Amazon.com

New Orleans-bred folk-bluesman Smither has few peers. As a musician he's expanded the six-strings-and-foot-stomps delivery of John Lee Hooker into an elegant, original style that draws as much on the sweet jazz melodies of gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt as the spidery swing of country bluesman John Hurt. And his writing has a poet's eye for detail, as when he's pondering mortality on the disc's title track. There's also a gentle, sincere quality that comes through the dusty tones of his voice, until he drops it to a mean-eyed growl to capture the soul of characters like his "Crocodile Man"--loners condemned to live in the dark neglected corners of their own hearts. But for much of this album, Smither's coming from a happier place, where love and life are full of possibilities, and his blues are just another way of expressing joy and wisdom. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Smither fans, rejoice
This is a honey of a CD. From the opening notes of the eerily beautiful "Train Home" I was hooked. The covers of "Crocodile Man" and (oh boy) "Desolation Row" are masterful. The account of Chris's woefully unsuccessful attempt at Zen-like detachment as he deals with the theft of his car ("Let It Go") makes me laugh out loud every time I listen to it. "Outside In" is one I return to again and again in appreciation of its wonderful lyrics regarding the futility of worry. Can you tell I can't choose my favorite cut? This is a CD that's going to be in my player for a long, long time.

Incredible
I can listen to this CD everyday and I never seem to get tired of it. It's got a rare quality to it that's hard to define and near impossible to find. If nothing else buy this CD to hear his fantastic take of Dave Carter's song "Crocodile Man". It's worth buying the CD just to get that song.

carry me awhile...
This is the kind of music that makes you stop and listen. The lyrics are intriguing ("with heavy-handed cheerfulness and a calculated smile, it says 'carry me awhile'") and the delivery arrestingly simple. The title track is like a George MacDonald purgatory transported to New York City. And he goes from channeling Tom Waits in "Crocodile Man" to covering Bob Dylan in "Desolation Row." All without stepping out of his own magnetic style. It's storytelling as much as singing. Buy it. Love it. Tell all your friends about it.

One of his finest!
Roots-blues troubadour Chris Smither has been around so long that his '70s singer-songwriter status has shifted into that of an elder statesman of the alt.country scene. This is a remarkable album -- melliflous, calm and compelling, a very mature work. Some of his albums of the 1990s and early '00s have had their forced moments; here Smither seems entirely at ease, and seems to have nothing to prove. It's a very rich, rewarding album, well worth checking out.

Like a boat ride through fog in Mississippi
A outsatnding compilation of sometimes eerie, haunting and engaging melodies in a singing style that's a blend of Gordon Lightfoot and Arlo Gunthrie.

Muscially magnificent in the great American blues traditin. Own it! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Carter Fans - Add to Shopping Cart!
I recently 'discovered' the original Carter Family recordings. On this CD, it is rather poignant to hear Maybelle without Sara and AP; as if one speaker channel were missing, but don't despair. The good news is that you get to hear Maybelle! Compared to the old 78's, Maybelle's extraordinary guitar picking comes thru even more brilliantly. She is also equally awesome on the autoharp. Tracks 8 - 12 leave me speechless. Five Stars!

Pure Gold
This is as fine a bluegrass/country/folk CD as you will find. Maybelle Carter fans will be delighted; newcomers-- is there is still anyone who fits into that category--will be overwhelmed. This CD of 22 tracks, all but one of which have never been previously recorded, is vintage Maybelle. The music is taken from her 1963 Newport Folk Festival appearance.

Maybelle plays both the guitar and autoharp on this CD and does mostly Original Carter Family songs. She demonstrates her unique "Carter Scratch" guitar playing technique and other examples of her unique playing on both instruments. I suppose that's of interest to people who play those instruments; I frankly don't care how she did it. I'm just so happy she played and sang over a long and apparently very happy life.

There isn't a mediocre cut on this CD. Many of the Carter gems are here: "Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow," "The Storms Are On the Ocean," "Gold Watch and Chain" and certainly "Wildwood Flower." On this live recording, Maybelle discusses the songs she sings and thanks the folks for having her in such a sincere way that only the truly great artists can pull off, in my opinion. The liner notes are well written. There is a diagram of how to do the "Carter Scratch."

This is a great, great CD that will bring you much joy. Maybelle Carter was one of our best, an American Institution.

So sorry I missed her
Like many I am sure, I am so sorry I missed her when she was here with us making her beautiful music. This CD gives everyone an opportunity to spend an hour with her. She talks about her guitar and auto harp playing and the making of her music. The sound of her voice and her laughter is enjoyed here as much as the music she makes for us. She does them all here...."Gold Watch and Chain", "Wildwood Flower" and "Fair and Tender Ladies" just to name a few. The fact that she was also a fine guitar and auto harp player as well as a singer is driven home with each selection. This is definately "The" must have for Maybelle Carter fans!

A Return to the Newport Folk Festival
I'm a life-long Mother Maybelle fan and was thrilled to have the opportunity to attend the 1963 Newport Folk Festival. It was all I'd hoped for, and more. Now, nearly 40 years later, I have my own autoharp and what would I give to sit at her feet to watch and listen to her play! This recording almost fills the bill...I wish the producers had included more of her simple, straight-forward dialogue as that was, to me, as captivating as her music. Well done, Mother Maybelle!

Maybelle at the Newport Folk Festival
This is an interesting and highly entertaining album - Maybelle Carter recorded live at the Newport Folk Festival back in 1963. The voice is a little shaky, but then, she was 54 years old at the time. However, the technique on guitar is as distinctive and faultless as ever, whilst her autoharp playing is a revelation. There are interviews by Bill Clifton and Mike Seeger, but they are not sufficiently probing. I would have liked to have known more of her actual playing technique, but the surface of this subject is barely scratched. But the playing itself makes up for that; particularly her work on the autoharp. Items range from the Carters' 'Little Darling, Pal of Mine' through the evergreen 'San Antonio Rose' to the then newly popular 'Never on Sunday'; all performed with the consummate skill one would expect from a seasoned veteran such as Maybelle. Recording quality is good, though it is possible to pick up intrusive sounds from what are, presumably, neighbouring concerts. That aside, this is an album well worth adding to the collection of any Carter Family fan, and anyone appreciative of top quality guitar and autoharp playing. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

During the '80s, Texas singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith graduated from modest folk celebrity to find herself signed to a major label and making thoughtful, better-heeled studio albums that were critical favorites but commercial anomalies in the country market where she was initially positioned. This 1993 project finds her returning to her roots, reunited with the producer behind his earlier folk triumphs, Jim Rooney. Taking its title from Truman Capote's first novel, Other Voices, Other Rooms is a gentle but whip-smart anthology of excellent songs from acknowledged masters (Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, John Prine, Townes Van Zandt, Woody Guthrie, the Carter Family, the Weavers, Gordon Lightfoot) and lesser-known but hardly less-skilled writers including Kate Wolf, Frank Christian, and Vince Bell. Griffith's clear-eyed vocals and unswerving intelligence are well served by members of her own band, augmented by vocal cameos from a roomful of fellow folk veterans including Prine, Arlo Guthrie, the Indigo Girls, and John Gorka, among others. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Great idea for an album
Folkie/singer/songwriters such as Nanci Griffith are the most joyful of live entertainers to watch. Partially because it's almost always in an intimate environment, and you can feel that the performer is almost singing directly to you. Plus the songs have to be heartfelt, or the whole concept just doesn't work.

