opening intro, the absolutely spare backup, allowing total support for master vocals....the scatting, and then this great point where Sarah sings in front of a rythmic arrangement...it is magical for me.
Oh yes, there is the rest of the music, which wails and ballads it's way into every nook and cranny of ones romantic soul. When Sarah sings Embraceable You, you want to come to mama(that is a lyric..) (oh that great moment is coming up..........don't you love it)
Gotta figure it out for yourself...but chances are you will want to embrace someone yourself when you listen to it...

or want to go to birdland, or experience Paris

it's an emotional travelogue of the map of the jazzy heart.

One of the best vocal jazz albums ever
It is hard to find information about Jazz in today's world, so it is hard to know what is good, what is bad and what is... well, you know. THIS is better than good. This is Sarah Vaughn, one of the best voices in the history of singing, backed by the best band she ever worked with, featuring trumpeter Clifford Brown. I'd pay the purchase price just for "Lullaby of Birdland", but fortunately there are 8 other awesome tracks here. This is one of those albums you can play all the way through over and over again. No jazz record collection should be without it.

Sarah Vaughan at Her Best
I've had this CD over a year now and every time and every time I listen to Sarah, I swear she sounds better each time. This is one hell of a recording. Clifford Brown stands out for all eternity on trumpet. You have to wonder what a star he would have been. Herbie Mann on flute is decent too. This is great CD during a wonderful time in the 50's before music met effects processing and over production! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the short time since they grouped together a few years ago to form their sensationally successful trio, the Irish Tenors have already put out an impressive array of recordings and DVDs, including some bona fide gooseflesh-inducing live concert performances. So, if you still have the enviable pleasure of discovering these amazing vocalists--or want to turn a friend on to their musical charms--this compilation CD will do the trick nicely. It brings together such classics as "Danny Boy," "Toora Loora Looral," "Last Rose of Summer," and "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" (featuring John McDermott)--all rendered with the kind of passionate, heartfelt, and harmonious crooning that is their signature style, whether they're singing as an ensemble or as highlighted soloists. And even if you have the complete Irish Tenors, this anthology includes several numbers not found on their previously released CDs. Hard to think of a sweeter treat for a fan of singing too good to ever go out of fashion.--Sarah Chin ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Love it!
What a fun CD! And frankly, I love "Molly Malone"! I do wish they'd do less unison singing and get into more harmony. And too many ballads for my taste, but the uptunes are good for playing over and over! Their voices are all gorgeous. You'll enjoy this one for certain!

I Love It!! hmmm... where can I rate this 25,000 stars...?
I would recommend this to everyone! It has all four irish tenors, and it has a mixture of different songs from all their CD's! The only problem, in my opinion at least, is why do they have "Molly Malone" on it? There certainly are much more appreciated songs than that, and it certainly isn't one of their best. I wish they had "Red Is The Rose" with Finbar Wright singing in it instead of John Mcdermott for once. Maybe they'll have that on their next album they're working on! Can't Wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Ah-em... you can tell I'm enthusiastic...)

Magnificent Texas Concert and CD
My wife and I attended the Irish Tenors concert in Ft Worth, Texas last night,February 27,2003, where we purchased this CD.A number of the selections they sang last night are included in this CD which is a "must purchase" for all fans of these magnificent singers. Buy this CD and you will thank yourself for years to come for your wise decision.

Paul R. McConahy
Arlington, Texas

Absolutely the very BEST!!!!!
This has to be my very favorite CD of all time. As I have everything else The Irish Tenors have recorded, I just love this one because it's got all my favorites from all the CDs.
I especially can't get enough of Finbar's MAGGIE, and this has to be the VERY BEST version of DANNY BOY. I think Amazing Grace is one of the best songs that they have done with John McDermott. And the closest one can get to hearing angels sing is when one listens to Nearer My God To Thee. Their voices are all pure joy to listen to. And of course, all the fun numbers they do together is just a thrill. This CD has it all!!!!
This is one CD which I listen to even while I sleep.

Good, not the Very Best.....
This album, while good, is more for people who want to complete their Irish Tenors collection on CD. The DVD and videos contained more songs than were contained in the CDs of the same names. This CD appears to collect those missing cuts and combine them with some of the best performances from the works to date. It is quite good, but not the "very best". I have all the Irish Tenors CDs and enjoy listening to them again and again. I would suggest buying Belfast first if you are buying your first Irish Tenors CD. It includes performances by all 4 of these gifted singers and is the strongest CD overall. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good collection
from one of the smoothed Vocalist Ever.Johnny Mathis has a timeless Quality when it comes to His range&stylings as a Singer.these songs have been on other packages but still are cool."Chances are" is the kind of song that still sounds fresh as it did when it first was released to radio.

