5 comments about The Phantom of the Opera (Original 1986 London Cast).

1. The Phantom Of The Opera soundtrack by Andrew Lloyd Webber is the best and most meaningful music ever created. The music provides story with a catchy tune and still provides a powerful theme. Throughout the songs you can establish a story about a young opera singer named Christine, and how she has encounters with the Phantom. The song, "The Point of no Return", is the most meaningful because it has the Phantom giving Christine a decision to spend her days with him, or watch her boyfriend, Raul, get hung. This part is very suspenseful and is presented in a very awesome way because it has all of the characters singing in a trio.
   The theme of The Phantom Of The Opera is that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The Phantom wears a mask over his face so people won't see how ugly he is. When the mask is on people don't think he's unattractive at all, but just mean. When Christine rips the mask off of his face, she sees how disgusting it looks and she freaks. Then she realizes the theme of this story and she gives him another chance by going back and looking for him so he'd teach her, but mysteriously all she sees when she goes back is his mask lying on a table before her.
   At first riding in the car to see the show, I thought that I would hate it because it was opera but then my mom slipped in the CD and my thoughts about opera totally changed. That's when I finally realized that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover because you never know. Someday you might try deep fried banana.



2. I purchased this CD because I have heard so much about 'Phantom of the Opera' being an avid Josh Groban fan. I have heard the songs 'Music of the Night' and 'All I ask of You' but never experienced the entire musical score. Once I heard the whole thing I was immediately taken over by the beauty of it all!!
   I am lucky enough to live in New York City where 'Phantom' is still playing on Broadway and I took my family to see it, we all loved it! Even my teenage Jonas Bros. fan is asking to hear more of 'Phantom'.
   If you've never seen the show or have seen it twenty times this is one CD you MUST have! It brings back all those wonderful memories! I still get teary eyed!



3. I felt it was a "must have" after seeing the play live and I enjoy most of it. However, I find myself having to listen to it alone, because I'm told you need to have a like and appreciation for Opera in order to like it. I would not buy this as a gift for someone who has not seen the play or you don't know for sure likes Opera.



4. I grew up with this music! These performers excell at their roles, especially Steve Barton as Raoul and the beautiful, amazing, and brilliant Michael Crawford as the Phantom. Beautiful music takes you through the entire play, and this CD highlights most of it. Highly reccommended!



5. I loved the music and performers. I read all the reviews before I recently bought it. I wish someone had told me how bad the audio recording was because I cannot play it again! It has been miked in the orchestra and you have to have your finger on the volume in order to enjoy it at all. You can barely hear some of the singers but you go deaf listening to the orchestra. Too bad. I will have to find another recording....

5 comments about Classic Disney: 60 Years of Musical Magic.

1. I was 67 years old , when I began listening to these wonderful Disney songs. And when the last song ended, it seemed that I lost 50 years. I believe that this wonderful music brings back old wonderful memories that is like true magic. Alas my hair has now turned black , and all my wrinkles are now gone away. Also just chased my wife around Southern California. She told me to stop listening because she said she can't keep with me anymore. I owe it all to these 5 magical albums.



2. There really isn't anything else that can be said for this awful box set full of meaningless gobbledock and inane twee that's arranged from sounds. Disney music is the worst thing that music has ever experienced. kidz bop may be something that comically states the downfall of music even worse. soulja boy is there for me when I feel crappy, because I realise that people just suck worse at life than I do. I take sadist laughs at people who listen to Nickelback. All of those others are so crappy you can't just help and laugh at them.
   
   But not for Disney. There's nothing funny about this. It's grave. Grave my friend. It's not like disney ever had the potential to be nothing more than a horrible company the day that idiot walt disney founded his _______ dream, but the biggest failure was even trying to touch music. Maybe if he would have realized that his taste in picking composers is lame. How does disney keep messing up music anyway?
   
   Anyway, disney music fails for a lot of reasons. Let's debunk it with the music first. The generic orchestra, irritating, timid music, it's so twee it makes me barf. It's very boring, actually. It's mearly short comed as it's just there because it has to be. Yeah, lot's of the music I listen to has the same kind of thing. But the reason why it's good is because of the vocals, the lyrics.
   