Problem is, most of them can't sell a record to save their lives. Sure, Bob Dylan isn't starving, but let him try to release a few albums without rock accompaniment and see what happens to his record contract. So what do they do?

Well, how about releasing an album of songs by the masters of the field, as performed by the featured artist? And have the songwriters themselves perform as backup musicians or singers. Then every few months or so, somebody else can do the same thing, and all of a sudden we'd have some pretty good music being released.

For this is one dynamite collection of songs. So what if they're not her songs. They're done in earnest, and open doors to me as to what other artists are capable of. Or sometimes it's nice to hear a song you're familiar with done by somebody else. I actually have had the original album that has "Tecumsah Valley" on it for twenty-five years now. Since we won't be hearing Townes Van Zandt singing anytime soon, this is a great way to revive it. I also find myself playing "Speed of the Sound of Loneliness" over and over again, and as the father of four, "Turn Around" leaves me a sobbing ... every time I hear it.

Like I said, let everyone take their turn in the rotation. This is a very special album to me.

Nice but the voice bothers me
This is the first Nanci Griffith album I've bought. It's a good album. The instruments are very nice and expressive, the selection of other folk's songs is impeccable, and it has a very natural, relaxed feel to it.

Unfortunately, I have a hard time with Nanci's voice. It is frequently just out of tune enough for me to notice, and cringe. Mind you, it's not *really* off key. It's just off slightly (usually flat, especially when she tries to hit the high notes), just enough for it to start really annoying me after a while.

The other thing is, don't buy a Nanci Griffith album if you expect someone that can sing in a full, rich voice with a nice vibrato, like Joan Baez. Nanci's voice is more "little girlish," and somewhat thin, relatively speaking. To me, it is more along the lines of Kate and Anna McGarrigle. I guess I prefer female singers with a little bit more fullness, more "adult female" sound to their voices.

That said, listen to the clips and decide for yourself. There is no denying that the song selection is a good one. The rendition of "Tecumseh Valley" is very nice, to mention one example.

Wonderful Collection of Songs!
"Across the Great Divide" ... Nanci makes these old precious songs come alive. She has a way of breathing life into a song like no other musician can. She is wonderful to see live.

i love this cd
every song on this cd is exceptional except the very last one, but its only like a minute and a half so who cares. you have to buy this! buy 2 in case you lose one. this is her best yet that i own

Best Nanci Griffeth CD ever
I am a huge Nanci Griffeth fan-- but this CD has to be her best-- Every song is awesome!! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

The legendary trio's eponymous 1962 debut produced two classics--"Lemon Tree" and Pete Seeger's "If I Had a Hammer." Because they were always hipper and more political than the Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul & Mary were soon frequently credited as the group that transformed American folk music into '60s pop. It would be another six months before they really exploded with "Puff the Magic Dragon," and then another six before they brought Bob Dylan into the mainstream via their hit covers of "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Don't Think Twice." Which is why 1970's 10 Years Together: The Best of Peter, Paul and Mary remains the essential buy; nevertheless, the debut features their gorgeous covers of "Cruel War" and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," making this disc mandatory for folk fans. --Bill Holdship ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Peter, Paul & Mary make folk music accessible to the people
This is the self-titled 1962 debut album that introduced one of the most beloved groups in folk music history. Like The Weavers before them, Peter, Paul & Mary emphasized the harmonic elements of folk songs, taking a different tack from the troubadour tradition of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan. The trio had formed the previous year in Greenwich Village and on this first effort they clearly define the sound that would endure for the next forty years. This album includes a pair of the biggest folk hits of all time, "Lemon Tree" and "If I Had A Hammer" (written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hayes of The Weavers) along with songs that would become folk singing standards, such as "Cruel War," "500 Miles," "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," and "It's Raining." Peter, Paul and Mary deserve the credit for making contemporary folk music accessible to a truly mass audience for the first time. Yet, ironically, they bring a complexity of both vocal harmonies and guitar playing the likes of which were really not seen again until the Indigo Girls. Yes, you can pick up "Ten Years Together," their early greatest hits collection and get three of these songs, but who really gets tired of listening to Peter, Paul and Mary singing? Get both of them and get this one so you can hear how good they were from the very beginning.

It's "Managed" (as in Talent Management), not "Manufactured"
There is another commentary here about P, P, & M's debut album which is interesting only because it is a little sleazy. Compliments are interspersed with "insider" jabs that don't really qualify as legitimate criticism. Albert Grossman brought Peter and Paul and Mary together and fine-tuned them in a way not the least bit foreign to the history of talent management. "Manufactured" is supposed to make it sound like P, P, & M were the first New Kids on the Block. The wholeness of this album when it first appeared was stunning, and the album took off on word-of-mouth, something I had never seen before. The next album "(moving)" is just about equally phenomenal, but you can only hear (or see) something for the first time once. "Album 1700" over this one? I have no idea whatsoever to do with that notion.

A Trio That Will Never Go Out of Style
How many forty-year old albums do you still listen to? Probably not too many, but this should be one of them (it certainly is one of mine). For a young group on their first album, this was meticulously produced and already showed their incredible sense of professionalism. From their close harmonies to tightly interleaved guitar picking, each song radiates perfectionism. Mary's voice is a lilting bird reaching above Peter's tenor and Paul's bass, adding brilliant highlights and enforcing the sense that these songs just couldn't be sung any better.

Probably anyone who was alive at the time of this album's release still remembers If I Had a Hammer and Lemon Tree, the two top hits from this album. But over the years I have found that my own personal favorites are Cruel War, which already showed some of the group's dedication to anti-war and other political messages, as highlighted by the Civil War age of this song; Autumn to May, which showed another prime marker of the group of children's songs sung so beautifully that they are difficult to dismiss; and Where Have All the Flowers Gone, which perhaps might be called the ultimate anti-war song.

But the other tracks here have power also. (Man of Constant) Sorrow, as re-written and performed here, reaches beyond its Appalachian roots to touch your soul, 500 miles is haunting with Mary as lead soloist, This Train and Early Morning show the third trademark of this group, their deep religious feelings, and Bamboo shows just what they can do with a very simple song.

In short, this album is a must for all lovers of folk or pop-folk music, with every track offering something to immerse yourself in and enjoy.

--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

This first effort deserves a blue ribbon
When I was young I loved to sing while mom vacuumed, and the album playing was "Peter Paul and Mary" (1stLP)Since then I love to listen more and what I treat when I found this album in the seaman's chest where the HiFi is located with forty years of dust collected on it. I sat down and ordered the CD immediately. I am reliving the Beat generation with this album and other writings and poetry. I am part of the generation that this group influenced heavily. Time to remember, time to rethink why. Peter, Paul and Mary are timeless and precious. I'd of paid five times the purchase price to hear a cyrstal clear recording in the sixties. Now I get to hear their best in digital mastered sound for the price I'd pay to see a documentary on the Vietnam War in a movie house.

