Album Description

From pop-culture icon William Shatner comes Has Been, an album unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. Produced and arranged by Ben Folds and featuring numerous notable guest appearances, Has Been is the result of the collision of two great creative forces — a surprisingly pop-driven, lyrically potent collection of songs to enlighten and entertain.

Throughout Has Been, Shatner’s own insightful lyrics are masterfully woven into perfect pop melodies written and arranged by Ben Folds. Giving Shatner and Folds a hand on the project is an incredible lineup of singers and musicians, including Jon Auer, Adrian Belew, Matt Chamberlain, Joe Jackson, Lemon Jelly, Aimee Mann, Brad Paisley, Henry Rollins and Sebastian Steinberg.

Highlights include the poignant "That’s Me Trying," penned by Ben Folds with High Fidelity author Nick Hornby, a brilliant version of the Pulp Britpop classic "Common People," featuring vocals by Joe Jackson and closing track, "Real," a duet with country star Brad Paisley, written exclusively for this project. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 1999

With the rise of more and more forms of media, the American storytelling tradition has become increasingly fractured. Praise be then for This American Life, a weekly radio anthology of stories that never fail to move even the most casual listener. Lies, Sissies, and Fiascoes purports to be a best-of compendium, but at two discs there's plenty more where this comes from. --Randy Silver ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Some of America's best storytelling
I absolutely love this collection. This American Life is my favorite radio show, and this 2-disk set has some of its best segments. My favorites include the story the about the failed production of Peter Pan, Ira Glass's story of spending time with his ex-girlfriend as "just friends," and the piece on the Apology Line. The only track I don't really like is Christmas Freud - it's not bad, but I don't really get the point of it, and I generally just skip over it when I'm listening to disk 2.

If you're a fan of This American Life, or if you have an interest in the art of storytelling, pick up Lies, Sissies & Fiascoes - it's more than worth the price.

Mostly good stories from NPR's radio show
As a fan of NPR who no longer lives in the US, I jumped all over the chance to buy a best-of compilation of "This American Life". The 2-CD set is split into funny stories on the first disc and serious ones on the second, although I thought both "Hands on a Hard Body" and "Christmas Freud" had some nice funny bits. Also on the second disc are the very chilling pieces "Test" and "Apology Line".

The only segments I did not like in this set, in fact, are the first one on each disc; these happen to be the ones that feature the show's host Ira Glass. I found "Peter Pan" (a piece about a small town drama production that goes awry) to be patronizing and overly long; the remainder of the first disc was very funny. Opening the second disc is "Get Over It!", a segment in which Mr. Glass explores an awkward weekend with an ex-girlfriend for whom he still has feelings. Although it has a good ending, I thought that he was just begging for sympathy with this story, and I felt manipulated. It's admirable in a way that Mr. Glass is willing to showcase his private pain for our entertainment, but not if he's going to make it a pity party.

But otherwise I think the compilation is great and I thank him for creating and hosting the show. I recommend it for anybody who's been a fan of the show (and most of you will probably enjoy Mr. Glass's pieces more than I did).

A few great ones, the rest mediocre
I enjoy listening to T.A.L. whenever I'm able to catch it, which unfortunately isn't very often. I had anticipated that this disc would contain the show's very best segments, but it was a bit of a mixed bag.

For example, "Shooting Dad" by Sarah Vowell is a terrific essay about Sarah's relationship with her gunsmith father. Well-written, funny, sharp and poignant. But compare that with the dreck that follows: "Get Over It!" by host Ira Glass, where he mopes at length about his recent encounter with a former girlfriend. Sarah Vowell once stated in an interview that radio stories are "edited down within an inch of their lives", but Ira's segment -- full of his own deep sighs, his laughter at his own comments, his voice often choked with emotion -- seems to have undergone no editing whatsover. It reminded me of the scene in "Broadcast News" where William Hurt's TV reporter character inserts a shot of himself shedding a tear during an interview. It reeks of "look at me, aren't I so 'real'"; that is, until you realize that it was created with multiple takes.

As for the rest, I enjoyed Sedaris's "Drama Bug" and Bindler's "Hands on a Hard Body", but many of the others struck me as mediocre for one reason or another.

This American Life from PRI is fabulous!
What a fantastic "best of" This American Life CD. It was the first and one of the best. I have been a fan of the program distributed to public radio by PRI, Public Radio International (NOT NPR) for years. This American Life describes such wonderful stories in such a unique way, and creates "driveway moments" for me! It truly is some of the best public radio has to offer and its story telling is up there with ANY medium.

disappointed baby boomer
perhaps I'm too old to appreciate these stories. I was too impatient to hear several of them out to the end, though all I was doing was driving to a destination, without alot on my mind. A few were good, but not good enough to immortalize on a CD. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Accompanied by a resplendently rhythmic score and including an intriguing blend of classical, world, and contemporary western music, Abba Pater is Pope John Paul II's uplifting message to the faithful everywhere. Released in timely celebration of Holy Week and Easter, and in anticipation of the millennial Great Jubilee pilgrimage, this sacred inner expedition of sound explores universal themes of spirituality such as praise, forgiveness, and brotherly love. Abba Pater is the first musical CD ever to feature the most famous man in the world, whose dramatic and moving words delivered on these tracks are culled from archival recordings from the first 20 years of his papacy. In five beautifully expressed languages, the Pope sings, chants, and prays for the healing of humankind, all of which is perhaps best summed up by the words in Psalm 26: "I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." --Paige La Grone ... Read more

Reviews (57)

very calming and peaceful
I most highly recommend this Cd. It is very special, the music is very calming and has a meditative feel to it. Abba Pater is a very inspiring CD, exquisitely beautiful. I especially love the tracks No. 4 Abba Pater, No. 7 Dove C'e Amore, C'e Dio and No.9 Un Comandamento Nuovo (Prayer for the World Day of Peace, attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi) This music will open your heart. I love the voice of Pope John Paul II, it is full of love. The CD inlet is excellent, 30 pages with lyrics in several languages, nice photos and beautiful artwork.

There is NOTHING like the voice of a loving father!
Your denomination doesn't matter; I dare you to get this CD, listen to it prayerfully, and tell me God is not with this man. Those of us living at the end of this millennium have truly been blessed with a very Holy leader in Pope John Paul II. This CD is proof.

The CD features a unique blend of world music and the Pope speaking. The instrumentals on "Seek His Face" are particularly moving. The Pope's voice is loving and forgiving. "The Law of the Beatitudes" is also unforgettable (the Pope shares Christ's Beatitudes). Finally, nothing can compare to the Pontiff singing the "Our Father" in "Abba Pater." Your eyes will not stay dry!

My son says, "Listen to his voice. He sounds like a grandpa." A grandpa indeed!!

The Pope's Influence on the World
Abba Pater is THE most incredible, peaceful, musically lush and harmonic sound I have ever heard. Whether you are a believer or not, the sounds of heaven are clear in the voice of the Pope. JPII will celebrate his Silver Jubilee this year, and Abba Pater is a jewel in the crown of his works for this world. Every Catholic household should own this recording, and anyone else wishing for a moment of peace from music should give this most beautiful work a spin. This man's influence will live on through the lives of the youth who have followed his mission, their voices can be heard as well, and you too can be impacted as positively. I highly recommend this item.

A (biased) seminarian loves it!
Here is a multicultural (Catholic) celebration of the Gospel. It has been produced magnificently, mixing soothing music with some upbeat rhythms. Tribal and ancient hymns blend seamlessly with excerpts from papal addresses modern liturgical refrains in many languages.

