The Home Recordings

The Home Recordings

ASIN: B00006JKAX

Track Listings

1. Clouds Will Soon Roll By

2. Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain

3. I'm Lonely and Blue

4. End of the World

5. Address Unknown

6. Born to Lose

7. I'm Thinkin' Tonight of My Blue Eyes

8. Down on the Old Plantation

9. Dear Evalina

10. Don't Live a Lie

11. If I Had My Way

12. I Hang My Head and Cry

13. Keep a Light in Your Window Tonight

14. By a Window at the End of the Lane

15. My Pretty Quadroon

16. Blue Ridge Mountain Blues

17. Oklahoma Waltz/Cherokee Waltz

18. I Wonder Where You Are Tonight/One Sweet Letter from You

19. Fool's Paradise

20. My Darlin' Lola Lee

Tracks:

Overture - Orchestra
Many Moons Ago - Harry Snow
An Opening For A Princess - Joe Bova and Ensemble
In A Little While - Allen Case, Anne Jones
Shy - Carol Burnett, Joe Bova And Ensemble
Sensitivity - Jane White, Robert Weil
The Swamps Of Home - Carol Burnett, Joe Bova And Ensemble
Normandy - Harry Snow, Matt Mattox, Anne Jones
Spanish Panic - Jane White
Song Of Love - Carol Burnett, Joe Bova And Ensemble
Quiet - Jane White And Ensemble
Studio Dialogue - Carol Burnett
Happily Ever After - Carol Burnett
Man To Man Talk - Matt Mattox, Joe Bova
Very Soft Shoes - Matt Mattox And Ensemble
Yesterday I Loved You - Allen Case, Anne Jones
Nightingale Lullaby - Ginny Perlowin
Finale - Joe Bova, Matt Mattox, Jack Gilford And Ensemble

Amazon.com

Based on Hans Christian Andersen's tale The Princess and the Pea, Once Upon a Mattress opened in May 1959 and was a solid success, if not a huge blockbuster. It did well enough, in any case, to warrant a 1997 revival starring Sarah Jessica Parker. The show was far from revolutionary, but it provided a really fun vehicle for a cast of top stage personalities, including black actress Jane White, who played Queen Aggravain (a part originally written for comedienne Nancy Walker) in whiteface. But of course, Once Upon a Mattress's heart and soul was Carol Burnett, who, in her Broadway debut created the part of Princess Winnifred and delivered two of Mary Rodgers's best songs, the hilarious "Shy" and the spunky "Happily Ever After," which sounds a bit like Jule Styne at his most rhythmic. Burnett's timing and performance remain as sharp as they were 40 years ago. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

"Mattress" CD was excellent.......2007-01-09

I've really enjoyed this CD. I only wish the play was available on DVD.

an oldie but a goodie.......2006-03-15

Loved Carol Burnett then and love her now. This original cast CD is a lovely trip down memory lane.

Nothing like the original -- .......2006-01-30

No offense to any of the subsequent "Freds" but Carol Burnett OWNS this role. The recording is as fresh and funny as anything being done today and this is the version musical theatre fans should have in their library. Get it.

Awesome.......2006-01-22

My school did this musical last year (Spring 2005) and I had never heard of it before, so I bought both the Revial and the Original Cast Recordings. Fell in love. I was Sir Harry and loved both songs that I sang in. In my opinion, those are the two best songs in the entire musical, but then again, I'm biased.

Once Upon A Mattress OCR is by far the best out there. Don't get me wrong, the Revival Cast did a wonderful job (soundtrack at least) But There is something about Carol Burnett. She was meant to sing be Fred. But one thing that I didn't like is that "The Minstrel, the Jester & I" wasn't in this recording. But that is really the only problem I had with this.

My fav songs include:
In a Little While (because I sang it)
Yesterday I Loved You (again, I sang it)
Many Moons Ago
Shy

Would I recomend this CD? YES I WOULD!! I would shout it from the rooftops that people should by this CD! It's a funny, quaint little musical that people need to know about. I LOVE IT!

I saw the original on Broadway.......2005-12-19

Once Upon a Mattress was one of the first Broadway shows that I ever saw and I was totally mesmorized and laughed so hard that my side hurt. Carol Burnett was the perfect person to play Fred and it was one of those magical performances that stays with you for a lifetime. The original cast album captures the fun and spirit of the show.