Indispensible
No lover of folk music should be without this album. OK, It's Raining is corny, but take that song away and you are left with an incredible parade of songs made all the more timeless by one of the truly great groups ever. The singing is so graceful that only if one really concentrates does one realize how intricate and complex the solos and harmonies are, transforming ordinary songs into extraordinary ones and excellent songs into anthems. Autumn to May, on its face a silly children's song, is a magical fairy tale in their hands. Where Have All the Flowers Gone, a fine enough song in the original, becomes the lament of a generation. And so on. Perhaps because of their close association with children's music or perhaps because they mostly covered songs of other artists this trio does not get enough credit as serious musicians, but in my opinion this album (as well as In the Wind, another masterpiece) shows they are truly worthy. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

great old time music by a real martian
Leon Redbone is a true martian in the world of music.I even don't know about his age,although I listen to him for some 20 years.Every record by Leon is a gem,almost his early recordings in which he plays a lot of guitar; and when Leon plays guitar, he's truly amazing, somewhere between Blind Blake and Joseph Spence.There are great tunes in this record,a beautiful lullaby ("prairie lullaby"),tributes to Jelly Roll Morton ("Te-na-na" and the marvelous "why",to tunes recorded by Jelly Roll in his 1940 session,thelast he ever made),a tribute to Blind Blake too ("step it up and go"); let's say that Leon may be the guy that was the closer ever to Blind Blake;he can play outstanding things like Blind Blake did.Redbone's smoky voice is amazing in every tune.There is also a marvelous "extra blues",and a salute to the great Ukulele Ike,"when you wish upon a star".Backing Leon, you can listen to Dr John,Grady Tate,Bob Cranshaw and Ed Polcer.A great trip back to the pre-war years.

One of a kind!
Leon is fabulous! Great musicians too. Jack Maheu makes it for me.

Check out the Salt City Six and Dukes of Dixieland if you don't believe me!

This, comming from a tuba player!

However, the recording engineer has no clue whatsoever! A VERY poor recording for contemporary standards. I would bet that even the master tape couldn't be cleaned up. Very shoddy work here! I could do beter with a dixie cup and a string to a scully lathe burning hot direct to platten.

If you are an audiophile, run away! If you have an unconditional love for jazz, go for it!

This could/should have been recorded better!

Greg Kalkhoff (gkalkhof@execpc.com)

Great.
Splendid work of listening pleasure

I love this CD! I have it and it is my favorite.
I would like to ask where I can get the words to Prairie Lullaby so I can sing with Leon Redbone when I am rocking my grandchildren to sleep. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Full of Heart
This unusual collection of traditional Chinese instrumental music is full of heart and spirit. The melodies are particularly accessible to westerners (although I don't believe that this was intentional. For many people it would not only be a good introduction to the "other side of the globe," but to the "other side" of the self. Highly recommended!

Your Search Has Ended
Look no further. Yes, this is the one you've been searching for. You can play these two discs while stretching, sipping tea, reading, sleeping, walking through nature, or even practicing your calligraphy. If it's made in Austria, it has to be good!

Exquisite, Elegant, Mystical Oriental Music
Close your eyes and imagine the music that would accompany Chinese landscapes with cultivated and tiered mountainsides, winding rivers through lush, green valleys ... music played on instruments such as, a 7 stringed Chinese dulcimer (huquin), a one-stringed instrument played with a bow (erhu), a bamboo wind instrument (bawoo), a Chinese violin, plus the xiao (Chinese cymbals). This 2 CD set is filled with musical landscapes of exceptional beauty, grace, and oriental elegance. The paradox is 'it has extraordinary simplicity wrapped in subtle complexity.' Think of, a child chasing a butterfly, a rainbow that comes forth after a brief rainshower, wispy clouds that float across the sky, creating paisley patterns ... "simplicity wrapped in subtle complexity"! This unique music has a lyrical poetical quality, which includes harmony, balance, and artistic refinement ... similar to delicate Chinese porcelain, with intricate hand-painted designs.

The titles to some of the pieces suggest the "simplicity and subtle complexity" of the music:
"Purple Bamboo Melody", "Song of the Fisherman", "Rivers and Streams", "Spring Comes to Xiang River", "Spring Water Reflects the Moon", "Lake over the Autumn Moon", and "Hungry Horses Ringing Bells". If calm, soothing, ambient meditative oriental music is what you desire: this double CD set will exceed your expectations! Indeed, I have heard similar music played at Chinese Restaurants & was enormously pleased when I discovered these CDs!

what Chinese restaurants should play
Being Chinese, I have been to many Chinese restaurants. Many have elaborate Chinese decor: traditional paintings, fish tanks, statues, and furniture- but *no Chinese music*. I am always dismayed when I hear them play showtunes or worse, pop radio. It just doesn't fit. Hong Kong karaoke doesn't fare much better. Traditional Chinese music such as this CD set is essential for the proper atmosphere.

This music makes good background music. It can be soothing without being boring, having the complexity and direction that New Age music lacks. Most important, it's authentic music, played with authentic instruments. It doesn't pretend to be Chinese, it *is* Chinese. (I was appalled when I heard what passed as Chinese music in the "Chinese" shops at Worlds of Fun.)

Recommend traditional Chinese music like this CD set to the Chinese restaurants near you. (There might be a little confusion about what "classical" means in the title. A better word would be "traditional.") ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Woody Guthrie offered some sage advice in his liner notes to this collection of children's tunes. "Don't just buy this record and take it home so your kids can listen to it while you go off and do something else," the legendary folksinger counsels. Folk-music fans won't find it difficult to follow those directions. First released in 1956, Songs to Grown On, with its infectious spirit, is likely to prove irresistible to mom, pop, and 4- to 6-year-old tot alike. The likes of "Grassy Grass Grass," "Swimmy Swim," and "Wash-y Wash Wash" (detecting a trend here?) are as spontaneous and nonsensical as baby babble, and almost as delightful. So do as Woody suggested: pull up a chair and a kid or two and enjoy. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Aptly Titled -- Easy and Fun to Sing
"Songs to Grow on for Mother and Child" is aptly titled. The first listen disappointed me sorely. The second pass through wasn't much more satisfying. Now, I love it.

Sometime between "Did I waste my money?" and now, I crossed the barrier to "Hey, hey, hey/Little Sack of Sugar/Ho! Ho! Ho!/Little sack of sweet." At first you will tolerate the songs, but in time, you'll catch yourself, as I have, humming the tune, mumbling the lyrics under your breath. Other songs, like "Swimmy Swim" will sneak into your heart. So will "I want My Milk (I Want it Now)."

Woody Guthrie's relaxed rural voice does his songs justice. These aren't "This Land is My Land" songs with the flavor of patriotic pride. These are children's songs with a folk-tint. Guthrie set out to write children's songs and accomplished that. They sound as if Woody himself took a recorder out to his porch some sunny Saturday and sang to his own children.

Fans of "The Wheel on the Bus" will love the repeating lyrics, and the simple music behind the songs. In fact, in many of the songs, like "I'll Eat You, Ill Drink You" have only a soft drum. It could just as well be a cardboard box he is strumming. Any parent will find singing these as afternoon a cappella playtime songs comfortable.

I fully recommend "Songs to Grow on for Mother and Child."

Anthony Trendl

Heirloom Quality - It's a Keeper!
I grew up with this album, and have long wished I could get another copy - am I ever glad to see it back! I loved these songs as a child, and still remember them after 30+ years! They're fun to sing to, and even the youngest kids can pick up on their words and sing-song melodies, while they also remain fun for adults, time and time again. Not dated at all - they're absolutely timeless. And great for road trips! I can't wait to share these songs with my kids.