A Moving Experience - Blessed be our Pope
This recording exceeded all my expectations. No wonder it was #1 on the European charts upon it's release. Being a Catholic and a
musician with a BA in Music Performance, I listened intently to the orchestration and production of this project. The music is International; as is the Pope. It beautifully combines music from all different cultures. It is hard not to get emotional and cry. Very few works combine this much emotion, spiritualism, and beauty. Hearing the voice of the Pope will move you from joy to tears with each individual track. He is a very blessed man in any language. What a privledge to own this work. It has become my favorite. Do not hesitate. Buy this CD now. You will be thankful. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This sentimentally over-the-top spoken-word recording was originally issued in 1973, during the height of Watergate and the final, unsettling days of the Vietnam War. In the wake of September 11, 2001, the John Wayne Estate reissued it on CD. And why not? Marion Morrison, a.k.a. John Wayne and the Duke, remains an enduring symbol of America--a country with an endlessly conflicted legacy of largely improvised symbolism, national myths, revised-on-a-dime history, and the freedom to make a buck on effusive patriotic rhetoric. Kitsch collectors may welcome the chance to own a true genre staple in digital sound, while others may yet find genuine solace in its orchestra-and-choir-backed oratory. With a poetic sensibility that seldom strays from the "Carolina pines/Appalachian mines" level of its opening verses, Wayne's processed voice (which betrays the health problems that would be his demise) expounds on topics that range from his homeland's undeniable natural beauty to his son's high school football career and the wisdom of a fictionalized aging Mexican caballero. The would-be idealism in "The Hyphen" aims to erase ethnic and racial boundaries, yet modern hyphenated Americans may find continued prejudice and the vagaries of history have rendered its rhetoric distinctly double-edged. Still, Wayne's love of country emanates from every track. Patriotism may be the last refuge of scoundrels, but it's been graciously hospitable to Hollywood icons, from the Duke to Dutch Reagan. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Heart-warming and inspiring...
I am the proud owner of this on vinyl. I have been listening to it, for obvious reasons, lately and decided I needed to see if it was available on CD. I am thrilled to find that it is.
John Wayne took his responsibity to the American people for the persona of "John Wayne" very seriously. The words and music are a stirring proclamation about what is right with America.

America, Why I Love Her
In typical John Wayne style, he talks of all the pride and reasons he loves America. We owned this album on original 8 track tape and are estatic that it was re-released. Especially in these times, this CD will touch the hearts of many Americans. No one with even a little pride in this great nation will come away with less than goose bumps and a sense of oneness. A great album then and NOW>

I pledge allegiance to the Duke
The year was 1973. Patriotism was at an all time low thanks to Vietnam and Watergate. One man decided to do something about it. From out of the west came... an actor. No, not Ronald Reagan! It was John Wayne! Yes, the Duke himself. He recorded a narrative tribute (with orchestra and chorus) to America. Wayne himself did not sing, which may have been for the best. I don't know if this album restored anyone's patriotism. I admire John Wayne as an actor, but honestly, this album is kind of corny and boring. If you are more of a flag waver than I am, you may get more out of this album than I did.

John Wayne is The West
I've always loved John Wayne and so has my dad and when this cd came out to commemorate 9/11, we loved it and still do!

The "DUKE"
I do not yet have this cd, but have heard some songs from it, I loved them. John Wayne is awesome!!! He is my Fav actor as well!
CAS ... Read more

Reviews (3)

It's not all in English....
...in fact most of it's in Latin. If you're a pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic, then you'll probably be able to follow along after listening closely for a few minutes. I understood the Hail Mary, Our Father, Glory Be.. but not the rest. Had I know it was mostly in Latin, I would not have purchased it.

forwarned
while this is an excellent CD and I love hearing the pope say the rosary, be forwarned that (english) only refers to the title of each mystery all the the prayers the Our Father, Hail Mary, and the Glory be are in latin.

Pope John Paul II is the best!
This Rosary with the Pope is excellent. Once I started listening to it, I couldn't put it down. It has been about 5 years since I've owned this CD /cassette. I still listen to it often. The Latin language is easy to pick up. And, you can pray along with the Holy Father. It makes me feel as though he's in the same room. I LOVE IT! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Freedom Songs that were the life blood of the Movement
This double-CD reissue of "The Voices of the Civil Rights Movement: Black American Freedom Songs 1960-1966" documents the importance of songs in the Civil Rights Movement. Teachers covering this tumultuous time in American History in their class can certainly give students a better sense for the time by not only showing videos of the peaceful demonstrations and police brutality, but by playing them some of the songs from this album. Many of these freedom songs were recorded live in mass meetings held in churches. These are not just spirituals and gospel songs, but draw upon rhythm and blues, football chants, blues, and calypso for their beauty and energy. The first disc features songs from mass meetings, where a singer or core of singers leads the people in the singing of the songs, while the second focuses on ensemble works by the SNCC Freedom Singers and other groups. The accompanying booklet written by Bernice Johnson Reagon combines historic photographs with insights into each song, providing an excellent education in the meaning of the music. Reagon not only explains how these songs were song, but also which songs were prominent for the Selma-to-Montgomery March ("Governor Wallace"), "Freedom Train" for the vigil for the Mississippi Democratic Party elections, and so on.

Chances are that unless you were involved in the Civil Rights Movement you will not especially recognize many of these songs, with "This Little Light of Mine," "Go Tell It On the Mountain," and "We Shall Overcome" being the obvious exceptions. But you will be surprised at some of the popular songs that were appropriate for the cause, such as "Calypso Freedom," based on Harry Belafonte's "The Banana Boat Song," and "Get Your Rights, Jack," based on the Ray Charles hit "Hit the Road, Jack." For me the song that stood out was "In the Mississippi River," written by Marshall Jones after the disappearance of three Civil Rights workers in Mississippi during the summer of 1964. As local rivers were dragged in search of the men, many other bodies were discovered, a chilling fact that certainly needs to be more than a historic footnote to that tragic event. There is also a lengthy segment from a sermon by Rev. Lawrence Campbell, which illustrates the song-sermons that were an integral part of the movement and its traditions. The result is a historical document of immense value to teachers and their students.

Folkways Records was founded by Moses Asch and Marian Distler in 1948 to document music and spoken word from around the world. The Smithsonian Institution acquired Folkways from the Asch estate and has succeeded in preserving the best of the label's 2,200 albums. Smithsonian Folkways Recordings has continued this grand tradition. I have checked out a half-dozen of their offerings and their are uniformly superb, especially in terms of providing the historical context by which we can best appreciate these songs from another place and another time.

emmotionally charged and historically valuable document
For any one interested in the freedom struggle in the sixties this is essential listening. The first disc of recordings made in the South during the mid sixties captures the importance of music at the mass meetings.

The second disc with ensemble recordings shows the skill of the SNCC singing groups.

The cd is accompanied by extensive liner notes by Bernice Johnson Reagan, herself a member of a SNCC ssinging group and founder of "Sweet Honey in the Rock". She draws out not only the historical references in the songs, but also the different African American musical influences at play. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

"Stan Freberg Here..."
this CD contains 21 hilarious singles from Stan Freberg, the original music satirist decades before "Weird Al" came along. technically a satirist, Freberg didn't parody pop songs like Weird Al...Freberg tore them apart!! Called a hater of rock music by the '50s generation, Freberg nonetheless poked fun at what he seen as mediocre music being passed off as brilliant pieces of music. however, it all started for him musically with "John and Marsha", a satire on soap operas, in 1951. prior to this, Freberg was half of the puppet show "Time for Beany" with voice legend Daws Butler, who also played a huge part in Freberg's recording career too. Freberg was "Cecil" and "Dishonest John" while Butler was "Beany" and "Captain Huffenpuff". This show ran from 1949-1954. but...prior to that puppet show, Freberg was a teenage voice actor on Warner Brothers cartoons along side Mel Blanc. Freberg is the one who uttered the immortal phrase: "which way did he go, George? which way did he go?" in several cartoons spoofing "Of Mice and Men" characters Lenny and George.but, getting back to this CD. Freberg's recording career started with "john and marsha" in which Stan simply says the two people's names over and over in different emotions. somehow it's funny! don't ask me to over-analyze it! Freberg's stock in trade was satire of course. His wicked take on Johnny Ray on the song "Try" (a parody on Johnny's song, "Cry") is unreal! The Stan Freberg/Daws Butler/June Foray classics are here, too: "St. George and the Dragonet", "Little Blue Riding Hood", and "Christmas Dragnet". On "Heartbreak Hotel" we hear Freberg tackle Elvis and fight with the echo-chamber. On "Yellow Rose of Texas" Freberg delivers a southern dialogue...and is constantly bickering with the snare drummer. "C'est Ci Bon" is hilarious too. His mis-understood single, "Green Christmas", features Daws Butler and Marvin Miller as Bob Cratchit and Crass. Freberg is Scrooge of the advertising world. some critics said that Freberg was nuts for writing and recording a single that roasted his "other job" (Freberg wrote and produced comedy commercials for TV and radio in addition to his recording career and cartoon work). Country singers Ferlin Huskey and Jean Sheppard had a pop hit, "A Dear John Letter", but in Freberg's hands it became "A Dear John and Marsha Letter". His hatred for R&B is showcased on "Sh-Boom". Lawrence Welk doesn't escape Freberg neither and here we have the classic "Wun'nerful, Wun'nerful" which on the original '45 RPM single it was broken into Side Uh-One and Side Uh-Two. Stan Freberg remained a prominent figure in advertising well into the late '80s. In 1990 he started a 5 minute radio commentary called "Stan Freberg Here" that ran until 1998. Old-Time radio also used Freberg's famed voice as host of "When Radio Was" from 1991-1999, still being heard in countless re-runs everynight on AM radio. Freberg's recent project was supplying the voice to that screetching oddball Pete Puma in a cameo role in the recent Looney Tunes movie.

