5 comments about Wish You Were Here.

1. This 1975 album is a favorite of mine by Pink Floyd for any number of reasons; the band was in top form, the tracks are very imaginative and on a more personal note, my Pink Floyd obsessed (high school) graduating class selected the track Wish you Were Here to accompany the graduation procession. As I recall, I had suggested Welcome to the Machine...
   
   As far as the overall mood of the album goes, it is very somber and spacey synthesizer washes along with a plodding, 4/4 meter dominate. The real magic of the album however, is the clever layering of a seemingly endless parade of synthesizer, guitar and percussion parts. As such, the music hold my interest even when not much is going on, which is very rare I might add.
   
   The group is in top form and Gilmour's guitar playing and singing are fantastic throughout. Rick Wright does a fantastic job of maintaining the spacey atmospherics that drew me to band in the first place with his banks of synthesizers and Nick Mason provides some understated drum parts that work perfectly with the material. The one marked difference from previous albums is the appearance of Roy Harper on the track Have a Cigar, where he sings lead vocal. Evidently, Roger was a bit dismayed that everybody agreed to have Roy sing the lead vocal - I think it may have been Roger's suggestion in fact. Speaking of Roger, it was with this album that he started to explore his disenchantment with the recording industry and the group's success, as has been well documented elsewhere.
   
   The real centerpiece of the album is the nearly 26 minute long, largely instrumental Shine on You Crazy Diamond suite, which is split into two equal parts that bookend the album. This really is an impressive large scale composition by the band and features loads of great synthesizer tone colors - Rick Wright had purchased a lot of new equipment and it shines on this track. Although 99% classic "Pink Floydian" space rock, this track does feature a short section that features some funky/jazzy "comping" by Rick Wright on a clavinet which is accompanied by some solid bass playing. It is pretty cool overall. Sandwiched in between the two large tracks are three shorter tracks including the gloomy and haunting Welcome to the Machine, the somewhat more upbeat Have a Cigar, and the acoustic track Wish You Were Here. Although I wish they had kept Shine on You Crazy Diamond as a single track, the way each of the five tracks are stitched together works pretty well too. I should note that musicologist Edward Macan presents an excellent structural analysis of the Shine on You Crazy Diamond suite in his text "Rocking the Classics: English Progressive Rock and the Counterculture (1997)".
   
   This reissued version of the CD is a far cry from the LP I owned a billion years ago, although it does attempt to recreate the record jacket and some of the stickers that came with the original LP. There are lyrics and a few additional archival photos of the band members scattered throughout the CD booklet. The sound quality is pretty good.
   
   All in all, Wish You Were Here is what I personally regard as a high water mark for Pink Floyd and is a personal favorite. Highly recommended.



2. If Dark Side of the Moon was pink Floyd trying to come to grips with the mental deterioration of Syd Barret, then "Wish You Were Here" was the not so always fond farewell. Making a contentious jump from Capitol Records to CBS, the band talks about the machinations of the music biz ("Have a Cigar") and the destructive process of creative fame when it collides with a creatively unstable mind ("Wish You Were Here").
   
   It also begins the trajectory that Roger Waters would ultimately hit his pinnacle with on The Wall, a pessimistic morose look at life and mankind. Even though the title track is meant as a tribute to Barret, it also ends on a bitter note.
   
   "How I wish you were here.
   We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl,
   year after year.
   Running over the same old ground.
   What have you found?
   The same old fears.
   Wish you were here."
   
   Yet the song plays out so emotionally, that it's easy to miss the creeping cynicism. Not so with "Welcome To The Machine" or the nasty slap at the record exec in "Have a Cigar" ("By the way, which one's Pink?"). The production all along is still stellar enough to cushion the bile - as there's a certain sense of humor that would have David Gilmour's guitar solo sucked into a compressed "AM Radio" tinniness at the song's fade.
   
   The album opens and ends with the multi-part "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," which will give any Pink Floyd fans pretty much what they were looking for. Spacey, texturally-dimensional and expansive, with some of Gilmour's lyrical and stately guitar. In short, it's a great follow-up to "Dark Side of The Moon" and less scathing than the bitter Animals.



3. I bought this CD since I've always liked Pink Floyd. Hearing "Shine on you crazy diamond" on the radio one night sent me to Amazon to find the album. In its two parts this song provides 25 minutes of a reflective, somewhat calmer, but still quintessential Pink Floyd with liquid electronics, soaring guitars, and angsty vocals enhanced by their tribute to a fallen band member. "Wish you were here" is in the same vein. "Welcome to the machine" and "Have a cigar" are nice to have for old time's sake. A calmer Pink Floyd to play on the family stereo.



4. Until they hit it big with Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd was a prolific band, cranking out at least one album every year. But it took a long time -- two and a half years -- before they released a sequel to their surprise smash hit.
   
   After Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd's music began to change. Roger Waters took over all lyric writing. The music itself became less of a collaborative effort - Nick Mason stopped contributing, followed by Rick Wright and eventually David Gilmour. The experimental edge that Floyd had in their early days was already fading fast, and disappeared completely by the late 1970s to be replaced by a more radio-friendly format. And the group's sound began to change, with the gritty and rough sound present on Meddle and Dark Side becoming more slick and clean.
   
   That transition was still in its early stages. Waters's lyrics, while cynical at points, do not yet have the extreme bitterness present on ensuing albums; indeed, his tributes to Syd Barrett on "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" and "Wish You Were Here" show a side to his writing that would recede in a few years.
   
   Both halves of "Shine on" -- the album's highlights, despite receiving less airplay than the middle 3 songs -- showcase the power of the Rick Wright/Roger Waters/David Gilmour team. It would be the last time those three names would share composer credit, in my opinion to the detriment of the music. Rick Wright's substantial contributions to Floyd's music were sharply curtailed after this album. Musically each does his bit as well - Wright's keyboard playing, particularly in Part I and in Part IX, is among his finest with the band; Gilmour's biting, passionate guitar solos, are among those that created his reputation; and Waters's singing, which is more assertive and rich than on earlier albums but without the narrow emotional and tonal range of later work.
   
   The other three songs provide a nice interlude. The synth-heavy "Welcome to the Machine" and "Have a Cigar" rail against the musical industry, one grim and the other cynically humorous. "Wish You Were Here", despite being interpreted by many as a love song, is really just a heartfelt tribute to their former colleague; the combination of Waters's lyrics and Gilmour's rough voice completely avoids the schmaltzy blandness of later live versions.
   
   Highly recommended. Dark Side may or may not be better overall, but to this listener Wish You Were Here is the more meaningful album.



5. Wish You Were was one of the first rock albums I've ever listened to. David Gilmour's does an awesome solo on the lap steel guitar on the second part of Shine On You Crazy Diamond. This album is a tribute to the band's legendary founder Syd Barrett.

5 comments about Detours.

1. I'd give it half a star if I could. Total waste of money on my part.



2. It is a good album. Give it a chance. I agree that it is political, and has many different styles, and that it is not her best, BUT since when do we fault people for honesty or uniquity (not sure on the spelling of that one). No one complains if people write a sappy but true love song, so why not a song about the current affairs of our world in an honest fashion.
   
   I say there is more Sheryl in this album than there has been in a long time so be grateful for it...



3. Now that you gone is the best song that she has ever written in my opinion. I just wish the rest of the CD held up, all of her "political songs" stink. I hate when singers try to push there political agenda down our throats, just because singers can make beautiful music does not make them smart, most of them are rich and stupid.
   
   Sheryl, I have been buying your CD's from the begining and seen you in concert also but if you keep up with this crap you have lost a die hard fan.



4. I appreciated the sentiment of the lyrics, and found some of the production interesting, but there are too many different styles of songs to feel a flow to the album. There are a few songs I like a lot, but I have to skip through many others to get to them. The ballads are nice, especially the lullabye she wrote for her son. There are some Beatle-esque touches in others.



