Reviews (5)

Pleasant But Seldom Memorable
The 1950s and 1960s found Capitol Records with a bright roster of recording artists who specialized in pop classics--and in the course of their Capitol careers many of them took a crack at a Cole Porter song or two, with this compilation the result. And although pleasant enough, taken as a whole it is surprisingly innocuous.

Some of the selections are a bit strange. Judy Garland was a truly memorable performer who could work wonders with a Porter song--but "I Happen to Like New York," one of Porter's truly minor works, is not particularly suited to her gifts. Helen O'Connell was a gifted vocalist, but in similar fashion her style is somewhat at odds with the delicate and formal "In The Still of the Night"--a song specifically written with a male vocalist in mind.

Even so, all of the artists, including those whose luster has faded with the passing years, give at least respectable showings--and here and there a diamond pops out at you, as in Peggy Lee's "From Now On," Louis Prima's "I've Got You Under My Skin," and Nancy Wilson's "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To." But by and large, this is really Cole Porter reduced to background music for a 1960-ish suburban cocktail party: pleasant, but not remarkable enough to stop conversation.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

A Clarification
I must clarify a point in Mr. Lawrance M. Bernabo's review. When one speaks of Cole Porter's lyrics, one must remember he didn't write all of them. For songs from "Anything Goes" he partnered with the man few people remember as having penned the words to the most concurrent Broadway hits ever back in the beginning of the last century: Jeeves' author P.G. Wodehouse. If you listen to some of those lyrics and then cast your mind to the wacky world of Bertie Wooster, The Drones, et. al., it begins to become evident. And what a wonderful pairing Porter and Wodehouse were!

As for the CD itself, it seems to be wonderful. The only limitation is the "Capitol" label. So many fine versions, which might make an even better collection if mixed in, don't happen to live in their domain.

contrarian view
As a long-time fan of Cole Porter, I found this recording a mishmash of vocalists promoting their own singing style and mangling the purity of the composer's work. What was done to "Begin the Beguine" is beyond description.

Great Series -- Perfect Gift
There are a couple of these series of composer's "songbooks" culled from the archives of various record labels. The Verve series and the "Capitol Sings" are the best of the bunch. The Capitol collections tend to be a bit more pop, while the Verve disc are "jazzier," but with artists like Stan Kenton, Gerry Mulligan, Peggy Lee and Nancy Wilson, Capitol was no slouch in the jazz department, either.

This collection is especially fine, start to finish. It's a nicely diverse selction of Porter tunes performed in a variety of styles, from Broadway to near be-bop. It's impossible, even if you're a fan of the more improvisational stuff, not to love Judy's Garland's weirdly majestic "I Happen to Like New York" or the tender Jo Stafford/Gordon McCrae "Wunderbar." And hooray for Louis and Keely, and Peggy Lee with George Shearing, for giving us fresh treatments of canonical tunes that make them evergreen.

This is a great gift for people who don't know how great the American pop standard can be.

Yeah, Cole Porter's tunes, but man those lyrics!
It is interesting to note that until you get to the last three tracks on "Anything Goes," the Capitol Sings collection of Cole Porter tunes, the songs are arranged in alphabetical order from "All of You" by Annie Ross to "You're the Top" by June Turner. Go figure. The main thing is that these songs harken back to the old days when hearing the words was important to enjoying the song. Certainly Cole Porter's lyrics are even more fun than his melodies. "Anything Goes" features the standard mix of big names such as Peggy Lee, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin and Nat King Cole with lesser known talents such as Martha Tilton, June Christie, Jeri Southern, Trudy Richards and Jean Turner. Actually, this album probably has more great songs by the latter group than any other in the Capitol Sings series. The lasting appeal of Porter's songs is represented by having songs covered by both Judy Garland and her daughter Liza Minelli. It is really hard to just pick a few favorites from this one: Gordon MacRae's "Begin the Beguine," Tony Bennett's "Anything Goes" with Count Basie, Louis Prima and Keely Smith ripping through "I've Got You Under My Skin," and Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae's tender duet of "Wundebar" easily spring to mind. This album also features a couple of previously unreleased tracks: Martha Tilton singing "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" and Chris Connor's cover of "I Get A Kick Out Of You." As always you get a wide mix of musical stylings, from the most up-tempo version of "In the Still of the Night" you will ever hear done by Helen O'Connell to a somewhat slow but still swinging version of "True Love" by Dino. With "Anything Goes" you will hear some quite different versions of your favorite Porter tunes gathered from the Capitol vaults, and virtually every song has those remarkably witty lyrics. ... Read more

Album Description

This collector's edition provides a perfect introduction to the career of this pioneer in the field of sound healing. Healing music -- music that Steven Halpern has prescribed for over 30 years -- is now recommended by leading health experts, including Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Deepak Chopra.

This definitive anthology features electric piano, grand piano, flute, harp and angelic choir. Of special interest is a heart-opening version of Pachelbel's "Canon in D Major."

This music is ideal for meditation, massage and relaxation. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Music for Sound Healing ~ Steven Halpern
Geat CD. Very pleased. Great music. Would recommend it to anyone. Very relaxing sounds.

Mr. Rogers Neighborhood Meets New Age
I love ethereal, ambient, healing New Age. I have at least 250 CDs of this genre in my collection. This will not be #251. Do you remember the electronic piano/casio electric keyboard sound of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood? It is in most of the songs on this album. The few songs that don't have this are decent, but if you want truly healing, contemplative music, try Liquid Mind, Anugama, Raphael or others like them.

You can't believe how nice these are....
I am nuts over Mr. Halpern's music and uses for it. I just bought another one and wanted to mention how I loved it. It is called Music for Healing by Steven Halpern, Just came out this year and it was part of a box set called Sound Medicine. Nice and inexpensive for three CDs. Halpern makes great music and has a fan for life.

Puts me to sleep! I love it!
I have been purchasing Steven Halpern's CD's for quite a while and now I have a nice little collection. This specific CD reminds me of a place you can go which is completely peaceful.

I love the healing compositions and the grand piano, electric piano, harp and flute. I really think the harp is what makes this so relaxing. It sounds silly, but you really think you are in heaven if you just close your eyes. This music just takes you away to a peaceful place. What it almost does is hypnotize you to sleep.

Dr. Weil also recommends music for healing. I can fell it working. If stress causes disease, which is does, then why not benefit from relaxing music.

Soothingly Peaceful
From the very first track, the music on this CD is soothing and calming, putting you in an immediately peaceful state. The music is created to respond to the seven chakras, the body's energy systems, providing harmony and relaxation to each energy center. A must have for anyone's music collection for healing and restoration. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's hard to believe that this is the debut CD created by award-winning performance-art sensations the Blue Man Group, whose off-the-wall and high-tech, highly percussive show has been an off-Broadway hit since the beginning of its uninterrupted run in 1991. This CD is not a soundtrack; while some pieces appear in the show, they are presented here with extra instruments, performers, and recently developed instruments. In addition to making abstract paintings by pouring paint onto kettledrums then bashing on them until the color pours onto an awaiting canvas, the Blue Man Group make their own instruments out of unexpected, often very simple materials. Creations used to make this record include air poles, the big drum, the PVC instrument, the backpack tubulum, and the drum wall (no, David van Tieghem is not a member of the group). Those homemade instruments notwithstanding (which are most striking visually anyway), the heavily rhythmic nature of the music, combined with the guitar as a focal element, reminds one of early-to-mid-1980s art-rock. The opening salvo--a two-minute number--starts off subtle and pleasing enough, with slowly building layers of percussive sound and overlapping soundtrack-y guitar lines vaguely reminiscent of Ennio Morricone, the great soundtrack composer that everyone rips off. The entire disc will highly satisfy the faithful and serve as intriguing background music for everyone else. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (175)

MUST is an awfully strong word. Tempting, tho...
For those of us who love rythm, this is an outstanding sound! If you've seen the ads on TV, you have only experienced the smallest hue of their repitoire. But it isn't just the beat, the groove, the subtle introduction & the relentless drive. It's the layers, the curiousity, the intrigue. I want more! My first BMG experience was on that show with Letterman- they performed on their instruments, these strange men in black with blue plastic skin. (Metaphorically appropos for the techno-society in general & last 2 decades of the 20th century in particular) Not a word was spoken, they just took Robin Williams, placed a helmet on his head & a flying harness about his torso & pelvis, covered him with paint, then threw him at a wall a few times. = ] That about says it all. Except that you'll be consumed with the desire to aquire the best speakers & subwoofers you can afford to FEEL the music... make peace with your neighbors now & apologize in advance for the noise!