Later during the run of the show a friend of mine joined the chorus and when we talked about the experience, he told me that the joy that was on stage was similar to that felt by the cast and that was apparent on the album. They especially liked working with Ms. Burnett as she was a giving and caring actress.

I recommend this album to anyone who wants to spend some time just feeling good.

Prison Songs (Historical Recordings From Parchman Farm 1947-48), Vol. 1: Murderous Home

Average customer rating:

Real Gangstas, Role Models, and Elvis Presley
DEEP
Incredibly powerful music
One of the great documents of American music.

Prison Songs (Historical Recordings From Parchman Farm 1947-48), Vol. 1: Murderous Home
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Rounder Select
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Compilations | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music

General | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Delta Blues | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Prison Songs (Historical Recordings From Parchman Farm 1947-48), Vol. 2: Don'tcha Hear Poor Mother Calling?
Treasury of Library of Congress Field Recordings
Negro Work Songs & Calls
Land Where the Blues Began
Afro-American Spirituals, Work Songs, And Ballads

ASIN: B0000002UV
Release Date: 1997-09-28

Tracks:

The Murderer's Home - Jimpson & group
No More, My Lord - Jimpson & axe gang
Old Alabama - B.B. & group
Black Woman - B.B. & group
Jumpin' Judy - Tangle Eye, Fuzzy Red, Hard Hair, & group
Whoa Buck - C.B.
Prettiest Train - '22'
Old Dollar Mamie - '22' & group
It Makes A Long Time Man Feel Bad - '22' & group
Rosie - C.B. & axe gang
Levee Camp Holler - Bama
What Makes A Work Song Leader? - Interview with Bama
Early In The Mornin' - '22' with Little Red, Tangle Eye, & Hard Hair
How I Got In The Penitentiary - Interview with Bama
Tangle Eye Blues - Tangle Eye
Stackerlee - Bama
Prison Blues - Alex

Album Description

"These songs belong to the musical tradition which Africans brought to the New World, but they are also as American as the Mississippi River. They were born out of the very rock and earth of this country, as black hands broke the soil, moved, reformed it, and rivers of stinging sweat poured upon the land under the blazing heat of Southern skies, and are mounted upon the passion that this struggle with nature brought forth. They tell us the story of the slave gang, the sharecropper system, the lawless work camp, the chain gang, the pen." --Alan Lomax

This is a reissue of Alan Lomax's legendary album Negro Prison Songs in its entirety. A complete CD of previously unissued material from the same field recordings is also available: Prison Songs Vol. 2: Don'tcha Hear Poor Mother Calling?

Customer Reviews:

Real Gangstas, Role Models, and Elvis Presley.......2004-06-10

This disc (as well as its companion, "Vol. 2: Dont'cha Hear Poor Mother Calling?") is perhaps some of the most beautiful and honest recordings of human expression you'll ever hear. Modern music has nothing on this stuff; it's the real deal. This is music that was created to get you through the day; not to sell records or to score chicks. This is as anti-commercial, and therefore, as antiestablishment as you can get. Truly alternative. And it is, in a word, spellbinding.
The greatest beauty of, not only the songs, but culture that spawned them and the men who sang them as well, is the burning human spirit that inhabits each and every track on this record. Nowhere is there a mention of giving up or losing hope. These songs are optimistic in the the purest sense and prideful in the best way. One can't help but wonder how - in a place where you could get six months on the chain gang for standing on a street corner, or five years for stealing a loaf of bread - these men managed to remain so hopeful? How could they stay so proud and sing so true, with so much life, while they were being worked to death every day, from dawn until dusk, under the blazing, hot sun with nothing but a little bread and water to keep them going? These men must have had an amazing inner strength and a strong system of values to get through it. Or, if not that, at they very least, they had to have possessed an unimaginable amount of pride and dignity in themselves to not to be broken down by their captors and the brutal Jim Crow penal system under which they were railroaded.
Thinking of that and listening to this disc, I was reminded of something I heard Wynton Marsalis say in an interview with David Frost. When asked what he thought of Rap music, Wynton said that, "Rap, because of it's sense of nihilism, represents the ultimate triumph of the white man over the black man..." Nowhere, he claimed, in the history of African-American creative expression do you find that sense of nihilism that you do in Rock & Roll. That was something that found its way into black culture after Elvis took off. So if Rock music was, and still is, a white manifestation of the Blues and R&B with a Dionysian sense of self-destruction, then the rebellious posturing and devil-may-care swagger of today's gun-toting "Gangsta" archetype is something that was adopted from white culture. Does this sound far fetched? Not if one looks at white popular culture from the fifties. Take, for example, "Rebel Without a Cause" or "The Wild One" where disenfranchised white kids, juiced up on hormones, drag race down the road, not at all concerned that somebody might crash or fly off a cliff. Where do these ideas play out in pre-fifties African-American culture? They don't. Because they don't exist. Could you ever imagine Duke Ellington, in his top hat and tails, kicking over his piano bench the way Jerry Lee Lewis did on the Steve Allen Show? Never in a million years. This sense of nihilism was introduced into the mix by white guys like James Dean, Marlon Brando, Gene Vincent, and Eddie Cochran; it was later elevated to a fine art by the likes of Keith Richards, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison before it was co-opted by latter day Rap performers.
To be sure, there is no sense of nihilism on this disc. And for that reason, the singers on "Murderous Home" (and "Dont'cha Hear Poor Mother Calling?") should be held up as role models to countless disenfranchised young people out there who have no faith in the system. The men here didn't let the system get the better of them; they didn't let the institution turn them sour; they didn't let the institution turn them on themselves. The guys on this disc are the original "Gangstas." True rebels, defiant in a time long before being an outsider was bottled up, made cool, and sold to us in the form of Rock & Roll...long before the advertisers taught us how to be self-destructive...and long before rap videos made that sense of self-destruction sexy to suburban kids.
It's interesting to note that in spite of all the positive spirit in these songs, when Alan Lomax returned to Parchman just a few years later, the younger convicts refused to sing them. They saw the songs as old-fashioned and thought singing them would be "Uncle Tomming." Ironically, of course, this was in the fifties...after Rock & Roll.
How sad then, that these songs were forgotten by African-Americans. Because what got left behind was a guiding voice. A voice that was so poetic, beautiful and honest in its heroic strength and language and so steadfast in its conviction and principle and so completely true to itself that no rapper out there today comes anywhere close to equaling its defiance. But, perhaps the worst thing of all...the saddest of thing all...is that a genuine dignity was lost. A dignity that could have been a navigational beacon...a roadmap to the high road...forsaken and cast aside...and, ultimately, all because a good-looking white boy from Memphis shook his hips on a thing called television.

DEEP.......2001-11-05

I really had no idea what i was in store for. But for those who love black, southern and prison history, spirituals, and are thirsting for music in its purest form, buy this CD!!! It has wonderful chants, commentary from Lomax, narrative from the inmatesand even clanking from the axes. You can hear the suffering and longing in their voices. You can hear the humor in may of the lyrics. Be sure to read the booklet so that you can get a clearer understanding of it all. It is a wonderful piece of recorded history. you may also want to buy the book Worse than Slavery, by Oshinsky so that you can get greater sense of exactly waht they are thinking about. One more thing..You will totally feel the energy of 22.

Incredibly powerful music.......2001-10-26

I was blown away when I listened to this CD for the first time. The recording is great. I didn't expect too much due to the time frame of the recording, but the quality is impressive. I bought this hoping to find more tracks like "Po' Lazarus" from the "O' Brother Where Art Thou" Soundtrack. What I got was much more.

One of the great documents of American music........2000-06-27

Words fail to describe this incredibly powerful album. I've had a copy since the 60's, and still have an unopened LP copy in my "vault" (along with the first Roberty Johnson LP). Luckily, I don't have to describe the power of the music - you can click on the samples, and hear for yourself.

Reams of praise have been heaped on this album, and every word has been an understatement.

If you have any interest whatever in American folk music or in blues or jazz, you either have a copy of this or should get one. This is the absolute peak of Lomax's years of collecting.

Incredibly clean sound for the 40's, all well recorded, musically superb pieces, each a perfect gem of its kind, preserving some of the oldest and best of American music, done by some of the finest singers you've never heard of.

