5 comments about The Hit Singles Collection.

1. if your are a bobby darin fan, particularily of his radio hits, this is it. i have bought other bobby darin cd's trying to get his hits, but they are all on here.......Waldon Robert Cassatto/Bobby Darin, in a class by himself and greatly missed



2. The Hit Singles Collection is a series of CDs honoring certain artists; and Bobby Darin sure deserves to be one of them! The sound quality is very good and the artwork is very nicely done.
   
   The CD starts with a very early hit for Bobby entitled "Splish Splash;" Bobby never sounded better and he delivers this fun tune with a lot of energy. His excellent diction bolsters his performance; and the brass and percussion enhance the melody. "Queen Of The Hop" is a bouncy little number that features Bobby doing another early rock and roll number that rocks well for its time. Bobby never misses a beat and I predict that you'll like "Queen Of The Hop" very much!
   
   "Dream Lover" showcases Bobby's vocals with some great backup vocalists; and listen for his famous "Mack The Knife." "Mack The Knife" is probably my favorite Bobby Darin tune. "Mack The Knife" features Bobby in perfect form and the musical orchestration has a big band flavor that works well. "Beyond The Sea" is another masterpiece when Bobby sings this; and this also has a lush musical orchestration to accompany Bobby as he sings.
   
   "Clementine" has a great rhythm and the melody is catchy; and "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" sparkles with great percussion, drums, keyboards and guitar while Bobby does this up right! "You're The Reason I'm Living" is a country ballad from Bobby's later years in show business; but he holds his own very well and "You're The Reason I'm Living" is an excellent number.
   
   "If I Were A Carpenter" is another beautiful love song that features Bobby's work from the later part of his career. Bobby sings this with great sensitivity and this impresses me greatly.
   
   Overall, Bobby Darin DID reinvent himself many times, just as Amazon correctly notes. Much of his broad range is available here on this single CD; and it contains most of his greatest hits at the same time, too. This is a must-have for Bobby's fans; and even a casual fan would do well to consider this album.



3. I came across two tunes on this cd that I didn't remember from years past and I kept playing the little blurbs provided here. They stuck in my head and I wanted to hear more, hence the purchase of this great cd. The tunes that nabbed me were "Lovin' You" and "Irresistable You" and the complete version of them was NO disappointment. I just don't tire of them.
   
   What a talent Bobby Darin was and he would love knowing he is still wowing his audience and entertaining us today.



4. With all due deference to the reveiwer who pointed out that many of these recordings are in MONO, I must admit I did not notice. Mono is the way I remember these recordings, and I found the sonics here to be excellent regardless of the number of ears I have. I was more disturbed at the absence of "Lady Came From Baltimore" and the fact that the version of "If I were a Carpenter" doesn't seem to be the Columbia records version I recall so well. (For those, try the "If I Were a Carpenter/Inside Out" "twofer" CD.) So I dock it one star. But, oh man, could this man SING! When younger, I never did like "Mack the Knife" as well as the more rocking songs like "Dream Lover," but just sit back and listen to this man sing this song.



5. Aside from Frank Sinatra, I cannot think of an artist whose music is as beautiful as that of Bobby Darin. Not expected to live past age 16, Bobby managed to squeeze an extra 21 years and become a legend before hit 25, just like he planned.
   
   This 20 song collection of Bobby's biggest hits doesn't even begin to cover Bobby's wide musical landscape, which ranged from rock to pop to showtunes. But if you wnet a solid primer for beginning Bobby fans, then this disc is simply awesome. Every major hit from Bobby is included here. From the frnetic energy of "Splish Splash" to the tender longing of "Dream Lover" to the timeless appeal of "Mack The Knife" and "Beyond The Sea" to the folksy contemplation of "If I Were A Carpenter", every hit single Bobby scored is here, and in excllent sound quality and packaging.
   
   This is an affordable and easy to find collection of Bobby's biggest hits.

5 comments about Hair (Deluxe Edition) (1968 Original Broadway Cast and 1967 off Broadway Cast).

1. Hair...the seminal Rock Musical for the ages... Once upon a time in the mythical land called America great thoughts and changes began to appear across the land. People, especially the younger one's began to actually listen to the music...their music...Full of promises and prayers, asking the questions and finding the answers... Love...Understanding ...fellowship... permeated the soft sweet aromatic waves of the times.
   The age of Aquarius came and went...only the music remains.... Let the sunshine, let the sunshine, shine through...