An Outstanding Blend of Art, Science, and Eccentricity...
that create a new and highly precussive form of music. Skilled in their craft, Blue Man Group seem able to utilize basic physical properties to create new and different musical "appliances" that bring strange and interesting sounds and feelings to the playing field. From pounding tracks such as "Opening Mandelbrot," with it's driving percussion licks that are second only to Neil Peart's of Rush, to more mellow (almost Pink Floydian) tunes like "Utne Wire Man," the album is highly enjoyable in every way.

If you are a fan of Prog Rock icons such as Rush, Pink Floyd, Genesis, and others, this CD from Blue Man Group is a must for your collection. Buy "AUDIO" today!

Audio Delight
The Blue Man Group is one of the more unique acts in theater today. Taking the stage in New York, Boston, Chicago and Las Vegas are the three Blue Men who communicate only with facial expressions, action and music. Their shows are part music and part vaudeville, but the amazing aspect is all the instruments the Blue Men play are homemade. From xylophone looking PVC drums, to Drumbones, to chewing Captain Crunch in time, these men make noise from anything they can get their hands on, except for this noise is musical.

Hence the album "Audio", which is an audio excursion through the sounds of the Blue Man Group and their sounds from a strange assortment of rhythm instruments. The album covers many of the songs played during their performance, plus more. The rhythms are strong and dominate the album as they use their instruments even though you cannot see them. Backed by drums, a guitar and bass, this album is an experiment of sound. The sound can only be classified as a rock orchestra. All the songs are instrumental, and the sound might leave you thinking along the lines of Joe Satriani (if the drum took center stage rather than the guitar). Quiet at times, and loud and explosive at others, the music travels from one extreme to the next and back with never a dull moment.

If you have seen the Blue Man Group before, this is a must to have the music played. If you haven't seen the music before, the album is a must just to see the instruments they have created using PVC tubes long enough to fill warehouses. A unique group that must be seen, but only heard to be appreciated.

The Surf Guitar is Back!
Half a century after Dick Dale gave this gift to the world, the metallic ultimate American surf sound that Enio Morricone copied so lavishly, here it is again! This is definitely the disk to be cruising with in your sports car.

BEST $100 Buck I have ever spent!!!!!
When I anounced that I was going to Las Vegas, everyone said that I should go see the Blueman Group. I was skeptical, especially when I saw the price of $100 bucks a ticket. But I saw the video for "Sing Along," and I figured what the hell! I was completely blow away!!!!! This was the best show I have ever seen! After seeing it I declared that I would pay $500 bucks a ticket! When I found out that there was a soundtrack to the show, I bought it without question! I brought back so many memories of the show. The only thing I hate about it is that it makes me want to see the show again, and I live in boring Evansville, Indiana. If you like the show "Stomp," a fan of percussion, or just enjoy weird music, then this is the album for you! ... Read more

Album Description

* Long awaited collaboration between MIKE PATTON and Norweigian artist KAADA. Two years in the making, this dreamy soundtrack sounds and looks beautiful.Kaada's soundscapees are augmented by the smooth, eerie vocal work as well as the unpredictable electronic manipulation ofMike Patton. * Packaged in a 6 panel chipboard digipak with silver printing.* You Love Mike Patton! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Simple, Fasctinating, and Weirdly Romantic
I would consider myself a semi-fan of Mike Patton's past work. I've loved albums such as Mister Bungle's California, but found much of his music to be self indulgent and clever, rather than inspired. Romances blows my mind, however. Overall, this work would probably best be described as a collection of soundscapes rather than songs; and within this context it suceeds brilliantly. Throughout this album layer after layer of shimmering instrumental and evocative vocal tracks create of mood that can only be described as dreamy, sensual and yes -- romantic! In fact, what Patton & Kaada may have produced here is the most bizzare makout album of all time! If you're looking to rock out stay away from Romances. But if you're in search of something different and could use a soundtrack for getting hot and bothered with the coolest and weirdest significant other possible, I highly recommend this album.

Mildly romantic
A few tracks into "Romances," you'll probably find yourself asking the question: What movie is this from? With all that gothic ambience and sudden ups-and-downs, it sounds like the soundtrack from a surrealist vampire flick. As a result, it's a pleasant if unexceptional listen.

To some degree, it's what you'd expect of Fantomas frontman Mike Patton, when he collaborates with Norwegian melting-pot master Kaada. The opening song is a dense, built-up colossus of ghostly vocals (either high and creepy or deep and foreboding), weird synth and over-the-top organ. It sounds like Patton and Kaada are trying to scare you with the woo-woo effects.

That flavour sticks around in lesser forms in the songs that follow, which generally pair ambient effects, bells, steel guitar, electronic wibbling and some seriously sad songwriting. Patton is more restrained here than in his main band, and he is able to croon in a suitably mournful manner.

Despite the dark tone, there is some unexpected hilarity in "L'absent," which sounds like the Polyphonic Spree misplaced their meds. I've never heard "la la la" sung with such gloom. And "Pitie Pour Mes Larmes" mixes in hymns, uplifting pop with that ambient sound and some heavy crashing drums. Just try to classify that!

"Romances" is an interesting listen while it's actually on, but with at least half of each song made of gothic ambience, it feels somehow incomplete and insubstantial. A few songs have a solid sound to tap into -- such as the opening song "Invocations" -- but most of them meander with lots of creepy sound effects.

It is a pretty listen, though, with some solid instrumentation in the form of bass, steel guitar, drums, and clarinet, with multilayered washes of sound sweeping over it all. And Patton's mournful wails are suitably creepy, just the sort of thing you'd expect in a haunted castle, abandoned palace, decrepit opera house, or something of the sort.

"Romances" is not exactly a revelation, but it is a moderately entertaining piece of gothic ambient music. Patton and Kaada could have done better, but at least they did well enough.

CHAMBER MUSIC
tasteful odd arrangements, yet a lot more accessible than a lot of Patton's other collaborations (MALDOROR). cool organ arrangements, with Patton crooning, not screaming, over top. worth checking out if you enjoyed LOVAGE or TOMAHAWK's first release.

Soundtrack of love
What I was expecting from this album was 2 incredible musicians making some catchy pop love songs, but what I got was nothing of the sorts. Admittedly I was dissappointed at first since it was more a sountrack not so much songs. After realizing I didnt get what I wanted, I listened to this a few more timesto really find a gem of a CD.

If you enjoy obscure mellow music then this is right up your alley. It is not radio friendly but is challenging enough to anyone who appreciates music as an art, not a corporation, like you get with most of the stuff on todays's music radio.

Pleasant enough, but rarely rises above backgrounds.
This album sounds and feels like the score for a movie.Its a piece of moods and sounds.In line with this, the music is largely synthesizer washes and the vocals are more often than not wordless, moaned, whispered, hummed, etc.

Remarkably, this works pretty well-- the image of Patton as vocal lion is hard to shake, and here he's much more restrained, fitting with the layered backgrounds.Many of the pieces can be quite effecting, and the vocals are brilliant as one would expect (I go back and forth on whether or not he succeeds more when he uses lyric rather than just vocalizations, primarily because his crooning really sounds incredible on this record).

Overall though, this one really rarely gets past the state of background music-- like I said, it feels like the score for a movie, but without the movie, there's not a whole lot to bite into.Some interesting moments, but not the best work by Patton.I'm not familiar enough with Kaada's work to judge it with respect to him. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Dance teachers opinion
Because the Waltz and the Fox Trot are the most popular of the standard ballroom dances I think this CD hits it right on the nose by featuring just these two. I've competed in ballroom dancing and am now teaching a beginning level class. The beats are easy to follow and pick-up on. The tempos are just right. The songs make it easy to get lost in your own little dancing world. I prefer to dance these two dances with songs that have lyrics (not just insturmental) and this CD provides that feature. Charming, and practical this CD is an excellant choice for your ballroom dancing CD collection.

I really like this CD! It's great for listening or dancing.
I just started dancing Smooth/Standard and this collection of songs were familiar favorites of mine from "easy listening" radio stations. The music is well-done and presents a nice mix of speeds for novice or expert dancers. I particularly enjoy the waltes.

Excellent for practicing Fox Trots and Waltzes
This CD is divided by dance. The first 9 pieces are Fox Trots and the next 6 are Waltzes. This set up allows for continuous practice of each of the two dances. The music and songs are performed by well known artists and are delightful to listen to. A must for your ballroom dance CD collection, regardless of your dancing ability.