5. Sheryl Crow rescues her career by turning to Bill Bottrell, her music partner from her first watershed album, "Tuesday Night Music Club". I've liked a lot of her work since then, but she hasn't produced a CD like that one since she and Bill split in mid-album #2 over what... many people speculate about, and probably only the two of them know.
   
   Bottrell's a producer/songwriter/musician that brings out the best in Sheryl Crow. This collection is without a doubt a return to form for her and one hopes she'll work with Bottrell and produce more of this caliber of music.
   
   The collection is really a coupling of two themes, the political Crow and the loved and lovelorn Crow. There are two songs that are exceptions, and they have a lot in common; they are both emotional outbursts from a woman who allowed herself to be featured as part of an "in love duo" in the tabloids, only to be painfully left behind, and a woman who faced and faced down breast cancer.
   
   The crappy:
   
   These two songs, "Diamond Ring" and "Make It Go Away" are whiny, distracting and unworthy of Crow and the rest of the CD. One is a subtle whine about Armstrong and the broken engagement. Even the voice is whiny. The other is a screechy whine about undergoing radiation. While I admire Crow for the hard work she must have done in her recovery from breast cancer, and her unwillingness to milk it for headlines, I really wish she wouldn't have inflicted this song on the world. Little more needs to be said.
   
   The political:
   
   In her "political protest" mode, Crow gave us 6 songs, which lead off the CD. The reaction to them is varied... if you don't like politically themed songs, you wouldn't listen to Sheryl Crow, in my mind. She gives us a "nation is rotten" song, three songs about the middle eastern conflict, a clever song with a "green" theme, and one ditty about the Katrina aftermath. The best of them?
   
   
   Crow and Bottrell (and two others in collaboration) took a chance with "Peace Be Upon Us" -- the melody and instrumentation are clearly middle eastern in flavor, and Crow's verses are sung in counterpoint with with the same words in Arabic, as sung by Ahmed Al Himi. The message is simple - a call for peace in both the speech of the Western world and the Middle East. I didn't read much in protest of this song, but 2-3 years ago, listeners would have spurned Crow's effort as traitorous. Today, it's a worthy effort.
   
   
   Sheryl's obligatory Katrina song is fun and infectious.."Love is Free". It focuses on the spirit of the residents of New Orleans, and it's got lyrics to die for:
   
   "You go to church
   And pray to God for no more rain
   A Cadillac, a paper sack
   Hey there, Jack you want some bourbon for the pain?"
   
   And last but not least at all is the imaginative "Gasoline". Ben Harper joins the vocals for an apocalyptic song about looking back on the Gasoline wars of 2017. Crow wages the wars all over the globe, from London to Riyadh to Tennessee to Argentina. The lyrics are masterful, and it's truly a protest song. My favorite line involves the gangs of Mini Coopers battling in the streets. When you hear a Crow song like this you forget the singing and toast the songwriter.
   
   Despite all the high points in the political tunes, the very best of Crow is still to come in the
   
   "Love and Lovelorn" set of 5 songs (there's also a throwaway song mocking Hollywood starlets called "Motivation"):
   
   "Detours" song 7 on the CD is the song I think of as "The paper-thin heart song", from the refrain. Crow is at her best, questioning a mother (real or imagined) about what to do with the fade to gray that is her ability to fall in love. It's poignant, and lyrics and music are a spectacular match.
   
   The best just might be, "Drunk With the Thought of You"...simple, engaging, a real songwriter's description of the high of being in love...."I know you've melted my heart in two".
   
   She closes strong on her loving themes with:
   
   "Love Is All There Is" -- and this is a song that will stay with you. It asks the question that Crow reportedly has asked herself... "Does Anybody Want You?" and showcases her voice better than any other song on the CD.
   
   And finally, Crow closes with a new door opening in her life, and gives us "Lullaby for Wyatt" (the name of her newly adopted son). It's simple and peaceful and has the characteristic I find in the finest lullabies...lifted from the nursery, it coexists as one of those plain old love songs.
   
   I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed this collection by Sheryl Crow and Bill Bottrell, and how much I hope for more. The CD has enjoyed a lot of airplay in the car over the last six months, and I'm sure that Crow is feeling at home with her music again.

5 comments about Experience Hendrix: The Best of Jimi Hendrix.

1. We loved this Jimmy Hendrix CD. We found some 8mm video tapes that my husband took while he was in Vietnam in the 70's. We sent the tapes off to have them put on a DVD and had them put the Jimmy Hendix cd as the background music. It turned out great !!! Brought back a lot of good and bad memories !!!! CD was worth every penny we paid for it !!!



2. Experience hendrix is a well thought out compilation that really works as an album instead of a bunch of singles and album tracks mashed up together lacking any cohesion.
   This collection has a real smooth flow as each track blends into the next and it truly offers you a solid picture of this mad psychedelic guitar virtuoso.
   I think that you need to treat yourself to are you experienced so you can hear such mindblowing cuts like third stone and also for the sake of hearing the artists original intentions on how you should first experience these songs.
   Electric Ladyland features such stellar cuts like house burning down and burning of the midnight lamp and by not delving deeper into the catalog you miss out on so much essential artistry.
   Hendrix wasn't a hit machine but a man on a creative zenith especially during his 3 album marathon with the experience.
   Experience those 3 masterpeices and take a taste of the band of gypsies just to hear the vicious assault of machine gun.
   Hendrix was given a gift of the highest order so experience it all.



3. As a diehard Hendrix fan... like who isn't, I have to confess I felt that some of Jimi's best songs are conspicuously missing from this album. For example, I can live without "Dolly Dagger" but not without "Spanish Castle Magic"! I wish they had consulted me first when picking songs... but, oh well, heavy sigh, they did not. Still, even with its organizational faults, Jimi still rocks.
   
   This is a classic CD; I carry it in my car at all times. I know I am in the universal flow when I turn on the radio and find myself catching the next Jimi song on the radio waves. (It's called hanging ten on the Tao.)
   
   There are some things you simply cannot get enough of, and Jimi Hendrix is one of them. If you are not going to sit down and burn your own customized CD with your favorite Mr. Jimi songs, then get this album. It is the next best thing.



4. I wanted some Hendrix and this CD was it. Took me back to the days when he was monster. Amazon delivered quick in perfect condition.



5. I'm a new fan of Jimmy Hendrix, so I wanted to find the one CD collection that contained his most famous hits. This CD is definitely the one to go with if you want the best bang for your buck.

5 comments about Led Zeppelin IV (aka ZOSO).