So Much To Choose From, But There Are Songs Missing......
Johnny's recorded 100 plus albums in his career, a two disc set just can't summarize that much material; still, there are a few signature tunes missing. "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" which warrented inclusion on the soundtrack but not the soundtrack album of "To Wong Foo" is rather a sore spot for me, I really want that song and the album is out of print. "You Who Brought Me Love" performed with Patti Austin and featured on the t.v. soap "General Hospital" was a huge A/C hit and by all rights should be here. It is nice that this collection is updated to include tracks from Johnny's career of late, all the way up to his Broadway album released in 2000. "Sleigh Ride" from one of the most successful Christmas albums ever, is included so a cut from his very last album, a Christmas album, was understandably skipped. Overall this isn't a bad collection, just not comprehensive enough.

Why all the mono?
Nice selection of songs, but why are almost all of the early hits in mono? Some of these have been available in stereo before and for the remaining few, I hoped that they might remix them to stereo if the 2-track tapes still existed. Oh well... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lea Salonga, best known as the voice of Jasmine in Aladdin, steals the show here as the title character in Disney's Mulan. The former star of Miss Saigon adds touching elements to the feature, especially on introspective numbers such as "Reflection." Unfortunately, the voice of Donny Osmond, relegated to anthems such as "I'll Make a Man Out of You" doesn't really enhance the story line, a saga set in ancient China. Jerry Goldsmith provides the Far East tinge to the score, almost reminiscent of early Les Baxter. While Mulan is a far cry from the memorable Beauty and the Beast, it is both funny and charming. --Jason Verlinde ... Read more

Reviews (149)

The music on this soundtrack is absolutely gorgeous!
I think that the Mulan soundtrack is one of Disney's best. If you loved the movie, you are sure to love the soundtrack. The songs, as usual, are wonderful. Disney sure knows how to pick the people to write the songs, and of course, who to sing them. Disney never fails to come up with wonderful, creative songs that people of all ages are sure to enjoy. My personal favorite is "I'll Make a Man Out of You," sung by Donny Osmond. He sure knows how to add life to a song. And let's not forget the beautiful voice of Lea Salonga! The scores, too, were absolutely amazing! The traditional Disney music is uniquely blended with Chinese culture. So full of life, some of these scores are sure to move you to tears. For instance, you could feel the shock and the sadness in "The Burned-Out Village." So, if you haven't seen "Mulan," it is a movie you should definitely see. And if you haven't listened to the soundtrack, you are really missing out!

Great CD except for one thing
This is a great soundtrack to accompany a very good movie. The music is great (I love the Mulan Suite in particular in the instrumental part) and Donny Osmond and Lea Salonga's voices are excellent.

I would give it five stars if not for the last track (Christina Aguilera's version of Reflection, which really annoys me). Next time, Disney should stick to REAL singers when doing another version, or better yet, stop doing these "pop" versions altogether: they just ruin the magical, animated experience. There was certainly NO NEED to match the original Reflection song with a 'bastardized' version. Disney was probably imagining Mulan taking off her clothes (ala-Christina Aguilera) as she was reflecting on the bad thing that just happened to her. (Can you imagine Mulan singing the song in the movie the way Christina did?) Thank goodness Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle did a decent job with "A Whole New World" in Aladdin!

Great soundtrack!
Beautiful music, beautiful voices, beautiful songs. I especially like "Reflection" whose lyrics I can really relate to.

A potential masterpiece, ruined
I would have given this CD at least three stars, maybe even five, if Disney didn't cut it up. Maybe I'm over-reacting but I bought this soundtrack for one reason and one reason only: the score that plays when Mulan lights the incense and prays to her ancestors, cuts her hair, and dons her father's armor. Well, that little synth piece was slashed right out!! Yeah, sure the rest of the music isn't all that bad, but this omission ruins everything!! EVERYTHING!!! I wasn't even sure I wanted to buy an entire soundtrack for just one song, and I didn't even get what I paid for.
This review may be of no use to you, but before you ever buy a soundtrack again, make sure you get every piece of info on it first.

Wonderful!
The best tracks are Mulan Suite and Reflection (sung very beautifully by Lea Salonga). The worst track if Christina Aguilera's version of Reflection. What a way to ruin the song! ... Read more

Reviews (73)

One of the Most Original and Diverse Musicals ever!!!!
Before I had bought 'Chess' three years ago, I had only ever heard one other musical with such diverse musical types and that was Lloyd Webber's 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat'; both of these musicals, incidentally, have been written by the brilliant lyricist, Tim Rice. The composers, Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (the male half of ABBA) have combined a variety of styles of music (eg 1980's Pop, and Classical) in creating this - the most original musical I have heard. Yet, it is well known that Rice had devised the idea of 'Chess' long before he even approached Andersson and Ulvaeus to compose the music for it, consequently a lot of the credit must go to Rice.