A great collection of 8 Fox Trots, 7 Waltzes
A great collection to practice your steps and dance to. The CD is arranged with the first 8 songs as Fox Trots (most are slow, 30 bpm), including There Will Never be Another You (Andy Williams). The next 7 are Waltzes, including Charade (Andy Williams), and others from Englbert Humperdink and Henry Mancini. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Creme De La Creme
There are not enough adjectives for the tremendous impact of this recording - all it takes is one play - one memory - cascades! These ladies are to "Die For".

Billie, Ella, Lena, Sarah - their best was yet to come.
This collection was first issued in the mid '50s as "Ella, Lena and Billie" - Sarah was added later - and if you don't know these great vocalists by their first names, you must be from the Moon. The sessions by Billie and Ella are from the '30s, and Lena's sessions are from 1941. Most of these numbers were recorded with a Teddy Wilson-led band which included several of Basie's sidemen. The Sarah Vaughn numbers were recorded in 1950 with a lineup that included Miles Davis on trumpet. It's wonderful to hear these singers in the early stages of their careers. The sound quality is better than one might expect.

A great sample of early jazz queens !!
This album introduced me to jazz a couple of years ago. Now, I'm a big fan. I know the work of Amstrong, Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Nina Simone and others. Still, this is the best I have.The lyrics, instrumental richness and even the imperfect recording quality makes it really charming and beautiful. Horne's emotion in "Prisioner of Love" and all Sarah's performances give it an extra star. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

1963 was a very, very good year for American pop music
1963 was a pretty good year for American pop music, at least as represented by the ten tracks Billboard came up with for this collection. Yes, there is a high concentration of sugar as represented by the perky Rooftop Singers doing "Walk Right In" and "Dominique" by the Singing Nun, but it is not right to diss a nun. Besides, there are significant counterbalances at work here with the Surfaris ripping through "Wipe Out" and the biggest Japanese import of all time, "Sukiyaki" by Kyo Sakamoto. Toss in Bobby Vinton's "Blue Velvet," Paul & Paula's "Hey Paula," and "Rhythm of the Rain" by the Cascades and this is one of the best Billboard pop collections from the sixties. If you cannot find five tracks on this CD that you would like to add to your music collection, then it is because you have a really good music collection and you already own most of these tracks. Too bad Billboard always insists on stopping at ten tracks on these collections.

Superb
This is my type of 60's CD --- all original versions, great quality, balanced selection from the period. It would be nice if all of the CD producers followed this example.

A time warp
I popped this CD in my player going to work the other day and my van became a time machine which transported me immediatly back to 1963. I am riding down Broad Street in Richmond, Va. in my friend's Impala SS, listening to WLEE on the radio play "Rhythm Of The Rain" by the Cascades and am 20 years old again.

All the songs on this CD are winners but the two most unusual selections are "Sukiyaki" sung completely in Japanese by Kyu Sakamota and "Dominique" sung in French by The Singing Nun. My other personal favorite is the surreal "Sally, Go Round The Roses" by the Jaynetts.

I really never cared all that much for "Hey Paula" by Paul and Paula but they were part of that special time in my life and I am glad that Rhino is doing such a great job of preserving these songs of my generation.

Billboard Top Pop Hits: 1963
This album is definantly a must-have for the avid oldies collector. Spotlighting various artists all the way from Bobby Vinton to Kyu Sakamoto and his #1 compellaton, Sukiyaki, the songs are presented in a well-written pamphlet on the subject written by Joel Whitburn, the man for the Billboard chart era. Although the cover design is not what you might call glamourous, the songs and the price are unbeatable. If you like one song by a particular artist but don't want to blow fifty bucks on a whole arsenal of songs that you would'nt put in there if you had a choice, then this one's for you.

In Memoriam to a great Singer - Kyu Sakamoto
There are a lot of great hits on this album but the one that I most favor, not just for 1963, but for all time, is the song written by Rokusuke Ei, and sung by one of the greatest Japanase singers of all time: Kyu Sakamoto. The song being called "Sukiyaki" in America but released in Japan in 1961 as "Ue O Muite Aruko" (I look up When I Walk). The song was inspired by actual events of the times in that Rokusuke Ei had his heart broke by the Japanese Actress, Meiko Nakamura. Nonetheless, noone could have sung the song as great or as well as Kyu Sakamoto. I will cherish his songs for all my days. And, if you do not believe this, listen to the partial song here on Amazon, and then buy the Billboard album itself to hear the entire song. AND then, try to find the actual album "The Very Best of Kyu Sakamoto". The tragic part is, Kyu is no longer with us as he was killed in the famous aircraft accident of 1985 on August 12th: JAL Flight 123, a 747 bound for Haneda Airport in Tokyo to Osaka. It took 30 minutes for this plane to hit the ground after pieces of its tail section broke off. Enough time for passengers to write farewells to their loved ones. This is one Story that should have been made into a movie: the life of Kyu Sakamoto and his family and friends. Thank you! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A Time Of Innocence
This volume (and its companion, volume 2) offers a terrific if incomplete overview of the girl group phenomenon of the eary-Sixties. By incomplete, I mean there are no Motown groups (Supremes, Martha & The Vandellas, Marvelettes), nothing from Philles (Crystals, Ronettes, Darlene Love) or Cameo/Parkway (Orlons, Dee Dee Sharp). Essentially this Rhino package focuses almost exclusively on Caucasion artists--but I suppose that would have sounded politically incorrect on the album title. But even with those glaring omissions, there are enough amazing songs here to make this an indipensable collection of girl group classics.

Most of these songs were huge hits. All but five went Top Ten, and four of them ("Leader of the Pack," "He's So Fine," "Chapel of Love" and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow") reached No. 1.

Many of these artists were one-hit wonders (Ad Libs, Jaynetts, Claudine Clark, Jelly Beans), so this collection provides you with the hits and no filler. [A couple of exceptions: Cher doesn't really fit the category and "Dream Baby" never cracked the Top 40; the Exciter's "He's Got the Power" and Evie Sands' "I Can't Let Go" didn't chart either. While it's interesting to compare the latter song with the Hollies' version, I would have rather seen other hits by the Shirelles or the Shangri-Las instead that didn't make it onto either volume of this series.)

While they don't show up as performers, Ellie Greenwich/Jeff Barry and Carole King/Gerry Goffin wrote six of these tracks, including the good girl/bad girl anthem "Leader of the Pack" and the song that begs the question "should I or shouldn't I?"--"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow." The latter by the Shirelles is considered the first girl group hit from 1961.

Most of these songs are classics and they all harken back to a more innocent time in the history of rock. Whether you lived through this time period or simply wished you did, this is required listening. ESSENTIAL

We've Got The Beat!
Rhino has put together a nice collection chronicling the Rock N' Roll phenomenon of the early to mid sixties known as The Girl Groups. If this is your first foray into the sound of the Girl Groups this is quite a fine start. This collection which is more of a hit orientated set, includes the songs you'll most remember because of their exposure on the radio. What makes the set worth it though are the more obcure songs sprinkled throughout the collection.(See Vol 2) Songs like "Party Lights", "I Can't Stay Mad At You" and "I Can't Let Go" (on Vol 1) to name a few. Included in the booklet are pictures of the groups and great liner notes about each individual song. The only flaw that I can find with this collection is the admittance of a Cher track "Dream Baby", that faded fast into obscurity upon it's release but which has been resurrected here as a throwaway track. This song should have been saved for a Cher anthology set. I pray that one day a box set chronicling the Girl Groups will be released (believe me, there is enough material to make several box sets!)that will further and more wholey reinstate the powerful force these women have had on popular music.

Memories of Junior High!
Each one of these songs bring back sharp memories of riding my bike down to the Arlington Record Store to get the latest 45 played on WLS. The songs are the originals and have been very carefully selected. Along with the top hits of the time, this includes gems like the haunting and unusual "Sally Go Round the Roses", the mesmerizing "I Can't Stay Mad at You" and Evie Sands "I Can't Let Go." This CD is a must for any baby boomer who grew up listening to AM radio.

Go girls!
*sighs* I love this era. I'd be rhetorical of me to say I don't enjoy listening to these girl groups. Personally, my favourite would be "Chapel of Love." As a romantic, this CD just made my day.

Yummy!
I really enjoyed this album because I'm a romantic and love hearing love songs. The album is long and has all the good songs. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Very nice CD
I purchased this CD for my wedding and enjoyed all the romantic selections. We used every one of them.
I also purchased New Wedding Traditions Volume I ...
That CD had a great songs for our family and friends like "A Song For My Daughter" for my father bride dance and "A Song For My Son" for the mother groom dance "A Wedding Thank You" for our bridal party "To Our Family and Friends" for everyone.
These two CDs gave me all the special wedding music I needed.
I am very happy with both of these CDs.

