5 comments about Lion King.

1. Actually I didn't get this item, becuse the owner said to me, 'That item has problem so I'll refund.' He(She) did. Moreover comunication didn't have problem.(it did immdeatry.) So I also saticefay.
   If I want to buy something, I'll use Amazon again.
   I think your system is loyal, so I become trust your system.
   Thanks everything.



2. I have this album, its one of my favorites, I played it many times since I got it, one of my friends gave it to me because she had a sort out and didn't want it.
   This soundtrack, also Rhythm of the pridelands, The Lion King musical album all of them are fantastic, I never get fed up with them, i'm sure I will never give them away to anyone, but I would highly recommend to anybody who likes Disney to give them a go and buy an album so they can hear for themselves how lovely the songs are!
   If music like this didn't touch my heart in any way or lift my spirit, I would not buy it or recommend it.
   The songs from The Lion King are my favourite because I can relate to the majority of the story.
   Like Simba I lost my Dad when I was young back in 1994, Simba blamed himself after his Dad died, so did I for a while. Simba obviously did not kill his father, it was his uncle. I wasn't to blame either for my Dad's death, he smoked all his life, gave up when he was ill, but it was too late by then. He developed lung cancer and in 1994 he passed away, I believe he's in heaven and I will see him again.
   The next year after he died The Lion King was released at the cinema.
   It was the first film i'd ever seen at the cinema, and for personal reasons its the best Disney film.
   Simba faced his past when he was an adult, he went back to reclaim his place in the circle of life by challenging his nasty uncle.
   I didn't do this but I did face my past by saying goodbye, I took flowers to the cemetery with my sister, I also took a helium balloon with me.
   I wrote a message on paper and tied it to the string and said a few words then let it go.
   My sister and me didn't attend our Dads funeral our mum didn't think it a good idea, she thought it would be too upsetting for us.
   About a month before I was 13 in 1996, I began to suffer with anxiety/depression, I suffered with it on and off for roughly 7 or 8 years. I didn't know until that time had passed that my Dads death was the route cause of it all, I dont' blame my mum atall for not allowing me to go to the funeral, at the time she thought it was the best decision.
   I realize this is a long post but if I made it too short you wouldn't get the whole picture.
   I have had alot of help and support during the dark times in my life that anxiety/depression had caused. Im so much better than I was, I still experience some anxiety today however it is not as debilitating as it used to be.
   All the help ive had from friends and counsellors I believe all came from God. Ultimately if it was not for his help and healing, I may not be typing this post today. I'm sure God is real and I know he is, some past experiences iv'e had definitely confirm that to me, I would not want to have a life without God in it!!!!!!!!!
   If anyone who reads this can relate to The Lion King or my story, then I strongly suggest listening to the wonderful music, see if it touches your heart like the way it has mine!



3. Hello everyone. I am an avid collector of film scores, especially rare and out of print promotional items. With over 200 scores in my collection I know the subject well. Among them is a copy of The Lion King: The COMPLETE Score by academy award winner Hans Zimmer. The score features mainly Hans' instrumental music from the film, but there are some tracks that include "Circle of Life", "Can you Feel the Love Tonight", and "Be Prepared". Overall, Mr. Zimmer's work on this album is exceptional and he definitely earned the oscar for his work here. If you can manage to locate a copy I highly recommend picking it up. Not only will you get terrific music but you can also say "I own the super-rare complete score"! Here is a track listing:
   
   1. Circle of Life
   2. Life Isn't Fair, is it?
   3. The Once and Future King
   4. Plotting
   5. The Elephant Graveyard
   6. King of the Past
   7. Hyenas
   8. Stampede
   9. To Die For
   10. What Have You Done?/Run Away
   11. Alternate 1
   12. A New Era/Bowling for Buzzards
   13. Simba Awakens
   14. Under the Stars/Simba Alive
   15. Hunting/Pinned Again/Reunion
   16. Alternate 2
   17. An Argument/You're Mufasa's Boy
   18. This is my Home
   19. The Return/Battle of Pride Rock
   20. Alternate 3
   21. Alternate 4



4. I'm not exactly the world's biggest "Lion King" fan, but I do like the soundtrack. The songs are very good, especially "Circle of Life" and Elton John's version of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight". And I love the musical scores. Probably my most favorite scores are "To Die For" (even though it's a tragic scene in the movie, the music itself gives me goosebumps, and I mean that in a good way), "This Land", and "King of Pride Rock". This kind of music is definitely award-winning material.