2. I came to this backwards in time; I saw the movie version first and listened to that soundtrack. Go and buy that one, not this one; that one is way better. The musicality is outstanding on that one, whereas this has a second-rate AM radio sound. I was a pre-teen when the play of Hair came out and I remember most of the songs from AM radio in the late 60s--but after listening to the soundtrack I realize why most of the hits from Hair were recorded by other people. "Aquarius" was popularized by the Fifth Dimension. "Hair" was popularized by the the Cowsills. "Easy to Be Hard" was popularized by Three Dog Night. All those versions are better than the soundtrack (and some are not very good). Listen to Cheryl Barnes sing "Easy to Be Hard" in the film: it is outstanding.



3. This is certainly a classic of the era. To understand it fully you would have to have seen - even if it was 40 years ago.



4. Really enjoyed listening to fine tracks from the 60's. Anyone who lived through the sixties as a teenager will love this one.



5. The Quality exceeded my expectations. It brought back my original memories of the production of Hair I saw in 1968 in Los Angeles

5 comments about The Vogues - Greatest Hits.

1. The Vogues are a favorite of mine. "You Are My Special Angel" makes my
   5 minute commute to work a good way to start the day [No one can hear me
   singing in the car] and "Five O'clock World" is a good song to drive home with. I wish the producer had limited the CD to 8-10 of their very best
   songs because there's too much not so good stuff on here. Too much pushing
   the select button while driving! But it's still a great CD.



2. The Vogues Greatest Hits is a solid single CD compilation that really gives us the best of their best! Sure, one could argue that one song should have been here when another song took its place, but overall it's truly a strong CD of their hits. The sound quality couldn't be better either.
   
   The CD starts with them singing "You're The One" so well it really makes me eager for more! They sing and play this love ballad perfectly; this ballad celebrates the joys of finding your one true love. The guitars, drums and percussion work well to carry the melody as they sing. "Five O'Clock World" is another huge hit for this group; the beat is distinctly `60s rock and roll with great harmonizing to inject what feels like just a touch of folk rock to spice up the song. Listen also for "The Land Of Milk And Honey;" the effects are very nicely done and this tune sounds great! "The Land Of Milk And Honey" definitely deserves to be on this album of hits.
   
   "Please Mr. Sun" is really an adorable love song with a certain innocence that we sometimes heard in `60s rock ballads; The Vogues do this one up right and I always enjoy listening to "Please Mr. Sun."
   
   Of course, "Turn Around, Look At Me" is a mega-hit for The Vogues; this song is so well done is shines like the masterpiece it truly is when The Vogues deliver this so well. The wind instruments and the strings enhance the natural beauty of the melody, too. "My Special Angel" is another charming number that features The Vogues squarely in the spotlight as the music goes along to accompany their singing. Again, "My Special Angel" is a tender and really rather innocent love ballad from a different era; but it's so beautiful that it still sounds awesome today. I could never tire of hearing "My Special Angel."
   
   "Till" gives us another passionate love ballad by The Vogues; and the arrangement uses the strings to great advantage. "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)" showcases some cool special effects and The Vogues never sounded better! There's also "Moments To Remember;" the group delivers this like the pros they always were and I'm very impressed.
   
   Overall, this CD really does give us some many outstanding hits by The Vogues that their fans will simply have to pick this one up for their collections. Fans of oldies music will also enjoy this album.



3. I have enjoyed this CD as much as any I own. The Vogues have a wonderful tight harmony enjoyed by millions over the years, and the music stands over time very well.
   
   Bill



4. Item came at promised time. Brand new in sealed wrapper.Definately would purchase from this vendor again.



5. The Vogues and their gentle, harmonizing sound, were perfect for the Easy Listening [now Adult Contemporary] charts, created by Billboard in 1961 to provide a clear delineation between Rock and the music of people like Sinatra, Cole, Como, Day, Shore, and others of that ilk.
   
   Often, however, an artist or group would demonstrate that their particular sound was not to be so easily slotted. The Vogues, a vocal quartet from Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, was one such group. Between 1965 and 1974 they scored 14 Billboard Pop Hot 100 singles [6 for the Co & Ce label to 1966 and 8 for Reprise 1n 1968/69], and 18 on the Adult Contemporary [AC] charts [13 for Reprise, 2 for Bell, and 3 for 20th Century] from 1968 to 1974, often resurrecting old hits.
   