Great CD!
This would be a great cd for a wedding reception or even a romantic night by candlelight. Great songs! Great price! If you're considering this cd definitely buy it. You'll be very happy with your purchase.

Simply The Best
I really like this cd. Sometimes I don't like to take a chance on buying a cd because of the possiblity that I may only like 2 songs. However, on this cd, I liked every song except for 3. This cd is worth it; it is simply the best!

perfect wedding songs!
This is exactly what I was looking for-songs we're all familiar with and that tug on our heart strings. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The beauty of Schoolhouse Rock in its original Saturday morning run (1973-85) was that kids watching couldn't tell whether the catchy three-minute cartoon jingles were meant to be commercials, shows, or something else entirely. That enabled overexposed TV youth to learn without realizing it between episodes of Scooby Doo and Fat Albert. Then the Brady Bunch generation became the alternative nation, and the innocence with which they took in these grammar, history, and math lessons was lost. Now comes the obligatory tribute album, Schoolhouse Rock Rocks--pleasant enough, but full of postmodern yuks and missed-the-point nostalgia that aim to celebrate but instead drain the joy from childhood memories.

Though it's somewhat interesting to hear Pavement turn "Mo More Kings" into lo-fi krautrock or Moby make "Verb: That's What's Happening" into industrial techno-pop, the performers who most successfully preserve Schoolhouse Rock's edutainment viability are those who are most cartoonish to begin with: Ween ("The Shot Heard 'round the World"), Biz Markie ("The Energy Blues"), and Daniel Johnston ("Unpack Your Adjectives"). The problem remains, nonetheless: Any revamping of these songs implies Schoolhouse Rock somehow needed to be made hipper. That none of these songs is better than its original proves how very unhip '70s kids have grown up to be. --Roni Sarig

... Read more

Reviews (28)

Groovy!
Worth buying just to hear the Mr. Morton track, by Skee-Lo, I also liked Blind Melon (w/Shannon) doing 3 is a Magic Number. Okay, this is no grammy winning CD, but interesting and fun enough to listen to more than a few times, I mean where else can you hear Moby singing about Verbs? If you want the Orignal School House Rock songs,with all those cute voices, you'll have to get the original SHR CD or better yet, buy the videos (of course, the videos we purchased have some exceedingly annoying intros by some very annoying kids and Cloris Leachman? I think that's her name, blyuck!).

Very cool
I'm a huge Schoolhouse Rock fan, so this album was definitely a treat. The songs are already classics, so the individual artists' interpretations take center stage here. Another good thing about this CD is that in many ways it sums up the sound of 1996 in rock, alternative, techno, R&B. There's some fun stuff here, and it all starts with the original theme music, just to add a little more irony to the disc. A great buy.

Pavement rocks
Being a huge Pavement fan, I was mostly interested in their cover of No More Kings. Their reworking of the tune is great, definately on par with their eariler work, and at the very least out performs most of the S&E era B-sides.

Not worth five stars, but certainly enjoyable
There have been numerous negative reviews of this album, and several five star ratings. I do not believe that it really deserves either. I enjoy each of the bands on this album seperately, anyway, so I don't know how biased I may be. But this album is not bad. I'm also not going to say that if you necessarily liked Schoolhouse Rock (which I did, by the way) that you will like this album. You kind of need to be in touch with this kind of music.

It is a tribute album, not a reworking of old songs. Each artist puts their own touch to the songs, though some leave them closer to the way that they were originally. I personally really like Pavement, but it's a taste that most people seem to lack. So they will probably not appreciate the song as much as I do. Actually, I probably have the weirder tastes. Also a fan of Moby, both early and late, so I enjoyed his reworking of Verb. Warning though: it's more like the Moby tracks from "Everything is Wrong."

Some of the songs less touched were actually the more enjoyable tracks. Blind Melon's rendition of "Three" is wonderful and almost makes me feel like I'm listening to, say, Three Dog Night (ironic, huh?). Ween, The Lemonheads, and Better Than Ezra all do tremendous jobs keeping to the original sounds, while still making the songs their own. Same for Biz Markie's "Energy Blues." "I'm Just A Bill" is done wonderfully, and certainly gives us a different view of how the bill actually feels about all of this beurocracy.

And, hey, let's face it: Skee-Lo's "Mr. Morton" is so wonderful, I had to replay the track immediately after listening to it.

Overall, I think the album deserves four stars. Pluses: Good collection of artists reworking some of the favorite tracks, and every track is worth listening to many times. Cons: Tribute cds are just so...common.

Knowledge is power!
The album features contemporary acts covering Schoolhouse Rock songs. All of them are good, with the notable exception of Pavement's dirge-like version of "No More Kings". Everything else is a lot of fun. And if you're not careful, you may learn something before it's done. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

The Best Gift Ever
My father bought this song to play for me on my Wedding day! It was the Best Gift he could have ever given me. He is a man of few words, but I know this song said all that was in his heart on that very special day (Nov 4th).

If you have daughter getting married I highly suggest you listen to this before you chose a song to dance to.

Regards, A very Please and Tearful Bride

a song for my daughter
I purchased this song for my husband to dance with my daughter at her wedding because it was different and the most beautiful song I have ever heard. I felt it was very appropiate for that day for my husband to tell his daughter how he felt about her. We have three sons and I had the honor of dancing with them and now with this song I felt it should be his honor with a song this beautiful and I felt every one would remember it because it is an unforgetable song and the words are so true of what a father feels about his daughter on her wedding day.

FANTASTIC!!
I wanted a very special song for our father bride dance and I found that and much more in "A Song For My Daughter On Her Wedding Day"
We are going to use Ray Allaires heartfelt version for our father bride dance.
I know that moment will be even more special because of this very special fantastic song.
Many Thanks

A Fantastic Song!
I heard this song at a friends wedding and I got a copy to play for my parents.
They both love it and want it played for the ceremony and also at the reception.
I am glad there are two versions of it.
We will play the female version at the ceremony and then the male version for our father bride dance.
Having this beautiful song for my parents and I has made planniing my wedding a little easier.
Barbara the happy Bride

WOW!
What a beautiful song.
The words really say everything I wanted to tell my daughter on her wedding day.
I like this single CD but I also got the New Wedding Traditions Volume I CD (from amazon.com) because it has the instrumental version and I am thinking of singing it myself.
My wife keeps telling me to just play the CD because I won't be able to get through the song without breaking down.
She might be on to something. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Strange, inexplicable genius
The closest analogy I can think of with listening to Firesign Theatre is catching a radio broadcast from a parallel universe. Their weird, layered tales of sound and fury project the feeling of being allowed a glimpse into another world, another culture, a warped version of our own with people that operate under alien logic and a completely different perception. This is a world where everything is normal to the inhabitants but foreign and nearly incomprehensible to an external eavesdropper - sort of like a shipwrecked Englishman trying to comprehend the language and rituals of the tribesmen on the south pacific island he's been stranded on.

Firesign Theatre often goes beyond simple satire or parody and into a state difficult to define. A brilliantly constructed alternate reality is the best way I can describe it. And it is brilliant. The universe may be stranger than we CAN imagine, but if anyone can imagine that strangeness, it's the people behind Don't Crush that Dwarf - thinking this original doesn't need any revelatory insights into the human condition attached to it - though you may stumble upon a few anyway. Don't listen to this while attempting to derive philosophical truths on a level of profundity equal with Shakespeare's plays. Just sit back and enjoy the mind-bending ride. This stuff is better than acid.

Still the funniest
A few millenia ago, when I was a college freshman, my roommate would mumble to himself something about "Eat it Raw....Raw, raw, raw, that's the spirits..." Then, later in that year, I heard this album, then an LP. It caught me instantly. So I got all the other Firesign albums, thinking they'd gone a little downhill with "We're All Bozos..." which I also now have on CD...

(Just an aside: a comedy act that followed Firesign Theatre consisted of two guys with their constant adolescent reference to drugs. As Amazon.com probably has their stuff on CD too I won't specify here who they are. But they led to a virtual generation gap about two years after these Firesign albums were released: the 18 year olds thinking this duo was superior. To the 20 year olds--among them me at the time--Firesign was obviously superior! Hail (Groucho) Marx and (John) Lennon!)

Amazing is that when one rarely encounters a Firesign fan, we can spout off quotes from largely this CD--as if we'd just heard them five minutes ago. I was at the Firesign show in Washington in the 90s, a birthday gift from my wife who wasn't familiar with Firesign--and she was amazed by how much the audience shouted out Firesign's lines before they did!