This album is a concept recording, consequently the plot is difficult to follow at times, but that would have to be the only fault with this album. Set during the middle of the Cold War, 'Chess' focuses on three central characters; Florence played by the amazing Elaine Paige, the Russian (a reluctant protagonist, which makes him realistic) played by Tommy Korberg, and the American (the antagonist) played by Murray Head. Listeners are subject to the conflicts, controversies and, put simply, the darker (and more entertaining) side of the game of chess. Who would have thought that using chess as the subject matter of a musical would create an entertaining story for an audience? It is because of the use of such unexpected subject matter that makes this musical incredibly original and thus appealing.

Nearly all of the events which occur in 'Chess' are linked to the character of the Russian. Listeners are first introduced to the Russian in the song "The Russian and Molokov" where we see a tactical, yet cynical chess champion who has a bit of a temper, but is very focussed on the game of chess. While Tommy Korberg plays the Russian with great dramatic flair he doesn't have a terribly strong voice. But he still plays the character brilliantly, bringing dimension to the Russian as the focussed chess player ('Where I want to be'), the patriotic countryman ('Anthem'), and the gentle lover (Mountain Duet). Yet listeners will also notice that the Russian is extremely self-centred as he pushes aside his lover, Florence, and his wife, Svetlana (played by Barbara Dickson), in order to focus on winning the chess championship ('Argument' and 'Endgame'). This fault of the Russian makes him a more realistic character. The song, 'Anthem' is one of the most inspirational and emotive songs I have ever heard, but while the music is superb, it is Tim Rice's lyrics which create this paramount effect on the audience.

The character of Florence is portrayed as strong yet feminine, and is brilliantly performed by Elaine Paige. Paige, the star of 'Cats' and 'Evita', uses her exquisite, powerful, well-ranged voice to create a character who has endured a lot of suffering in her lifetime. That is; she lost her father at an early age, and she has tolerated the American's intolerable personality for seven years. Despite this suffering, Florence is probably one of the most 'normal' characters in the musical. She is polite and compromising ('A Model of Decorum and Tranquillity'), and a loyal lover ('Heaven Help my Heart', a beautiful song), but her true strength of character is found when she stands up to both the Russian ('Argument') and the American ('The American and Florence' and 'The Deal {No Deal}'). One of the most powerful songs sung by Florence is 'I Know Him So Well', a duet with the Russians wife, Svetlana. Paige and Dickson perform this song with gentle passion as they sing about the man they both love, the Russian. This song captures the listeners' emotions in the music and the lyrics are just brilliant, which is a credit to Ulvaeus and Andersson, and Rice. Another duet performed beautifully by Paige is 'You and I' with the Russian. I think the creators added this song in order to give the musical a happier ending, because 'Chess' once you think about it, is a really quite depressing musical, yet still magnificent.

Probably the most colourful character in 'Chess' is the American. The American is portrayed as a spiteful, trouble-making, conniving, money hungry, frivolous, and selfish chess champion by Murray Head (who played Judas in the Original Concept Recording of 'Jesus Christ Superstar', in which the lyrics were again written by Tim Rice). In the songs 'Merano', 'The American and Florence', 'Florence Quits' and 'The Deal (No Deal)', listeners are subject to these negative aspects of the American's character. Yet, the creators have evoked sympathy for the loathed antagonist in the song 'Pity the Child', where the American sings about his sad childhood and why he is the way he is. Another entertaining song of the American's is 'One Night in Bangkok' where the American introduces the setting to the second act in a very 1980's pop kind of way!!!!

'Chess' involves a lot of very well performed chorus numbers including 'Merano', 'Opening Ceremony', 'The Story of Chess' and the very intense 'Endgame'. All of these songs are different and powerful listening.

'Chess', though a concept album is a must have for any musical fan. Don't let the fact that its different to the normal type of musical turn you off, Time Rice, Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus have created a wonderful musical from a rather mundane topic. If the lyrics and the music are not enough to coerce you to listen to this album, then buy it for the powerful vocals of Elaine Paige, Murray Head and Tommy Korberg.

A model of great music
So, I bought this LP (as in record...I'm dating myself) when it first came out in 1986. I got it because of the "One Night In Bangkok" frenzy. Being an ignorant kid, I had no idea that this was a musical soundtrack; I thought Murray Head was a pop singer (I can feel people voting no on my review right now out of sheer outrage at my stupidity). Don't worry, I ended up okay.

What a treat I was in for as I explored the story, voices, and instruments of this gorgeous body of work. I listened to this album constantly. "Merano" is lively, funny, and rousing. "Bangkok" is cool and catchy. "I Know Him So Well" is a perfect blend of the bewitching voices of the two female leads. "Heaven Help My Heart"...the vocals and chords just bring tears to your eyes...so lovely.