   In this 18-selection CD Rhino gives us 13 of those 14 Hot 100 hits [omitting only 1966's That's The Tune, which just barely made the Hot 100 at # 99 that December]. Beginning with Turn Around, Look At Me in 1968 [# 3 AC/# 7 Hot 100], 8 of those would make the AC charts as well. From 1969 [See That Girl - # 13 AC] to 1974 [Prisoner Of Love - # 37 AC], their ten hits would chart only on the AC list [although three would "bubble under" on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
   
   Only one flipside appears here [True Lovers which backed The Land Of Milk And Honey in 1966], and they also give you one previously unreleased tune [track 6] and two that failed to chart on either the Hot 100 or AC charts [tracks 8 and 9].
   
   We would have been better served had producer Bill Inglot left those three off and, in their place, added the missing hit mentioned above, along with See That Girl and Since I Don't Have You, which made it to # 8 AC in 1970. In fact, they should have gone to 26 tracks [the norm for outfits like Ace of London] and provided us with ALL their hits.
   
   The five pages of liner notes by Mike McDowell, Editor/Publisher of Blitz Magazine, and the additional photographs of the group are appreciated and, on the reverse, you get a partial discography of the contents showing original label details and the dates released, but no chart information.
   
   One of their huge hits, Five O'Clock World [# 4 Hot 100 in late 1965], got new life when used over the credits on TV's The Drew Carey Show a few years back. A good album which could have been perfect with a more judicious approach to the contents.

5 comments about Love Songs.

1. I sent this product as a gift and it has been such a joy for the recipient. The transaction went perfectly..no complaints at all.



2. I recently bought this CD and one other-'The Best Of Nat "King" Cole'- out of curiosity, really. From my childhood, I remember seeing Nat King Cole records-"vinyls"-in my grandmothers' record collection. Now, years later, my curiosity aroused, I recently started doing a little research on the Internet about him, finding out that he died in 1965 at 45 of lung cancer(I was born in 1966), that he compared very closely to greats such as Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra, as well as others I can't think of at the moment. Well, after playing this CD, I would say he didn't ONLY compare to, but SURPASSED the names I mentioned-he definitely is an artist to add to my list of favorites. His voice is so easy on the ears, and you can understand every word he sings. Not that Sinatra and Martin weren't great-they were- but Nat King Coles' singing just has a special quality about it that I can't put my finger on. First Class!!!!!



3. Nat King Cole sings the best love songs with sweet, soothing voice that conveys the feelings of love and takes the words to your heart and makes one to want to fall in love for the first time or all over again. Also anyone who has fallen in love can identify with "The Very Thought Of You" These feelings are so tender and Nat make them come alive. Simply great music for all time by one of the best.



4. Nat King Cole always had a smooth, relaxing tone in his voice. This CD contains the best selections, enough for anyone to fall in love again!



5. I have loved Nat's music almost all my life, for that velvet voice of his, and also, the beautiful songs, and they are all here on this CD. I recommend it for anyone who is a fan of Nat King Cole.

5 comments about Annie (1977 Original Broadway Cast).

1. 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).



2. 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.



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



4. 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. Ittook forever to get here. It langusihed in the local PO for a week

5 comments about Renee Olstead.

1. I'm an older guy and am transported to heaven when I hear a singer that understands the subtleties of this type of wonderful ballads. Simply can't believe this depth at this young age.



2. Renee has an amazing voice. I'm not a jazz fan, so I wont say much about this album, but the covers are really good and Renee has great potential to be the next greatest Jazz singer.
   
   Standout tracks include 'Summertime', 'Midnight at The Oasis' and 'Love That Will Last'.



3. I first saw this young lady perform "Summertime" as a dream sequence on her sitcom, "Still Standing". I couldn't believe the vocal ability she had and she was only 15 years old at the time. Thanks to Amazon I was able to find a complete album of her songs with many great classics which she more than does justice to. This is a multi-talented performer who has a great future in both acting and singing. She has a kind of jazz/classical style with amazing range and lyric interpretation that is unbelievable. I hope to see more albums from Ms. Olstead. If you want to hear a great vocalist belt out the great classics, buy this album right away. You won't be disappointed.



4. I remember watching her on "Still Standing" and hearing her sing during one of the episodes and thought great another sitcom kicking off a singing career. I thought that until it went to her in the kitchen and the hair stood up on my arms and I got that tingle on the back of my neck as the song progressed.
   