   Ah, the lyrics. Awful. Nonsensical, twee, twee, and twee. This stuff is so damn forced and twee that it makes anybody cringe. It makes sense, because it's supposed to. There's no confrontation, there's no realism. A whole new World, sorry, but love ain't just that. It's a beautiful, complex thing, not a twee thing. I hate the way, and it just gets on my nerves.
   
   Of course,this is disney, and it's millions of browbeaten followers will defend such garbage that anybody that's not spoiled sees right through. Oh well. You poons.
   
   ----/10



3. This collection of Disney music is perfect for any Disney fan. My family loves Disney, and this couldn't have been better to get for our drives to our favorite home away from home. Our daughter listens to it in her room all of the time. If you love Disney, you will love this collection.



4. I bought this for my daughter and I to sing along with in the car. It has all of our favorites and then some. If you can find a copy of the set you won't be disappointed! I'm here now looking for a replacement since mine have long since been scratched to death after many many hours of heavy rotation.



5. This collection has almost every song from every Disney distributed moved up to 1995. Each cd contains around 25 songs. I purchased this collection as a gift for a niece of mine and she loves it (I must admit I got a big kick out of it too). If you're concerned about young children watching too much tv/dvds yet want them to enjoy music this is a definitely a product worth looking at.

5 comments about The Capitol Years.

1. The Capital Years CD from Frank Sinatra is one of the best CD's that I've known.



2. "Here Goes," featured on Disc 2, Track 23 of this set, is a vocal version of a piece called "Hi" which was written by Otto Cesana and recorded by Mr. Cesana's orchestra on his 1958 Capitol album "Brief Interlude." Frank's Essex Productions concern was mentioned at the bottom of the label, which may explain his own vocal treatment (with lyrics by Sammy Cahn, not even crediting Mr. Cesana's music, from what I've seen). Cesana's "Hi" is perhaps better known to New Yorkers as the theme music for New York station WOR-TV's midday movie series "Movie 9" from the mid-1970's to the early 1980's. Yet so far that hasn't been reissued on CD, that I know of.



3. This is my first Sinatra album and I bought it because of the reviews on Amazon, and I must say they were right on! It has expanded my love for Mr. Sinatra's music and I will enjoy these CD's for years to come. My next purchase will have to be the white caddie convertible and a home in Palm Springs.



4. This is an easy review to write. This is just some great music from the greatest jazz standards singer during his years at Capitol. Three C.D.s for a great price here on Amazon.com. It also has a nice thick booklet containing essays by various people.



5. In a span of five years [1990-1995] Capitol/EMI chose to honour their most illustrious male singer with not one, but two multi-CD sets. Unfortunately, both of them (the other is the 2-CD set Sinatra 80th - All The Best) contain essentially the same selections. In fact, not counting the very expensive box set, nothing released by Capitol has contained some 12 bona fide hit singles.
   
   These are: Fairy Tale [the flip of Same Old Saturday Night and a # 13 on its own in 1955]; the double-sided 1956 hit Flowers Mean Forgiveness [# 21] and You'll Get Yours [# 67]; Five Hundred Guys [the flip of (How Little It Matters) How Little We Know and a # 73 on its own]; Johnny Concho Theme (Wait For Me) b/o You're Sensational and a # 75 in 1956; Your Love For Me [which backed Can I Steal A Little Love? and reached # 60 early in 1957]; the 1957 double-sided hit Crazy Love [# 60] and So Long, My Love [# 74]; You're Cheatin' Yourself (If You're Cheatin' On Me), which reached # 25 in 1957; Mr. Success [# 41 in 1958]; Talk To Me [# 38 in 1959]; River, Stay 'Way From My Door [# 82 in 1960]; and Ol' MacDonald [# 25 in 1960].
   
   Trying to find them in a quality and affordable CD is like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. So, with an added six tracks [perhaps some of the B-sides], wouldn't these make a dandy CD under the title "Long Lost Hits Of ...?"
   
