5 comments about The Wizard Of Oz: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack - The Deluxe Edition.

1. My only complaint may be that this collection has too much on it. I never realized how many songs are played in the background and not in the forefront of the movie. Thoroughly entertaining and well worth the money.



2. I absolutly love this set. It has all the songs and music from the movie, plus music to scenes that have been cut. It feels a little like watching an uncut version of the movie (with no visuals or dialogue). Of course, the main attractions are the songs heard in the movie. Even if you just want the songs, this set is great (although a four rating would be more appropriate if you only want songs). My only complaints involve the two WInkie songs on the set: The March of the Winkies do not include the 'Oh ee Oh' chant, and the reprise of Ding-Dong with the Winkies lost the background music and all but the lead singer. Other than that, this is a great set.



3. This is IT, folks! The ULTIMATE Wizard of OZ (aka, WOO) soundtrack/score album!
   
   Man, this is just Beautiful, believe me! What's amazing to me is how a man of 60 years (almost) has this bank in his brain for so many elements from this absolutely magnificent film. (How the Hell could Gone With the Wind have even been considered as "Best Picture" against this Timeless Classic? I think the intervening years have proven the "MPA" very wrong on this one. There is no way that this picture, and it's most wonderful musical soundtrack/score do not go to the top of the "Best Movies of All Time" list. Right up there right behind "Citizen Kane", which would make it #2, I believe.
   
   The folks at Rhino Records have taken this material and have lovingly and carefully cleaned it all up, and remastered it with the utmost care, and then, they have created a truly beautiful, deluxe package to "keep" it in! Those of us who treasure all things "OZ", especially from the movie, will find themselves thinking "I wish I'd bought this before!" You will be so pleased when you hear things that have never been released before from the score on records, LP's, previous CD's, etc. Truly a Priceless Album that you will delight in and treasure. What a treat when one is having a "bad day" to pop this into their player and be transported to the wonderful land of "Oz" for an hour and a half.....the best stress reliever I know! Order yourself a copy of this beautifully packaged and presented set, and ENJOY! ~operabruin



4. A lot of the extra songs are just meadley's of the hits but if you are a huge fan there are some neat audio goodies.



5. great great great condition and great price
   
   thank you

5 comments about Mary Poppins (2005 Original London Cast).

1. If you did not see that musical yet...do it as soon as possible...we saw it 5 months ago and we are still singing.



2. I never grow tired of hearing this music. It is always so uplifting. I find my self singing the tunes all day.



3. In an era of so many Disney feature film crossovers to the stage, we all knew "Mary Poppins" would have to make its way to Broadway eventually. There is a story that the Sherman brothers wrote an ending song for the film that Walt Disney did not like. He said that it was a fine way to end a Broadway show but not his movie. Little did Walt know what was to come!
   
   The original (and beloved) score by the Sherman brothers remains substantially intact among several new songs by the British song-writing team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. Their contributions are very much in the style of the originals but never, to my ears, blend seamlessly. Each original song has been re-arranged and re-orchestrated for this show, making them a little more "theatrical" in nature and more connected to the expanded plot of the show. (I enjoy the way "Jolly Holiday" is made into a partner song, for example.) But where are strings? In typical modern West End fashion, the pit is almost totally devoid of stringed instruments, much to the detriment of the production, I feel. Still, the cast is enthusiastic and the score has most of the innocence and charm you would want from a remake of the classic film. There are some very nice moments on this recording that cause me to keep this CD close by, though not at the top of the pile.
   
   This is a much more legitimate and satisfying effort than was the staging of the Sherman brothers "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." I recommend this CD to people who loved the theatrical version and to Broadway collectors in general. If you simply love the film, this CD, while good, may not be for you.



4. I'm a fan of the original movie. Not the obsessive fan that buys all that's Poppins, but a fan nonetheless.
   
   It's surprising that when Disney started producing for Broadway, they didn't see this among the first obvious choices. Of course, considering that Disney didn't have the stage rights to Mary Poppins, it's understandable why it may have taken so long. Fortunately, they were able to do a partnership to finally bring this to the stage.
   