What does one call this humor? Someone called it "layered." Yeah, I guess that'll do. Whatever, it's spectacular. I suspect while lying on my deathbed some day, I'll be chuckling and spouting lines from here..."Right, Jack. So far a complete broken set of kellet bars for Mrs. P's new home..." And on, and on, and on. Oh, and, even after all these years, people point out the sometime esoteric sources for the lines Firesign uses. Amazing.

Like "Star Trek" and "The Outer Limits," I have a weakness for the originals (despite, in the case of those series, their inferior effects and sets.) Same goes with Firesign. I try to get into their newer stuff--have several on CD as I couldn't resist. But the earlier displays of their talent are overwhelming with this still the best. The script goes from one "subject" to the next with extremely limited connections between them. But, despite seeming incongruities, somehow it all makes "sense," as much sense as can be made of it all.

(I tried to put this one on a few minutes ago. But my wife, who's working on taxes, was distracted. I guess I'll have to go for a ride to listen to this in the car. Then I can distract her with more quotes....)

Firesign Theatre? They're irresistible. And this is one of the funniest CDs ever produced.

Not quite the Solution I Expected!
As Firesign Theatre albums go,this is definitely one of their more surreal projects.

Everybody has a take on this album,so here's my theory....

Young George Tyrebiter,trippy hippy,awakens from his stupor,to find his television tuned into some sort of oddball early morning religious program. The followers apparently worship food,co-incidentally while George has the munchies.At one point the televsion becomes a two-transferance device. The Evangilist passess George a hot steamy breakfast,but in exchange,George finds himself pulled into the television world! In the televsion world,George becomes the cannon fodder of just about everything,including the central program,a bad teen comedy called "High School Madness".( And much to his horror,"George Tyrebiter" is played by someone else,whereas the real George gets stuck playing all the extras and back up roles...confused yet?).It's a roller coaster of ideas and sounds,as someone else is channel surfing through this as well.Eventually....George has gone forward into the past,only to escape as Old George Tyrebiter,movie mogul,whom awakes to his secretary reciting phone messages from a list of potentially washed up film comedians.

This album was probably a lot of fun to record,but the end result is muddy.( Even with the miracle of CD's,and not having to flip the record over.). A "best of" album titled,"Forward Into the Past" harvested the best bits of this album,I'd purchase that one first. This one is for hardcore "Fire-Heads".
( And why doesn't this CD include the original album poster? )

STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS
amazing, superlative, plain old laugh out loud funny. just don't forget a hair of the dog...

thank god these guys are still at it. we need more rapier sharp wit like this!

past revisited
I bought four firesign cd's Had them on 33's when first released. I can't believe I thought this stuff was funny 30 years ago. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

The upmost delightful sound collection you can get
The collaboration between the indian musician Ravi Shankar and the US compser Philip Glass results in ome of the best collection of sound available from a world music p.o.v. as well as from an admirer of contemporary music. This CD will undoubtably enter your Top 10 playlist immediately -- and be stuck there for ages. END

Journey to the East and back
This album at first glance brings together two of the most unlikely composers one could think of in a collaboration that crosses huge cultural differences but works exceptionally well.

Ravi Shankar, whose music has been known in the West for many years , is known for his work with Yehudi Menuhin and George Harrison among others. His musical reputation goes far beyond his exemplary sitar playing in the traditional ragas and covers much classical Indian music also.

Philip Glass, mostly known for his repetitive structures as a member of the minimalist school and for his powerful soundtracks, has gained a wider audience with classical and popular music afficionados outside of the USA.

This album works in many different ways. Despite their differing backgrounds each musician has produced memorable soundscapes which reach deeply into the history of each of the collaborators and their musical heritage and which emerge to enchant and delight the listener. It is often difficult to distinguish the individual contributions from each other in particular pieces which underscores their deep understanding and appreciation of each others work. The pieces are extremely moving and cover a whole gamut of emotions. Each composition has it's own particular feature which causes me to come back to this album again and again.

In some ways this album is greater than either of it's component parts and will be a lasting testament to the work of these two great composers.

worst music I've ever heard
Ravi Shankar is a good sitar player but an inferior composer. His attempt at contrapuntal writing in "Offering" is sophomoric in the purest sense of the word. Even Yanni has written better music. Glass's are terrible too but not nearly as puerile.

This "East meets West" album is a double-insult to the great traditions of Eastern and Western music. To quote Woody Allen it is a "travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of 2 mockeries of a sham".

Private Music for Two Very Public Lives
Philip Glass was introduced to Ravi Shankar during a recording session, in Paris, in the year of 1965. The two were collaborating on a soundtrack for Conrad Rook's film "Chappaqua", Glass as a conductor of the music and Shankar as the composer for the project. During the sessions, each musician had formed a favorable impression of the other, with Ravi the elder, passing on much musical knowledge to the then rather young Glass. After the session was over, the two went their separate ways, not often meeting again.

Moving forward into the summer of 1989, Peter Baumann [ founder of Private Music and one time member of the German electronic ensemble Tangerine Dream ] was enthusiastic about a suggestion for reuniting these two composers for a new collaboration to be released on his Private Music label.

Philip Glass has long acknowledged an influence of the Tibetan Buddhist musical practices. Buddhism itself is an offshoot of Shankar's native Hindu background, so in very real sense, there is a natural compatibility of spiritual esthetic between these two composers different musical sensibilities, as was also found in that work of 1965.

We can hear these mutual musical sympathies on this CD, which contains six new pieces. Two Glass works on musical themes presented by Shankar. Two Shankar works on musical themes presented by Glass and one work by each composer that relies solely on their own respective compositional strategies.

The music found on "Passages" offers us a beautiful realization of an ongoing present moment. A place where both tradition and innovation meet to carry us forward towards a new sense of rhythm and musical tranquility. May you find, in the invisible thread which connects the 40+ musicians on this recording, a sense of your own place within the compositions as an audience member at one with the music.

EXQUISITE
As a great admirer of Ravi Shankar, I was totally unprepared for the effect of this collaboration. It is indeed exquisite.

It starts out quietly with "Offering", then builds with "Sadhanipa". But "Channels and Winds" is, to me, the ultimate, with the voices added to the instruments. This cut is haunting and other-worldly, going beyond the sound of the East or of the western classical tradition into a world or maybe a plane of existence beyond ours.

The pieces nicely blend and combine almost seamlessly, and from that ethereal passage, the "Ragas in Minor Scale" take us back to the Eastern tradition. It may be just me, but I felt a kinship with Celtic music during the ragas. The intensity, sometimes a quiet intensity and sometimes an exciting and driving intensity, characterizes the entire CD.

This CD should satisfy and possibly enthrall the lover of Shankar's music, but the Philip Glass classicism shapes the Indian sound, and thus we have a music that is all its own.

Words certainly can not describe music, and so I urge you to listen to the song samples. Even then, you will have only a hint of the music, because this is music that becomes even more powerful the more often you listen and allow it to envelope you. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Eno first emerged as a member of Roxy Music, where thesynthesizer player electronically "treated" the band's otherinstruments, the first indicator that the recording process was itself Eno'schosen instrument.His subsequent career has been one of the most provocativein pop, for not only did he devote himself to such obscure pursuits as"ambient music," but he produced vital albums by David Bowie, TalkingHeads, and U2.Eno made a handful of relatively conventional pop albums in the1970s, andAnother Green World ranks with Before and AfterScience as his most enduring solo work.Another Green World findsEno mixing distorted guitars (courtesy of Robert Fripp) with a variety ofkeyboards and exotic rhythms to create a meditative wash of sound that isnonetheless awash with colorful touches.Particularly appealing is the bubbling"St. Elmo's Fire," with a stunning guitar part by Fripp, and"I'll Come Running," in which Eno shows that even a dedicatedexperimentalist can have a soft heart.From the strange-but-true file, PhilCollins contributes drums and percussion to three tracks. --John Milward ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Eno's best album
This absolutely unique, original work never gets old. Though the Ambient albums get more recognition, Eno's compositions on Another Green World are the best, most interesting music he's ever made. Sky Saw sounds just like its title, as do Sombre Reptiles, Little Fishes, and Spirits Drifting. Eno's band does incredible things with their instruments, and come up an album that served as a pivotal point in popular music. Eno doesn't have the most expressive voice, but it doesn't matter. In the context of these amazing songs, it sounds just right. Everything Merges With The Night is just a gorgeous song.

EVERYTHING MERGES WITH THE NIGHT...
Brian Eno's solo material is an incredibly mercurial mix of styles - some albums are made up entirely of songs, some are more experimental and ambient, some are unclassifiable. This recording, originally released in 1975, is a nice mixture, giving the listener a gentle drift into Eno's world.