5. I love this CD, Hans Zimmer is a brilliantly talented person, and and all the original music on this CD are amazing, very few soundtracks today can compete....
   However....
   SOMEONE saw fit to add a song...both to the original movie, and now the only soundtrack a person can buy. :S (Stupid 'Morning Report')
   Why? Its like raping talent...
   If Disney is going to lock up our childhood movies for years at a time, can't they at least give them back to us uncorupted?

No comments about Kids Karaoke, Vol. 1.

5 comments about Cats (1981 Original London Cast).

1. A good musical, yet not the greatest by Lloyd Webber. Actually, the song "Memory" is the only one in our memories. The rest seems to me quite average. We should have in mind that a few years later Webber wrote wonderful songs for each one of his musicals: PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, SUNSET BOULEVARD and the unfortunate WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND, besides his previous masterpiece, JESUSCHRIST SUPERSTAR, with almost an entire collection of classical and marvelous songs. I saw CATS in Broadway back in 1992 and I saw it again last year here in Chile: I guess some cats were left on the plane on their way down here because the southamerican tour production looked quite poor compared to the Broadway version. It was shown in a huge arena and in a frontal stage, quite different to the half-circled and smaller Winter Garden Stage.



2. I do not mean to ruffle anybody's feathers in my comments of this particular CATS recording, However, of all the official English-language recordings this recording sounds a little stilted and wanting in that littbe bit of energy. Part of it could be due to some of the performances, and part of it because this album uses the first version of CATS. Yet despite the lack of oomph, it is quite good and redeems itself by the aura it projects for being the world-premiere recording of the score.
   
   This recording features the Grizabella of Elaine Paige, who can be considered a true Grizabella in her own right. It's true that this early recording doesn't allow her to nuance the role as she did in the video, but she conveys a strength and vulnerability in her portrayal. Paige's rendition of Memory is solid, but at this early stage she had yet to mature into the role. I guess that it's also because this recording used the single version of the song, and that's probably why it sounds stilted. Brian Blessed partners her with his sincere and benevolent portrayal of Old Deuteronomy, and the rest of the performers fare quite well. However, I found Paul Nicholas as The Rum Tum Tugger to be somewhat wanting in energy. He fares a little better in his rendition of Mr. Mistoffelees, but doesn't smoke it out in his standout number. I think this is pretty much the case for most of the performers here, as the performances of the cast as a whole sound solid yet stilted at the same time. The orchestrations are less flashy and somewhat weak but you can hear the sort of sound that Lloyd-Webber originally intended for the musical, and the variants. Yes, this West End cast recording is like a concept album of sorts, staying closer to the T.S. Eliot cat poems without cutting verses as in later productions.
   
   The redeeming feature of this West End cast recording are the variants of numbers that were changed in lature productions. One variant, the duet for Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer is set to an unvarying and jazzy melody that Lloyd-Webber replaced with the vaudeville-like version as heard on the Broadway video and in the video. The other variant is the duet for Growltiger and Griddlebone during Growltiger's Last Stand. Before this duet number was replaced with the better-fitting Puccini spoof, Growltiger and Griddlebone sang a rather unromantic drinking song about a musically talented parrot named Billy M'Caw. Even if Lloyd-Webber admits to preferring Billy M'Caw I tend to like the Puccini spoof a little better as it better integrates itself into the scene. For those who are used to the later versions of these numbers and to the beefed-up orchestration of the Broadway and video versions, this recording can offer a nice contrast. Yet in my view they have only made the rewrites and revisions that Lloyd-Webber added to the score for the rest of the productions much better. Despite my feelings, at least the aura of this recording is enough to save it from being stilted, despite the solid performances from everyone concerned. And besides, it includes extra verses that were cut for the Broadway and subsequent productions of the show, so it makes this album feel closer to the T.S. Eliot poems.
   
   It's good to see this recording in a reissue that treats it with respect. The 2 CDs come in a slimline double-disc case, packaged in a neat slipcase. The booklets are an improvement over those in the previous Polydor releases, as they have offered a better-print edition of the libretto and the production credits, including the musical numbers. However, I do admit that there isn't much of a difference in sound quality between this release and the original Polydor CD. The CDs appear to have been pressed from the original CD master rather than the better-sounding remastered version that was released in 1998. I know that if I were to recommend this West End cast recording I would recommend the 1998 remastered version, as it sounds less muffled compared to the sound on this release. Yet it would not be practical because that 1998 CD costs a whopping 65 dollars.
   
   In short, even if CATS fans covet this recording I'm sorry to say I don't covet it as much as they do. I acknowledge its strengths, but yet I know it sounds a little stilted on the whole. Even so, this recording redeems itself with its solid performance and the aura of it representing the first thoughts of Andrew Lloyd-Webber and staying close to T.S. Eliot's source material before the show was tweaked and altered for Broadway. But my first choice for a CATS recording still lies with the Broadway cast Cats: Complete Original Broadway Cast Recording (1982 Original Broadway Cast)as it's got this energy that makes the show work, without destroying its spirit and nature.