stan is the man
I've been a Stan Freberg fan for years but always had a hard time getting ahold of his stuff. Then it occurred to my brain that he probably had lots of stuff on amazon. This collection is the first thing I got and it is absolutely lovable and laughable. My favorite number is "Try," in which Stan quite outclasses Johnny Ray with his sheer loudness and sharp enunciation. Another real keeper is "Heartbreak Hotel," which is by all means the finest denunciation of Elvis I have ever heard. And then there's "Christmas Dragnet" and on and on. Get it.

The Right Intro To Stan "The Man" Freberg
Stanley Victor Freberg's brilliance was summerized by Stephen Holden, music critic of the NY Times, who noted that Freberg's parodies were more than just of passing fads, but were superb self-contained radio comedies. The twenty-one tracks on this compilation serve up some of the best of his work during the 1950s.

Born in 1926 as the son of Baptist minister Victor Freberg, Stan first entered show business with his uncle, Raymond Freberg, whose stage act was as Conray the Magician. "Radio was my first library," Freberg has said, as he grew up during the audio medium's golden age and thus became enamored of the effect sound created. After graduation from Alhambra High School, Stan hopped a bus to Hollywood and set up a voice audition with Warner Brothers in 1944. Termite Terrace's legendary directors, Chuck Jones, Robert McKimson, and Isadore "Friz" Freleng hired Freberg on the spot and he started work alongside the equally legendary Mel Blanc.

Soon Stan was branching out more and more, doing cartoon voice work for the majority of the studios as well as a steady diet of work on radio. The Army then beckoned, and after his discharge in 1947 he was contacted by ex-Warners director Bob Clampett, for a puppet TV series he was developing. This became "Beany and Cecil" and became an all-time TV classic.

Then in 1951 he released "John and Marsha," a two-word satire of soap operas that became an instant classic. His career in musical satire thus launched, he compiled more such satires.

Among his best are his "Dragnet" parodies. In "St. George an the Dragonet" Freberg uses June Foray as a near-devoured maiden and Daws Butler (with whom he'd worked during "Beany & Cecil") as the dragon (voiced as a typical Dragnet heavy) and also the skipper of the woods' homicide division.

On "Little Blue Riding Hood" Freberg takes on the famed fairy tale as Sgt. Wednesday, with Little Blue and her grandma running a "goodies" ring - his use of the term "goodies" makes the listener genuinely take the term as police jargon for illicit substances.

Capitol made Freberg do one more Dragnet parody, the brilliant two-parter "Yulenet." Sgt. Wednesday and his partner, Frank Jones, interrogate Grudge, a non-believer in Santa Claus (as well as a non-believer in the Easter Bunny or Columbus - or Cleveland or Cincinatti, though he can't make up his mind about Toledo) who leaves Frank quite shaken and Joe determined to prove Santa's bona-fides.

The greatest strength of Freberg's Dragnet parodies is their attention to the show's detail - Daws Butler, who co-wrote "Yulenet," voices Frank, and perfectly captures the mannerisms Ben Alexander imbued in the character in his time on the real "Dragnet," while Freberg not only parodies the monaural delivery of Jack Webb, he also rattles off believable spoofs of the arcane numerical jargon used by police in reporting crimes - most brilliantly at the track's beginning. "Yulenet's" other enduring quality is its good-natured approach - the ending is believably happy, so much so that comes across as a legitimate "Dragnet" episode rather than just a parody. The real Sgt. Friday couldn't have done it better himself.

Music parodies continued for Freberg, and his funniest was "Banana Boat," his savaging of the embarassing Harry Belafonte hit "Day-O." Freberg exaggerates the song's absurd title and ludicrous lyrics, and the foolishness of the whole enterprise is displayed by the interruptions of Peter Leeds, a friend of Stan's from his radio days, who plays a too-hip bongo player who forces Stan to leave the studio repeatedly to sing.

"Banana Boat" was Leeds' third track with Stan - the first was Stan's take-off on "Great Pretender," followed by Freberg's "skiffle band" parody, a send-up of Lonnie Donegan's "Rock Island Line" and the common folk song trait of backgrounding the song's story more than necessary before going into the actual number.

The calypso form of "Day O" is then used in one of Freberg's tracks that is among his funniest and at the same time one of his most serious. "Tele-Vee-Shun" rips into circa-1957 television and with its terrific jokes and puns makes a serious point about the downside of the medium. There is a caustic nature to this parody that is used to greater effect on his controversial 1958 skewering of Christmas commercialization, "Green Chri$tma$," qualities reflecting his birth as a Baptist minister's son.

While by no means a complete compilation of Freberg's work, this CD is the right place to start in appreciating his work.

Stan Freberg-In A Class By Himself
Stan Freberg is the best satirist of all time-His thought provoking sketches & song parodies have made him a hit throughout the English speaking world-This CD is nothing short of spectacular-My favorite cuts are "St.George & The Dragonet","John & Marsha",& "Green Christmas"-For those who are unfamiliar with Freberg's work,this CD is a great place to start.

No One Was Safe - or Sacred
Parodies of the hits and radio programs were a staple during the Forties and Fifties, beginning with Spike Jones & His City Slickers sticking it to everything and everyone from Cocktails For Two to Adolf Hitler (Der Fuhrer's Face), and from The William Tell Overture to the Tennessee Waltz. Joining him part way through his mad slashing of seriousness was Red Ingle & The Natural Seven featuring Cinderella G. Stump (Jo Stafford) lampooning Temptation (Tim-Tay-Shun) and Nature Boy (Serutan Yob - A Song For Backwards Boys And Girls), among others.

Then, in 1950, the master entered the picture. Only Stan Freberg wasn't content with just poking fun through sound effects. He went straight for the heart. Born in Pasadena, California on August 7, 1926, he got started at age 17 doing impersonations on the Cliffie Stone radio program in 1943. Soon his voice was in demand for movie cartoons, and in 1950 became one of the pioneers in TV, along with Daws Butler (later Huckleberry Hound among other voices) and Bob Hope side-kick Jerry Colona, on the Time For Beany puppet show.

A year later he released his first record, John And Marsha, on the Capitol label, taking a dig at the many radio soap operas. It contained just two words - John ... and Marsha ... and with Cliffie Stone's orchestra playing suitable shmaltzy music in the background, two star-crossed lovers would say "John .. Marsha .. John John ... Marsha Marsha ... John John John ... Marsha, Marsha, Marsha" with enough emphasis to suggest that there was a lot more going on than just mundane conversation. It was hilarious and an instant hit, going to # 21 pop in the spring of 1951.

A few months later he was back with a double-sided hit backed by Les Baxter's orchestra and using old buddy Daws Butler (who would appear on most of his hits). The A-side went after The Weavers' "On Top Of Old Smokey" by cleverly using its call and response arrangement in the old standard I've Got You Under My Skin. A number 11 hit, it was joined on the charts by the B-side, That's My Boy (not in this set) which reached # 30.