   Unfortunately, I have yet to see this on the stage. I can't wait until the day that I do, though.
   
   The new songs were done in the Sherman Brothers style enough that the old songs flow very nicely, as if they had always been there. "Brimstone and Treacle" is quite possibly the highlight of all the new songs -- a rather cruel song, but you just won't be able to get it out of your head!
   
   I have heard complaints that the musical is a bit too dark due to its reliance on the books a bit more than the movie -- but the original movie wasn't all that bright and cheerful through the entire movie. "Chim Chim Cheree" got downright creepy at points in the song -- some lines still give me some chills running down my spine!
   
   I've yet to read the books... that's next on my list to do before I see it on stage.



5. I recently saw Mary Poppins on Broadway and was blow away by the show. The songs are still in my head weeks later, which is a good thing. I bought this recording of the musical, but also have XM radio, which has access to a recording of the Broadway cast. I have to say that the Broadway cast is better. While the company is great in both, the stars shine better in the Broadway recording. Ashley Brown interpreted the songs better than her London counterpart. I can only hope that Disney will decide to release the Broadway recording.

5 comments about A Wonderful World.

1. I love the duet concept records and I am a big k.d. Lang fan and when I heard this record was coming out I was very excited. A wonderful combination of voices singing classics, and the title track makes this record perfect. I was not a big Tony Bennett fan beforehand, but became one because of this.



2. "A Wonderful World,"(2002), a collection of duets by Tony Bennett and K.D. Lang, to songs inspired by the legendary New Orleans trumpeter Louis Armstrong, included "What a Wonderful World," "Exactly Like You," and "You Can Depend on Me." It was produced by the near-legendary T Bone Burnett, and includes trumpet work by Scott Hamilton. Of course, in 2002, the New York-born crooner was 76 years old; and his voice was not what it once was: but still, the embers of it, with its liquidity, smoothness, intonation and phrasing are enough to cast his light upon the world. Critic Howard Garwood wrote of him, "He has the face you'd want on your neighborhood bar owner - seamed, rumpled, and infinitely kind.... It's the face of a man who has seen life and triumphed, and who proclaims his joy of living through one of the best sets of pipes in the business."
   
   And as for K.D. Lang's voice, 2002 found it still in top form. It's a thing of unearthly, silken beauty, a voice that comes along only once in a generation: in her case, from Alberta, Canada. I remember seeing her once on late night television, early in her career, wearing the silliest cowgirl outfit and hopping up and down, and wishing I could tell her that with her voice, she didn't need to hop, she could leave that to Herman's Hermits. Of course, I couldn't, but she seems to have figured it out, anyway.
   
   The title song, as done by this pair, boasts all the colors of the rainbow. And some of the quieter ballads are still waters running deep, indeed. Just listen, to say, "La Vie En Rose," or "If We Never Meet Again."
   
   I am lucky enough to have seen this pair present this repertory in person, at New York's Radio City Music Hall, in the most striking of circumstances, to wit: late September, 2001, about two weeks after the 9/11 destruction of the World Trade Center, and so much of downtown Manhattan. I already had my ticket, and anxiously watched the paper to see if they would keep the date: they did, and so did I. So did most of the ticket holders, I believe: there were empty seats, but not that many. Took ages to get through security, of course. You can believe that emotions ran high in that theater, on stage and in the audience: you could describe it as a love-in. And as for the music that came from that stage - it was simply blessed, and unforgettable. Lucky for all of us, the music, so evanescent in live performance, stays with us on this cd.



3. Listening to Bennett on this CD is like listening to post-1965 Sinatra. They're both just faking it, but, due to their iconic status, they get away with it. On this CD, Lang just plain carries Tony, which is the only reason I gave it 2 stars.
   
   Take a pass on this one and the 'Duets' album; age has caught up with Bennett. Instead, give a listen to 'Fifty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett'. Hearing his early material will make the deterioration in Bennett's voice quite obvious and make you wonder if it's really the same vocalist.
   