The lyrics come with it so you can read along with the songs and learn about the history of the game of chess and former chess champions. Hey, you never know; I once won a game of Trivial Pursuit on the basis of a chess question which I answered correctly due to my obsession with this album. Fine. My name is Jennifer and I'm a geek.

Chess (1986 London Concept Cast - 1997 Polydor Slimline Rele
Chess (1986 London Concept Cast - 1997 Polydor Slimline Release) [CAST RECORDING]~ Benny Andersson (Composer), et al is very good and I usually hate musicals since they are stupid, totally mindless and are made bye hacks like andrew lloyd webber. This one is good and fun.

From Square One You'll be Watching All 64.....
I purchased Chess when it originally came out in album form, and will admit that I originally bought it only because I wanted a copy of One Night in Bangkok. It took me about five minutes to become completely enthralled with the entire album. From Merano to the Embassy Lament to Nobody's Side, there are several amazing songs in this musical (my personal favorite being Anthem).

The concept cast is phenomenal. The six principal singers are absolutely fantastic. The singers from the Broadway recording do not begin to compare to the cast featured on the concept album. In fact, I was rather disappointed with the version of Chess that finally made it to Broadway (some of the best songs from the concept album didn't make the cut to the final version).

The instant Chess was made available in CD format, I purchased it. It is well worth the cost. The concept album is by far the better of the two versions available.

Checkmate!
The year was 1984, and two guys from a 70's disco band, along with a legendary Broadway lyricist, decide to make a musical about a Cold War chess game. And the results were...amazing.

"Chess" is a thoroughly enjoyable musical, full of competition, egos, romance, heartache and, of course, "cerebal fitness."

The highlights here are "One Night In Bangkok," (which was made into a pop hit by Murray Head), "Nobody's Side," "I Know Him So Well" and "Mountain Duet." ... Read more

Reviews (17)

The definite Streisand album!
Of all of the many Streisand collections, GREATEST HITS Vol. 2 is the absolute best. If you only wanted to buy one Streisand album, this is the one to get. Streisand had more success (as a recording star) in the seventies than any other decade. With this album, you can see why.

The album opens with the Oscar-winning, #1 smash "Evergreen," which has a beautiful melody (written by Barbra herself) and a almost haunting delivery. The love theme from the EYES OF LAURA MARS, "Prisoner," features an amazing arrangement and gives Barbra the chance to perform a rock ballad. Two more #1 singles, "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" (with Neil Diamond) and "The Way We Were," are also included, as well as the oddly beautiful "Superman" and the tear-jearking "Songbird."

In the live melody version of "Sweet Inspiration/Where You Lead," Barbra proves she can sing other artists' work (in this case Carole King) as they never could themselves. The rocker "Stoney End," her first top 10 of the 70's, brings the album to a nice end.

Simply wonderful, the entire album is full of highlights.

Greatest Hits truly is GREATEST!
Barbra's Greatest Hits Album Vol.2 is one of the best if not the best album Barbra has ever recorded. She is at her peak in the recording industry and songs like "Evergreen" and "The Way We Were" are with "People" (from her first Greatest Hits") are the songs for which she is most remembered today. Her voice in the underrated "Songbird" is just that and her duet with Neil Diamond in the immortal "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" is perfect. Don't forget "Stoney End" and "Superman". Even the forgotten "Prisoner" is a terrific tune by La Streisand! Every song on this album is special and is a very accurate summary of that point in her career just like her first greatest hits displays her talent of the 1960s and her Greatest Hits and more album summarizes her work in the 1980s.

I like the music, but this cd is terrible
Why only 1 star and why do I say this cd is terrible? The mastering, that's why. This cd is so thin and shrill sounding that it's difficult to listen to. The original edition of this disc (before it got labeled with "digitally remastered from the original tapes" or something like that) was no sonic masterpiece, but it definitely sounded better than this. I would really, really discourage anyone thinking about this disc.

For a good hits collection, the newer 2-disc "Essential Barbra Streisand" disc is good. It sounds SO much better than this disc and contains most of the tracks available on this disc (and many, any others).

Streisand's best compilation.
As far as simply collecting the big hits of the time, GREATEST HITS, VOLUME TWO is still the best compilation album of Streisand's career. Covering the years 1970-1978, the ten-track sampler covers most of Barbra's biggest and best-known singles. The record hit #1 when originally released and sold well over five million copies in the US alone.

This kind of success is unusual for a compilation, but Volume Two's sales skyrocketed due to the enormous success of the sole new track: the #1 Platinum single "You Don't Bring Me Flowers," a classy and moving thematic duet with Neil Diamond. The disc also contains the huge hits "Stoney End" (#6 Pop, #2 Adult Contemporary) and "The Way We Were" (#1 Pop, #1 Adult Contemporary) as well as the then-recent smashes "Evergreen" (#1 Pop, #1 Adult Contemporary) and "My Heart Belongs To Me" (#4 Pop, #1 Adult Contemporary).