In 1952 Johnny Ray felt the Wrath of Stan when his monster hit Cry was crucified in Try, a # 15 hit in May with the Billy May band, and a little over a year later, with Walter Schumann & His Orchestra and June Foray, he stuck it to everyone's favorite TV show, Dragnet. St. George And The Dragonet was brilliant and, complete with Jerry Lewis and Jack Webb imitations, it went to the top of the charts late in the year. The flip-side - Little Blue Riding Hood - didn't do too bad either, going to # 9.

That disc went so well, in fact, that he had another shot at the show over the holiday season with Christmas Dragnet (Parts I and II), back by the Nathan Scott orchestra. In this "Scrooge" became "Grudge" and it topped out at # 13 (it would be re-released in 1954 as Yulenet).

By the time he decided to take a shot at Eartha Kitt (C'est Si Bon - # 13 in February 1954) the fans - and artists - were divided into three camps. Those who loved him and those who hated him - both because of what he was doing to the establishment - and those who appreciated his satirical genius. Which camp the Senate was in was never recorded, but Point Of Order, billed as by Stan Freberg and Daws Butler and using "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep", ripped the Senate's Army-McCarthy hearings.

Then it was Rock & Roll's turn. Here was a whole new field for Stan who would take great delight over the next three years in exposing the sleazier side of the industry, and taking pot-shots at some of the genre's more obvious gimmicks. First up was Sh-Boom which, with Billy May's orchestra, and chorus by "The Toads", went to # 14 late in 1954. Then, in 1955, he split his attack with a savage and side-splitting spoof of Mitch Miller's Yellow Rose Of Texas (# 16) and The Platter's Great Pretender.

However the latter, complete with the constant tink tink tink tink tink piano in the background, did not chart, nor did his next Rock parody, Rock Island Island, and when the excruciatingly funny Heartbreak Hotel (schriiiiiip - I riiiiped muh jeans) could only manage a # 79 in 1956, it was clear that this genre that wouldn't last had some pretty loyal fans who were all coalescing into the "hate Stan" camp.

Apparently calypso wasn't so sacrosanct, however, because Banana Boat (Day-O) hit # 25 in the early summer of 1957, and later that year he found another delightful target. Lawrence Welk. In what I consider to be his best, and with Daws Butler and Peggy Taylor in tow, Wun'erful, Wun'erful (Side a-one and side a-two) offers the tale of a dance band, performing at a seaside bandstand, breaking away from the main structure and floating out to sea due to a malfunctioning bubble machine (a-turn offf the a-bubble machine.) It topped out at # 32 in November.

In 1958 he laid bare the commercialisation of Christmas with the magnificent Green Chri$tma$, a # 44 charter that was both funny and poignant. No easy task.

For the reviwer looking for The Old Payola Roll Blues, if you haven't found it yet go to Lost Hits Of The 50s in the Amazon.com listings. There you'll find it with a whole slew of other gems. As for its performance on the charts, the tale of Rock star Clyde Ankle only went to # 99 in March 1960, perhaps because this time he was stepping on some pretty prominent toes as he delved into the late Fifties bribery scandals.

An absolute gem of a CD, and if you can afford the box set also listed, go for it. You will love it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Most Lutherans aren't musicians; they're choir members," says Prairie Home Companion creator Garrison Keillor. In "The Young Lutheran's Guide to the Orchestra," he further comments, "Cellists seem like such nice people. The way they put their arms around their instruments, they look like parents at a daycare center, zipping up snowsuits." Such is the droll National Public Radio humor he embodies; listeners either adore or disparage him for his pedestrian slice of Midwestern nostalgia. Here in 1989, in front of a hometown audience with the majestic Minnesota Orchestra, Keillor holds court, bearish baritone intermingling with French horn and strings. He dishes on everything from patriotism to Powdermilk Biscuits to orchestral instruments in the context of Christianity and good Christians, particularly that ever dry hot-dish-eating Lutheran sect in the Minneapolis region. Keillor is like big brother home from college, poking fun at his family upon seeing them with fresh eyes. Delightful. --Paige La Grone ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Great Garrison Does it Again
After shuffling this CD around for some time (I had sort of "inherited" it from my father, and just hadn't gotten around to listening to it), I finally gave it a go on the stereo...and was utterly delighted. Here is a wonderful example of Keillor's work - warmly poking fun at his home state, making his classic commentary on Lutheranism, and peeking a little into his past. It makes for great comedy, and wonderful listening.

Let's go through this sequentially, shall we? The "Whoopi Ti-Yi-Yo" piece is great - the song about a humorist's work, set to cattle-rustling music is such a clever concept, you'll have to hear it for yourself. Just the fact that he mentions his "hand-carved, hand-tooled ballpoint" makes it an instant Keillor classic. The "Sons of Knute", set to Grieg's Homage March is wonderful, as well - such silly lyrics ("Sons of Knute, marching to freedom...") set to such a noble composition - it's a marriage made in heaven. "The Young Lutheran's Guide to the Orchestra" will surely go down as one of the great Keillor works - it's pure genius. His description of each instrument's sound, and what one should associate it with, is guaranteed to draw laughter from the stodgiest curmudgeon. And, of course, the analysis of each instrument's player - priceless. "The Radio Announcer" is classic Keillor nostalgia, touched with hilarity, and bittersweet memory - the outcome of his college radio career is absolutely knee-slapping. Finally, the "Song of the Exiles" shows Keillor at his best - almost hypnotizing in his ability to capture in words the character of a place, time and surrounding experience. Here is where his work truly shines, and it is the perfect way to wind up the album. Through it all, the Minnesota Orchestra accompanies beautifully, enhancing perfectly Keillor's written word. Everything falls into place seamlessly.

I can honestly say that this CD is among my top twenty, and is never far from my stereo. It fits my every mood, and I never tire of it. If you're a fan of Keillor, it's a must-have. If you're new to his work, here's a good place to start.

Gentle, Tasteful Humor
Heard "Young Lutheran's Guide to the Orchestra" on the radio and just had to have it. Along with this great cut, discovered other material in the same great vein as Keillor's other stuff.

"The Radio Announcer" piece is but one such example, here his story of young college kid who wants to impress Renee, but finds future life's work in so doing. "And now, without commerical intervention, J.S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion" Off to the library! Hilarious and entertaining.

Neat stuff to share with all ages, from this classic storyteller who can also sing the blues as well as yodel.

Gentle Humor - A Good Listen in Sad Times
This tape provides gentle humor and excellent music. It is patriotic without being sentimental and ironic without being mean. If you know a music lover who is going on a road trip soon, give this tape or CD as a gift. It is perfect road trip entertainment. Garrison Keillor fans will love this and be quite at home with his ironic and funny stories. Those who are not familiar with Keillor will soon be fans.

FANTASTIC! HILARIOUS! DELIGHTFUL!
I have always enjoyed the unique humor of Garrison Keillor, and especially his poking fun at his severe Lutheran background. I especially enjoyed his take-off on Benjamin Britten's "A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra." Keillor did a Lutheran guide, ingeniously suggesting what kind of people choose particular instruments. There is an impressive real symphonic accompaniment, highlighting each instrument, which in itself is serious and accurate enough to help a young person actually recognize the instruments of a symphonic orchestra.