   Time marches on and it's cruel what it has done to Bennett's range, but, thankfully, the great work of his early and middle years is still around....



4. I ordered this CD thinking it would be as good as the 49th Parallel Cd of hers-it is not-I was disappointed-did not care for Tony Bennett that much-



5. The voices of Tony and KD go so well together. What an absolute pleasure to listen to the songs on this CD!

5 comments about Reloaded: Greatest Hits.

1. I was not sure I would like every song, but I love every one, except Green Grass of Home. Why did he have to spoil this excellent CD with a song that is on many others. Outside that this CD will get you non stop dancing. If you are a Tom Jones fan, this will not disappoint. If you are not a Tom Jones fan and want to give it a try, get this CD.



2. I'm old enough to know the words to most of his older hits, but I learned them through osmosis rather than being a rabid fan. I saw him in concert about five years ago and was blown away by his covers of Prince, Stevie Wonder and Aerosmith, not to mention his general stage presence and massive coolness. I bought this CD yesterday and so far four people--two of them college students--who heard this at my home said they're going to buy it. My teenage daughter took it with her to a sleepover tonight. She couldn't believe a 68-year old dude could sing something as "gangsta" (her words, not mine) as "Tom Jones International." This CD is a lot of fun--it has most of his older hits as well as some incredible covers. Truly something for everyone, at just about every age range.



3. I've been looking for this CD in store and couldn't find it anywhere. This is not the old Tom Jones. It's great. I listen to it when working out.



4. The CD arrived at the expected time and was sent in a mailer with no damage to the CD. It plays well.



5. Having recently seen a live concert, "Reloaded" brought back great memories of Tom Jones. The album gives you a wide variety of his musical styles. Some of the new music did not appeal to me but that does not make it bad. This is excellent album for those of us who appreciate his music.

5 comments about Jonathan Livingston Seagull: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

1. This is the worst "Preview" I have ever seen. I wanted to decide whether or not to buy this DVD movie and all you showed me were the titles. Is there vocales? Are they songs or speech, characters talking to each other?Is someone "reading" the book and CGI figures follow the script. If it's read, who reads it. I used to have a cassette of Richard Harris reading the book, it was wonderful...but I have lost it. Do you have sonething like that. Show me previews with some meat about what the DVD is really like, not just the credits. I want to buy, but not sight unseen.



2. I've had this CD for over 20 years now. It's a masterpiece in its own right. When you listen to a Neil Diamond song, you are focused on that one song as a great moment for Neil, even if the rest of his album may not impress you. But this album of "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" is something to be cherished from Neil Diamond as a whole concept, a project.
   
   On this album, Neil Diamond's voice really is only merely another instrument in what can easily be perceived as an instrumental album. Although he sings or speaks on most of the tracks here, it's the instrumentation that makes this album more than just another Neil Diamond album. Two tracks barely charted on the radio from this album. The song "Be" charted #34, and "Skybird" even lower at #75. But the album charted #2 for one week, and it happens to be Neil Diamond's highest charting album of all time. So, what does that tell ya?
   
   I'm surprised that an effort hasn't been made to remaster this album so that the orchestration can be made fuller and more glorified.
   
   I've never seen the movie and I'm hearing mixed reviews on the film being either a great movie achievement or just a dull passage of non-exciting events that portray the life of a single seagull.
   
   Well, whether the movie is great or not, this album is definitely a masterpiece. It came out in 1973. Alot of fantastic albums came out of 1973. The year for ground-breaking starts for many artists. Pink Floyd, Elton John, Abba, Paul McCartney and Wings, Steve Miller Band, etc. etc.
   
   And even some more brave Pioneers of Technical Sound Invention got recognized in 1973, like Emerson Lake and Palmer, Tangerine Dream, Rick Wakeman, Mike Oldfield.....
   
   Yeah, I know I drifted here, but you'd have to agree that Neil Diamond couldn't have release this album at a better time than the glorious year of 1973. And just after he left MCA to sign on with Columbia.
   