1. It took me forever, but I'm just finally learning to appreciate Zeppelin's most famous album right now. I won't say it's my favorite - I, II and III are just as good, and Houses of the Holy is better. But I now like it. In fact, I think I liked it all the while, but I refused to admit it. See, this marks the point where "Led Zeppelin the band" and "Led Zeppelin the cultural phenomenon" become the same thing. And while I'm definitely a fan of Led Zep the band, I'm kinda shaky on Led Zeppelin the cultural phenomenon. And, I mean, this is the BIG one. The pride and joy of fans, critics, and DJ's everywhere. That and it's got "Stairway to Heaven," a cultural phenomenon within a cultural phenomenon within a cultural phenomenon. Sort of a Russian nesting doll deal there.
   Methinks the problem I had with this for so long is because I listened to it expecting it to be the great masterpiece so many people say it is, and I never really heard it that way. But recently, I did the smart thing: I let my defenses down, and listened to the album for what it was. And I found that it was quite good.
   Let me be up-front about why I'm only giving this four stars. First off, I don't really like "Four Sticks." Parts of it are nice, and parts of it aren't. Secondly, there's the issue of Robert Plant. I've never been his biggest fan, but here he's too much for me, almost ruining a couple of his songs with his "vocal acrobatics." He nearly kills the stop-start, riff-filled "Black Dog" entirely for me with his moans, groans, and grunts behind the guitar solo. Yeah, so it fits with the song's lyrics. But it still sounds bad. And "Battle of Evermore," despite being genuinely gorgeous, also showcases Plant right up in the front. He makes his voice turn somersaults, backflips, and cartwheels, and it just annoys me. Every phrase he gets, he oversings somehow. And then he pulls that crap with an echo effect near the end. It really annoys me. 'Tis a shame they didn't just let ex-Fairport Convention member Sandy Denny sing lead on the whole track, because she's got a beautiful voice. Not only that, but she's also got an authentic English folk voice, and "Evermore" is an English folk song. With a fantastic mandolin part.
   Okay, now I can get to the really good parts. First off, I almost hate to admit it because I'm sick of everyone saying it's the best song ever (gimme a break, it isn't even Zeppelin's best!), but I really, really like "Stairway to Heaven." I won't dwell too much on it, because everyone is probably familiar with it at this point, but it's earned its reputation as one of the greatest guitar tracks in history, and it's definitely a great rock epic. The Hendrix maniac in me thinks "All Along the Watchtower" is the best, the Beatlemaniac in me puts "Hey Jude" in second, and the Who freak in me would rank "Won't Get Fooled Again" as third. But number four (or maybe number five or six, because I can never allow myself to forget "You Can't Always Get What You Want" or "Jungleland") is certainly nothing to sneeze at, especially considering how many genuinely wretched "rock epics" there are out there. Great song, even though I'd take "Over the Hills and Far Away," "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You," and "Ramble On" over it in the Zeppelin catalog. That's just me, though. No "serious" person likes "Misty Mountain Hop," but I think it's fun. Yeah, the lyrics are dumb, but in the harmless, "'70s pothead who says words like 'dude' and 'cosmic' a lot, laughs at absolutely nothing, and eats ten bags of Cheetos a day" sense, not in the "offensively stupid or ignorant" sense. In other words, harmless, and kinda funny. Actually, all the lyrics in Led Zeppelin's entire history that aren't about sex are like that. Plus it's so bouncy! It's the only Zeppelin song you can dance to! How about that? It's a guilty pleasure for me, but I still enjoy it immensely. "Rock and Roll" does just what it promises, and it's my favorite of Zeppelin's short, punchy rockers. Bonzo's rhythm is unbeatable, and there's a multi-tracked guitar solo. Despite my seeming lack of manliness (yeah, I'm a guy), I do have some testosterone, and it really gets what little of it there is pounding. By the opposite token, "Going to California" is one of the prettiest, most quaint, folksy, and downright cute things in Zeppelin's catalog. Despite me not being much of a Robert Plant fan, I still love the way he sings, "La-la-la-la-la" after one of the verses. It's just so damn adorable! And I know that every Zeppelin fan who wasn't theoretically stabbing my hypothetical picture already is doing so now, but hey. Adorable is good. And you want a searing musical interpretation of a hurricane? Check out "When the Levee Breaks," a very successful mood piece and arguably the best song on the record. Bonzo's drums thunder - his intro is justly one of the most famous of all time - Page's guitars sting, burn, and all kinds of other stuff, and Plant's harmonica wails away. John Paul Jones doesn't do much, which is a shame, because he's my favorite member of the band. But hey, you can't have it all.
   If you were to cut out "Four Sticks," and give Robert Plant a bit less time at the mike, this would be a better album. But it's fine the way it is. I still refuse to admit it or anything else Zeppelin ever made is a masterpiece. If that's the way you roll, more power to you. But it's not the way I roll. So no power for me. Oh well. Still, this is probably my second, third, fourth, fifth, or whatever Zeppelin album. It's tough to decide between those first four. They're all very worthy four-star records, and I actually think they're of the exact same quality, more or less. Whatever. Zep's first five all are great.



2. This album ROCKS, with a capital R. John Bonham's drumming is the best. Every song on here is awesome, especially Rock and Roll, and Stairway To Heaven. Another Great song is When The Levee Breaks. It is no wonder that so many rock fans, and magazines consider it to be one of the greatest rock albums ever made.



3. Way rockier than Triumph Unseen by Nick Worrall but no less brilliant. Hailed by most who hear it as a classic it very probably is. Buy it and find out.



4. By the far the best Led Zeppelin album you can buy and one of the greatest rock albums you can buy. This is Led Zeppelins best period of time and when they sounded the best and were the best. All eight songs on here are great and this album should be bought by any fan of rock music.
   
   1. Black Dog, a nice start too this album and has good blues singing(Robert Plant), and plus the beat on here is very cool and that guitar sound is very nice. Great song 5/5 stars
   
   2. Rock N Roll, this song has one of the coolest drum intros of all time and its riff and beat cant be sold. A classic song that so many people today still download. Nothing else too say except its a great song and if you havent heard it than download it now. 5/5 stars
   
   3. The Battle Of Evermore, pretty good song but its too soft and gets a little boring 4/5 stars
   
   4. Stairway Too Heaven, great song and great guitar on this song. I love this song great zeppelin song 5/5 stars
   
   5. Misty Mountain Hop, now this is where things start getting heavier. This Led Zeppelin back too the beggining. A nice cool rock beat and a cool drum beat also great song, 5/5 stars
   
   6. Four Sticks, another good song and has a cool drum intro to this and has a nice riff. great all around song,
   5/5 stars
   
   7. Going Too California, a great song also not much more too say, 5/5 stars
   
   8. When The Levee Breaks, a nice way too end this album and has a cool heavy blues rock beat too it. Great song 5/5 stars
   
   buy this album now if you dont have it...



5. This Led Zeppelin album is one of those albums that's a little hard to classify since virtually every style they've been known for is represented. It's also the beginning of unconventional artsy album covers as there are no pictures of the band, nor does the name Led Zeppelin appear. In the days of LP records, only the lyrics of "Starway to Heaven" could be found in the inner sleeve and the 4 individal symbols for each band member. Technically, there's no official name for the album, though fans have called it "Led Zeppelin IV" or "Zoso" or "Runes" or even "Stairway to Heaven."
   
   The hard rockin' "Black Dog" starts out this album. Guitarist Jimmy Page hits the E chord several times and then Robert Plant sings "Hey, hey, mama, say the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove." Page, bassist John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham answer furiously. All of the members shine on here.
   
   "Rock and Roll" follows, a 1950's Chuck Berry style rocker. Bonham (aka Bonzo) hits the snare drum for the intro and Page lets loose with a killer riff. Jonesy adds some Jerry Lee Lewis style piano. I'll bet you won't be able to just stand still and listen to this song!
   
   The English folk piece "The Battle of Evermore" helps mellow the mood. Page plays an acoustic guitar here, Jonesy plays mandolin and Plant shares lead with Sandy Denny. The lyrics speak of Tolkien influence.
   
   "Stairway to Heaven" needs no introduction. What could I tell you that you haven't read on this page already? If you've ever had the dial on FM somewhere, you're quite familiar with this close-to-8 minute epic. In fact, I'll bet even some of your parents listened in bewilderment even in 1971. Folk and hard rock are combined in this song. The song's lyrics have been interpreted on many levels.
   
   "Misty Mountain Hop" sounds enigmatic in the verses, both melodically and lyrically. Jonesy starts it off with an electric piano riff (A, G, E) with Page answering the riff on guitar, with Bonzo adding in a fill on drums. Plant multitracks his voice.
   
   "Four Sticks" is an Eastern sounding rocker, heavier than "Friends" and perhaps a precursor to "Kashmir."
   
   The 1960's style folk ditty "Going to California" mellows the mood again, with an acoustic guitar from Page and Plant singing in an uncharacteristic baritone. The lyrics seem to speak of hoping to find happiness out in California.
   
   "When the Levee Breaks" is the only blues song on the album. It is also the only song where Plant plays harmonica. The song is based off an old Memphis Minnie blues standard and for 7 minutes Led Zeppelin plays raunchy blues, ending with an unusual coda, which sounds almost like an abrupt earthquake (I don't know for sure but it sounds like Page is playing a banjo through an amplifier).

5 comments about The Complete Hit Singles.