American radio funny-man hilariously describes the orchestra
The world famous Garrison Keillor gives a perspective to the orchestra in never before seen light. How many pieces of music are there that have the trombones sounding like cattle? The delightful music and commentary make for some of the funniest time you will remember for weeks to come. A must for fans, and a good buy no matter who you are. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The funniest comedy team ever.
People today laugh at Seinfeld, Sinbad and others. If they want to hear true comedy, listen to these two. Abbott And Costello simply can't be beat. And who can forget "Who's On First! " That is to comedy like "Stairway To Heaven" is to classic rock. This disc will leave you in stitches and wanting more. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Down-home country humor at its very best
Everyone knows Andy Griffith from The Andy Griffith Show, but many today may not be aware of the range of this man's talent as an actor, comedian, and all-around entertainer. This album collects a number of Andy's funny stories and songs taken from a series of recordings he made in the 1950s and early 1960s. The material itself is an almost vaudevillian mix of memorable treats. Griffith's natural penchant for telling hilarious, down-home stories actually jump-started his whole career. The most familiar Andy Griffith recording was his first one, recorded live at an insurance convention in 1952; as the story goes, he essentially thought up the whole routine during a 45-minute drive from Chapel Hill to Raleigh. "What it Was, Was Football" is classic Southern humor that had his audience rolling in the aisles, and it is as funny today as it was decades ago. Colonial released the recording, it sold over a million copies, and Andy Griffith soon found himself working for the Columbia label, putting out a number of albums over the next twelve years. What It Was, Was Football is simply hilarious, as Griffith assumes the role of a country bumpkin describing his first experience watching the game of football. Explaining things in simplistic, countrified terms went over big up North of the Mason-Dixon line, but Andy never forgot, betrayed, or belittled his North Carolina roots.

The strength of this CD is the comedy bits, but there are also several songs included for your enjoyment. The album opens up with The Fishin' Hole: yes, there are actual lyrics to the theme song of The Andy Griffith Show, and you can hear them right here. Cindy and Flop Eared Mule are bluegrass-oriented tracks meant to entertain, while The Midnight Special reveals the kind of true singing talent this man has always possessed. Of course, Griffith's ingenious storytelling is the star of this collection. I suppose much of this would be called stand-up comedy, but Andy tells his stories as if he is sitting on the porch at home entertaining a few good friends. Two of the better tracks found here consist of Andy's unique, folksy recounting of Hamlet and Romeo & Juliet, but he also tickles the funny bone explaining opera in Opera Carmen and ballet in Swan Lake. He goes on to describe the history of The Discovery of America and Andy and Cleopatra in a manner you surely won't find in any textbook. He also offers up two love poems, one called Togetherness and the other dedicated To The Lovely Juanita Beasley. If you need some help sparkin' that sweetheart of yours, you might want to try a few lines from these poems yourself (although they should prove much more effective down here in the South than up North).

The roots of Mayberry's Sheriff Andy Taylor can be found right here in these early comedy recordings of one of America's premiere storytellers, so everyone who loves The Andy Griffith Show (and who doesn't?) should really enjoy this CD. Andy Griffith truly was and is an American Original. This is good old country humor at its best, an album the whole family, from the youngest lad to the oldest gentleman, can heartily enjoy.

Terrific material
We used to listen to the comedy bits on a weekly radio program that plays in the D.C. area, and the whole family loves them. The Shakespeare retellings are the best -- funny, yet actually quite close to the actual plots. And What it was was football is a perfect deadpan southern dimwit parody. I'm so glad these are out on cd.

What it is, is hilarious
Andy Griffith, a complex and intelligent fellow, is NOT a country bumpkin. He has only portrayed one, better than anyone I can name, on stage, screen, television and, in the medium that got him noticed, on record. If you're not familiar with Mr. Griffith's recording career, brother, you are in for a real treat.

Andy stomps the pomp and pretension out of opera, ballet and Bill Shakespeare, using his pocketknife-sharp mother wit to whittle them down to their soap-opera cores and retell them, in his amiable mule-eating-briars way, masterfully and hilariously. He even pokes gentle fun at Mt. Airy, North Carolina, his hometown, in a bit Mayberry fans will find especially amusing. Andy wrote most of these classic routines himself, including the million-selling "What It Was, Was Football," which hasn't lost a smidgen of its timeless charm since "Deacon Andy Griffith" (as Capitol Records dubbed him) first performed it in 1953. (I once played "Football" for a group of Cub Scouts. Bless 'em, they "got it" completely and laughed like hyenas.)

Andy sings, too, in his own boisterous style: full-throttled bluegrass ("Cindy"), prison blues ("The Midnight Special"), even mock gospel ("The Preacher and the Bear"). A special treat is the seldom heard "The Fishin' Hole" - the vocal version of "The Andy Griffith Show" theme - which Ange sings with all the jocularity of a kid playing hooky. There's also a fully-orchestrated version of the TAGS theme, complete with finger snaps and composer Earle Hagen's familiar whistling.

If you love Andy, if you love Mayberry, you will love this CD.

Hilarious!
Any fan of Andy Griffith should love this CD. For those that aren't sure of the track listing, it has everything that's on the Wit and Wisdom of Andy Griffith plus more tracks. Here's the complete listing: 1. The Fishin' Hole 2. What It Was, Was Football (Part I & II) 3. Cindy 4. Love Poems: "To The Lovely Juanita Beasley" 5. Make Yourself Comfortable 6. North Carolina, My Home State 7. The Preacher And The Bear 8. Romeo & Juliet (Part I & II) 9. Love Poems: "Togetherness" 10. Swan Lake 11. Flop Eared Mule 12. Hamlet 13. The Discovery of America 14. Don't Look Back 15. Opera Carmen 16. Andy And Cleopatra 17. The Midnight Special 18. The Andy Griffith Theme

andy griffith american originals
My question if the same as Mr. Bernard's. What is on this cd/audio tape. If I knew, I might also want to purchase it. ... Read more

Album Description

We are pleased to announce our release of Pope John Paul II's first historical visit to America.Now everyone can enjoy over 4 hours of His Holiness' major sermons and talks from Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Des Moines, Chicago and Washington with beautiful versions of "Ave Maria'" and "The Lord's Prayer" captured on this digitally mastered 4-CD Box Set "From Rome To America"

This is a rare and priceless piece of American history offered along with an exclusive 8x10 photo of Pope John Paul II, ready for framing. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An uplifting spiritual event
Listning to Pope John Paul II's words and then hearing the response form the public made the hairs on my arms stand up on end. It was inspiring to hear his words and to feel a sense of what it was like to be there when the Pope spoke to America for the first time in American history. I also enjoyed listning to "Ave Maria" and "The Lord's Prayer." This will be a keepsake in my family for many years to come. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a dear man to be remembered.
A great tribute to the dear late Lewis Grizzard. The best of says it all. a great son of the south.
doc ... Read more

Amazon.com

When Stan Freberg released The United States of America in 1961, it was one of the first comedy concept albums ... and perhaps the funniest musical comedy never performed onstage. With a cast that included Jesse White and June Foray (as well as a dead-on Orson Welles impression by voice-over master Paul Frees), Freberg presented a madcap version of history that began with Christopher Columbus's insistence that "It's a Round, Round World." His crew, however, was unconvinced:

Crazy kind of scheme
It's a cockamamie dream
If we don't sight land we're gonna scream.

Later, a cautious Ben Franklin would express suspicion of the declaration Thomas Jefferson brought by for him to sign: "You go to a few harmless meetings, sign a few harmless petitions, and forget all about it.... Ten years later you get called up before a committee. No thank you! I'm not going to spend the rest of my life writing in Europe!"

For decades, fans were frustrated by the lack of sequels that would carry the story beyond the Revolutionary War. (After attempts to turn the material into a real Broadway musical were ruined by heavy-handed producer David Merrick, Freberg went on to a lucrative career in advertising.) Finally, in 1996, Freberg went into the studio with the surviving members of his original cast--as well as stars David Ogden Stiers, Sherman Hemsley, Tyne Daly, Lorenzo Music, and John Goodman--with a new batch of songs and skits that covered the period from the founding of the United States government in 1789 to the end of World War I.

Volume 2 is not quite as strong as volume 1, but that's like saying that Babe Ruth didn't hit as many home runs as Hank Aaron. There's still plenty of great material in "The Middle Years," like Francis Scott Key's first draft of his most famous composition: "Rumplemeyer's horseshoes are the best you can use, what so proudly he's nailed onto all kinds of horses."Or Ulysses S. Grant demanding a drink so he can keep on...

Pursuing the South
Over the hills
Fearless and brave, minus a shave
And crocked to the gills.