His releases have always been about much more than just the audio element - and I'm not referring to cover art, although some great examples of visual arts have graced his album jackets, and have been included as inserts as well. There is a visual quality to his music that is such an integral part of the sound that its presence is that of a powerful, almost subliminal force that is felt indirectly rather than in a more overt manner. The mood conveyed by the various pieces on this recording is tangible and real. With some artists, this effect is an illusion - with Brian Eno, it's a reality. His arrangements, while at times giving the impression that they are thrown together piecemeal, anyone who listens carefully to this music will realize quickly that this is far from the case - a great deal of meticulous care has gone into the works represented here (as well as all of his other albums), and the effect of the music upon the listener is deep and premeditated. This is not to say that this music is void of emotion, meaning and even humor - these and many other rewards fill his work.

Eno performs most of the music on this disc - with some help from several very respected friends, such as Robert Fripp, Phil Collins, Percy Jones, and John Cale. The track 'St. Elmo's fire' contains one of (in my opinion) Robert Fripp's most beautiful guitar solos - it starts right after the line '...and we saw St. Elmo's fire spitting ions in the ether', wonderfully illustrating the lyric. Fripp is also credited with 'restrained lead guitar' on 'I'll come running', and turns in a really nice performance on 'Golden hours' as well - the latter played in a more staccato style, as opposed to his usual sustained playing. Eno tailors the sounds of the various instruments to work them into the canvas of each selection - another example of the 'visual' aspects of his art. He's a master at this - and on this, his third album, it's apparent that his career was going to be a brilliant one.

There are several instrumentals included here, and they're great examples of Eno's creativity and imagination. Each one is imbued with its own distinct personality, and the images called up are striking and memorable. The songs have clever lyrics - oft-times mildly humorous, poking a bit of fun at the perceived elitism of 'artsy' composers and musicians - but the lyrics are just another facet of the whole presentation, and very often the vocals could easily be experienced as another instrument, rather than the primary carrier of meaning in the song. For example, in the first track, 'Sky saw', he sings 'All the clouds turn to words, all the words float in sequence - no one knows what they mean, everyone just ignores them', followed by several lines of apparent nonsense to make his point even further.

Although the album has its 'rock' moments, the overall mood is one of gentle, calm observation and experience - returning to the visual art metaphor, imagine strolling leisurely through an art gallery, taking in each painting at your own pace, undisturbed by the world outside or any issues or commitments that might be weighing on your mind. That's the best way to enjoy Eno's music - give yourself the time and space to be absorbed in it. It's a rewarding experience - it was that way in 1975, when I first heard this album, and each time I return to it, I find that to still be the case.

This is just so perfect...so clean...so true...
I have listened to this CD numerous times. It just doesn't age, and doesn't grow boring. Friends come over and ask "wow, what is that playing..." and can't believe when it was recorded. This one was inspired by the muse. Top 100 of all time, in my humble opinion.

Standout solo effort
Of all of his releases, save his collaborations with Robert Fripp and his duo CD with John Cale, this is the most listenable and the most engaging of the lot. What's true about all of these 70's recordings is that you have before you the blueprints for the aesthetics that Brian Eno would bring to the service of Bowie, Talking Heads, U2, and a host of others. Here are the building blocks that would infuse the sensibilities of Daniel Lanois, Peter Gabriel, both the new wave movement and the new age movement. What would become the revolution in recording evidenced by the Berlin-trio from Bowie is in its nascent stages here. Eno is nowhere near the songwriter of Bowie, Byrne and Bono, but his craft in the studio, and the edginess inspired by Fripp, took what would have been the end of any number of careers and found them new life.
This particular Cd has the best of his writing. Fripp plays as though he were co-writer, and Phil Collins still had something to prove as a drummer. Cale reappears as do a number of other colleagues, but essentially, this will come off as a Fripp & Eno project, with words and a dancebeat to it. Keep in mind, HEROES, FEAR OF MUSIC, LOW, LODGER were next up. GREEN WORLD lets you in on the revolution Eno was about to produce.

From the Enoweb site...
Virgin has issued an official statement regarding the problem on the Original Masters version of Another Green World:

"Subsequent to approval of a correct version of Another Green World on reference CD, there was a DDP image file corruption which has affected the track 'Everything Merges With The Night'. Please take your CD back to where you bought it, and the retailer will exchange it for you. Although working as fast as possible to remanufacture, the new discs won't be ready until the end of next week."

So if you plan to buy the reissue, it looks as though you should wait until 11th June at the earliest. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Here's a slice of Cosby before he became a major television star. At this point in time, the main appeal of I Started Out as a Child is its innocence. Recorded live at a Chicago club in 1964, the disc is a product of a now-quaint American scene, as yet untouched by the radical social changes that were just around the corner. Cosby pulls in the listener by introducing his only mildly humorous stories in a warm, intimate tone. Then he switches to using a variety of animated voices and vocal sound effects to get laughs from a responsive audience. If you want to enjoy the gentle ambiance and warmth of another time, this CD is for you. However, Cosby's at-times charming, skilled performance isn't enough to make this dated material funny. --Fred Cisterna ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Early Bill Cosby when he was more of a traditional stand-up
"I Started Out as a Child" is very early Bill Cosby, when his standup routines are more about television (e.g., "The Lone Ranger" and "T.V. Football") and places he has been (e.g., "Seattle") more than his own life. Consequently, you get more traditional jokes and punch lines (e.g., "Oops") than we find down the road when Coz starts mining his childhood and the joys of raising his own children for comedy gold. However, we do get a glimpse of the future with "Street Football." The man gets much, much better as a comedian, but it always nice to look back and see how the man started out.

This is Bill Cosby doing what he does best
This, Cosby's second album, deals with his childhood and the fun he had. Listen to him recall playing street football, owning a pet rhinocerous, going through his drunken father's pants for change...There are also more contemporary situations: He talks about being a medic in the Navy, playing football on TV, and he discusses on the sickness of witnessing dead people in open caskets. For pure sillyness, he does a clever spoof of "The Lone Ranger".

I Started out as a child
I haven't recieved the CD yet but I have this on the old record.
I found it absoultly the best in comedy.

Silly Bill Cosby's second set of hilarious routines
I STARTED OUT AS A CHILD was released nearly a year after Bill Cosby's debut album BILL COSBY IS A VERY FUNNY FELLOW RIGHT! The back cover of the LP and the CD booklet says "Laugh with the funniest". These 15 routines were recorded in or around 1964 at Mr. Kelly's in Chicago. First Bill tells about SNEAKERS. He says his friend Rudy was the only guy he knew who then owned a pair of sneakers. Then there are Bill and his buddies playing STREET FOOTBALL. THE WATER BOTTLE is about a water bottle kept in the Cosby family's refrigerator. He says "When nobody's home,you never do that." He refers to drinking out of the bottle instead of out of a glass. CHRISTMAS TIME is about Bill and his brothers anxiously awaiting the annual arrival of Santa Claus. OOPS! is about hospital surgeons making mistakes. THE LONE RANGER is of course about the popular television show and/or movie. T.V. FOOTBALL is about Cosby's Temple University football team about to play on live television. He said every team member signs an affidavit indicating they will not touch certain areas of their bodies while on the field. Cosby tells a similar story later on the WHY IS THERE AIR? album. All the other routines are great. This album was originally released in late 1964 in both mono and stereo. Single speaker phonographs were still being manufactured back then.

Good But not his best
This funny album is one of his first. Unfortunately then it is not one of the better albums; however, he still does have several good track on it. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

It's the Best Christmas Album from 1972!!!
I defy you not to be "Rocking Around The Christmas Tree" with this CD! This "was" "is" and always "will be" my favorite Christmas CD bar none. I still have it on LP and I love David Cassidy's rendition of Elvis's "Blue Christmas" because it showcases this beautiful man's exceptional, husky voice. "My Christmas Card to You" is a joyous, Wes Farrell-produced version of holiday sentiment ala crushed velvet and shag hairdos. I even will admit to loving "Sleigh Ride" and "Frosty" when sung by the sexiest man on the planet. It's nice to hear Shirley Jones on a solo "The Christmas Song" and the funky cover picture completes it. If you were a kid of the 70's and Christmas meant that several Partridge Family and/or David Cassidy LP's were under your tree, pick this CD up and dust it off every year! It is truly not a holiday at my house until David croons a little Christmas cheer! This album sold 6 million copies; it is their best selling album ever, believe it or not. Have a listen!!

Shirley makes it worth having
This is not near as good as the music on the Partridge Family's regular releases. The arrangement are just a bit too gimmicky. However, hearing Shirley sing the lead on two songs on the album make it all worth it. On the traditional Partridge Family albums, Shirley's voice is generally relegated to the background. What a pleasant surprise!