Not Just for 4-6 year olds!
I was looking for fun songs to sing with my 7 month old, and was tired of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I igonored the "4-6 year old" recommendation on this, and I am so glad! My baby loves to listen to this, and we dance and sing along. The songs are easy to learn and fun to sing, with a beat that he can bounce to. When we dance to "I want my bottle" he laughs and laughs! I totally recommend this!

a long lost treasure
my children are 23 and 25 years old now. when they were wee ones, i used to dance them around the room to THIS ALBUM! somehow, along the way, it disappeared into the ether. now i have found it just in time to send to my 1-year old nephew. throughout these past 20 years or so, my husband and i have often burst out singing "swim, swim, swimmy, i swim" while in the shower or other appropriately wet places. these tunes stay with you for life! i'm getting my saka sugar a copy of this for our 32nd anniversary!

Speaks to children with out speaking DOWN to them!
This album is beautiful as well as extremely entertaining! Enough plastic barney garbage already. Why prepare you kids to be the mindless candy eating morons disney craves as viewers! Give them something of sincere quality. This is a spontanious and light hearted music that is enjoyable by all! Finally an album I don't mind playing 100 times a day! ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the more creative, successful tribute albums, A Vision Shared was originally released to coincide with a PBS program that premiered in 1988. Packing some serious heavyweights onto one CD, the record features covers of Guthrie and Leadbelly tunes by, among others, Little Richard, Brian Wilson, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Sweet Honey in the Rock, and U2. The 14 tracks consist of mostly well known tunes, and it's fascinating to hear what the artists have done to them. Particularly exciting is a supercharged version of Leadbelly's "Rock Island Line" by Little Richard with Fishbone and U2's take on Guthrie's "Jesus Christ." --Ian Landau ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A vision to the past! Wonderful
I can't think of many tribute albums that work great, but I thoroughly enjoy this tribute to Woody Gutherie and Leadbelly aka Huddie Ledbetter. If you aren't familiar with their music, just listen, you will feel the presence of these musical greats. They had powerful lyrical ballads. And what they had to say is clearly from different cultural backgrounds. Woody Gutherie's folk ballads told of the depression and the journeys traveling across the country heading west to escape the Dust Bowl, while Leadbelly's music reflected on the work songs of poor farmers and immigrants.

Musical superstars are featured here, recorded in 1988, and featured are some wonderful music and captivating stories like the a capella rendition of Leadbelly's "Sylvie" by the beautiful harmonies of Sweet Honey in the Rock. Dylan's "Pretty Boy Floyd"; John Mellencamp "Do Re Mi"; Bruce Springsteen sings "I Ain't Got No Home". Equally entertaining are Willie Nelson singing "Philadelphia Lawyers" and Arlo Guterie's "East Texas Red". Emmylou Harris with her perfect sweet voice is mesmerizing in "Hobo's Lullaby" ....can't you hear the steel rails humming?"

A booklet comes with this CD, and read about Bob Dylan's encounter with Woody Gutherie. Dylan passionately studied who Gutherie was and learned the songs. Dylan said when Gutherie's health was failing he met him and sang Gutherie's own songs to him. Dylan called himself a "Woody Gutherie jukebox."

This is a tribute album that is very entertaining with informative historic storytelling songs and music you can sing along with. I love it. MzRizz

A rare breed: the quality tribute album.
Can't stand tribute albums. Hate 'em! But this little beauty really shines. The secret is in the wide-open, folksy nature of Woody Guthrie's and Ledbelly's work--they wrote songs that are *made* to be sung by other folks, made to be reinterpreted and resung by new generations. The other secret is in the line-up here: great talents, from top to bottom.

When this lp came out in the late 1980s I bought it on a whim. I was in my late teens, and didn't know much about the music. I don't even know why I bought the album. But time and time again, I played it instead of my rock and punk albums. I really endured for a couple of years. I don't play it so often anymore, so I had to give it four stars.

Not much to criticize here: Little Richard//Fishbone's tune is out of place--it's kind of a sour moment in an otherwise sweet ensemble. Willie and Emmylou shine, as do U2. But the album's true gem is by Bruce: "Vigilante Man." It's one of the best recordings the Boss has ever set to vinyl.

Fans of folk, folk-rock, country-rock, southern-fried rock, and alt.country should line up for this one, but even a teen like me who was into punk rock can saddle this horse up for a good long ride.

You Must Buy This...
This is one of my all-time favorite recordings. Much of the music is truly timeless, and they're many wonderful performances. Highlights for me include Springsteen (I Ain't Got No Home), U2 (Hallelujah...not the Cohen/Buckley/Cale version either) and best of all, John Mellancamp (Do Re Mi). I could have done without Arlo Guthrie (heck, I can barely stand to listen to Woody either) and most especially the Brian Wilson cut. God is he awful.

Excellent Compilation
To my mind, the problem with many 'tribute' albums revolves around the selection of particular musicians to perform particular songs. They often do not match well. In this case, the selections were excellent. The result is a wonderful CD that brings out not only the best of Guthrie and Leadbelly but also of the artists covering their songs. Sweet Honey in the Rock open with a warm, evocative rendition of Sylvie. Bob Dylan's Pretty Boy Floyd is as good as Dylan has ever sounded. It is reminiscent in tone and content to his own Hurricane Carter. Little Richard's Rock Island Line was terrific as was U2's Jesus Christ. Springsteen, Taj Mahal, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris and Arlo Guthrie round out the CD with other excellent tracks. It evokes the era in which the songs were written. The CD is well worth buying.

Had to have it...
I borrowed this album from my Father-in-Law for a Folk music show I was preparing. After raving about how much I enjoyed it I shouldn't have been surprised when my own copy showed up at Christmas.

This album pays tribute to two great pioneers who truly paved the way for Rock and R&B. The blending of Folk and Blues is easy to listen to and the stories are tremendously compelling.

If you have any interest in Folk or Blues, pick this up. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

TIMELESS MASTERPIECE
This 1984 album was the last of Cohen's folk masterpieces (with a touch of country) and shines in its rich variety of styles, poignant lyrics and lovely melodies. His gift for sexual and political metaphor is evident in songs like Dance Me To The End Of Love and The Night Comes On, while his familiar spiritual themes are further explored on The Law, Hallelujah and If It Be Your Will. My favorite however, is the impassioned Heart With No Companion:

"And I sing this for the captain
Whose ship has not been built
For the mother in confusion
Her cradle still unfilled
For the heart with no companion
For the soul without a king,"
lyrics which are somehow echoed on Cohen's new album Ten New Songs, in the song Land Of Plenty: "For the Christ who has not risen/From the caverns of the heart/For what's left of our religion/I lift my voice and pray/May the lights in the land of plenty/Shine on the truth some day."

Unfortunately Cohen's own rather flat delivery on Hallelujah does not do the song justice, and is vastly overshadowed by John Cale's soaring version on the tribute album I'm Your Fan. The true classics here that have stood the test of time include Dance Me ..., Coming Back To You, The Night Comes On, the lovely, country-tinged The Captain (which reminds me of The Old Revolution on Songs From A Room), and of course Heart With No Companion. Well, five or six classic songs on one album would do any artist proud, and that's what we get from Cohen here. Various Positions remains one of his timeless masterpieces.