The two-CD set includes the original liner notes from the 1961 release; a 1989 CD reissue of the first volume; and the notes by Freberg, Dr.Demento, and Ray Bradbury for the sequel. It also contains a complete lyric sheet. Although some of the jokes on the first CD may be too arcane for younger listeners, The United States of America can still be called, without overstatement, a work of genius.--Ron Hogan ... Read more

Reviews (16)

HA to the power of 10
"As you listen to this album you'll soon begin to understand why Stan Freburg flunked American history in high school."

So begins the insert for The United States of America Vol. 1 & 2. The first volume (The Early Years) is a classic, named by TIME as the best comedy album ever! The stories are almost beleivable, Freburg does them so well. Every track is hilarious, especially "Yankee Doodle Go Home" and "Declaration of Independance." The best clean humor ever!

The second volume, the Middle Years, is a different story. As soon as you hear the first track about Jefferson, Franklin, and Osbourne, you know that this album doesn't carry the same innocent, raw humor as the first. The time periods are too spread out, creating a confusing and disoriented atmosphere. The songs stink. The only really funny track is "Steven Foster, Beloved Songwriter," which could be the funniest sequence in both the discs.

This stuff is great, especially if you know your US history before you listen (you'll appreciate some inside jokes if you do).

History never sounded like this before
Stan Freberg is undoubtedly a master satirist-Volume 1 of his "United States Of America" was originally released in 1961 & became an immediate classic-Thirty-five years later in 1996,Freberg decided to put out his long awaited sequel:"The United States Of America,Volume 2"-Both volumes are equally hilarious & memorable-My favorite routines are "A Man Has To Be Careful Of What He Signs These Days" (Declaration Of Independence),"Take An Indian To Lunch This Week" (The first Thanksgiving),& "The Appomatox Bar & Grill"-Freberg is ably assisted by a fine supporting cast:The late Paul Frees & Jesse White on Volume 1 & David Ogden Stiers,Sherman Hemsley,& Tyne Daly on Volume 2-It's a known fact that most students are turned off by history-However,if teachers were to play this album in their classes,I think the students would change their minds in a heartbeat-If you're a major league Stan Freberg fan like myself,don't hesitate to purchase this outstanding 2-CD set.

First half a comedic classic, second half a disappontment
I've been familiar with Freberg's twisted take on American history most of the my life (released the same year I was born) and it did wonders for my love of the subject in school. I was delighted to hear he was finally making a sequel to it, but said delight fizzled soon after Corey Burton's fine opening takeoff of Paul Frees' immortal voice. Freberg, David Ogden Stiers and company do their best, but bottom line is, they just aren't funny (The Lincoln, Grant and Bell tracks sound downright desperate.). I may have been impossible to please after loving the original for so long, but I don't think so. In all fairness, maybe you who have never heard either will have a better time.

Five stars for Vol. 1, two and a half stars for Vol. 2
I remember listening to Volume 1 as a child, remembering fondly those great one-liners that could only come from the mind of Stan Freberg. So when I heard that "Stan Freberg's the United States of America, the Early Years" was on CD, together with the recently recorded "Volume 2: The Middle Years", I jumped at buying it.

The good news is that Volume 1 is just as funny and fresh as it was when it was first released on vinyl some 40 years ago. The not-so-good news is that Volume 2, on the second CD, creatively and comedically falls far short of Volume 1. The Madison, Jefferson, Franklin and Osbourne ad agency and Frances Scott Key bits are pretty good, but the material loses steam after that. In fact, much of the second CD is tedious to listen to, especially the part with Lincoln and the psychologist. Volume 2 lacks the punch and wit of Volume 1.

Were it not for Volume 1, I would have been generally disappointed with this CD set.

An American Classic
Packed with stylish song-writing and wry wit, "The United States of America" is sure to be a favorite in anyone's CD collection. This album is a perfect example of the timelessness of Stan Freberg's comedy--not over-the-top, and certainly not beneath one's intelligence. With only a few references that might be lost on those whose knowledge of history and pop culture is limited to what they have seen on Oprah, this collection clearly demonstrates why it deserves to be an American classic. ... Read more

Album Description

Every Saturday, just before 5 p.m., the crowd in the Fitzgerald Theater settles down and the ON AIR light flashes red and "A Prairie Home Companion" goes out live coast-to-coast on the radio airwaves into the homes and cares of its countless fans, including the signature "News from Lake Wobegon" monologue, a Guy Noir Private Eye thriller, a western episode with Dusty and Lefty, and much more – gospel star Jearlyn Steele, jazz sweetheart Inga Swearingen, killer country band BR549, the distinguished Guy’s All Star Shoe Band with piano wizard Richard Dworsky, plus the timeless Tim Russell, insouciant Sue Scott, and sound-effects genii Tom Keith and Fred Newman, and hosted by Garrison Keillor. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Summoned to Hamburg, Germany, to write music for a live stage production of Robert Wilson's The Black Rider, musical mastermind Waits took to the task at hand with gusto, assembling an eclectic crew of musicians to become "the pit band [he'd] always dreamed of." Several years later Waits assembled another "orchestra" in San Francisco to record many of the songs he'd written for the live production. Those tracks are found here, alongside a few rough gems from sessions in Hamburg. You'll find some musical matter familiar to Waits fans: accordions, carnivals, violas, banjos, the devil (a key figure in The Black Rider), a singing saw, bassoons, and trombones. Waits's many voices tell the rather disjointed story with a variety of musical styling, and the assembled whole is pretty much a sum of its parts (but at least they're interesting parts): a touch of Day of the Dead, a whiff of carny, a nod to Brecht, a dash of film noir, and the scent of narcosis (William Burroughs makes an appearance here). Not easy listening, by any means, but a feast for the ears. --Lorry Fleming ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Waits's best work!
This CD is the music score for Robert Wilson's play based on a story by William Burroughs, who contributes with some songs. Black Rider is somewhat different from Waits's other works, his style has evolved and matured. In this work you're able to see that there is more to him tham "Rain Dogs"(which is great anyway). It will probably shock the newcomers, but give time and you will love it. In my personal opinion it is his best work to date. For those who like Tom Waits and William Burroughs, this is a must-have!

Waits's best work
The song "November" is a kind of microcosm for this album, which evokes skeletal trees, looming clouds, piles of dead leaves, and harrowing winds. A post-halloween, pre-dead of winter atmosphere pervades this record. While Tom Waits is a great original talent, with piles and piles of brilliant songs, he tends to "show his hand" too much, so that his act is revealed as just that--an act. And since most of his material depends on you buying into his persona(e), sometimes you come away unconvinced.

Not here; and ironically, this is music for a stage production. But I don't think I've ever heard Waits quite this confident in his powers and so at home with his considerable gifts for settings, lyrics, and performance. In the instrumental "Russian Theme," when he "counts off," you can see him flailing his arms at the musicians to keep the music going. The recurrent themes of impending death are perfectly complimented by gleeful black humor; lyrically and sonically, The Black Rider holds together perfectly as a unified work.

Outre ... Puzzling ... and Brilliant
It's not always easy to discern the logic behind the organization of a Tom Waits album; fortunately the man is a good enough musician to get away with juxtaposing music of widely differing themes and styles all on the same disc. It's even harder to follow the soundtracks to the multiple stage-productions for which he has written music, since there is no way to tell where each song and instrumental number fits in the universal scheme of the plot.

When dealing with Tom Waits, again, it doesn't really matter. Few of us were lucky enough to be hanging around the Thalia theatre when The Black Rider had its run ... I wasn't even ten years old at the time! Even fewer of us could recite the Black Rider story on call; it's an old German folk tale that was also set to music by Carl Maria von Weber in the 19th century. Consequently, I know little more about the illustrious old tale than I could gather from the liner notes here. But I still love the album dearly.

The more releases we see from living legend Waits, the more it seems that he can't make a CD without the stamp of brilliance on it. Some of these songs easily rank with the best of his career. "Just the Right Bullets" is mind-blowing, and the instrumental backing has a sound I haven't found in any of Waits' other work. "The Briar and the Rose," with its allusions to Waits' wife, Kathleen Brennan, is among the very best of his ballads. Nor is there any way to beat the carnival-barking announcement of the opening track, announcing an exhibition of "human oddities." Indeed.