The track sequencing is non-chronological (which I find irritating), however this is easy to forgive since there is only ten tracks, and since most of the songs were recorded and released within a few years time span. VOLUME TWO also contains several lower-charting singles that aren't as well known as the big hits, but are equally splendid. This includes the lovely "Songbird" (#25 Pop, #1 Adult Contemporary) the overwrought-but-fun Laura Mars theme "Prisoner" (#21 Pop), Streisand's amazing cover of Stevie Wonder's "All In Love Is Fair" (#63 Pop) and the stunning live medley "Sweet Inspiration/Where You Lead" (#37 Pop). The runtime is fairly short and there are a few noteworthy tracks missing (nothing from 1971's BARBRA JOAN STREISAND or 1975's LAZY AFTERNOON?), but listeners looking for a compilation that contains many of Barbra Streisand's biggest hits will not be able to find anything better.

Evergreen, it grows on you-Marilyn Monroe(Garry Hixon)
This is a pretty decent album. When people first heard evergreen in 1977, I think it was basically for adults, but through the years it is obviously a classic. This is the title song on this short album, a short song but a cute one. The way we were doesnt get the airplay that evergreen does but it is an Americana song, and people think of the movie. My heart belongs to me is a good song, which gets a lot of am radio airplay. Barbara Streisand is supposedly retiring in one way or another, but her best stuff has not even been realized yet. When you realize that only a few of her songs are really hits, you see what I mean. She doesnt even listen to her own stuff. I hope she retires gracefully, shes earned a long rest.-To Barbara and Paul Williams-love-GAR ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A remastered CD of a Broadway masterpiece with some bonuses
Not all that many musicals can brag that more than half the songs have become standards. And in these days of the "one tune show" (if that many), it is the revivals of the Oldie Greats that represent the American Musical at its best. And high up there stands . I will grant that the recording of the last revival is quite good and certainly more complete than the original cast recording from 1951. But the soloists (if we forget the relatively lackluster role of Sarah) cannot replace the Damon Runyonesque cast of the original: Robert Alda, Vivian Blaine, Sam Levene, Pat Rooney, Sr., and Stubby Kaye. Therefore any collection of Broadway history must include this older release.

So just in case you do not yet own a copy, know you by this presence that Decca has reissued it on CD (012 159 112-2) with four bonus tracks from the film for those who think Marlon Brando renditions are worth hearing. Add to which, the booklet has some excellent photos from the 1950 production. 'Nuff said. Run out and grabbit.

Desert Island Bradway Recording Must
Was there ever a time Guys & Dolls was out of the record catalogues? Like "I Love Lucy" does a day go by without some group performing this picture perfect Runyonesque hommage that is amongst the top five greatest musicals of all time (including Showboat and Oaklahoma)? MCA's CD re-issue, complete with the original liner notes and additional notes that serves as a neccessary "antidote" to the original notes, is a must for anyone who loves good music. Now, don't misunderstand me. There's nothing wrong with the original notes. Just that, like the rest of New York, critic Louis Untermeyer was intoxicated with the brilliance of the lyrics, score and the casting (why did they cast Marlon Brando in the film instead of Robert Alda? What a big mistake!). As Max O. Preeo, the writer of the "antidote" notes states, "Untermeyer greatly oversimplified Guys and Dolls' success". This was done with good intentions, of course. Nevertheless, the entire CD package is the best issue yet of Guys & Dolls. The two programme notes, original artwork from the first DECCA issue, photos from the production itself; what a wealth of treasure to accompany the wonderful music. Loesser is a master composer whose style can range from Jazz to Beethoven-type harmonies, with a lyrical singing line that singers would expect from Mozart Arias. Incredible music that easily places one in the world of "petty-gamblers", Salvation Army members and show girls. All this from the same composer of the score for Danny Kaye's film "Hans Christian Andersen"!!

Classic Decca original cast album sounding better than ever!
Winner of the 1951 Tony Award for Best Musical, GUYS AND DOLLS is considered by many to be a near perfect musical comedy. The book is genuinely funny and yet we really do care about the characters.

Decca's original cast album was taped just a few weeks after the show had opened to rave reviews. The voices are full of character: Robert Alda and Isabel Bigley make an ideal Sky and Sarah. Vivian Blaine forever owns the role of Adelaide (and she got to preserve her performance in the 1955 film.) Sam Levene is NOT a singer (the cast even asked him NOT to sing in the chorus numbers) and his appearances on the recording are limited. Still, GUYS AND DOLLS would not work with opera singers. The flat Decca sound does not exactly make the vocals sound warmer, but in remastering the original tapes, we can at least hear everything clearly and especially some of the orchestral textures lost in the previous releases. And no one can beat Stubby Kaye's "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat" Like Blaine, he got to repeat his role in the film but neither of them appear on the soundtrack album.