   I'll bet that MCA cried that year. Because Columbia also picked up Pink Floyd the following year and they really began to soar.
   
   But, too bad Neil's music wasn't maintaining its appeal after "Jonathan Livingston Seagull". Sure, he was still putting out hits, but he just wasn't that Aggressive Jewish Folk Rock Vocalist that he once was. I think he "Barry Manilow'd" on us and was performing "wussy pop suicide" which could only appeal to listeners his age and older. Much older.
   
   "The Jazz Singer" was a remotely interesting comeback in 1980. But, I think nearly everything else on pop radio was pretty weak in 1980. 1980 was a bad year for everybody in music. 1981 and 1982 were pretty decent but MTV changed everything about how we listened to music.
   
   Jeez, I can still go on and on, but I think I better end this review right here.



3. This story will change your life forever, if you understand the message.
   
   I read this book and saw the movie as a student in the 8th grade. This book has a very strong meaning and has helped me to make a difference in my life. This book has remained as my favorite book, to this day. I still love to read it. Jonathan Livingston Seagull is my role model. I feel that this story also helped me to develop strong charisma in my life.
   
   I strongly recommend this book for class readings for anyone with students age 12 or older. I am very thankful to my teacher, Mrs. Jimenez, for sharing this book with her class and me.



4. I absolutely love Neil Diamond as a singer/songwriter since I was 16 and now am 56. I had the Jonathan Livingston Seagull music as an album when it first came out. I have always loved the music and especially, when he plays it in concert. So, naturally, I love this cd.



5. It's good to see the renewed interest in Neil Diamond's work. Although most people know him via his hits during the 60s, 70s and early 80s, this album is completely different from most of his other recordings.
   
   I heard this album the first time a few years after its release and despite a young age got hooked on it. It has a majestic feel all over, as if it flew over the musical landscape of its period, and probably would do the same even if being released today. One could claim that it gave signals of the new age sound that later developed. In other words, it has aged remarkably well.
   
   Anyone who has any of his compilations and actually listens to them should not let this Jonathan Livingston pass them by. Even those who do not have any interest in Diamond's other work may enjoy this album. It is timeless and a constant pleasure.

5 comments about Beauty and the Beast - Special Edition Soundtrack.

1. This is an exciting and enjoyable CD overall. Included are all of your old favorites from the movie, including the wonderful score. And there are some new additions to this collection that make it even more wonderful! "Human Again" is one of the new additions to this collection that I absolutely adore, and "Death of the Beast" is such a touching piece -- I'm so glad they opted to add these two songs to this special edition.
   
   It's a fun collection overall. I listen to it over and over and it never ceases to brighten my day!



2. this is such a cute CD i love it so much and for a beauty and the beast fan, like myslef, its so good! i love!!! all the songs are beautiful.



3. This is one of my favorite disney movies. I know every song by heart.
   I was very excited to get this cd for the bonus tracks, only to find that the last 3 were faulty. The cd wasn't scratched- it went straight out of the case into the player.
   I rmaed it, they promptly sent me a new one, that one was also faulty- only the last 3 tracks again.
   So sadly I do not have this cd.
   
   Its an amazing soundtrack, now I just gotta find a copy were I can actually listen to all the songs



4. My wife really loved the gift. She had been asking for it for a long time. She loved it!



5. If you enjoyed the work tapes and demos features on this special edition version, I encourage you to check out the amazing (and rare) boxed set "The Music Behind the Magic", which devotes a whole disc to Beauty and the Beast (the majority of which is demo tapes, work tapes and even some near-final material that was cut from the final movie) A must-have for Menken and Ashman fans, or Disney fans that want to hear more of their work from this film and their other classic scores (Little Mermaid & Aladdin)
   
   The Music Behind the Magic Boxed Set with Book
   
   Amazing music from an incredibly talented duo.

5 comments about Falling into You.