What makes The Black Rider unusual, perhaps, is the presense of a large number of instrumentals. Of course, Waits had been writing them for a long time -- listen to "Rainbirds" on Swordfishtrombones or "Midtown" on Rain Dogs -- but they reach a new prominence here. Some of them are simply short episodes of connecting music, while others, like "Gospel Train" and "Russian Dance" are long pieces of brilliant and often quite radical music. "Gospel Train," in particular, must rank as just about the most deliciously dissonant four minutes in all popular music. The vocal version of "Gospel Train" even features train noises from Tom!

One other feature of this CD that receives quite a bit of comment is the presense of William Burroughs. I'm not sure that his sprechstimme delivery of "'Tain't no Sin" adds a whole lot to the album, but it certainly doesn't detract. And the lyrics on that song are wonderful: "When it's too hot for comfort / And you can't get an ice cream cone / 'Tain't no sin to take off your skin / And dance around in your bones."

In the end, this is certainly not the Waits album I would give to someone unfamiliar with his work. It could take some getting used to, though I enjoyed it from the beginning. Certainly the logic behind the music is very hard to determine in absence of the theatrical context, but the "remainders," as it were, are more than enough for a feast of very quirky musical enjoyment. Highly recommended!

Confusing
This is probably very nice to drink whiskey and smoke cigars to. As a piece of musical theatre it is mainly confusing.

I have never seen any actual production of this so called (?) musical play, neither does the booklet offer an understandable synopsis. Yet do few if any of these songs seem to do anything like furthering the plot, develop characters or even comment on the action.

"Mood pieces" also occationally pop up in dramaturgic settings, but they do not form a complete musical alone.

Breaking the rules within the frames of musical theatre is of course seldom anything but excellent. But to break those rules one must first know and understand them. One's mind invariably turns to the master Sondheim. In the end The Black Rider turns out to be more like a play with songs than a musical.

One subjective demand I make for songs is that they ought to be good to sing. These songs seem dependent on mr Waits' voice, and simply do not "lay well" in the mouth..

If you wish background music, this is probably no worse a choice than anything else. If you wish to experience real musical theatre, try something like Sweeney Todd instead.

Tom at his best
This is Tom Waits's most original album by far. There are no regurgatated melodies from blues, jazz, and country like on previous efforts. Instead they are ripped of from romani folk music and circus tunes, however thats not meant as a criticism. These styles suit his voice quite well. It's not that his lyrics are better, or the presence of William B., it's the wonderfull back-up band he has this time around that makes this C.D. a must own. The orchestra is fabulous and the tunes are unique. Tom likes to experiment but too often experiment ends up meaning play very slowly with the intonation just a bit off. On this release he writes some great tunes that are fun even in an instrumental way. The music probably turned out so great because it was done for a play, which meant that Tom got slightly more ambitous with his orchestration and melody choices. Goot thing too as you are unlikely to ever hear a more oringinal Tom Waits album. 'November' in particular makes me cry everytime. Highly reccomended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the true marks of a horror artist is to create something that is at once completely terrifying and utterly fascinating. It's not about blood, guts, and gore, as anyone who's ever seen Psycho could tell you, but about suspense, story, and the characters themselves. Edgar Allan Poe's stories rank as some of the greatest horror ever written--and that's before the likes of Iggy Pop, Diamanda Galás, Abel Ferrara, and Christopher Walken (chilling, as he reads from "The Raven") got their hands--er, voices--on Poe's words. This two-disc compilation is a success if only for treating Poe's texts in the right manner, with subtle backing music and sounds and restrained, ominous performances from the readers (other fine readings come from Ken Nordine, Dr. John, and Jeff Buckley). One reason for the album's quality may be producer Hal Willner; if you enjoy this, you might also want to check out his work on Weird Nightmare: Meditations on Mingus, The Carl Stalling Project, Vol. 1, and Spare Ass Annie. --Randy Silver ... Read more

Reviews (14)

An Amazing Tribute to Poe
If you are a Poe fan, this is a must for your collection. The title, taken from a recent theory that Poe died of rabies contracted after a dog bite, is just the beginning of the creativity behind these CDs. Christopher Walken's reading of "The Raven" is second only to Vincent Price. Iggy Pop's rendition of "A Tell-Tale Heart" is chilling, to say the least, and is definitely worth getting the CDs for. I love listening to the stories and poems on a regular basis, and have a great time setting up the fog machine and blasting these CDs from my stereo on Halloween.

I also use this in my classroom every year. Poe, in general, is great for helping resistant students discover a love of literature and this CD is specifically responsible for creating readers out of some of my most unwilling students. While I am not too fond of the musical tracks on these CDs, my students enjoy them very much and they have inspired some of them to set Poe's work to their own music. All in all, I truly feel as if I've gotten my money's worth from these CD's and find them to be both enjoyable and useful.

Reinvigorating a tormented soul
This is a mixed bag all right, the most egregious negatives being perpetual freak-fringe figure Ed Sanders' ostenisble "songs", and Abel Ferrara's too-jokey "Raven". But -oh- Dr. John's reading of "Berenice" is sheer magic. This underrated tale in the Poe canon, of incestuous necrophile dental obsession is totally buoyed by the swampy southern stylings of music and voice. It's perhaps the best recording of a Poe story ever, and I'm a huge fan of the Vincent Price/Basil Rathbone recordings of the 1960s. Ken Nordine could read a cereal box and make it sound good; I wish he had a longer selection on this CD-set. Marrianne Faithfull croaks out "Alone" with that special vocal quality that only years of smoke, whiskey and drug abuse can engender. It's all peaks and valleys - but what peaks!

What a spectacular period seven assembly this could be!!
These kinds of tribute albums are always tricky, even when they are just dealing with a musician's body of work. What Hal Willner has done on this two-CD set is amazing, though. To try to collect the pieces from Edgar Allan Poe's eclectic catalog of stories and poetry, find the write artists to read, sing, and/or interpret those works, and then to package it all appropriately was a major feat. Every track is not a five-star work, but the collection earns the five stars for sheer effort and uniqueness. From the cover art by Ralph Steadman, appropriately weird and spooky-looking, to the fabulous liner notes by Charles Baudelaire and Willner, himself, this CD set has been an indispensable part of my Grade 11 English (American Literature) curriculum since its release.

Everyone is going to have his or her favorite tracks/stories/poems, but here are mine:
1. Gabriel Byrne reading "The Masque of the Red Death" -- great accent, cool music and background noises; nicely understated, Byrne lets the story tell itself.
2. Diamanda Galas reading "The Black Cat" -- smoking five packs a day does pay off for some people. . . . I almost wet my pants when I first heard her read the opening line of the story.
3. Dr. John reading "Berenice" -- not the typical Poe selection, very cool New Orleans accent and grovely voice.
4. Iggy Pop reading "The Tell-Tale Heart" -- classic story, great voice and interpretation.
5. Marianne Faithfull reading "Alone" -- again, great voice and creepy effects.

I'm leaving out Ken Nordine, Jeff Buckley, and Christopher Walken, all of whom turn in outstanding performances.

Weak points aside, this CD earns five stars for the total package. The cover art is very cool, the liner notes are very interesting and informative, the sound production is superb, and a vast majority of the renditions maximize Poe's eccentricities and creepy weirdness. The musical artists and actors put themselves somewhat at risk with these alternative performances, and their risks pay off big time! If you are a fan of Poe, this is a must-have CD set. If you are a fan of any of the performers, you likely won't be disappointed either. If you are just a fan of creative and alternative works, this is well worth a try. Everybody wins!