A masterpiece
This album wasn't released in the USA because of lack of interest in Cohen's work, but did very well in Europe. It's Cohen's most personal work about his longing for religious comfort and human warmth and reflects memories from his past. It took me a while to fully appreciate it because it can't be compared with his earlier stuff, but I do now agree with Cohen himself that this probably is one of his best albums. My favourite songs are "Night comes on" and "The law", but all the songs are good. "If it be you will" is an excellent prayer and to many people one of Cohen's most enchanting songs. Cohen did it again, a great album

Powerful music from a talented writer
Leonard Cohen's songs are awesome to listen to. His talents as a musician and writer are apparent in any of his songs. In my opinion, there isn't a bad one in the bunch. I'm no musical expert, but I don't think there could have been an improvement on any of his songs. His music is not without religious influence, but I'm hard-pressed to determine what kind of religious message he's trying to convey.

I first heard Leonard Cohen's music on "Pump up the volume", a movie starring Christian Slater about a high-school student running a pirate radio station. In a couple of the scenes of the movie, Slater's character plays some of Leonard Cohen's songs, including "If it be your will."

His songs have also been used in popular movies like Shrek, which features "Hallelujah," sang by someone else.

Wow! Lewis in pop-music!
Oh, my God, that's a great album! Here you will find essential Christianity presented popularly and in disguise of popular songs.
Can be compared with "John Weshley Harding" by Dylan and with books by Clyve Lewis.
It's a VERY good album.

Dance Me To The End Of Love
In this album Leonard Cohen displays the full range of his genius.

It begins with the richly melodic 'Dance Me To The End Of Love', with it's distinct Mediterranean/Israeli style, which remind me of hot romantic summer nights, by the sea.
It also includes such magnificent works as the passionate and intense love ballad, 'Coming Back To You' and the fascinating mix of romantic and satirical 'Night Comes On', the biting satire of 'The Captain' and 'Heart With No Companion' which embodies a heartfelt and deep explanation of the terrible experience of loneliness and isolation.
The greatest track on this album however, is the majestic and spiritual 'Hallelujah':

"They say there was a sacred chord
That David played and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It went like this, the fourth, the fifth
The major and the minor lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah"

I also love Jennifer Warnes' rich, melodic, sensual voice, which particularly adds beauty to 'Dance Me to The End of Love' and 'Hallelujah'. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Peter paul and Mommy Too
CD in Excellent condition. Music played gret. Just as I expected.

Gift Giver
I have watched my video of this concert over 50 times with my kids and I stll cry at 3 of the songs. I want it on DVD so I can give it to every parent I know. Those of you with the CD are missing 1/2 the joy of this show. The footage of comic storytelling through music, fun instruments, and families hugging and singing together is priceless. I would pay three times as much if I could only find it in DVD format.

It Still is One of the Best
My 37 year old daughter and her husband are having their first child - a girl. My daughter requested this CD because she remembers me singing these songs to her when she was little. What better tribute could Peter, Paul, and Mary have?

A great show & great music for people of all ages
This disc/casette and VHS was originally intended for children. It was recorded live in front of some school children for the Little Red School House in NYC. The younger audience keeps the whole thing lively and entertaining. However, it's music everyone can enjoy, not just kids.

The music format is part folk, part kids, and all fun. The children's music (Puff the Magic Dragon, The Fox, and Right Field) put Peter, Paul, & Mary on the kids'level. On the other hand, songs like Home on the Range and We shall overcome introduce the children to the whole folk music scene.

My only complaint is this. The disc is oever 70 minutes long, which is good. But, the video is 90 minutes long. I wish the disc had a few more songs that are on the video edition. This complaint is only a minor one. I think this live performance will bring out the kid in you, no matter how old you are.

Wonderful!
I originally bought the video of this for my mother. Now it is my 7 yr. olds favorite video. She knows all the songs and we sing and dance whenever it is on. I am getting the CD to listen too when we are in the car. It is the favorite of 3 generations in my family! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The inimitable Jimmie Rodgers

There's something about Jimmie Rodgers. Actually, there were three singers by that name as Peter Harris pointed out in his review (below). But, this one was the first. Jimmie, the "singing brakeman," was a blues singer, yodeler, and guitar player. He did all three well, but there have been better yodelers, better singers, and better guitar players. So, why do I love Jimmie Rodgers' music. When I first heard his songs, we had just moved into an old farmhouse, in the late 'thirties, and I found there a discarded Jimmie Rodgers record, Blue yodel Opus #3 and Opus #5 on the other side. They were the old shellac records, in 78 RPM. (That's all there were in those days). I liked them, learned the music and lyrics, and was introduced to Jimmie's style. He'd died of TB a few years earlier.

He played the guitar like my father, from whom I learned. My attempts at yodeling were dismal, but they were good blues songs. I still like to sing them, and still can't yodel.

I've collected Jimmie Rodgers songs since, but only had about 15 sides. I heard about this boxed set from Peter Harris, and was delighted when I discovered that it contains almost all of his songs, and the recordings are of high quality--digitally remastered, I'm quite sure. I think there are 109 songs in the set. I had no idea that he had recorded so many.

I will have to say this: Jimmie Rodgers is perhaps the first Western music recording star (actually, his forte was country blues with guitar accompaniment, and especially railroad songs.) He will not please everyone; no musician does. His music appeals mainly to people like me, I suppose, who came from the Great Depression era, when we entertained ourselves, often with ukeleles made from cigar boxes, gut buckets, fiddles and guitars. We provided our own music. A time before rock 'n' roll, heavy metal and rap. Even jive. But, if you'd like to hear some old time music, listen to Jimmie. We thought he was great. He started it all.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

Can't do without it, Not at this price
Jimmy Rogers is just soooooo good. It wouldn't matter if he was a high school kid recording in Glendale California, the stuff is just good to listen to not matter what kind of music you like. Rogers is just so great to listen to. Cool, humorous, sentimental, sexy, bold. He really has great time whether on guitar or voice, and the musicians he selected all work every well with him, despite some comments on the liners here that would indicate otherwise. Of course, the crowning heights are reached when Rogers records in Los Angeles with Lil Hardin Armstrong backing him on Piano and Louis Armstrong himself playing trumpet.

When these records were made, Rogers has been a professional performer in vaudeville shows and local shows and barrooms for most of his short life. Despite the image he projected as the "singing brakeman" Jimmy never lasted long on regular jobs on the railraod even before his health gave out. He wanted to sing, and play guitar, ukelelle, and mandolin and hear other people do the same. He would find his way to circuses, carnivals, and tent shows even when he should have been in high school.

We are all lucky that long time stars Jimmy Rogers and the Carter Family were discovered and recorded (actually for the first time at the same session) by Ralph Peer of RCA. Peer received no payment for finding and recording artists. He only received money for publishing rights to songs that his artists recorded. We know that Rogers, the Carters, and other artists that Peer discovered actually played may of the Tin Pan Alley pop songs of the day in their performances before and after being recorded. However, Peer demanded that each artist record only songs he could publish, songs they either claimed to have written or were traditional songs, or, at least, songs that were so old that whoever owned their publishing or copyrights might have disappeared into the mists of time.

This led Rogers to the blues, as original material. This led him to do his own versions of many traditional songs which in themselves became classics. He also collaborated with Else McWilliams, an aunt who had degrees in both music and English, to write a number of sentimental songs (perhaps Ms. McWilliam's influece is responsible for the extreme correct grammar on many of the none blues songs). It was also proven in a law suit or two that Rogers and Peer lost, that Rogers and Peer would also doctor up and copyright in their own names songs fans had sent to Rogers hoping he would record them.