1. Ok. I bought this CD believing all the tracks were monophonic. Of course, I didn't bother to sample the music and just went ahead and bought the thing. Mind you, this is an excellent collection (as if any Three Dog Night collection could possibly not be?) but from a collector's stand point, it wasn't what I expected. Sure. There are mono mixes spread throughout the collection but they were all previously available on the 2-CD set "Celebrate". The mono mixes are as follows:
   
   1. Try A Little Tenderness
   2. Joy To The World
   3. Liar
   4. The Family Of Man (which seems to be panned a bit too much to the left channel)
   5. Pieces Of April
   6. Shambala (same panning as "The Family Of Man")
   
   Everything else is stereo. Though some of the mixes are really close to being mono, they are in fact, stereo. I really don't know much about the original Three Dog Night 45's or if any of the earlier ones were simple stereo to mono fold downs. With that in mind, I can't really make any judgements. I seem to recall my original Dunhill 45 of "One" being quite monophonic. I am wondering if this set is an abridged replacement for "Celebrate"? It is on a different label- Universal Music. Perhaps that company bought up MCA? I have no clue but whichever 45's were mixed for mono- fold downs or not- they should've been released that way on this package. Oh well. Either way, the set is awesome (as usual) and deserves the five stars I have given.



2. You get it all on one CD with this one. I can't stop playing these tracks. All night and all day I have Three Dog Night blasting from my speakers until I hear "Aren't you ever going to turn that off?" This is one GREAT CD and the guys don't leave anyathing out. The vocals are together (as with all TDN songs) and you can just sit back and enjoy!



3. On a very cold evening in the Australian outback, an Aborigine hunter would dig a furrow in the ground and bring his dog into the hole with him for bodily warmth. Two dogs were needed for a really bitter night, but the worst night of all was called a THREE DOG NIGHT. Not sure anyone needed to know that, but anyway that's how they got their name!
   
   The band were:
   DANNY HUTTON, CHUCK NEGRON and CORY WELLS - Lead Vocals
   MICHAEL ALLSUP - Guitars
   SKIP KONTE (1974-1976) and JIMMY GREENSPOON - Keyboards
   JOE SCHERMIE (1969-1971) and JACK RYLAND (1971-1975) - Bass
   FLOYD SNEED - Drums and Percussion
   
   As a rock group with worldwide record sales of over 50 million, THREE DOG NIGHT were a genuine chart phenomenon - especially in the States where they released 23 singles on the Dunhill/ABC label between 1968 and 1976. No less than 21 of them charted in the Top 200 (they were handled by Stateside and Probe in the UK and Europe) and it's they that are represented here - in truly fantastic sound quality - on this superb 2004 CD. Most tracks are specific 7" single mixes recorded precisely for that purpose, many are cover versions and then you had the alternate lead vocalists or combinations of all three. Here's a detailed breakdown of what's what:
   
   (74:32 minutes)
   1. "One", 1969 on Dunhill/ABC 4191, a HARRY NILSSON cover [Chuck Negron Lead Vocal]
   2. "Try A Little Tenderness", 1969 on Dunhill/ABC 4177, made famous by OTIS REDDING [Cory Wells Lead Vocal]
   3. "Easy To Be Hard", 1969 on Dunhill/ABC 4203 [Chuck Negron Lead Vocal]
   4. "Eli's Coming", 1969 on Dunhill/ABC 4215, a LAURA NYRO cover [Cory Wells Lead Vocal]
   5. "Celebrate", 1969 on Dunhill/ABC 4227 [Hutton, Negron & Wells Shared Lead Vocals]
   6. "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)", 1970 on Dunhill/ABC 4239, a RANDY NEWMAN cover [Cory Wells Lead Vocal]
   7. "Out In The Country", 1970 on Dunhill/ABC 4250, a PAUL WILLIAMS/ROGER NICHOLLS cover [Hutton, Negron & Wells Shared Vocals]
   8. "One Man Band", 1970 on Dunhill/ABC 4262 [Negron & Hutton Shared Vocals]
   9. "Joy To the World", 1971 on Dunhill/ABC 4272, a HOYT AXTON cover [Chuck Negron Lead Vocal]
   10. "Liar", 1971 on Dunhill/ABC 4282, a RUSS BALLARD cover [Danny Hutton Lead Vocal]
   11. "An Old fashioned Love Song", 1971 on Dunhill/ABC 4294, a PAUL WILLIAMS cover [Chuck Negron Lead Vocal]
   12. "Never Been To Spain", 1972 on Dunhill/ABC 4299, a HOYT AXTON cover [Cory Wells Lead Vocal]
   13. "The Family Of Man", 1972 on Dunhill/ABC 4306, a PAUL WILLIAMS/JACK CONRAD cover [Hutton, Negron & Wells Shared Vocals]
   14. "Black & White", 1972 on Dunhill/ABC 4317 [Danny Hutton Lead Vocal]
   15. "Pieces Of April", 1972 on Dunhill/ABC 4331 [Chuck Negron Lead Vocal]
   16. "Shambala", 1973 on Dunhill/ABC 4352, a DANIEL MOORE cover [Cory Wells Lead Vocal]
   17. "Let Me Serenade You", 1973 on Dunhill/ABC 4370, a JOHN FINLEY of RHINOCERUS cover [Cory Wells Lead Vocal]
   18. "The Show Must Go On", 1974 on Dunhill/ABC 4382, a LEO SAYER/DAVID COURTNEY cover [Cory Wells Lead Vocal]
   19. "Sure As I'm Sittin' Here", 1974 on Dunhill/ABC 15001, a JOHN HIATT cover [Cory Wells Lead Vocal]
   20. "Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)", 1974 on Dunhill/ABC 15013, an ALLEN TOUSSAINT cover [Cory Wells Lead Vocal]
   21. "Til The World Ends", 1975 on ABC 12114, a DAVID LOGGINS cover [Chuck Negron Lead Vocal]
   
   The two singles missing from the set that didn't chart are their 1st, "Nobody", 1968 on Dunhill/ABC 4168 and their last, "Everybody Is A Masterpiece", 1976 on ABC 12192.
   
   Album versions of most of the songs are to be found on the following US LPs:
   "Three Dog Night", 1969 (1 and 2)
   "Suitable For Framing", 1969 (3, 4 and 5)
   "It Ain't Easy", 1970 (6 and 7)
   "Naturally", 1970 (8, 9 and 10)
   "Harmony", 1971 (11, 12 and 13)
   "Seven Separate Fools", 1972 (14 and 15)
   "Cyan", 1973 (16 and 17)
   "Hard Labor", 1974 (18, 19 and 20)
   "Coming Down Your Way", 1975 (21)
   
   96K/24-Bit Remastered by ERICK LABSON of Universal from the original tapes, the sound quality is BEAUTIFUL if such a word can be applied. I've waited years to hear non-hissy clean CD versions of "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)", "Out In The Country" and "Joy To The World" - and this set delivers them in spades. The CLEAR SOUND is startling and makes you reassess each song.
   
   It's not all peaches and cream of course - some of the songs like "Black & White" and "Til The World Ends" have dated badly, while the truly cringing Leo Sayer song "The Show Must Go On" is beyond liking and the screeching vocal butchery of Laura Nyro's "Eli's Coming" is hard to bear. But then there's the slightly psych feel to "One Man Band" and the lovely David Cassidy-sounding "Pieces Of April" - both forgotten oldies worth rediscovering. "Shambala" and "Let Me Serenade You" are not that commonly known on this side of the pond either - and again - deserve rehearing. And then there's that SOUND on all the tracks - JUST GORGEOUS!
   
   A must have for fans then - and a great sounding CD addition for lovers of the 60's/70's sound.



4. It's true that they don't make music like this anymore, and probably won't again. But that doesn't mean we can't still enjoy great music, such as presented in this CD. These talented singers were truly blessed with wonderful voices to harmonize as one.
   
   One should listen especially to "Till The World Ends" to realize the beautiful background chords that accompany the entrancing vocalization of Chuck Negron on this marvelous tune. One of TDN's most beautiful and more deserving of wider recognition.
   