3. I have heard many different recordings of the show CATS and I still find the original London cast to be best. The songs are brilliant, the music fantastic and the singers magnificent. Elaine Paige is the original and the best Grizabella.



4. The London verson has a longer overture and has more lyrics then the b way version
   1. overture..........London
   2. Jelicle Songs.....London
   3. Naming of Cats....London
   4. Invitation........London
   5. Gumbie Cat........B way [shorter]
   6. Rum Tum Tugger...London
   7. Grizabella.......Same
   8. Bustopher Jones..London
   9. Mungo & rumple...Tie But Lundon Is much slower!
   10.Old D...........London [but longer]
   11.Jellicle ball..tie Shorter than B way
   12.Memory.........London
   13. Moments Of Happiness. London
   14. Gus..........London
   15. Skimble shanks.London
   16. Macavity.London
   17. Mistofoless. London
   18 Memory. London
   19 heviside layor.london
   20 ad ressing. london london wins!!!!



5. Like most people, I've been torn between London and Broadway for a while. I'll admit, I'm fond of both London and Broadway, but some songs I like on Broadway more than London, and vice versa. However, when I bought the Australian recording, it turned into my favorite CATS recording, hands down. They have EVERY song in there, (Growltiger's Last Stand, and Battle of the Pekes and Pollicles) Anyhow, here's my biased opinion on which of the three recordings dominate in certain songs.
   
   
   Overture - The overture is pretty much the same
   
   Jellicle Song for Jellicle Cats - London
   
   Naming of Cats - Australia
   
   Invitation to the Jellicle Ball - Broadway
   
   Old Gumbie Cat - London but Australia's is pretty darn good
   
   Rum Tum Tugger - I'm not very fond of London's version or Broadway's. I'd have to say Australia, but Broadway is just as good.
   
   Grizabella - London
   
   Bustopher Jones - London
   
   Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer - Australia. This version has a very interesting Mungo and Rumpel
   
   Old Deuteronomy - London or Broadway
   
   Jellicle Ball - London
   
   Grizabella: The Glamour Cat - Tie
   
   
   Memory - Okay, Elaine Paige is about as good as it gets. But Debbie Byrne from Australia delivers a heart felt Memory also.
   
   Gus: The Theatre Cat - Australia
   
   Growltiger's Last Stand/The Ballad of Billy McCaw - All are good
   
   Macavity: The Mystery Cat - Australia
   
   Mr. Mistoffelees - Australia. The Australian Rum Tum Tugger is a lot better. And while I'm a huge Sarah Brightman fan, and you can hear her overpowering in this song, I still say Australia wins here.
   
   Memory - Moment of truth. I love Elaine Paige. Her Memory is as good as it gets. However, some would say that Elaine's version is too soft and sweet, and isn't bitter and cold enough. This song could go both ways. Betty Buckley certainly expressed rage and power in this song, but maybe too much. In my personal opinon, Elaine's version is too soft, and Buckley's version is too cold. Debbie Byrne is a perfect medium, and she expresses remorse, sorrow, pain, anger, and loneliness in perfect harmony. I'd have to say Australia.
   
   Journey to the Heaviside Layer - Not much of a difference. Tie between all three.
   
   Ad-Dressing of Cats - Broadway. THANK GOD FOR KEN PAGE.

No comments about Nouvelle Vague.

No comments about Are We Almost There?.

No comments about Cabaret.

4 comments about The Roaring Twenties.

1. What a great collection.
   You just want to tap your foot...then get up and dance to the BIG BANDS of the 1920's as well as sing along with other songs. (there are a few songs from 1930)
   This collection is a vital part of our American history.
   From the wind up Victrola, some 78-RPM discs, and steel needle to using Stereo software programs resulting in a rich stereo sound only coming from a mono source.
   well worth the money...IM very happy.



2. Terrific set- good overview and arrangement of the great music of the 20's...



3. The selections and remastering are good. Most of the selections are from the electric recording era, (after 1925) which means some better sound quality. My only question is why not a two CD set with 20 selections per disc, instead of four discs with 10 selections each?



4. We purchased this set to play in our antique store, and it has been getting rave reviews from employees and customers. We recommend this to anyone with an interest in the early twentieth century lifestyle and music, it is a wonderful compendium of songs and performers. Well worth the money.

No comments about This Is the Moment.

No comments about Copenhagen (Original Broadway Cast Recording).

No comments about Best of Andy Williams: Standards.