Rythm, mesmerizing
What makes Poe's poetry so gripping? It is not the words themselves, but rather the rythm and beat they create. His poems are just begging to be read and these cd's do just that. A great piece of work.

chilling
I'm a huge Jeff Buckley and Poe fan, so I HAD to have this. His reading of "Ulalume" is excellent, his speaking voice is just as beautiful as his singing voice. Christopher Walken's take on "The Raven" is spooky, but what else would you expect from Walken? But Iggy Pop's "The Tell-Tale Heart" really takes the cake. I could do without Debbie Harry's "performance", but what the hell. Very cool CD to have. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Born backstage at Prairie Home Companion after discovering a love for good-sounding a cappella gospel in a stairwell, the Hopeful Gospel Quartet features the quintessentially American Garrison Keillor alongside Kate McKenzie and husband-wife duo Robin and Linda Williams. On this disc, recorded live at a show billed "A Pretty Good Night at Carnegie Hall" and produced by none other than Chet Atkins, the Quartet lights into gospel standbys such as "His Eye Is on the Sparrow," "My Rock," and "Jordan." Keillor, who (of course) serves as MC, trades licks between throaty harmonies and droll tales of individuality and Midwestern Lutheranism. Atkins and a crack band of Nashvillians accompany the Quartet on some numbers, which are quite lovely. But the real treat, as always, is Keillor's wholesome, ticklish charm. --Paige La Grone ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Garrison Has "Made" A Good CD
Listeners of "A Prairie Home Companion" are familiar with the Hopeful Gospel Guartet composed of Mr. Keillor, Kate MacKenzie and Robin and Linda Williams. They are accompanied here-- at times-- by the likes of Butch Thompson on piano and Chet Atkins who also produced the CD. The quartet sings some of the faster gospel numbers, the Stamps-Baxter types-- "My Rock","The Lord Will Make A Way", "Jordan", and "Travelin' Shoes." While these are sung well, I prefer the slower hymns, "There Is A Fountain", "Softly and Tenderly" and "Sweet Hour of Prayer." As you would expect from Mr. Keillor, he is not content to just sing here but interposes his familiar, gentle humor we have loved for so long on his radio show: "My people were Puritans who came to American in the late Seventeenth Century. They came to America in hopes of discovering greater restrictions than were permissible under English law." Mr. Keillor weaves such threads as these throughout the CD. My favorite cut here is the hauntingly beautiful a capella arrangement of "Now The Day Is Over." Keillor waxes nostalgic between verses about a young boy's sexual awakening in Minnesota and his desire to leave small town America and, in his case, get to New York City. Keillor pulls this off without becoming maudlin. He achieves here something similiar and as beautiful as what Thorton Wilder does in OUR TOWN, I think.

Finally, Keillor sings a hymn to a loving God who lets us eat fresh corn straight out of the garden in "Sweet, Sweet Corn." (You won't find that one in the Broadman Hymnal.) It really does taste better that way.

Old-fashioned can be good
Music that is actually warm, from the heart, and wonderful when sung in haunting a cappella. This is an album with some sacred tunes done honest prairie style. A rare treat. There is interruption by Garrison Keillor's monologues, but you can skip them once you've heard them a few times.

G.K.&THE HOPEFULL GOSPEL QUARTET
I first bought this on tape, and my i add i played it so manytimes that i wore it out. Now that i have located your web site.I willnow buy this on cd and with great hopes this will last forever. END

The Lord Will Make A Way
The Lord Will Make A Way is my favorite song. I find alot of comfort in this song since the accidental death of my brother. The song lifts my spirits and just helps me make it through another day trusting that the Lord is guiding me through misery and depression.

Good but a couple of bad spots
I love Garrison and the Hopeful Gospel Quartet and most of the songs on this CD. However, two of the songs were a little muffled. Perhaps it is because they were taken from a live performance that in itself was not the best taping quality. Looking forward for them to do another. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Unexpectedly appealing
I came across this with the introduction from my roommate in my freshman year of college. The thanksgiving prayer is probably one of the most cynical and humorous tracks I've listened to in a long time. The music that goes with it adds to its sarcasm. Then there's Ah Pook the Destroyer; Everyone has to hear this once, it's going to change your day. All in all, this CD opened my life to Burroughs's poetry and beat poetry in general. Quite an inspiring CD that you can listen to whenever need inspiration to write. Also a fun thing to play when you're in need of a couple of bitter-sweet chuckles. The Apocalypse, the track before the last, still trips me out today.

Thanks for...this cd, and I'm not being sarcastic
A somnambulant, mood-swifting mindtrip into the world of William S. Burroughs...and what better than to hear arrousing and exciting tales of moral decadence, science fiction atroscities, the convictions of racism and prejudice, flowing dream imagery, political ideas & warnings, and frequent contradictions resulting in poetic tales that defy explanation and expand yr. conciousness. After being told in his deadpan spooky and signature voice to tape, they are adapted to an eclectic arrangement of classical orchestra, John Cale's keyboard weirdness, Sonic Youth's cataclysimc subway noise, and various other contributions that work well with the stories...

Some of the best are hard to pick out, but there are highlights: the reading of a particularly hanuting excerpt from Naked Lunch involving The Black Market Cafe done to shadowy chamber music will send chills down yr. spine, the short story Where He WAs Going which flows along at a snail's pace pulling you into the mind of a worried bank robber knowing death is creeping around the corner (and this one has great ending, plus organ music, and the overall effect will leave a mark on yr. mind), the readings of the Bible are amusing and not meant to be taken seriously, but the best prize here is his nearly 10 minute telling of the Apocalypse done to some sweeping mixes...basically sums up all his post apocalyptic desires in one amazing track.

The rest are just as interesting, his political theories are expressed in "No More Stalins, No More Hitlers" and the classic sardonic peice "A THanksgiving Prayer" which since Burroughs is neither a Christian or celebrates that holiday you can guess the idea. "Bryon Gysin's All-Purpose Bedtime Story" includes some great short philosophies: "Control is controlled by it's need to control." and the idea that this universe is a glob of spit on it's way to the floor...SPLAT! "Love Your Enemies" will send jollies down yr. loins and laughing devices if nothing else...when he says love your enemies, he means it in a different light. "Kill THe Badger" is just plain sad, "A New way To Measure..." is unsettling somewhat, and that German song he sings at the end is simply odd.

Basically, this is Burroughs' mind done to music. It's tour de force...whiter and redder than life.

"We're all here to go...!"
One of my favorite albums and I own thousands. Possibly the best setting of Burrough's words to music. Love the vintage TV orchestral cuts. Caution: I have bought this album for several friends who have never said a word about it! "What are we here for?"

Ode to apocalypse- the monsters behind the machine....
If you've never read Burroughs, or if it has been awhile and you would like to refresh your acquaintance, then this recording is what you are looking for. The old magician gives readings from a variety of sources including _Naked Lunch_, _Interzone_, and _The Western Lands_. He invokes his vision in the name of Pan, god of panic; Ah Pook, the destroyer; and even Jesu the Christ. "Invoke" is the proper word, for this is a work of magic. Burroughs is weaving a vision. He wants us to peek through the chinks and see the monsters that lie behind the machine- behind the great shining lies. His objective is no less than a basic disruption of reality itself. This is art as magic, artist as magician.

Remember: 1)Control is controlled by the need to control- just like a junky on junk, 2)Everything is permitted BECAUSE nothing is true, and It's the little touches that make a future solid enough to destroy.

CLASSIC BURROUGHS
Track number two (THANKSGIVING PRAYER) is alone worth the price of this CD. ... Read more

Album Description

We at Collectors’ Choice Music continue our pursuit of the most eclectic, eccentric and unique recordings in pop music history with the release of this 1971 album from TV talk show host Les Crane! Les’ soothing rendition of the 1906 inspirational poem "Go Placidly Among the Noise and the Haste," set to a gospel soul musical background and retitled "Desiderata," caught the early-’70s self-help zeitgeist and shot to #8 on the charts, taking this album into the Top 40 with it. The rest of the record features top LA session musicians backing Crane’s reading of such works as Thoreau’s "Independence (A Different Drummer)" and "Nature (Wilderness)," "Maxim Gorky’s Esperanza (Hope)," the Native American poem "Vision," "Friends," "Beauty (Shining from the Inside Out)," "Happiness (I Got No Cares)," "Courage (Eyes That See)," and even an adaptation of Dorothy L. Nolte’s poem "Children Learn What They Live" entitled "Love." For collectors of the strange pathways of American pop culture (and aren’t we all?), this one’s a gem. Exclusively from Collectors’ Choice Music! ... Read more