   From the shouting, hard-driving choruses of "Eli's Coming," "Celebrate" and "One," to the soothing melodies of "Out In The Country" and "Easy To Be Hard", this compilation showcases the writing and singing talents of this great 60'sand 70's super group. All unforgettable songs from the past, to be enjoyed in the present.



5. The Complete Hit Singles gives us so much of the best of Three Dog Night! I love most all of their songs; they rock well and they never disappoint me! The quality of the sound is excellent and the artwork is well done, too. Sure, a few may argue that a song or two more could have been here--or maybe they could have replaced a song with another one--but overall this is a rather strong single CD compilation from this great band.
   
   "One" starts the CD with a tune you're bound to recognize if you've listened to the radio or been a fan of this group for a while. "One" shines bright as these guys rock and the electric guitars work so well! Three Dog Night sing and play this song about the loneliness that we all can feel about being single and they do it up right! "Try A Little Tenderness" has some great organ playing; and listen for "Easy To Be Hard" from Hair. "Easy To Be Hard' gets a wonderful interpretation from Three Dog Night and I'm sure you'll enjoy this melancholy song as much as I do if you haven't heard it before. "Eli's Coming" features great harmonizing and more great electric guitar for this rockin' tune; and there's also "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)" with its funky `70s beat and the music is excellent to go along with their vocals. "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)" is easily a major highlight of this album.
   
   "Joy To The World" is an excellent adaptation of a rather old set of words and music; this rock and roll version of "Joy To The World" ahs always stunned me with its beauty; and Three Dog Night does this with loads of positive energy that infuses this tune with a celebratory feeling about the joys of life and peace. In addition, Three Dog Night does a great job on "An Old Fashioned Love Song." The keyboard work includes an organ and they harmonize to perfection--and beyond! The music that goes with their singing fits in perfectly without ever drowning out the band's singing; "An Old Fashioned Love Song" is arguably one of their greatest hits ever. "Never Been To Spain" glows just as bright as Three Dog Night deliver this tune with a rock flavor mixed in with a twist of country--and man, how this does work well! Great!
   
   "Black And White" encourages peace between white people and black people--and everyone else of other races and origins, too. "Black And White" is a strong number with the percussion marking the beat; and the melody is both catchy and quite memorable. "Shambala" explores a place on this planet where everyone treats everyone else with kindness and respect--inner peace and peace amongst men are once again the theme of this tune by Three Dog Night. "The Show Must Go On" is another stunning ballad that I could never forget--and the sadness belies the somewhat upbeat rock music that goes with the lyrics.
   
   "Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)" has a fine arrangement that Three Dog Night perform with much energy; and the album ends so well with Three Dog Night performing "'Til The World Ends." "'Til The World Ends" is a very sensitive ballad and it makes a fine ending for this CD.
   
   Three Dog Night may not have stayed together forever; but while they worked together they turned out some of the greatest rock songs ever! This is a must-have for their fans and it's a stunning starter CD for people just discovering the greatest of Three Dog Night.

5 comments about Steve Miller Band - Greatest Hits 1974-1978.

1. All of the songs on here are great. Just put the cd in and hit play.



2. Just because Steve Miller's greatest hits album captures the bands most popular/commercial moments, DOES NOT mean it's the only Steve Miller Band album you should own. In fact, this is one band where the hits aren't nearly as good as the lesser known songs, or especially the live tracks (try to track down an early live Steve Miller recording, and you'll never come back to this album again).



3. I think the Steve Miller Band had some awesome songs on this CD and I am so glad Amazon.com had it available for such a great price. Thanks for the great oldie music availability.



4. This is another Greatest Hits release from the Steve Miller Band, (after Greatest Hits 1968-73), offering a collection of his greatest hits from the highest point of his career, in the mid 1970s. In this 14-song package, 13 of the hits come from two of his albums, released in adjacent years 1976 (Fly Like An Eagle,(FLAE)), and 1977 (Book Of Dreams, (BOD)). The songs for these two albums were recorded at the same time, but split among two albums rather than being released on an extra long album with more than 20 songs on it. The 14th hit stands alone as being derived from an older album, The Joker, (1973). Although this last song is unusual in that it was extracted from an older album, it is perhaps a harbinger of what was to arrive in the near future. This bluesy, humorous song is about a funny character who is described in many terms: "picker, grinner, lover, sinner"; "joker, smoker, midnight toker"; "Space Cowboy, Gangster of Love, Maurice". Each of these last three names is followed by a wacky guitar symbol.
   
   Six of these 14 songs come from the immensely popular FLAE album, released in 1976. At least half of the songs in that album can be considered hits. That album represents many different styles of music: rock 'n' roll, folk, country, and the blues, as well as SM's unique spacey style. The songs from that album included in this GH collection are: "Fly Like An Eagle" (FLAE song), perhaps the best-known song of his career and most heavily played on AOR and oldies radio stations. This album-oriented song is marked by organ accompaniment to his mellow plea for food, clothing, and shelter for the people who lack them. "Wild Mountain Honey" (WMH) is a sequal to the "FLAE" song on the original album, with fancy organ accompaniment and light drum tapping that serve as a backdrop to Steve's vocals. Both of these songs are marked by a unique Steve Miler sound of spacey, novel organ frills on the original FLAE album. Folk guitar can be heard in the rapid strumming of "Serenade" and in "Take The Money And Run", a story of a man and woman trying to rob some cash. A rock 'n' roll number is "Rock N Me", a memorable piece with a hint of southern blues similar to Roy Orbison or Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR). Finally, there is the country-sounding "Dance Dance Dance", a good choice for down-to-earth, backyard parties.
   
   The remaining seven songs come from the Book of Dreams (BOD) album, released in 1977 (although it was recorded at the same time as the FLAE album.) These seven songs represent over half of the dozen tracks on the BOD album, or 7/12 songs of that album. The instrumental "Threshold" features an organ that rises and falls in pitch smoothly, sort of like the sound of an airplane taking off, landing, or flying overhead. This track leads directly into "Jet Airliner", one of the very popular hits with the folk and southern rock style reminiscent of CCR. Other southern rock-style hits include "True Fine Love" that also sound like CCR, and "The Stake", a love song with guitar work similar to The Eagles or Joe Walsh. "Winter Time" is a folk/soft rock hit that highlights a folk guitar and harmonica, in a poem about the characteristics of winter outdoors. Steve does a very creative production of the party song "Swingtown", in which he plays with a variety of instruments, as well as the organ. Another track with Steve's unique style of toying with musical instruments is "Jungle Love", a rock 'n' roll love song that begins and ends with whistles and squeaks that probably mimic birds and monkeys and other creatures found in the jungle. This was one of his most popular hits on the radio and also on his GH album.
   
   Overall, this album would earn 5 stars for the creativity and uniqueness of SM's songs, for nobody else seems to produce a sound quite like his. However, some of these tracks are abbreviated, a couple severely. The "FLAE" song has been severely edited at both the beginning and end parts, most notably eliminating the organ trills and scales found at the ending part. More than 1 and 1/2 minutes have been chopped off this song. "Jet Airliner" has also been butchered in places, reducing its impact that was suggested by the title. Almost one minute has been removed here. "Dance Dance Dance" is the third song that has been drastically shortened here, with nearly a minute removed. "Swingtown" has also been shortened by nearly half a minute.
   
   Also, the producers could have placed the FLAE song and WMH together as in the original FLAE album. Fortunately, they have placed "Threshold" and "Jet Airliner" together. Also notably absent are some songs like "Mercury Blues" from the FLAE album, which was a popular hit: a blues-type song about a special car that the singer dreams of having in his possession. This very popular and well-known hit was remade by another artist about 18 years later, using another style.
   
   With the 14 songs in the GH album, even if all of them were full-length, unedited forms, the CD with an 80-minute capacity would be able to accommodate them. The CD with this capacity would also be able to include additional songs such as "Mercury Blues" in its full length for a remastered 15-track album. The original GH album was released on vinyl LP with a 60-minute capacity; even this would be sufficient to accommodate the original 14 songs in full-length form: they still would have amounted to less than 50 minutes. A better remastered GH album would have at least 15 songs in its lineup (the original 14 songs plus "Mercury Blues.") Fortunately, other versions of SM's GH albums have since been produced and released.
   