No complete soudntrack album was made of the 1955 film because of Frank Sinatra's contract with Capitol Records. Decca put out a 4-song EP with Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons singing their numbers from the film and that mini-album is included here as bonus tracks.

The 1992 Broadway revival was a spirited production with a great cast (Peter Gallagher, Nathan Lane and Faith Prince) and a recording that captures all the fun. It's more complete, and has better sound. What it lacks are Stubby Kare and Vivian Blaine.

Wasted my money
DON'T BUY THIS VERSION OF GUYS AND DOLLS. I regret buying this one hundred percent. The actors' singing voices are JUST unpleasant and does not make you want to sing a long, while the orchestra is faintly heard in the background. So there's an uneven balance between the amazing instrumentals musicals usually have and the singing.

The singing made me cringe.
There is also NO ENERGY in this recording.

The only part I sort of enjoyed were the four Bonus Tracks in the end, which are sung by Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons, who are NOT the singers for the majority of this CD.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS CD!!!
My high school did this for a school production. I bought this CD to see how it sounded. The budding actors and actresses of my school literally blew these singers away like atomic particles!! MY school sounded VASTLY SUPERIOR to this.
I gave this CD one star because that was my ONLY choice. This actually deserves a rating in the deep negetives. No other words could explain what a horrific song experience this was for myself. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The elegant and dramatic vocal phrasings of Rosemary Clooney
"16 Biggest Hits" is a misnomer as a title because these are not, literally, the 16 biggest hits in the music career of Rosemary Clooney. Two of her Top 10 hits, "Beautiful Brown Eyes" and "The Night Before Christmas Song," are not included, which proves the point. But it is still a solid collection with a couple of tracks you might not have in your music library that would well be worth the adding. My top choice would be the duet "Sisters," the Irving Berlin song from the classical holiday film "White Christmas," which Rosemary sings with her sister Betty Clooney.

These songs are taken from her successful years recording for Columbia in teh 1950s after leaving the Tony Pastor Orchestra (and her sister) but before switching to RCA Victor in 1957. Included on the play list are all four of her Number 1 singles, "Come on-a My House," "Half as Much," "Hey There," and "This Ole House." There is also the Oscar winning song "In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening," recorded with Harry James and His Orchestra as well as "Sophisticated Lady," done with Duke Ellington and His Orchestra.

The main thing here is that these are all songs that show the strengths of Rosemary Clooney as a lyric interpreter of song. With her it is the phrasing more than the singing. For that reason I have always enjoyed listening to Clooney sing rather than watching her in a film, because the drama was always in the singing and not the way she looked (invariably cool, calm, and collected). This is one of the reasons why, like Frank Sinatra, she could continue to sing effectively for audiences even after her voice started to decline.

Original Rosemary Songs
Great original recordings by the GRAND LADY of the 50's. Highly Recommended.

Great hit collection by a zesty singer
This a GREAT CD for both young people just interested in great American singing and Clooney as well as for Clooney's longtime fans. Anyone who has liked or just discovered that he/she likes Rosemary Clooney will play a lot of it over and over. It is not a mere nostalgia piece. Most of it holds up quite well. In fact, you could call it The Good, the Bad (in the modern sense as "GREAT") and the ugly (as in "UGLY.").

The CD, comprised of 16-pristine 1950s recordings, contains Clooney's biggest commercial hits from Columbia and a few bonuses. It artfully displays not only the commercial Clooney who could take a silly song shoved down her talented throat and turn it into a hit -- but foreshadows the later critically acclaimed Comeback Clooney, whose career was tragically cut short by her death from cancer. Here are a few of the songs that fall into categories such as:

--The GOOD: "This Ole House" still holds up as a lively FUN novelty number. 'Come On-A-My-House'' is the silly 1951 song Clooney balked at recording until Columbia honcho Mitch Miller threatened to fire her. So she recorded it, it was a huge hit and made her a star. She makes it good with her verve and humor punching every silly word.
--The GREAT: 'Mangos', a wonderful, beautiful tune where each word and note is given pizzazz, sensuality and humor. In "Tenderly" and "Hey There" she displayed her respect for lyrics and notes. In "Mambo Italiano' Clooney's zest, turns a zippy song into a throatily erotic and good humored classic worth several listenings. When she ends it with a
"That's-a-nice!" and the all-male chorus gives a final "UHHH!" we agree. In "Sophisticated Lady' With the Duke Ellington orchestra she shows the potential realized in later years. Special treat: a super show-biz sounding version of Cole Porter's
"From This Moment On," previously unreleased in the US -- with a great smash ending.
--The UGLY: No question. " Botch-A-Me'. Clooney is very enthusiastic doing this entry in her best-selling Italian novelty song series forced on her by Columbia's Miller. But the song's truly excruciating lyrics (and tune) make you suspect she's really thinking: "I can't believe I'm singing this
..."