(Oh for the release of the track "Whale Song" on a CD one of these days...one of Shirley's few non-Christmas lead vocals from the Partridge Family's catalog.)

As for some of the other comments made....I did find the sound to be distorted at higher volume levels...a sign of the "budget" status of the CD.

The liner notes, which someone mentioned, were non-existent on the BMG Special Products version listed here. A single ply card was all that was inserted in the cover of the jewel case.

I Listened to it So Many Times I Wore it out!
I remember when I was a little girl in the 70's having a Partridge Family Christmas album, it was a 33' record and I listened to it so many times I wore it out but I had a lot of fun listening to it though. Should be a lot better on CD and a lot sturdier!

You love the PARTRIDGE FAMILY ? Purchase this one !
If you were or still are a fan of the PARTRIDGE FAMILY's vocal harmonies then I strongly suggest you purchase this CD.

The CD contains several memorable holiday songs (WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND) having received TOP~40 airplay during the polyester decade.
You'll appreciate the original holiday-theme songs (MY CHRISTMAS CARD TO YOU). Having viewed several times their holiday episode located in a ghost town, I relieved childhood memories when I place this CD on my home entertainment system.

The innocent musical approach of this CD almost makes one remember what it was like to believe in Santa Claus!

Very cheerful, but lacking in the traditional side
Overall, a good christmas album because of it`s cheerfulness and great song selection. Many of my favorite songs are here such as "SLEIGHRIDE" and "HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS" among a few others. The greatest songs, though, as performed here, are "ROCKIN` AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE," "THE CHRISTMAS SONG," and "FROSTY THE SNOWMAN," probably because these three songs are done more traditional than the others. This is just my opinion. And that is why the 4 stars rather than five. I feel there is too much electronic type sounds which really weakens some of the cd and takes away from the traditional side (although I do acknowledge that this is their style, it`s just not mine). And they do have a lot of rock in it which sometimes is good, but sometimes is bad. However, it is so cheerful that I did enjoy it a great deal and so 4 stars was deserving. This cd is kind of like the Osmond Family christmas cd, mainly in the vocal department rather than the music. I find this cd to be more cheerful than the Brady Bunch christmas cd, but the Brady Bunch cd is more traditionl (and is traditional). All in all, the Partridge Family christmas cd, recorded in the early seventies, is a worthwhile buy if you would like a cheerful, rockin`, and semi to little traditional christmas cd. I felt it was worth it and did enjoy it overall. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Presidents of the United States of America scratch that itch that you can't reach. They do and say all those things that you'd like to, but fear what people might think of you. They are your inner-child, but stinking drunk on a half-case of cheap beer. And, with the youthful appeal of the Dead Milkmen, the off-kilter storytelling of Primus, and a razor-sharp sense of irony, they are utterly undeniable.

Try, if you will, not to sing along with "Lump." It sticks in your brain after the first chorus and won't leave until you hear something supremely catchy just to scrape the chorus out of heavy frontal lobe rotation.Musically, they keep everything very minimal (they have only five strings between bassist Chris Ballew and guitarist Dave Dederer) and use their incredibly twisted wit to engage the listener. From the punkish "Lump" and "We Are Not Gonna Make It" to the funky "Boll Weevil," the Presidents are the perfect antidote to the serious, heavy-handed rock perpetuated by their Seattle brethren. --Adem Tepedelen ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Rock and roll: no BS, no gimmicks
Since most of the Seattle grunge bands (i.e. Nirvana, Soundgarden) were finished by 1995, it was good to see and hear a new rock sound from a new band. The Presidents Of The United States Of America's self-titled debut offered great relief from the angst of music; and was (and still is) a whole new breed of music. Yes, this is mostly simple rock music, but it's simple rock music at its very best. No one can say that songs like "Lump", "Peaches", and "Kitty" didn't influence them and/or their musical preferences. And in turn The Presidents had struck gold a few times over. Their songs are to the point; carrying along some comedy and, again, a great rock & roll sound. 12 of the 13 tracks on this debut CD are absolutely brilliant. And here's an [informative] overview of those 13 songs.

The CD begins with one of the band's best: "Kitty". The second single on the album is actually the reason I became such a huge fan of The Presidents. "Peaches" and "Lump" also took part in that. Most people know it by now. One of my particular favorite songs here is "Feather Pluckn". The first track was pretty straightforward, as it was about a cat, but "Feather Pluckn" is a great song about nothing too specific. The first verse reads: '10 million monkeys all pick up guitars / 5000 fishies rockin really really really hard / check out chickie, drivin piggy's little blue car' with a background shout of '...and nobody taught them how'. There's really nothing we as fans can relate to, but it's still an awesome song. All I have to say about "Lump" is if you like it, you'll like the entire CD. The main single showcases the album's sound quite well. The song "Stranger" is also one of my favorites. It's about a striper and is a little more harmonious in its beginning than the previous three. The citation of the Lynyrd Skynyrd hat is hilarious yet smart at the same time. A song that's become a fan favorite over the years is "Boll Weevil". "Boll Weevil" is catchy, but it took me a while to fall in love with it. It's about a bug; as if you couldn't guess. What I said for "Lump" easily goes for "Peaches" just the same. There's just so many excellent songs that it's hard to find a low point. And "Dune Buggy" is certainly not a low point. Again there's not much to allow us to relate, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it's a stellar rock song.

Starting off the CD's second half, The Presidents produce their most cynical song. The title "We Are Not Going To Make It" kind of speaks for itself (seeing as how they have, in fact, made it). And the false start that I'm pretty sure was intentional gives the song true character. It will always be a certain favorite of mine. Next we have a cover of MC-5's infamous "Kick Out The Jams". It's one of the shortest (at 1:24 or so) yet still one of the best. Again, it'll always be a favorite. With the exception for the start of "Stranger", all the previous songs have been hard rock songs. But "Body" breaks that mold; in a manner of speaking. "Body" tells the tale of different reptile deaths that become embodied in the singer's head. Hence the phrase 'I can't get your body out of my mind'. It's a fun song, but is rather sad in the end. Another fan favorite is "Back Porch"; and that's for good reason. The way the band handles the 'two-string/one-string/no-string guitars' part is amazing and probably makes the song good in its own. The worst song on the disc is, hand's down, "Candy". It's not terrible, but on the other hand I find myself usually skipping over it. Even if "Candy" is moderately bad, the closer "Naked And Famous" makes up for it. I'm not sure if The Presidents' singer is actually a nude model, but he tells a funny story nonetheless. All in all, "Naked And Famous" rounds out this 5-star release with absolute perfection. 'Everybody wants to be just like me / I'm naked and famous' wraps it up quite nicely.

To conclude this review, there is not enough good things I could begin to say about The Presidents Of The United States Of America and their debut. It was just so great to see a new type of music. And this type of music seems to be living on thanks exclusively to this band and this CD. If you enjoyed "Lump" and/or the other two hits from this album, you MUST own this CD. No matter what your musical preference, you should be able to enjoy all these songs; or at least form seedy opinions about them. This is one of the top 10 albums I own and will always be in constant rotation in my CD player. The only way you'd not be able to enjoy this type of music is if you lack a sense of humor, dislike occasional simplicity, or you hate straight-up rock & roll music. Otherwise The Presidents Of The United States Of America are surely for you. Don't miss out on one of the 90's greatest American rock groups; and one of the greatest albums ever.

Short But Sweet Presidential Address
1990s new rock needed levity after Kurt Cobain's death, Scott Weiland's addictions and dark grunge records like Soundgarden's "Superunknown." The Presidents of the USA wouldn't see the new millennium, but provided an unforgettable debut mixing hard rock with a touch of goofiness and cornpone humor.

Make no mistake, this trio could rock as its cover of MC5's "Kick Out The Jams" attests. They also reference ZZTop, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Beatles musically and lyrically. The topics were fun ("Kitty," "Lump," "Dune Buggy") and the group had a way with a guitar hook. Moreover, like that fun 60s rock, the Presidents made their points quickly and got out (most songs struggled to make it to three minutes.) This is the album the infamous Shaggs wish they could have made.

But it wouldn't last. Green Day took the same approach, added a whinier voice, slacker world view and a touch of schmaltz to bring LPs like "Dookie" and songs like "Time Of Your Life" to the charts, while the Presidents recorded another year, cut a movie theme, then split. A shame, really, we could have used tunes like "We're Not Going To Make It," and "Peaches" one of these every couple of years, to remember that rock and roll needn't be angry to be enjoyable - or good. Recommended.