   With its faults, this album deserves about 3+2/3 to 4 stars. If detailed ratings were possible, the creativity and novelty of songs earns 6 stars on a 5-point scale (really), inclusion and coverage of all available SM songs would bring 4 stars, but the edited versions of songs deserve only 1 or 2 stars. Due to the greatness of SM's creations, this album will receive the benefit of the doubt and get 4 stars here.



5. This Steve Miller album gets 5 stars largely on its strength as a compilation. All of the Steve Miller hits you know from the radio are on this disc. It's all you need for an overview of Steve Miller and for slapping in the CD player when you're at a party and want some 70s rock on. This stuff is good, simple, rock music. Steve's vocals are well-backed by the guitars. Very solid album.

5 comments about Magical Mystery Tour.

1. Introduction: My brother, Marc, was a great fan of the Beatles. He was almost nine years older than me, and his music was what I listened to (not always by choice!) when I was a kid. My brother died, suddenly and unexpectedly, on 8/6/2002. Today, 8/10/08, would have been his fifty-seventh birthday.
   
   Magical Mystery Tour was the first album I bought, as a cassette tape, that might not have thrilled my parents. They saw The Beatles as hippies and a bad influence, but they did not openly object. I listened to it over and over again, way back when, and still enjoy the songs, for the most part. I now see the album as a mixed bag, quality-wise.
   
   The songs are:
   
   1. Magical Mystery Tour - Where else to start but with the title song? Not every album does, but it makes perfect sense to me. This is a very cheerful, somewhat silly song, and I like it, for the most part, but feel that it has a somewhat weak ending. It is like a tour guide inviting you along for a ride, and the ride is the rest of the album. ****
   
   2. Fool on the Hill - This song seems somewhat of a lyrics-melody mismatch, as the instrumental is cheerful, but the words tell a melancholy tale. It has some real depth to it, as the Fool could be someone under the influence, someone mentally ill, someone who is so rapt up in recreation that he becomes oblivious, or something else entirely. It is interesting to listen to, and is one of my favorites on this album. *****
   
   3. Flying - Hmmm, how did this get here? It is a nice, if not memorable, almost-completely-instrumental piece, with the only vocals not involving any words. It is okay, but no more than that. ***
   
   4. Blue Jay Way - This is easily my least favorite song on this album. Even though I have listened to the album many time, starting decades ago, I keep forgetting it. When I listen to it again, I groan and say, "Why did they do this one?" I find it depressing and shallow, and not worth my time. Maybe I keep forgetting it is that I very much want to forget it. *
   
   5. Your Mother Should Know - This one, as far as mood goes, reminds me a bit of When I'm Sixty-Four, except it is not as catchy or memorable. As far as fitting in with the album, it almost feels like someone said, "We need one more song," and The Beatles complied, similar to when a book feels like the author was writing it to fulfill a contractual obligation to a publisher. ***
   
   6. I Am the Walrus - This is another one from this album that I dislike. It is nonsensical, it meanders, and it is replete with phrases and terms that sound symbolic but, after a while, I get the feeling that The Beatles were just trying to sound inscrutable and enigmatic, to give the impression of depth and profundity, but it has no real depth or meaning to it, as far as I am confirmed. The instrumental part of it is pretty good, though. **
   
   7. Hello Goodbye - Just when you start looking for a towel to throw in, giving up on this album, this gem begins a string of the three best pieces on the album. It is interesting to hear, both musically and lyrically, with a theme of two lovers being completely at odds, without animosity, and drifting away from one another. *****
   
   8. Strawberry Fields Forever - This song is a prime example of me liking something I would not expect to like. If you just read the lyrics, I think the song does not make much sense. But, when I listen to it, I like it. I think it is not a song telling a story, which is what I usually like, but a song meant only to create a feeling or set a mood. It does that, for me, very well. ****
   
   9. Penny Lane - I usually like songs that are about something meaningful and, at first glance, this one is not. It is about ordinary life on a street named Penny Lane. That sounds very mundane and boring. It is not! It sings of neighborhood, home, and community. The melody is cheerful and flowing. Every time I hear this song, I want to stop whatever I am doing and sing along. It is not meaningless. It is about life itself. *****
   
   10. Baby You're a Rich Man - I do like the music and the sound of this song. For some reason, I do not find it memorable. When I listen to it, though, I like it each time, as it talks about how people change when they become wealthy, and how other people might see them. It does get a bit repetitive at the end, though. ****
   
   11. All You Need Is Love - It would have been good to end this album, and this review, on an upbeat note, but it was not meant to be, I guess. This is an odd song, that starts with a brassy fanfare, includes very simplistic lyrics that get repetitive, and I have some concerns about the message. Love is an essential part of life, in my opinion, but if you understand the terms of formal logic, there is a big difference between necessary and sufficient. Air and food are necessary parts of human life, but we die without water, a strong and stable immune system, shelter, and many other things. In other words, air is necessary to life, but it is not sufficient. This song repeatedly forwards the idea that "love is all you need," which means it is a necessary and sufficient ingredient. Maybe I am being way too picky, and I can be, at times, but if you put a point on the table, over and over again, it better stand up to scrutiny. This song does not do so, and it just annoys me. The instrumentals are good, and the voices do sound good, but thumbs down on the message. **
   
   Overall: Many albums have an underlying, connective message, or theme, like chapters in a book. That is not necessary, but I like it, when it is there. This album is at the opposite end of the spectrum. It is a hodgepodge compilation of songs that vary markedly in quality, mood, depth, and message. I still have very fond memories of it from childhood, but that does not make it a good album. It is redeemed, somewhat, by the second, seventh, and ninth songs, and Penny Lane is one of the best work by the group. As an album, it earns thirty-eight of a possible fifty-five stars, or an average rating of 3.45 stars.



2. I have always loved this album. So underrated. So many Beatle albums are good, this one is great. I could listen to this forever, and trust me, I will.



3. 
   Yep, I'd heard plenty of Beatles' songs. But when my brother gave me the LP (vinyl) of this album after it had come out, this was my first Beatles' recording. I wore it out playing it on my cheap record players and too-long-used needles. But it was a lot of fun while it lasted!
   
   The sound is a lot different from the early Beatles albums. There are some glorious songs on this CD--as well as a few idiosyncratic items.
   
   The CD begins with the title song, "Magical Mystery Tour." A pleasing composition, with repetitive (almost hypnotic) lines. A sampling:
   
   "Roll up--Roll up for the Magical Mystery Tour,
   Roll up Roll up for the Mystery Tour.
   I've got an invitation to make a reservation."
   
   Psychedelic music that is still musical!
   
   This is followed by "The Fool on the Hill," a simple tune with good keyboard work. Some lines:
   
   "And nobody seems to like him they can tell what he wants to do.
   And he never shows his feelings but the Fool on the hill
   Sees the sun going down. . . ."
   
   Then, the late Beatles' classic, "I Am the Walrus."
   
   Remember the tag line?
   
   "I am the eggman, they are the eggmen
   I am the walrus goo goo ga joo."
   
   The CD closes out with a series of neat songs, one after the other--"Hello Goodbye," "Strawberry Fields Forever" (I really like that song!), "Penny Lane (Another neat tune), "Baby You're A Rich Man," and "All You Need Is Love" (a classic Beatles' work).
   
   Maybe not as well known or as well reputed as works recorded at about the same time (think Sgt. Pepper. . .), but an estimable work nonetheless.