This CD deserves five stars due to its great variety (literally something for everyone), orchestrations, production quality...and ALMOST deserves a star (or two!) taken off for the pain inflicted on listeners by Botch-A-Me...but let's not blame that on Rosey! If you're just discovering Clooney due to news stories about her recent death (and her relation to a certain popular actor) this CD will delight you enough so that you'll want to order her more recent, critically acclaimed CDs.

Never Less Than Five Stars For Rosie
I have yet to come across a Rosemary Clooney LP, single or CD that fails to please. Hers is one of the most distinctive, pleasant voices of the 20th Century.

From 1951 to 1960 she chalked up 28 hit singles as a solo artist or in conjunction with other artists like Guy Mitchell [her first hit in 1951 - You're Just In Love], Marlene Dietrich [Too Old To Cut The Mustard in 1952]; and Gene Autry [The Night Before Chrismas Song in 1952]. Before that she sang with Tony Pastor & His Orchestra. along with her sister Betty, and appeared on several of his big hits.

Although this CD contains several of her hits, including the wonderful You'll Never Know done in 1953 with the late, great Harry James, I bought it for one item: Memories Of You. Billed to The Benny Goodman Trio with Rosemary Clooney, and from the hit movie The Benny Goodman Story, this made it to # 20 early in 1956 and is one of the hardest to find of all her hits. In fact, try and find it anywhere else!

Normally I wouldn't assign 5 stars to any CD without liner notes, nor one that states "16 Biggest Hits" and then includes several songs that failed to chart [In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening, The House Of Singing Bamboo, Sophisticated Lady, and From This Moment On]. But hey, this is Rosie. Besides, the afore-mentioned songs SHOULD have charted, and as far as liner notes go, the track listings inside are comprehensive enough to compensate.

Get it while you can.

The one and only voice
Her voice, smooth as satin or tender as velvet, wow, this lady knows how to sing and I love to listen to her. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Some beautiful voices, but problems elsewhere
Judy Kuhn has a great voice, and I think this CD is worth getting just to listen to her sing - but if only the lyrics didn't suffer from the overly green, PC sentiment that Stephen Schwartz brings. "They're different from us, which means they must be evil" (from "Savages") is especially representative of the problems Schwartz has with lyrics - while trying to convey the pro-earth, pro-tolerance sentiment of the movie, he goes too far and writes lyrics that sound insincere and artificial. As in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, subtlety would have been a better choice. But unlike that film, Menken here is not at his best either. The songs lack tunes and at times it seems like the characters are sing-songy rather than really singing. But the instrumental score has its moments, and the voices are well cast.

Emotional and Moving Soundtrack
Pocahontas is one of my favorite soundtracks of all time. The songs are not done in the broadway style that so energized The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, but they still flow effortlessly out of the story. Colors of the Wind is by far the most popular of the songs and for good reason. First off it's sung by Judy Kuhn and she makes it an honest emotional plea that never sounds forced or phoney. Secondly, the song speaks to the universality of man and the respect we must show not only to one another but the earth itself. It's a great message and one that adhears to Native American beliefs. You're sure to be singing "Just Around the Riverbend" and "Mine, Mine, Mine" long after hearing them as well. I espscially lilked "Mine, Mine, Mine" because it's the "bad guy" song, but sung in a very happy, cheerful and classicaly disneyesque way. It's only when you listen to the lyrics that you realise the cunning, self importance and disrespect on display. Mel Gibson also sings a few lines in this song and he's suprisingly good too. The third act song "Savages" parts 1 & 2 is very powerful and talks to how fear can turn into hate which easily turns into prejudice. It's extremely powerful and I get chills every time I hear it.

As for the score Alan Menken has done a masterful job with finding ways to speak about the love story at the heart of this film. The love theme heard through out is stunningly beautiful and it's a shame that the fully sung version of it was cut from the film as it strengthens the love between Pocahontas and John Smith as well as deepening their characters. The majesty of the country and Pocahonts herself is evident in many of the tracks and I espicially liked the aching beauty of "I'll Never See Him Again". The playfull track "Percy's Bath" is a lot of fun and "Ship At Sea" is so energetic and furious that you can practically feel the waves crashing all sround you.