   In the meantime, this is the one you want in order to get most of the other Capitol hits, complete with a 68-page booklet containing liner notes by daughter Nancy [The Legacy - 8 pages], Pete Kline [The Capitol Years - 15 pages], and Will Friedwald [The Legend - 4 pages], a complete discography of the contents, a listing of his albums by Nancy, and track-by-track notes by Pete Kline and Ric Ross [12 pages], in addition to numerous photographs.
   
   The AAD sound quality is excellent.

5 comments about Sinatra: Vegas (Box Set, 4CD/1DVD).

1. I purchased this cd/dvd set as a Christmas present and hit the jackpot. Thanks to this collection, you can watch Frank at the top of his popularity and get some real insight to Frank the performer. The viewer gets a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of Mr. Sinatra as the camera follows him around prior to going onstage for a Vegas show.
   
   He was at his best in Vegas and he "owned" that town for the better part of 30 years. Ol' Blue Eyes was one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th Century. Enjoy these incredible recordings!



2. This is a superb sampler of many of Sinatra's greatest hits, spanning decades of Vegas appearances ... the real gems in this collection are the extras, such as the DVD and mini-posters, with the 60-page full color 6x12" booklet that captures many behind-the-scenes stories and background stories.
   
   Superb Sinatra collection; well worth getting. Thanks for putting it together - highly recommended!
   
   -Ken Calhoun, Pres.
   DaytradingUniversity



3. This set is fantastic. I uploaded the entire collection to my iPod and I listen to it in the car all the time. It's great to hear him over the decades and sometimes it's hard to discern which is his older work and which is his newer! Definatly a must have for any true fan of Frankie. Oh, and the DVD was a really special treat to see him in person and remember what a GREAT entertainer he is.



4. I f you like good ole Franky, you will definitely enjoy the CD set, the DVD is a nice addition too, I' been playing it almost daily.



5. What great delivery and product. It is a wonderful Box Set and will be enjoyed for years to come.

5 comments about The Doo Wop Box.

1. Like the cover says, this box features "101 Vocal Group Gems From The Golden Age of Rock 'N' Roll". My dictionary defines doo wop as "a vocal style of rock and roll characterized by the a cappella singing of nonsense syllables in rhythmical support of the melody". That's as good a definition as any, but there isn't really a consensus as to what songs qualify as "doo wop". The first disc includes early groups like the Orioles, the Drifters and the Platters that aren't usually considered doo wop, but were big influences on the doo wop groups. Regardless of what is or isn't doo wop, these are terrific vocal group recordings. Most of them were hits, but there are also many obscure gems included. This box is a "must get" for fans of the vocal group sound.



2. What a great box set...sooo many good songs. And, I especially like the feature that Amazon gives us the ability to listen to the actual song!



3. This was too good a buy. It has almost EVERY GREAT HIT from it's era! Songs like "Maybe" and "Devil or Angel" just relax me to the fullest. Do you love Doo-Wop? Then BUY THIS BOX SET!



4. When I first got this box set five years ago I listened to it non-stop for months. So much passion and soul in almost every track. Insanely tight harmonies built from years of singing on street corners bring a level of joy and togetherness that seems sadly absent from most other music. Life is a lot brighter when these songs are playing.
   Too many highlights to mention, but many of the all-time classics are here, and perfectly remastered; the Flamingos' I Only Have Eyes For You is still one of the very finest pieces of music my ears have ever encountered.
   This is easily the best doo wop collection available, a perfect intro to the genre; heavenly music predicated on the greatest instrument of all, the human voice.
   If your life is lacking in joy, all you need and then some is right here.



5. Although the Doo Wop craze is before my generation, I've always had a fascination with the music and the stories behind the music. This collection satisfied my craving for both great music and wonderful stories about the artists and the era. If you are even a casual fan of this genre do yourself a favor and get this collection-I looked at several others and I'm so happy I went with this one.

5 comments about Ken Burns's Jazz: The Story of American Music.

1. When I discussed the Ric Burns documentary about the old West with an Amerindian acquaintance, I complained that the film concentrated on the Lakota, to the exclusion of other peoples. My friend answered that, as the Lakota was the best known native American culture, that was a good place to start, and the audience would then move on to learn about other parts of the story.
   