4. Migical Mystrey Tour is a good album.
   It is not aa good as Sgt. Pepper or some other albums of that time.
   It does have some of the most innovative and original songs the Beatles had ever done.
   What was unique was the way it was recorded. With the technology of the tmie they had to hire musicians from the London Symphony instead of simply programming keyboards as they do now.
   You hear Cellos and violins along with trumpets and French horns.
   There was no limit to the experimenting and the genuius of Lennon and McCartney.
   I remember hearing I am the walrus for the first time in 1967. It was so far from anything else I had ever heard it was not even funny.
   Instead of Rock and Roll you get alot of classical orchestration. Actually it is quite appealing to me.
   The title song Magical Mystrey Tour was used to open Paul McCartney's World Tour, I have to admit it was a great way to open the concert.
   All you need is Love is included and one of Lennons best.
   Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields is included as well.
   This is not the best album the Beatles have ever done, but it is worthy of a few listens................



5. I forget sometimes how amazing this album is. It's not usually mentioned along with the Beatles' greatest albums ("Sgt. Pepper's", "Revolver", "Abbey Road" and the White Album), but if you look at the number of masterpieces on "Magical Mystery Tour", I think it has to be in the conversation. (Maybe it's the ghastly cover that keeps it from getting its due?).
   
   Aside from a few lesser songs ("Flying", "Blue Jay Way" and "Baby You're A Rich Man"), every song is a timeless classic, with both John and Paul contributing some of their finest work. Eight out of eleven is a pretty hard to beat. Even by the Beatles.

5 comments about Sounds Of Summer - The Very Best Of The Beach Boys.

1. Cool music of the days gone bye...great music for sing along while doing the boring exercise just pass'in the treadmill time away. Yes, singing on the treadmill in one's mind's eye...



2. If you are a fan of the Beach Boys but not enough of a fan to own all of their albums, then this one is for you. It has alot of their best hits. I enjoy the whole album and it always cheers me up when I listen to it. Very upbeat and fun.



3. Sounds of Summer, yes! Year-round summer is what California has always represented to the rest of the USA. The Beach Boys sang the surfer lifestyle into American and world consciousness, and doing so declared California's musical and cultural independence from the East Coast. The Beach Boys also sang the independence of teenagers of the Baby Boom, with cars and purchasing power, from their parents' generation of frugal, anxious conformists shaped by the Great Depression. They sang the primacy of summer and outdoor life over the stuffy classroom and grimy workplace. There's not a word of piety or propriety in any of Brian Wilson's songs; the Beach Boys were prophets of a life style free of shibboleths, in a world of sun-tanned smiles and endless summer. How could anyone not be thrilled by such a prospect?
   
   Musically, the Beach Boys were tight, driving, innovative, the best dance music ever, and they never went noir on us, never wallowed, never whined. You might say they never grew up, they lived in a false paradise of surf boards and bikinis, but I'd say 'more power to 'em'. The Miwok Indians of California used to believe that dancing kept the world in balance, and if the dancing stopped, catastrophes would erupt. The Beach Boys kept the world dancing, at least for a few decades.
   
   This is a great, ample, well-engineered collection of the Beach Boys' greatest songs from their golden times. I doubt we'll ever hear their like.



4. listening to this music brings me back to my high school days in the 60's. Pure pleasure.



5. "Sounds of Summer" is the right name for this CD. Listening to all of the Beach Boys top hits will make you feel that summer is here no matter what the weather.

5 comments about The Mamas & the Papas - Greatest Hits.

1. I too wanted to hear the Sweet Harmony of The Momas and The Papas. The collection of songs aweome! Everyone of them a winner. Twist and Shout and Dancing in the street odd to my ears but but hey the rest of the Album brings back many memories. But alas I downloaded this Album as a MP3 and the playback is horrible all you hear is the lead vocal the harmonies are absent! The music plays faintly in the back ground and the lead vocal might as well be singing accaplla and all alone. I don't know what went wrong but Amazon is refunding my 5 bucks. I have downloaded music before on Amazon and this the first time I had a problem. And this one is a bummer. I looked forward to adding this to my Mp3 player. I will order the Album (CD) direct this time. ------All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray....:( 5 star album, 1 star download



2. if you like the sounds of this era and want the hear some classic folk music, this is great. wouldn't want to miss adding it to your collection.



3. What a bizarre afternoon. I was going along the foothills of my beloved Idaho, when my legs gave out on me. I fell down after what seemed like an eternity and landed yoga position into what seemed like a rabbit hole. I was a little dizzy, but I could see where I landed with the penetrating sunlight. Had I fallen into a prairie dog hole? There aren't any prairie dogs here, and the only ones I've ever seen are in Colorado. For that matter I've never seen rabbits here, either. So what gives? Amazingly, I got up and found myself no worse for wear. I felt a little foolish; for as I stood up and rubbed my knees, they were not even close to being broken. After a few wobbly steps, I went forward with my usual stride, and after a few feet I felt the pain melt away from my knees.
   
   Getting out of that hole wasn't easy, but seeing a set of tree roots, I took off my belt, threw it up until the buckle fastened to one of its sturdier lines, climbed up along the edge of the inner walls until I was high enough to reach another branch-like extension. Grabbing a hold of it, I climbed up until I could reach the rim at the top of the hole.
   
   To my surprise there was something completely different on the other side. As I pulled myself up, I was in a different neighborhood now. The streets were slanted by large, steep hills, and Victorian houses with bright rainbow colors flanked both sides of the street. I looked down, and it appeared without any evidence of metal, I had climbed out of a man hole while the nearest tree in sight was several yards away. At my near right was a girl sitting at what looked like a lemonade stand. She was wearing a Victorian-style dress, had long blonde hair, and wore a little lapel button that read "Alice" on it. On the front of her rustic, wobbly framed stand was a white sign with lettering that made me wince. With neon pink paint was written, "Electric Kool-Aide 10 Cents a Glass".
   
   "Would you like a glass?" she asked me. I hesitated. I was slacked for thirst, and realized I had left my water bottle back in the hole. "I could give you a free sample," she prodded, but I looked at a folded paper sign that she had on her stand where "Drink Me" was written in day-glo blue letters with an equally luminous smiley face drawn on it. Attached to the smile was painted a long, blue electrical chord that went to a mini picture of a wall outlet--same color. It was just below a large pitcher of that sugary red kiddie punch with half-melted ice cubes floating on top and sweat dripping along the outside of its volcanic shaped sides. In the front I noticed a familiar smiley face etched in its foundation. Except as I looked more closely, I noticed the smile wasn't a smile at all, but a grin turned terrible with eyebrows that gave the facial features a sinister appearance.
   
   `Where did you get that?' I asked in quiet horror. Seeing I was gazing at her pitcher, she replied, "My sister gave it to me. It's a joke. Don't you get it? It's like have a bad day. It's just supposed to be funny." I was partly relieved; for having thought I fell into a time warp, I now thought maybe the pitcher was taken from a Bon Jovi C.D. cover.
   
   `No thank you.' I said absently even as I swallowed with a dry throat. Just then I heard singing. Beautiful singing. Heavenly singing. I mean women and men making a siren's cry all around me. I was seduced by the sounds of harmonies that blended, but became more sonorous as it came near me. The sounds were coming from the left of where I first stood from the hole. Then at the top of the sidewalk to my left I saw two couples walking down the hill towards us. There was a tall guy with a furry, Russian hat and a pencil-thin moustache. Then there was a young woman next to him with thin, blonde hair wearing periwinkle in her long locks. Diagonally behind them was another couple. A man with an oval face and dark, Beatle-cut hair was just behind them with another woman beside him. I started to notice that I heard her voice most distinctively of the whole group. She was a large woman with long, dark hair. At first the sound came as a burst, but then it became more distinct. They were singing "California Dreamin,'" and I was indeed in San Francisco in what had to be 1966 or 1967. John, Cass, and Denny were alive and well, and Michelle was quite young and with them, singing along the way.
   
   I was enraptured as they came nearer to us. I felt a seductive wall-of-sound envelop me as I forgot my stiffness and my thirst. As they came toward us, they locked eyes with me, and I couldn't help but stare at them. They turned their eyes from me and looked at Alice, and, undoubtedly John, smiled at her and asked her for a glass to drink. He eyed me a little more warily, for it isn't polite to stare; I know this.
   