1. This is such an inspirational CD! I love her voice, especially in number 3 - if you're a ballroom dancer, this is a beautiful Rumba! There are a couple other Rumbas worth listening to as well. Please give it a whirl first and you'll be enchanted by her, even if this is some of her early work.



2. Falling Into You by Celine Dion was a good album for its time but now this cd is pretty much throwaway pop. Songs I do appreciate include: Because You Loved Me, River Deep Mountain High, Call the Man, All By Myself, It's All Coming Back to me Now, and the title-track. The rest of the songs are filler. I used to be a fan of Celine's but after Let's Talk About Love album I lost interest, my music taste changed after that. Romantic album but nothing spectacular.



3. I love Celine Dion music and this album is always one of my favorites. Even when Taking Chances came out recently I love that Album but this one is classic Celine. Some of my favorite Celine songs off this album are "Dreamin of You", "If That's What It Takes", and of course the ones that are more known; which are, "Because You Loved Me", "All By Myself" and "It's All Coming back to me now." I love this entire album.



4. This CD plays and sounds as good as any new one that I have
   purchased, and best of all, cost VERY little. Shipped to me
   quickly. I am very satisfied with this purchase.



5. This is Celine's best album to date. Filled with powerful ballads and amazing lyrics, this is an album that after 12 years I still like to play like I just bought it yesterday.
   My favorite song is "If that's what it takes" which is the English version of the French "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" released in 1995, one of Celine's signature songs. The English lyrics are a breathtaking declaration of love and a promise to fight and even die for love of that special someone(I will risk everything, I will fight, I will bleed
   I will lay down my life, if that's what you need
   Ev'ry second I live, that's the promise I make
   Baby, that's what I'll give, if that's what it takes)
   
   This is album is Celine's masterpiece.

5 comments about Annie (1977 Original Broadway Cast).

1. Simply put, this is the DEFINITIVE recording of this musical. Dorothy Loudon will always be the best Ms. Hannigan (sorry Carol!), Andrea McArdle will always be the best Annie, and Reid Shelton will always be the best and brassiest Daddy Warbucks. Also, the wonderful songs that were cut from the 1982 film are all here and an absolute delight: "We'd Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover," "NYC," "Getting a New Deal For Christmas," etc. Don't hesitate to buy this delightful album to a musical that is far more political than smaltzy than most people would think.



2. I believe it was 1978 when my parents bought me the original broadway cast recording of Annie on vinyl. It was my favorite record of my childhood and now I'm grateful to be able to have it on CD and play it for my daughter. And while not everyone may appreciate it...I'll admit I got a big misty when I heard the first public performance of Tomorrow (track 27). While it horrifies me to think that there are people out there that truly believe Aileen Quinn was a better Annie than Andrea McArdle, it's nothing new to me either. My parents took me to see Annie on Broadway at the Alvin Theater in NYC for my 7th birthday (Allison Smith was in the role at the time) and shortly after that, the movie debuted. Those I knew who had seen it on Broadway and knew what everything was supposed to sound like (and knew the storyline of the musical) were incredibly disappointed with the movie...while those who only had the movie as their reference liked (in some cases loved) it. I guess if you're a bigger fan of the movie, mabye the musical soundtrack is not for you- BUT please be aware that the creators of Annie intended to have this sound the way you hear it on this Broadway soundtrack. I recommend this to any true Annie fan out there (and now my old vinyl album can just rest in a safe place- since it's already been very well loved).



3. My kids have not stopped singing these songs since this CD arrived! Timeless songs from my childhood passed down to theirs. If you are a fan of the musical, you will really enjoy this CD.



4. Andrea McCardle was, is and will forever will be the only Annie! This is the version to buy!



5. It is so good and popular that it seems somehow pretentious and vain to attempt any review. The songs are marvelous, the story is catchy to all ages, the orchestrations are great. Even Broadway amateurs should get this, being as popular as FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, WEST SIDE STORY or MAN OF LA MANCHA. A golden member of the ABC of musicals.

5 comments about West Side Story (1957 Original Broadway Cast).