Kids are sure to enjoy this soundtrack as much as any other Disney soundtrack, but what makes this one stand out is that there is plenty for a more mature audience to get interested in as well. The heartache of loss, a deep and strong yet forbidden love, a message of peace and understanding. These are the things that can be found in Pocahontas. Listen carefully and get swept away by the colors of the wind.

It's beyond five stars! Eleven thumbs up!
I have to say that pocahontas is the best soundtrack since Chicago! It really is a riot. I didn't think I'd like it, but after sampling one of the first songs, I fell in love. It really is a Virginia Company. The best part is, it's great for the kids and me. I must say that the next time I ever recommend a cd, I will surely mention Pocahontas soundtrack. It is definitely my first choice in the car. Honestly, I can feel the steady beating drums.

Wonderful Soundtrack
I casually picked up this soundtrack while in Tower Records a few years ago; I always liked the movie so I figured why not have the soundtrack as well. Admittedly, Manken did not quite capture the magic that was so apparent in "The Little Mermaid" & "Beauty and the Beast", but it still is a marvelous score and the songs are top-class. My favorite instrumental cuts are 'River's Edge' and 'Farewell'. Of the songs, "Colors of the Wind" and "Mine, Mine, Mine" are standouts. This may be a notch below Manken's first three scores for Disney but it's definitely a few notches above his later efforts.

"Colors Of The Wind" = Natl Enviromental Anthem ~~~:-)
"COLORS OF THE WIND" IS EVOCATIVE OF CLEAN LAND, AIR, WATER AND ALL ANIMALS WHO DESERVE TO LIVE IN THEIR ECO SYSTEMS:-)
THIS MUSIC IS INSPIRATIONAL AND LIFTS YOU UP AND MAKES YOU WANT TO TAKE A HIKE~IN ROCKY~ MTN~NATL~OR~YELLOWSTONE~PARKS~~~:-)

THIS MUSIC HELPS US REMEMBER "NATIVE AMERICANS" OUR ANIMAL WILDLIFE AND OUR LOVELY FRAGILE PLANET EARTH. THE LYRICS ARE WORTH SHARING WITH CHILDREN FROM RURAL TO INNER CITIES TO REMEMBER, KNOW, SEE THE BEAUTY OF NATURE~~~
THE "SOUND OF NATURE" RUNS LIKE A CLEAN AND BEAUTIFUL RIVER WITH THIS CD. *VANESSA WILLIAMS* VOICE IS A VELVET SUNNY MEADOW MORNING! SIMPLY STUNNING OVER AND OVER, NEVER FORGET THE LYRICS "COLOR OF THE WIND" THEY ARE LYRICS TO LIVE BY~~LOVE NATURE:-) ... Read more

Amazon.com

This impressive--and frankly, fun--musical document is still sending out shock waves almost 50 years after its original 1952 vinyl release. The Smithsonian's six-CD reissue is painstakingly researched, annotated, and packaged (even boasting an enhanced disc for the techno-capable). Unlike field recorders, eccentric filmmaker/collector/musicologist Harry Smith assembled the Anthology from commercially released (though obscure) 78 rpm discs issued between 1927 and 1935. Its broad scope--from country blues to Cajun social music to Appalachian murder ballads--was monumentally influential, setting musicians like Bob Dylan down the path to folk fandom. The White House started its own national music library with the Anthology; anyone with more than a passing interest in American roots music should do the same. --Michael Ruby ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Essential for a well-rounded pop music collection
You should buy this just to hear where all those folk and blues revivalists of the 60s got a large chunk of their material. Back then, these albums were the only way to hear these recordings unless you were willing to go to great lengths to collect old records (like the compiler of this Anthology, Harry Smith).

If you enjoy the Anthology music you can hear a lot more of the same style on Yazoo Records' various "rural music" anthologies. Nearly every disc they issue has an Anthology track or two on it, or other work by artists who appear on this Anthology. I actually find Yazoo's "Before The Blues" series more enjoyable, track for track, than this collection. It's likely, though, that there would be no Yazoo records today if the AAFM hadn't come along in the early 1950s. Also, this Anthology includes secular, spiritual and "social" music in a rather comprehensive way, so understandably there don't seem to be many people who like EVERY song. Even Harry Smith didn't like every song in the collection (read the liner notes).

The first great collection of American folk song recordings
The "Anthology of American Folk Music" put together by Harry Smith was originally issued in 1952 in three volumes of 2 LPs each, with a total of 84 tracks collected from old records. It is said that this collection played a seminal role in the folk music revival of the late 1950s and early 1960s, influencing and inspiring the generation of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Once you listen to these songs you will have little doubt that was indeed the case. The three volumes focus on Ballads, Social Music, and Songs respectively. I did not recognize enough of these 84 songs to use all of the fingers on my guitar picking hand and I could not care less. You can look over the playlist above and see if anything looks familiar, but, obviously, that is beside the point here. These songs involve a defi