   I suppose the same is true of the documentary by Ric's brother Ken Burns, on the history of Jazz, on which this box set is based. It is heavy on Louis Armstrong and on the Big Band sound of the Swing era - probably the Jazz best known to the general public - but light in other areas, including the many, varied strands of Jazz in the last 30 years or so. There is a whole series of albums in the Ken Burns Jazz Collection, featuring individual artists, for those who want to pursue the story and start to fill in the gaps.
   
   It is easy to list regrettable omissions from this set (and many reviewers have done so) and just as easy to point out how impossible it is to do full justice to a century of music that had multiple sources and spread rapidly to a plethora of sub-genres (and many reviewers have done that too). The omission of Erroll Garner is one that struck me, especially ironic as the booklet accompanying this set has his name displayed on the cover! The British Trad Jazz that took hold in the early 50s and is still going strong (Chris Barber, Kenny Ball and their followers) is another indispensible part of Jazz history that finds no place in this collection. I realize that this is specifically titled the story of American music, but Django Reinhardt gets a look in, as does some forgettable French rapper.
   
   But this collection of 94 tracks, featuring recordings from 1917 to 1995, attractively packaged and with good notes, remains a great introduction to Jazz. In fact, now that the price has come down so much, it can be recommended for every music fan.



2. this music is classic jazz!
   for anyone starting a jazz collection, you need this set.
   if you like the pbs jazz series, your gonna love this music!



3. To chronicle the first six decades or so of American jazz in five CD's is an ambitious undertaking. Ken Burns pulled it off by making it the soundtrack to stories he wanted to tell. This made for heavy representation of songs from Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis easy choices. The documentary, in some ways, tells like an allegory of racism and civil rights in 20th century America, yet the soundrack includes white musicians like Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Dave Brubek and Benny Goodman in the CD selections. Brubek's inclusion is particularly notable after the documentary was so dismissive of "West Coast Jazz" - I don't even remember Take 5 being mentioned in the documentary. It would have been nice to include Bill Evans since every jazz pianist that followed him credited Evans as an influence, but his work as side man on "So What" is all we get. Herbie Hancock's Rockit is nowhere close to representative of his body of work. My main disappointment is that after Free Jazz and the like, jazz had nowhere left to go except backwards, yet the contemporary "pop" jazz at the end comes across as the latest and greatest thing yet. I respectfully disagree.



4. For those just getting into Jazz or just need a refresher course this is a great CD. I brought it for my husband who is a big Jazz fan and he just loves it and gets alot of use out of them.



5. A great cd with many remastered original recordings of jazz greats. Each cd features a different jazz era, so one can select a jazz genre to suit one's mood.

5 comments about The Remains of Tom Lehrer.

1. Take a knee before the awesomeness that is Tom Lehrer! Don't let reviewers who tell you that the music becomes repetitive, almost Vivaldi; NO! Even if Tom Lehrer's work was the spoken word alone, it would be enough to give me just as severe cramps (from laughing!) as do his kinky melodious songs! As a current Music Major undergrad, I can appreciate many of the musical nuances of Lehrer's compositions. However, it is in the COMPLETE combination of words, music, and Lehrer's fantastic inflexions and sometimes extremely subtle humor that get the laughs!
   Still not convinced? These recordings were produced in the 60s... and are still - unadulterated - relevant today.
   Enjoy!



2. The Remains of Tom Lehrer constitutes almost the entire corpus of Mr. Lehrer's works, preserved in its original hilarious form and accompanied by a lovely book detailing the life and works of this little-known comedian. Lehrer fans will not be disappointed at the breadth or quality of this set and it's a steal at the price.



3. This collection really took me back to childhood, when my dad used to play them for me. Absolutely complete!!



4. Now who doesn't love Tom Lehrer? I had all of his Reprise label vinyl albums, and knew the words to every song therein, when I was in high school. Of course I got beaten up a lot.
   
   If you don't know who Tom Lehrer is, then you probably won't enjoy this record. Otherwise, unless you have pristine vinyl, and my records have been overplayed, this is a very good compendium.