1. This an absolutely fantastic cast recording. No other recording even comes close. Usually some revival cast recordings bring something new and we sometimes even prefer the revival recording but of all the hundreds of cast recordings I own, there is absolutely nothing that tops this album. It is absolutely timeless and a master work. And for the price offered here on Amazon, there is no better deal in town.
   
   Treat yourself to what I think is the absolute BEST Broadway show ever performed by the most talented people in theatre. This was so innovative and different from what we normally saw that it will touch your heart so many times over while even listening to it one time. I can't go too long without listening to this wonderful recording. Bravo to our Beloved Leornard Berstein and Stephen Sondheim for bringing us such a national treasure. Enjoy!



2. Having a CD recording of "West Side Story" that is a duplicate of the original 33 1/3 LP record that first delighted me when it was issued shortly after the musical debuted on Broadway is a great pleasure. It is just as I remembered it only better because now I don't have to sit by the turntable to hear it!



3. There are several excellent versions of this great show - the familiar film soundtrack and Bernstein's own operatic recording with Te Kanawa and Carreras among them. This original recording, made within hours of opening night in 1957, remains the freshest and most vital, especially in the excellent remastered sound. The click of the flick knife in "The Rumble" is still one of the most electric sounds on record. The bonus of Bernstein's thrilling New York Philharmonic "Symphonic Dances" adds to the attractions of this issue.



4. Great musical recording appropriate to the 50's in NYC. Recording is very good but lacks the warm tones of a 33 rpm recording.



5. The vocals - particularly Carol Lawrence and Larry Kert - were so amazing I couldn't concentrate on work when I tried to listen to it there. Reproduction was excellent. The program notes insert was printed misaligned on a few pages, but it was a minor inconvenience.

5 comments about Man of La Mancha: A Decca Broadway Original Cast Album (Original 1965 Broadway Cast).

1. I found the album version of this in college and loved everything about it, from the edgy Aldonza to the humorous Sancho. Beware, the album had much of the play's dialog on it which the CD lacks. Even so I'm happy to have the music back in my collection. My family appropriately thinks I'm a little crazy as I sing along loudly when I listen to the music.



2. Man of La Mancha accomplishes the impossible! Turning Cervantes classic (at least part of it) into a musical that works has to be a near miracle. The writers tried for years to get producers interested in it, but to no avail, no body beleived a musical version of Don Quixote could possibly work...well the rest is history. MOLM is one of the greatest American musicals. The book perfectly incorporates Cervantes story into musical form. The score is breathtaking, with Dulcinea and, of course, The Impossible Dream becoming two of the most beautiful songs written for the theater. Every word and every note work and further the story. Richard Kiley and Joan Diener's performances are now legendary, others in revivals come close, but no one can beat their original performances.
   A glorious recording!!!!



3. I finally wore out the cassette I had of this recording, bought in 1982. It is definitely the best of all the casts that are out there- I'm going to have to get the CD!



4. I was hooked on "Man of LaMancha" when I heard excerpts played on the radio in the mid-60s. I enjoyed adding "The Impossible Dream" to my personal repertoire.I was enthralled by a dinner theater staging I saw in the early 70s. And, like most, I was greatly disappointed by the movie version.
   Richard Kiley had already proved himself an exceptional singing actor in "Kismet" and "No Strings," but it was "Man of LaMancha" that really brought him the recognition he deserved.
   Mitch Leigh has written a fabulous score. The contrast from the pensive "To Each His Dulcinea" to the humorous " I Really Like Him" to the emotional "Impossible Dream" is enough to keep almost anyone's attention. The interplay between/among voices in "I, Don Quixote" and "I'm Only Thinking of Him" is glorious. It is too bad that Leigh proved to be a "one-hit wonder," although, personally, I like "Cry for Us All."
   The musical play itself deserves all the raves it has received. And the original cast recording merits all its positive reviews.



5. What more can be said about this timeless classic. Richard Kiley's best, I saw him in the original on Broadway, what a keepsake. People who see this show don't usually go once, they go 3-5-7 times.