Tuneless, noisy, and not funny
Amidst the awful noisy grunge bands of the 1990s, The Presidents Of The United States Of America stormed onto the scene in 1995 with a debut album that surpassed even Nirvana and Silverchair for sheer awfulness.

Though it was seen as a change from the amplified grunge that dominated the charts in the 1990s, in fact the Presidents literally took and exaggerated the very worst elements of the grunge sound: its hyperamplified, utterly shallw vocal and guitars that were/are every bit as airburshed as the oft-condemned 1980s arena-rock sound. The whole of this album has simply not a trace of melody: it is just noisy, hyper-shallow guitar melodies with nothing to say.

Nothing of this music attempts to get at the heart of a listener, who ought always to be left with the feeling that they have heard something no different from an unattractive noise - yet a noise that will stick in your mind because the songs are so catchy, as on the two hits "Peaches" and "Lump". Both of these songs have the most trivial, not to mention outrageously stupid, lyrics that seem to come from spoilt 11 or 12 year olds.

Totally the wrong place to look for good music. That it is out of print is really a good thing. Try something with depth and feeling, like Joni Mitchell's "Hejira" or Talk Talk's "Laughing Stock" if you want to grow out of this.

What a shame!
I didn't realize that this CD is out of print. What a shame! This really is a classic album, and should be a part of everyone's collection. This is one of those rare albums in which there are NO BAD SONGS. A couple (Body and Kick Out The Jams) are borderline, but the rest are pure gold.

If you don't have this CD, track it down and buy it used. You'll be glad you did!!

good times
I would just like to say that i am a very big fan of PUSA. I have been listening to their songs since i was 7 years old, when my cousin introduced me to them at that age their were some words on their that I wasn't supposed to listen to, but i loved the song kitty so much I would go in my room and lock the door and put the music on low so my parents couldn't hear the words. This group is just incredible! After many years i was doing an english project for school and i needed to pick my fav song, i pulled them out and now I can't stop listening to them. They are a great group and their songs seem pointless but are so funny. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Multi-layered hillarity
Like sophisticated radio comedy with layers of dialogue piled on top of each other, you can listen to this album many times and hear jokes you missed previously. Very funny, very fast, good use of vocal impressions. Intelligent comedy, and unlike what the previous writer said, this is not dated. "Nick Danger, Third Eye" parodies detective films noir like "The Maltese Falcon". This album is heaven for the trivia hound.

Groundbreaking in its time, which has come and gone
We owe much to the Firesign Theater, for their pushing progressive social agenda and redefining entertainment. They stood out in their time (the 1960's), which was very hard to do in view of exceptional competition. Yet, they do not necessarily pass the "classics" test, that is, the reaching out and grabbing of audiences with the current day mindset. Any popular history of America, especially in the chapter covering the 1960's, has to give the Firesign Theater its due. Whether you want to pay for them here and now is more in question.

it was well worth the money
I've been a fan of comedy albums for a long time, particularly Monty Python. I had heard about the FST, did some research, and picked this gem up a week ago. This is the easiest to understand of their first four classics (I now have Dwarf and Bozos which I'm still trying to decyfer). The best track on this one is the Nick Danger episode. I am a huge fan of Old Time Radio and can relate to some of the references they make to them. Also, you discover new things about the album as you listen to it (I might have worn my CD out already!). Just pick it up if you haven't already, you won't be disappointed. Oh, and, contrary to popular belief, you don't have to be high to think it's funny as hell.
"GOODBYE FRIENDS AND HAPPY MOTORING BACK ON THE FREEWAY WHICH IS ALREADY IN PROGRESS!!!!!!"

Probably the best comedy album ever!
True master of freakdom, The Firesign Theatre are still making new material. But I must say that this by far their best. The first track goes through bying a car to renting a hotel room and somehow appearing in the land of the Pharoahs in between. Track two is the great Nick Danger, third eye and is a slam on every hard boiled detective out there. If you haven't heard these guys before, this is the album to get and if you know these guys... why don't you already have this brilliant album?

Very funny and very quotable
On 1969's "How Can You Be in Two Places at Once When You're Not Anywhere at All?" the Firesigns really began to hit their stride. The content of this, their sophomore effort, is two side-length tracks encompassing stories involving war, changes, murder, and again, Beatles and Dylan references aplenty.
Side One begins with an ad for Ralph Spoilsport Motors, a slick auto salesman who manages to draw our hero, Babe, onto the lot through squealing brakes and honking horns. As Babe checks out his new car, which seems to be loaded with all sorts of amazing features, we hear Ralph in all his incarnations on the radio and the TV (very futuristic car); Babe goes for a spin on the Antelope Freeway, with its close-together mileage markers, sets his climate control, and soon finds himself on an African safari. The antics of those around him ("He's no fun, he fell right over!") culminate with his arrival at The Only Nice Motel in Town and some sort of American history lesson/pageant, at the end of which Babe finds himself inducted into the army and marching off to war. The various twists and turns of this bit have to be heard to be believed.
Side Two is the real classic here, though: "The Adventures of Nick Danger, Third Eye." It's a parody of hard-boiled murder-mystery tales from classic '40s radio and film noir, as Nick pursues his old girlfriend, Betty Jo Bialaski (but everyone knew her as Nancy) and the little crook Rocky Rococo ("My nostrils flared at the scent of his perfume: Pyramid Patchouli. There was only one joker in L.A. sensitive enough to wear *that* scent...and I had to find out who he was!") in search of an old tin ring from a Cracker Back jox (you read that right) and Nancy's mysterious husband.
On the whole, very funny and quotable, and much more coherent than "Waiting for the Electrician"...and again, long overdue for remastering. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Martin's got the audience in the palm of his hand on this mid-'70s recording of a show at The Boarding House in San Francisco. The comedian and his crowd are on the same wavelength; everyone in the room seems to share a California post-hippie sense of absurdism. Occasionally punctuated by banjo playing, Martin's almost cocky performance somehow manages to ramble with a sense of purpose. He certainly doesn't have to worry about losing the crowd; every tossed-off remark and gesture is readily gobbled up. Some of Martin's material verges on the surreal, and not surprisingly, drug references abound. One subtext of the album is the tension between conventional show biz and the hipper brand of comedy that Martin saw himself as embodying. But the comic doesn't really play favorites: both alternative and mainstream culture are targets for his funny jabs. --Fred Cisterna ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Steve Martin at his best
This is Steve's best comedy album. The others are great also but this one has all of the classic stuff.

Classic
Steve Martin at his best. This album is definitely his best work. The title comes from a "slang" term for getting high. Every track is hilarious. This is the perfect introduction to the genius that is Steve Martin. Also Recommended Wild and Crazy Guy.

I love this album
I first heard this recording in 1977. This recording has had such a profound effect on me, I can't tell you. I saw him in 1979 at the Garden State Arts Center ( now the pnc bank arts center) I was 10 years old. The question is what happened to my idol. As soon as he made Parenthood I knew something was wrong. He was a complete orignal. He was a artist. He is now a rich actor. I was such of a fan of his 1970's work I still have his orignal paper copy fan club news letters. As a well as the fish in his suit and wild and crazy guy posters. I never joined though or got the tee shirts. I was lucky to get the posters. Im going to be 35 but I wish it was 1979 forever and ever and ever.

Funny Then and Funny Now!
I also originally had the 33 record of this funny Steve Martin comedy album, it was given to me when I was around 12 years old and a huge fan of Saturday Night Live where Steve Martin was a frequent guest star and host, I listened to the comedy album a lot and thought every bit was funny including the smoking bit which is track #4 on the CD. I don't have the record any more, it somehow disappeared over the years so when I found out it was available on CD I immediately ordered it and though it does bring back a lot of wonderful, delightful memories of listening to the comedy routines when I was a child I just didn't buy it for nostalgic memories, I bought it because I genuinely like the comedy of Steve Martin who is one of the only comedians who I want to own a comedy album of and I think his comedy bits on this CD are just as funny now as back then and I recommend this CD to anybody who likes Steve Martin or listening to comedy recordings and it's a shame that he no longer does stand up comedy!!

Might have been funny decades ago... Not anymore.
The sad thing about so-called "classics" of comedy, such as Monty Python or Robin Williams or this pathetic one-dimensional clown called Steve Martin is that people tend to love them for their own sweet memories of youth, associated with when they first heard and saw the act, not with objective qualities of the stand-up.

This is a poor comedy; lack of talent and lack of timing skills causes Steve Martin to yell loud and "sizzle with energy". This is the hallmark of a talentless comedian (same goes for Robin Williams - watch out for mindless shrieks of this saliva garden-sprinkler). Real comedian (someone who has good text) does not need to jump around for an hour as if he just spilt some acid on his lap. ... Read more