This is great entertainment straddling the boundaries of Western music, the blues, and Jazz. Except on a couple tunes where the Carter Family joins Rogers, this has very little to do with Southeastern based old time country music. The only banjos on this record are tenor banjos used at the time in Jazz orchestras. The violins don't fiddle very much, but follow the conventions for the then prevelant jazz-pop violins. Armstrong is not the only jazz horn player on these recordings either.

Contrary to the attempts to racially stratify people, Rogers was extremely popular with African Americans, particularly inthe South. Bluesmen like Robert Johnson had a repertoire of Roger's blues and non blues tunes because they would be asked for by his patrons in the Mississipi juke joints and Black dances. Later in the 1960s when Mississippi bluesmen Skip James and John Hurt was "found" and brought to national and international folk festivals, they would sit around between sets playing Jimmie Rogers songs together.!

So good, and occupying such an important place in creating e blues, old time music, jazzz, Western Swing, and the WSM styled Country music, you really need this set if you have the unbelievably small price. The only qualification is that you have ears.

Essential for true country and western fans
As a long-time Hank Williams Sr. fanatic, it is interesting to note the parallels between Hank and Jimmie Rodgers. Their styles are rather different, but both were bone-thin singers suffering severe ailments who died at young ages. Williams suffered from spina bifida and Rodgers suffered from tuberculosis. Both had recording careers lasting several months shy of six years. Both had bluesy styles and both enjoyed unrivaled popularity while alive.

Probably 75-80% of Rodgers' recordings were good to excellent in quality, and he was the granddaddy of them all. Although Rodgers' blue yodels are dated and become grating after awhile, there are scads of other great songs here such as "In the Hills of Tennessee," "Any Old Time," "Roll Along Kentucky Moon," "T.B. Blues," and "My Blue-Eyed Jane."

Unless you have the pricey Bear Family set of Jimmie Rodgers' recordings, you NEED this! Then, as you listen to Rodgers, try to figure out how you would reduce this set to a 2- or 3-c.d. set of his best. I've tried repeatedly, but it can't be done. It would take 4 c.d.'s. So, Pardners, just lasso ALL of Rodgers' output on this bargain-priced 5-c.d. set and quit trying!

excellent.
This is an excellent collection at the perfect price. My only question: why leave off alternate takes and another track when there is room left on the cds? Oh well, it's excellent anyway.

A Five Star Collection
Leave it to Amazon to bring us a collection this good, this deep, and at this low a price (including free shipping!). Production quality is outstanding for recordings this aged; a small number have minimal scratchiness to them, to be expected of tunes over 70 years old, but it's a small number and does not distract from the listening. The vast majority of the collection is clean, bringing us a man who's influence among later artists is evident enough to make you smile: Blues, C&W, honky tonk, and dixeyland jazz, it's all there. A must! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Like Fleetwood Mac would five years later, Steeleye Span had lost its most celebrated members, Fairport Convention alumnus Ashley Hutchings and guitarist Martin Carthy, when they reconvened in a comparatively anonymous lineup that proved to be their most successful. This 1972 album found vocalist Maddy Prior and guitarist Tim Hart (who'd worked as a duo prior to joining Steeleye) taking the reins, with violinist Peter Knight providing an instrumental foil for the then-drummerless quintet's electric and acoustic guitars. Prior's regal alto and a carefully chosen program of traditional songs (including a medieval Christmas hymn, "Gaudete," that's among the few rock songs extant boasting a Latin lyric) sustain the album's decidedly pre-industrial mood. Below the Salt stands as a British folk-rock classic. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Might be a favorite to many, but unfortunately not me
Please be aware that this review is coming from someone who isn't particularly big on Steeleye Span. Certainly they can make some great music, but then I'm generally not a folk music enthusiast. I do like Please, to See the King and I think Fairport Convention's Liege & Lief is a masterpiece. But the problem I have with Below the Salt is I find some of the songs very cheesy. Take, for example, "John Barleycorn". I absolutely love the version that Traffic did, but the version Steeleye had done is simply unbearable to my ears. The only way you can tell this is "John Barleycorn" is the lyrics. I'm sure the way Steeleye Span did it is more true to the original, but Traffic simply did a much better version of it. There's a few other unbearable songs as well, like "Spotted Cow" and "Saucy Sailor". Below the Salt isn't a total washout. There's some great stuff here as well, like "Sheep Crook and Black Dog", "Royal Forrester", and the hit "Gaudete", but aside from that, I find the album rather overrated.

A wonderful classic
This album is just one of the very finest albums of any kind I have ever heard. The songs are just utterly gorgeous, haunting, and beautiful - wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! From the irrestibly lovely "Spotted Cow" to the toe-tapping "Jigs" to the marvellous "Sheepcrook and Blackdog" - listen to the haunting lyrics. Theres the brilliant "Royal Forester" which sounds astoninshingly good for a song dating from the year 1293 - the live version (on the "Rare Collection" is even better), to the spine tingling "King Henry" and "Gaudete" and finishing with the delicious "Saucy Sailor!"

This album is something to be cherished forever, a glorious, timeless classic.

One of the best Steeleye CDs
I enjoy this CD.
Has all the classic sound and songs you expect from the band.
Worth the money.

Unclassifiable proto-gothic masterpiece - needs remastering
After the disappointing, over sparse "Ten Man Mop", Steeleye Span recorded perhaps their definitive statement with "Below The Salt" a year later. Taking their cues from the challenging, modernist rearrangements of traditional material that was began on their second album "Please To See The King", Steeleye developed a sound that was fiery and melodic, yet scarcely relied on the conventions of rock instrumentation in any serious manner.

Instead of a drummer, there were heavy, dark rhytmic pulse from the guitar and bass at long intervals that scarcely fitted in with the tempos of the songs. Nonetheless, they served clearly to show that Steeleye did not wish to conform with the ideal of simplicity treasured both in traditional folk and in rock.

The opener "Spotted Cow" is classic Steeleye folk and one of the most accessible songs here, whilst the band's clear nod to tradition is seen in the satirically rendered "John Barleycorn" and the instrumental medley "The Bride's Favourite"/"Tansey's Fancy". The closer "Saucy Sailor" harks back to the elemental, almost mysterious beauty of "Hark! The Village Wait" with telling effect.

However, the real uniquness of this record comes with the other tracks - the middle triad of "Sheep Crook And Black Dog", "The Royal Forester" and "King Henry" where the sparse beats and haunting, medieval fiddle melodies turn songs rendered in a modern manner right into the Middle Ages in feel. The effect really is amazing: even if little on these songs strikes one by itself, the parts blend together in such a unique manner. The Latin carol "Gaudete" has an effect even more striking because the voices are mixed so far back, yet the song jumps in and out of the background in a manner that is never seen in more contemporary music. Even the other a capella piece "Rosebud In June" is extraordinary in its ability to transport the listener to another world - another time even.

This record's influence can be heard in many sources in the modern world, both in rock and in international music (compare Margo Timmins' voice with Maddy Prior's, for instance - or see how "Bitter Sweet" and "Triptych" on Roxy Music's 1974 masterpiece "Country Life" owe a lot to "Gaudete" and "King Henry".

The only real quibble is the poor sound quality of the Shanachie CD: I have been thinking forever about how amazing a good-sounding CD would be.