   She reminds me of all the old Jazz. It really makes you wonder what it would have been like to sit in a Jazz bar in Paris listening to Sarah Vaughn or Ella. When I play this at home it is great to sit with some candles and a bottle of wine while my wife and I just relax and dream of all the old easy listening jazz bars. Instead of this crazy loud bass music.
   
   It is a great start. I hope she keeps it up.



5. Best CD I have ever purchased. Love every song on the CD. Ms. Olstead has a magnificant voice, should have a current CD come out! She is up there with Chris Botti, Michael Buble. Needs more recognition for this fantastic CD- what a voice!

5 comments about Miracle.

1. What a great way to share words and emotions with your daughters and daughter in-laws, not to mention great value in price.



2. I have not been a big Celine Dion fan, but I watched her sing the title song, "Miracle" on a tv show. I bought my original CD from a local store after watching the performance. The songs are absolutely wonderful! My personal favorites are Miracle, Come To Me, and If I Could, but all of the songs are great. I bought this CD as a gift to my niece, who is pregnant with her second child. She loves these songs, as well. I used the music to put together a slideshow of pictures of my children growing up. These are songs from a mother to her child (or about her child), and describe the unconditional love of a mother. I highly recommend it if you are looking for this type of music.



3. I loved it. Celine has a hit. It is a wonderfull baby shower gift. JM



4. This is a great CD, I have it and ordered it for a friend that just had a baby and she loves it as well. It brings tears to my eyes everytime I listen to it.



5. Very happy with this CD. I'm not a huge Celene fan, but I purchased this for my 2 month old son. It lulls him to sleep just fine. Her voice is flawless.

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 Ultimate Petula Clark.

1. This CD is a must for any person genuinely interested in music from the 1960's. The songs have not aged at all, if anything they sound as great today as when they were they were first released. This is not surprising given that Petula never failed to deliver. Petula's songs have stood the test of time, and this often cannot be said for many singers. There is no doubt that the writing skills of Tony Hatch and his superb orchestra contributed greatly to the success of Petula, but at the end of the day they were a perfect match. Don't miss out on this collection.The Ultimate Petula Clark



2. I just love this CD - nearly every song is a winner. I first heard these songs as a kid and they sound just as good today. Pet Clark is a true '60s icon. Listening to this CD while driving home from work, I got to thinking that Ms. Clark's songs would make for a great Broadway musical - a Brit Invasion/swinging London theme.



3. I really enjoyed this C.D.!! The hits are amazing!! There are a few that I didn't know prior to reviewing this C.D., but the whole C.D. is wonderful!! What a voice!!!



4. What a joyous trip down memory lane! Before there was Carly, there was Pet, part of the "British Invasion" of the mid 1960's. Hers were the songs of our high school years [at least mine], and have never lost the power of happy transport. She was never a "sex symbol", just a pretty girl from "across the pond" who sang happy music, and sang it well. I understand that, at 75, she's still singing; no comment, as I haven't heard her current voice.
   
   Naturally, some of the 21 songs here will be better known than others..."Downtown" was her BIG HIT, and it leads off, as is quite proper. But, there were other hits, almost as big, and they're all here...."I Know A Place"...."Round Every Corner"..."Don't Sleep In The Subway"...and, using "I Don't Know How To Love Him", from "Jesus Christ Superstar", to close was a nice touch.
   
   This is a fabulous album, and a great voyage in a time machine. My two kids are in their late 20s, and find this impossibly boring, while I find what they listen to plain impossible. Maybe you have to be past a certain age, to have actual memories, not just have heard about it... Never mind...Pet was wonderful, and, thru this CD, she still is.....



5. You just can't listen to Petula Clark and not get a lift in your spirits. If you're a PC fan this CD is for your. If you're not a PC fan, then this CD will make you one.

5 comments about The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection.

1. Thank you for the CD, it's condition and the speed in which I received it!



2. If you like Andrew L. Weber musicals, this CD has the "greatest hits" collection. And Sarah Brightman has an ethereal, voice perfectly suited for these pieces. You won't be disappointed.



3. Mature, well practiced and versatile voice. CD's vary considerably in content, so be sure to preview before buying.



4. Great voice and great music. Can't go wrong with that!! Great collection of songs!! Rare to get a cd with so many great songs!! Highly recommend!!



5. This album is very enjoyable. I knew some of the songs but also have enjoyed those that are new to me . This CD provides an opportunity to hear the full range of Ms. Brightman's voice which is spectacular. Anyone who likes Ms. Brightman or sees many Broadway shows would like this collection.