5. I listened to Tom Lehrer as a kid in the 60's, and memorized most of the songs, but to hear it again is very fun. Also, the songs still resonate - even though the names and issues have changed, the humor is still quite fresh - my wife, who's never heard this stuff, laughs out loud through the whole collection.

5 comments about 75 Chansons.

1. this is a compilation of all my favourite Piaf songs, many of which I only had on old tapes, so I now have them on one CD. Marvellous as I have always thought of her, and I now listen uninterrupted as I drive along motorways, singing along desperately out of tune, but imagining myself in a Left Bank cafe.



2. Disks 1 and 2, the older songs, are mediocre; disk # 3 is musically and technically superb.



3. The songs in this 3-disc collection called "75 Chansons" appear to be the same songs as those on the last 3 out of 4 discs in another collection called "100 Chansons." When "75 Chansons" discs are copied to computer for personal enjoyment, album art for "100 Chansons" appears, and the discs are labeled 2 thru 4 (instead of 1 thru 3). Both collections apparently arrange songs chronologically. The "75 Chansons" set, therefore, seems to represent later works of the artist.



4. What a great treat to have 75 songs sung by great Edith Piaf.
   I love her voice. I love her interpretations. Doesn't matter that I don't understand a word of French. Her tone says it all.



5. Three discs for $10, a bargain! The three discs are arranged chronologically, with some records done live on stage with a little intro by Piaf, such as Milord and Enfin le Printemps. L'accordéoniste is also live and has excellent high fidelity. La Vie en Rose is the original Columbia recording, in French, from the 78rpm record. Many songs are from the old records, good transfers. My favorite is the third disc with the live recordings. You will love this over any other Piaf recording on Amazon because you get not only a mix, but three times as much music for the same price!

5 comments about The Look of Love: The Burt Bacharach Collection.

1. Without a doubt, this is the best album that I have ever owned...well maybe next to Steely Dan's Aja, which was the first I ever owned. I love the lyrics, the tempo changes and the genius that is Burt Bacharach and Hal David. This album is even more haunting for me since the untimely death of Burt's daughter Nikki. Nikki was one of my favorite songs, even before I ever knew who it was written for, but even more so now. All the Dionne Warwick hits plus Tom Jones, Trini Lopez, Bobby Goldsboro, Dusty Springfield et al, this is a must have for any true Bacharach afficianado.



2. Fantastic Voyage, Ursula Andress, AM Radio, Sean Connery, Paisley, Man From Uncle...
   
   In short, Burt Bacharach represents pop culture of the 1960's. At it's apogee. Like a moon shot Bacharach's gorgeous melodies and Hal David's brilliant lyrics spanning the decade from the Blob to Movie of The Week. From Bobby Vinton to the Age of Aquarius. Sock Hop to Woodstock.
   
   Essential: Frankie Valli, Beach Boys, Beatles, Stones, Airplane, Sinatra... Bacharach.
   
   Great music of... and beyond... it's era. Timeless... as long as Anyone Has A Heart and The World Needs Love.
   
   This is MUSIC. Not hip hop. Orchestral, composed, inspired.
   
   Genius.



3. WOW. This series of albums is wonderful PLUS A whole CD of Dionne Warwick doesn't hurt!
   
   I'm amazed at how many of these songs i've forgotten but when I hear a few notes I recall the entire song... sort of like I had amnesia or something! Its amazing that so many of the songs in this list are in the mainstream ... still after as much as 40 years!
   
   This is a definite BUY



4. my late uncle hipped me to ole burt. i love what he did with a track.........those percussive horns, man!!!!! i dig this. although i do not like all the joints on here, it's a good thing to have. what stands out for me on here are the lou johnson joints. i especially love REACH OUT FOR ME. more standouts for me are IT'S LOVE THAT REALLY COUNTS (IN THE LONG RUN) by the shirrelles and PLEASE STAY by the drifters. now i like some of the dionne warwick songs on here, but in the liner notes, i think her reasons for doing some of those songs were ridiculous. i thought it was her on WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE. i had no idea that it was a white lady. amazing vocal arrangement. another that just came to mind is DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART. actually, that is like my fave on here. i wished that they would've put dionne warwick's version of YOU'LL NEVER GET TO HEAVEN IF YOU BREAK MY HEART ON HERE though. the stylistics did their thing, but i prefer the original. all in all, it is wonderful, but then again, it is another reason i am a skeptic whenm it comes to box sets.