One of Their Two Best
With this album, Steeleye Span came to the fore of the British folk/rock movement and made serious headway with American listeners. Though it begins with the precious yet jaunty "Spotted Cow" followed by the forlorn "Rosebud In June" and then some snappy jigs, the songs become progressively complex thereafter. Tunes such as "Sheepcrook and Blackdog", "Royal Forester", the resplendent "King Henry", and a cappela "Gaudete" are haunting beyond belief. The interplay between voices, guitars, bass, and violin is unlike anything one will hear on record. The way these elements and the spirit of Olde England perfectly meld in a relatively "low-production" manner would later be replicated, with added drums and percussion, on the group's other best album Commoner's Crown. Their rendition of "John Barleycorn" breaks the serious mood just long enough to set the stage for the beautiful concluding tune "Saucy Sailor".
I have owned and listened to all the group's albums through Get In Line and must conclude that Below the Salt and Commoner's Crown are the essential albums to own while their other efforts would tend to sway toward more ancillary tastes. Try them for yourself and see. ... Read more

Album Description

Two of their most popular early '60s albums, The SlightlyFabulous (which was live) and Sing Out!, are combined ontoone disc on this reissue, which offers a goodrepresentation of their commercial, mildly satirical brandof pop-folk. Collectors' Choice Music. 1996. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

No lemons in the limelight!
If only the original LP album covers could have been transposed to the CD introduction with the same facility that the music itself was transposed from LP to CD. The print on the reproduction of the original album cover of "The Slightly Fabulous Limeliters" is just too small to enable one to comfortably read the apocryphal story of the hermit in the mountains who had never heard of the Limeliters.

Probably the most obvious reminder that these two albums, transposed onto CD, are "period pieces" occurs in the song "Jehosephat", where a little old lady, rationalizing why she prefers to watch the trio on TV, explains, "You're better in black and white".

But there are also a number of references in songs and promos connected with the Limeliters that demonstrate that the folk music era in which these albums were originally recorded really was substantially purer than our own.

The Limeliters actually once did produce an album called "Our Men in San Francisco". The LP that this particular CD was taken from has a folk song called "Hard Ain't It Hard". Today, it would be unimaginable that such titles could be produced without allusion to a few double, triple, or even quadruple entendres, but the meanings really were entirely innocent and free of multiple entendre intent at the time.

But it isn't as though the Limeliters' unique blend of fine humor and finer folk music doesn't have SOME naughtiness to it. It just doesn't go beyond the snickering peek-into-the-girlie-magazine adolescent humor inherent in "Vicki Dugan", the group's tribute to a contemporary half-dressed actress. That this passes for bawdy humor is a reminder that it's delivered in an era where sex was still allowed a certain amount of mystery.

Lou Gottlieb, Alex Hassilev, and Glenn Yarborough really were a unique fit. As stated in the original introduction to "Sing Out" that accompanies this CD, their voices blended together so well that the three of them really did sound like six. Their personalities - Gottlieb's pompous but self-deprecating professor-like demeanor, Hassilev's wryness, and Yarborough's twinkling-eyed innocence - were also a remarkable fusion on-stage, even if Gottlieb's delivery was sometimes a little overlong to result in a snappy punch line.

The songs themselves, alternating between the serious and the whimsical, are largely traditional American folk, but there's an interesting mixture of foreign influence, as well, culled from such songs as "Curima", "Aravan Aravan", and "Gilgarry Mountain" (originally the Irish melody "Whiskey in the Jar").

But "Pretty Far Out", a story about a man who allows his naiveté to enable his wife to deceive him, while hardly a clunker, is a de-ethnicized and disappointing version of the original Irish song "Seven Drunken Nights". Why the group didn't stay true to the original version of the song is a mystery.

In a less politicized era, the Limeliters could borrow from other cultures without appearing to STRAIN to be "multi-cultural". They could sing relevant "message" songs ("The Time of Man") without appearing to be preachy.

They could even do this without being Commies. It's not difficult to imagine Barbara Streisand or Cher singing "The Time of Man" today, but it is INCONCEIVABLE that either would follow it up with the rollicking Bolshevik-bashing "Harry Pollitt".

And of course, there was and presumably still is the eternal friendly war against the "Kingston Trio". Lovers of good music were the victors in this war. Gottlieb explains in his intro to "Hard Ain't It Hard" how the Kingston Trio was able to make a hit recording out of this song - something that neither Woodie Guthrie nor the Limeliters themselves were able to do - and before breaking into chorus, he ends up by snarling, "Well, we were DELIGHTED!" Oh yeah, I'll bet!

"We'll sing until we die," the Limeliters explain in "Jehosephat". "And after that - Jehosephat - we'll sing up in the sky!" It seems likely enough to me, and I trust that Gottlieb, who left us in 1996, is waiting patiently in the sky for a reunion of the original Limeliters. I can't imagine any three individuals more qualified to sing with the angels or whose music is better suited to keeping its listeners forever young.

Now This Is Music!!!!!!!!
Far too many years ago than I like to think about, I was a great fan of folk music, an attraction and appreciation gained by a young pup from watching the weekly Saturday night ABC television show "Hootenanny" (is it ever going to be possible to get THIS fabulous show on DVD?????). This broadcast showcased the likes of Trini Lopez, the Kingston Trio, the New Christy Minstrels, Woody Allen (yes, THAT Woody Allen...who told stand up jokes about neuroses and group therapy between song sets), and numerous others. And the Limelighters. Oh yes, the Limelighters. And God how I loved that group. Yarbrough's tenor was fabulous, and the way Lou and Alex's voices blended with his...and the superb range of their instrumental expertise...made for something magical. There's an old saying,that thus and so was "a sight to behold". Well, at the risk of mangling the Queen's English, the Limelighters were a Sound to "Be-hear". Just awesome.
And one day towards Christmas (of whatever year this was in the 60s), I chanced upon the record "The Slightly Fabulous Limelighters"in a department store rack and saw that it had "The Whistling Gypsy" on it...a song I loved from the "Hootenanny" performances. So I asked for it for Christmas....and GOT IT.

Was an amusing situation, though. My Bible-Belt parents were a bit taken aback by the use of the word "God" in expletive context here and there, but what really jerked their eyeballs open (but delighted me) was the song "Vikki Dougan", about a Hollywood starlet wearing a back-LESS dress out clubbing. Mom and Dad were appalled, but hormonal me was over the moon (especially so when I shortly thereafter discovered the song to be absolutely TRUE and turned up a PHOTO of said Ms. Dougan IN THAT VERY DRESS....taken FROM BEHIND. I was quite taken with it myself).

Loved that album then and have played often it over the years. Now I have it on CD and am so tickled I could scream. I haven't the remotest idea how Ms. Dougan has held up over the years (and likely wouldn't WANT to see her in her backless dress nowadays), but the superlative sound of the Limelighters has held up wonderfully well. That blend of voices and instrumentation that left us openmouthed in delight and tapping our feet and nodding our heads in time to the music is all there in all its glory. Right here. Right now. What a joy!!!