   With my mouth slightly agape, I blurted out, 'Do "Twelve-thirty"! Do "Twelve-thirty"!' "Do you mind?" John reproached me gently. "We need this stuff right now." 'Oh, sure,' I said feeling a little idiotic.
   
   "What's 'Twelve-thirty?'" It was Mama Cass who turned and asked me this. "I mean who's it by? Who sings that one?" I stumbled a little, feeling the hairs on my neck stand up as I realized that song hadn't been invented yet. `I don't know,' I blurted out stupidly. `I was hoping you might know it...It's my favorite song.'
   
   "Sing a few bars for us," said Denny. Between my nervous infatuation with the band and my dry throat, I croaked out the words in a nearly tuneless monotone.
   
   "Interesting concepts there," said John.
   "I think it needs a little work," offered Michelle in an off-hand way.
   
   "It's really your own song, isn't it?" asked John. I tried to speak, but John put his hand up to silence me. "It's all right," he said with a disconcerting smile. "We get that all the time." After a brief pause he added, "It's not bad; it just needs an extra verse or two." By then I admit I felt a little dizzy.
   
   "Will you be joining us?" Cass asked me lifting up a glass like she was giving a toast.
   
   `No, thank you,' to which when they looked at me curiously, `I'm a diabetic,' I lied to save face.
   
   As they slacked their thirst, they started to walk down the sidewalk. People were starting to do the same on both sides of the street as interest was picking up about their new visitors, who, if memory served me correctly, resided somewhere around L.A.
   
   I couldn't hear what they were saying as they left, but as they were talking, I heard Cass start to hum a lingering melody. After a few bars, I recognized it. It was "Dream a Little Dream of Me." As they walked, I noticed John started to wince at the sight of the nearby houses. It looked like they made his eyes hurt.
   
   I knew out of necessity I had to go back to the hole. Still, the timelessness of their music rushed back to me: "Monday, Monday," "I Saw Her Again," "Go Where You Want to Go," the ethereal "Look Through My Window," the idiosyncratic "Dancing Bear," and the funny, self-effacing, "Creeque Alley". Ah, I was so refreshed; maybe I didn't need a drink, after all, as a cool breeze came from the Bay to hit my sweaty face.
   
   Just before I left I saw another familiar face up the street. A little boy, looking no older than seven, had a round head with red hair and plastic, black rimmed glasses. "Come here, Mister; my lemonade doesn't have sugar. It has saccharine instead," he said confidently. I felt my thirst return, so I went across the street and a bit to the left to his lemonade stand. He had a similar set-up, but he had a yellowish-green figure on his banner that looked like Buddah and a caption that read in neon-green letters, "It's Bad Karma to Steal Lemonade."
   
   'What's it got in it?' I asked apprehensively.
   
   "Only the freshest lemons, water, and, of course, no sugar." He looked at me eagerly as he pushed up his glasses, and then added proudly, "I have a corner on the market for people who are on a diet."
   
   I paid just a nickel, which I fortunately had because I seldom carry cash, and I looked at the boy who had a huckster smile if there ever was one.
   
   "Would you like to buy my special of ten glasses for forty cents?" he asked smugly. I grimaced, and being a little tired of the displacement chided, 'You sure are a precocious little boy, aren't you?' The boy looked a little dour and a little hurt. After a little pause, he smiled again and said, "When I grow up I'm going to be a writer." After that offhand announcement, a lizard came out of nowhere and walked across the top of his lemonade stand. I was so startled, I nearly spilled my glass of lemonade. "I want to write because of people like you," he added without a trace of petulance. "I'm going to try to make this world a better place." I immediately regretted my calloused remark, and said amiably, 'Thanks for the offer, but no thanks.'
   
   After I drained the liquid down my parched throat, I felt friendly again. `Where did you get the gila monster?' I asked.
   
   "Oh, it's no gila monster. That there is my pet dragon." I smiled at him warmly, pleased that he seemed to at least have the imagination of someone his age. 'What's his name,' I asked, 'Puff?' and started to laugh. He looked down and a little perturbed like I had asked something he didn't understand. "He doesn't have a name--not yet."
   
   He readjusted his glasses, then asked, "What's your name, mister?"
   
   'You can call me J.P.' I said amiably.
   
   "Nice to meet you, Mister J.P. My name's Eddie."
   
   `Eddie?' I said stupidly.
   
   "Eddie--or you can call me `Metamorpho`, that`s my nickname."
   
   And just then, I was transfixed by the eyes of the dragon. For indeed that's just what the little lizard was. As his eyes glowed with a hot, red glare, I was hypnotized into a trance. After some spinning that made me feel more dizzy, I felt myself float...rise above the ground, and found myself suspended in the air. I found myself traveling, and instead of ending up on the warm, sunny footpath of the outdoor trail, I was transplanted to my computer monitor, where I just had to write down and tell you this incredible tale...



4. I've listened to this two or three times since purchasing it and never in one sitting. A little bit if this band goes a long way. I've inserted four songs into my digital collection and that seems about right.



5. This CD is the best thing since white bread....it brought back all those memories and feeling from thos way back then days --of MAMMA CASS and the harmonies of the MAMMAS AND THE PAPPAS !!!
   
   GREAT STUFF !!!!!
   
   All the tunes that I want to hear are on this and the sound is just wonderful !!.Better even than the original 33's !
   
   If you want to hear this type of music.....get this --because you will LOVE it .

5 comments about Déjà Vu.

1. The title of this album is now ironic. When I listen to it I can remember the sweet smell of smoke as an 8 track cranked out music and pick-up trucks and cars formed a lazy half circle around a small fire. Leafs crunched and cracked under our feet and in the night air a few wore jeans jackets and some wore plaid wool shirts but all wore Levi's and sneakers. A silver keg had many many friends and clusters of laughter would roll from one group to the next. We shared the laughs and we shared the beer and the weed. Opinions were so clear. We shared everything but fear. There was so little fear in youth then though we all knew someone in the war far away. That bought it home. Through the night our party marched to it's own beat making progress standing still and that was getting high. So high. Youth goes on and on and in those nights no clock could say when or that's enough. Through the night cars left and came to the place in the woods down by the Res bringing more friends of my friends. Taunt and supple bodies danced above the shining smoke. Everyone was real and perfectly flawed. Ambition was set aside that night for desire. My eye had an apple spied. You were there too weren't you. We have all been here before. Do you know. Do you wonder. Feel like I've been here before. Four voices in harmony with guitars. I had a blanket in my pickup and I knew a place a short walk away. Over a hill and near the water. We'll bring some beers. Come sit with me down by the water and whisper with me away from the fire. I'll get you warm. Through the trees we can still hear the four voices in harmony with guitars and the see the sweet smoke that drifted over. What's going on down under you? We have all been her before. The night left back at the Res is locked on a compact disc. A fire with no smoke sings on.



2. With the Beatles, the whole was greater than the sum of the parts. Here, I'm afraid, the opposite is true. On this pretentious catastrophe of an album, two "great" (??) bands collide, the drippy and mellifluous Crosby Stills & Nash and the astringent-voiced faux yokel Neil Young. Adding to the confusion, one of the best songs on the album, "4 + 20," is channeling pure Paul Simon and one of the worst, "Everybody I Love," is a watered down version of watered-down-white-boy-Three-Dog-Night-style soul. I love this album, despite its obvious defects, for the timeless "classic rock" hits (e.g., "Carry On" and "Woodstock") but perhaps most of all for its early 1970s hippie turned farmer nostalgia value ("Country Girl..."). A solid two stars. Or three. At *MOST* four. All these five star reviewers need to pass me the bong...



3. Definitely an album everyone wanted back in 1970, especially with the rich texture of the LP cover. Only weak spots are Teach Your Children and Our House, both by Graham Nash, by far the weakest member of the group.



4. If you're fan of the 60's music then you'll enjoy this CD. If you're a CSNY fan then it's a must. I found the quality very good.



5. This is one of CSN&Y's best. I listened to the vinyl version in the 70's till it was worn out. Glad to see it is on CD now. I highly reccomend it to any music lover.