5. This is not a "greatest hits" set, though many of Bacharach's greatest hits are contained here. Rather, it's a fascinating historical view of the progression of the songwriter(s) through four decades. It is truly instructive to listen to some of the less well-known pieces. The book that is included in the box set is an essential component: The writers really knew what they were talking about, and I've spent hours reading along with the (very detailed) descriptions of each song's history.
   
   Highly recommended.

5 comments about Have A Nice Decade: The '70s Pop Culture Box.

1. This is a pretty cool seven CD box set that covers hit songs of the 1970s. It features songs from many different styles of music; including pop, rock, country, folk, R&B, disco, novelty and others. A few of the songs are preceded by brief excerpts from news reports or press conferences. I know that some people didn't like this aspect of the collection, but it didn't bother me, because the sound bites usually relate to the following song in an amusing way. There are many great songs here, and there are also many not-so-great songs ("Feelings", anyone?). A lot of these songs are quite frankly on the "cheesy" side, but in a way that is part of their appeal. This collection does a fantastic job of covering the good, the bad and the ugly of 1970s popular music.



2. Do you remember watching "Chico and The Man"? Do you remember when the Colts were in Baltimore and the Orioles were famous for Brooks Robinson, Jim Palmer and Earl Weaver instead of Cal Ripken? How about Chevy Vans with Shag Carpets with murals painted along the side? If so YOU MUST PICK UP THIS BOX SET! Rhino has done a fantastic job compiling 7 CD's worth of memories from the "ME" decade. Journey back to a time when AM Radio (that's right...AM Radio) featured hits by Alice Cooper, Peter Frampton, mixed with hits from Motown artists like Stevie Wonder and James Brown...and throw in a dash of Disco for flavor. A time when music wasn't so fragmented, a time when there really was Top 40 radio. Sure some of the songs in this set are goofy, and will make you roll your eyes (Popcorn by Hot Butter) but you can't help but feel their nostalgic charm. There are going to be tons of songs in this set that you know by heart...but, there are also tunes found here that you probably haven't heard in 20+ years (well, except when today's American Idol winners and hip-hop artists steal certain portions of these songs to incorporate in today's "music") Maybe nothing on this set is ground-breaking, and the booklet included in this set even recognizes that the musical path we followed in the 1970's was nowhere near the path carved by music pioneers in the 1960's, but you will still have a great time listening to these tunes. The booklet by the way is fantastic. Great track by track listing of the songs and the artists who performed them. It's full of the useless trivia that I crave and which currently clogs up about 80% of my brain pan. I loved listening to a tune, and reading the paragraph or two about the artist or the song while it played out.
   I see other reviewers here who disliked the "sound bites" or news clips that are wedged between some of the songs....I loved them, and only wish they had provided more per disk. (There is usually only 4 or 5 per CD). Sure I loved hearing "Convoy" and "The Streak" again, but I also enjoyed listening to Jimmy Carter denounce his "Playboy" interview, and nothing is so chilling as hearing Jim Jones urge his followers to "hurry" and drink the Kool-Aid before authorities arrive. Moments that really defined the 70's.
   So jump into your favorite bell bottoms and peasant blouse or jam your butt into some sequined spandex and get your boogie on.



3. This seven disc compilation would have been perfect, if Rhino had left off the highly annoying soundbites that precede many of the tracks. I did not purchase this set to hear segments of ancient news stories that did not interest me then, nevermind today!



4. This is the greatest collection of Oldies that we have ever purchased. Now our grown kids each want one and so I have ordered 3 more for Christmas Presents. You can't go wrong with this one...



5. I grew up in Massachusetts listening to the music on these CDs. It's nice to have them all compiled for me. Definitely worth the purchase price. I loved the accompanying booklet that "biographed" each song and artist. One drawback, some of the songs seem to end abruptly instead of fading out to the end. Hmm...?? Minus a star for that, otherwise I'm pleased.