And the double-whammy is...you get "Sing Out" too! Is this cool, or what?

slightly great
if you know the Limeliters, you have to have this one

Fabulous Limeliters
This CD is really 2 albums, presented exactly as they were when they were first released. The music is truly fabulous. The string bass playing, banjo playing, and guitar playing are perfectly precise, and the vocal harmonies of Lou, Alex, and Glenn are magical. The first album represented ("The Slightly Fabulous Limeliters") is an actual live recording, and it sounds exactly like a studio performance would... it's THAT good ... with the bantering and audience interaction exactly as they were in the original recording. My favorite songs on the first album are "Western Wind," which is a driving, harmonically fantastic musical version of the centuries-old poem of the same title, and "The Whistling Gypsy," featuring Glenn Yarbrough, and glorious three part harmony. Glenn Yarbrough's lilting tenor is the wondrous showpiece voice of this group, but Alex Hassilev's baritone and Lou Gottlieb's bass blend to create a powerful sound that leaves one wondering where the "other" singers are. How can three voices sound so rich and so full? This is a wonderful CD, and music this fine is a rare find indeed, regardless of when it was made. I recommend this CD to everybody.

Exactly what a re-release should be
Recording companies who re-release older material would do well to take note of what has been done here. This CD is not merely snitches and snatches from several LPs strung together. Rather, it is two complete albums, exactly as they were, combined into one CD. One of the best tracks is Whistling Gypsy, featuring Glenn Yarbrough. Lou Gottlieb and Alex Hassilev join Yarbrough on most of the other tracks, including Jehosephat, and my personal favorite, Pretty Far Out. Methinks the Limeliters modernized (by 1960s standards) the lyrics a bit on that last one. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Leonard Cohen's deeply personal first LPs came out at a time when many of his peers were issuing furious, counterculture-inspired rants; he clearly had little interest in sticking with the pack at the time. So it makes a certain kind of contrary sense that Cohen would put out an offbeat topical collection two and a half decades later. The Future is an odd duck of an album; it's also brave, funny, and fascinating. "Give me back the Berlin Wall / Give me Stalin and St. Paul," Cohen petitions sardonically in the title track, adding, "I've seen the future, brother: it is murder." "Can't run no more with the lawless crowd / While the killers in high places say their prayers out loud," he intones in "Anthem." In "Democracy," he name-checks Tiananmen Square while surveying the United States ("The cradle of the best and of the worst"). Cohen has only improved with age as a vocalist; he sounds like a cross between Mark Knopfler and Barry White. While the polished production takes some getting used to, it's somehow suitable that cooing background vocals and programmed tracks temper these low-boil diatribes. This is, after all, The Future. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (37)

The most beautiful album ever made. No doubt about that.
You simply cannot fault this album. Some say it's a far cry from his earlier recordings but it has to be said that the wistful, sad, , incisive, cutting, dark, and romantic Mr Cohen is still alive and well. Majority of the songs on the album are over 5 minutes long, but you never seem to notice, in fact, I often wish they were longer! The rythmn and melody, accompanied by the deft, poetic story telling of Cohen, takes you on a ride that can be exhillarating (The Future, Closing Time), profoundly moving (Anthem, Tacoma Trailer, The Miracle) cutting and ry (Democracy), and incredibly sexy and erotic (Light as the Breeze, Be For Real). There simply has never been a more angelic song than Anthem. I still am moved by it after literally thousands of listenings, particularly the final instrumental break where the strings pluck and the vocals soar. Incredible. Classical music purists generally only consider the obvious greats as musical geniusses, (Beethoven, Mozart, Bach etc) but I put this question to you, Was musical genius confined only to previous centuries? With The Future, Leonard Cohen prooves that he is up there with the best of them. If he had written this album in the 1700s, it would be played today by The London Philharmonic, Sung by Pavarotti, performed in The Met, and Royal Albert Hall, it would be played at Royal funerals, and after hundreds of years, would still move people. I re-iterate this point, you cannot fault this album, and if there was a fault, it has to be said, "...there is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in."

An Absolute Masterpiece
I don't know how many would agree with me on this, but I think The Future is undoubtedly Leonard Cohen's best album. The lyrics on this album are absolute poetry - mastery, sheer mastery. From the dark satire of the title track to the cynical but all-too-true Waiting For The Miracle, to the appropriately titled Anthem, to the poetic and highly erotic Light As The Breeze, Cohen's lyrics stand nearly unrivaled in music. However, the real lyrical standout of the album is Democracy, a biting satire that stands up favorably to anything he has ever written. The covers Be For Real (and especially) Always are also very well-done, and the latter even features a nice Cohen vocal. Tacoma Trailer, an instrumental, is a nice way to round up the album. You won't find bombastic musical arrangements or overbearing vocals here, though. What you will find are Cohen's great lyrics sung in an intensely personal and moving way. And that, surely, is enough.

Songs that penetrate and don't let go
This was my first Leonard Cohen album and still my favorite. With intelligent lyrics, simple yet intoxicating melodies, and an underlying sensuality, every one of these songs will seep into your conciousness and never leave. From the subtle groove of "Waiting for the Miracle," the infectious "Closing Time," the thought-provoking "Democracy," to the simple beauty of the instrumental "Tacoma Trailer," Cohen takes the listener on a magical journey that you will want to take again and again.

LC delivers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gets four stars from me.

LC is one of those singer-songwriters who seem to elicit strong opinions; there are those who really like him and those who can't stand him, but I haven't run across many who feel lukewarm about him either way. You'll rarely hear said about Leonard Cohen, "Yeah, he's ok."

Accordingly, listening to any Leonard Cohen album should give one an idea of how they'll feel about him in general. This being a later album, it's more highly produced than the early albums, many of which have an almost raw sound to them.

I didn't like all the songs equally when I first listened to it, but repeated listenings have had nearly all of them grow on me to one degree or another. My least favorite is his cover of Irving Berlin's "Always", where Cohen tries to both undercut and transcend Berlin's cloyingly sentimental lyrics with a sly, lounge-lizard cool. Just doesn't work for me.

On the other hand, "Closing Time" utterly succeeds in pulling off the same trick in reverse; undercutting and transcending a Country Top 40 sound with sneakily subversive lyrics, suggesting something just a wee bit more existential than just another tears-in-my-beer lament over a broken love affair. "Looks like freedom but it feels like death / it's something in between, I guess / it's closing time." skirts dangerously close to the edge of Deep Thoughts.

"Waiting for the Miracle" is one of the standouts of the album, and certainly the darkest. It evokes a bleakness in the vein of an Ennio Morricone score for a Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western. It was used, in fact, as the opening theme for Oliver Stone's "Natural Born Killer's", which also used the album's title cut, "The Future", as it's closing credits theme. Another upbeat piece subverted by dark, jagged lyrics.

The other cuts are all good, with my personal other real standout being his "Anthem", which is as close to spiritual hopefulness as you're likely to hear LC get, a quiet, nearly peaceful ode to faith in the Good, and True.

If you like Leonard Cohen, you'll get him on this album, if you don't know him and want to check him out, this is as good an album as any of his to start with, and you'll certainly get to hear him in his stride. He hits it enough times here.

<><><><>

Entirely unclothed emperor parading about embarassingly
This is an album the enjoyment of which requires the listener to excuse him- or herself from the very smallest shred of critical intelligence. The gray "oracular" drizzle spreading dully from the 90% asleep gob of this fatuous ennervated biped drives this listener up a tree. I'd excuse him, but I have better things to do, like putting my head in the oven. The degree to which this album is embraced by a loving public strikes me as all the justification a person ought to need to write off the species entirely. Other than that, thumbs up. ... Read more