Tracks:

Act 1: Overture - Fiorello Orch
Act 1: On The Side Of The Angels - Bob Holiday/Nathaniel Frey/Patricia Wilson
Act 1: Politics And Poker - Howard Silva/Chor
Act 1: Unfair - Tom Bosley/Chor
Act 1: Marie's Law - Patricia Wilson/Nathianiel Frey
Act 1: The Name's La Guardia - Tom Bosley/Chor
Act 1: The Bum Won - Howard Do Silva/Chor
Act 1: I Love A Cop - Pat Stanley
Act 1: 'Til Tomorrow - Ellen Hanley/Chor
Act 1: Home Again - Bob Holiday/Nathaniel Frey/Patricia Wilson/Pat Stanley/Tom Bosley/Howard Da Silva/Mark Dawson...
Act 2: When Did I Fall In Love - Ellen Hanley
Act 2: Gentleman Jimmy - Eileen Rodgers/Chor
Act 2: Little Tin Box - Howard Da Silva/Chor
Act 2: The Very Next Man - Patricia Wilson
Act 2: Finale - Tom Bosley/Patricia Wilson/Chor

Amazon.com

The team of composer Jerry Bock and lyricist Sheldon Harnick came up with only six shows--but what shows! In addition to the phenomenally successful Fiddler on the Roof, aficionados usually gush about 1963's She Loves Me and 1959's Fiorello!. The latter turned a not particularly appetizing topic--the years leading to Fiorello LaGuardia's election as mayor of New York--into a great musical. (It even won the Pulitzer Prize for drama, only the third musical to do so.) Harnick and Bock's versatility was in evidence as they wrote numbers in every Broadway style: novelty, ballad (about sweatshops), duet (the absurdly catchy and funny "Marie's Law"), and, of course, a rousing number that doesn't really fit anywhere but is so good that it simply must be included (Eileen Rodgers's "Gentleman Jimmy"). This may be one of the wittiest, most melodic shows you've never heard. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Fiorello.......2007-03-09

Great music. Only; I wish I had a DVD of the show.....

A sleeper of the first order.......2007-03-06

Fiorello is a very dark comedy about the corrupt back-room politics, croneyism, and skulduggery surrounding Fiorello laGuardia's political career. Oh, and there's a romance thrown in. "Politics and Poker" in particular has a timely poignancy in light of the runup to the 2008 elections with Clinton, Obama, and -um - whoever the heck else is on the Democrat wanna-be list. I have to think there are some pretty stark parallels here. But then, that's what this timeless, delightful sleeper of an operetta is all about.

A new York-centric non-hit .......2006-11-15

This never rose to the level of a 'hit'. At this time (2006) it is dated
technically and artisticly. It didn't win in '59, there is little hope that it will be remembered fondly in '06.
In the end I bought it for archival purposes only and I'm being kind.

Laguardia isn't just an airport.......2006-08-07

Fiorello! was basically a play about New York City's great mayor, Fiorello Laguardia, that was turned into a musical by having an overture and 14 songs. Long ago, back in the late 1950s, I saw it as a child and really liked it - I've always wondered what it would be like to hear it again. Well, it is nothing less than spectacular! It has the best song about politcal corruption (!) ever written, Little Tin Box; a great song about a broken date, Marie's Law; a lyrical paean to back-room politics, Politics and Poker; and 11 others, all equally good (in fact, there's not a single dud in the score - as you would expect since it was written by the writers who did Fiddler on the Roof). The voices are great, the lyrics are all to the point, the music is unforgettable, and, for all those who don't know the story, the disc notes are really helpful. Maybe this is politcs seen through rose-tinted glasses, but it's wonderful to hear!

a classic, underrated Broadway gem.......2003-11-04

FIORELLO! is a lovely, ahead-of-its-time musical, based on the career of New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia. It starred Tom Bosley as La Guardia with a dream cast including Ellen Hanley, Pat Stanley and Eileen Rodgers.

The score, an early collaboration from Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (SHE LOVES ME, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF) is very strong, and includes several show-pieces like "Politics and Poker", "Little Tin Box" and "On the Side of the Angels".

Ellen Hanley (who had previously been criminally under-used as Polly Bergen's understudy in FIRST IMPRESSIONS) glows in the role of feisty Thea, the sweatshop workers' leader. She has two of the score's best ballads, "'Til Tomorrow" and "When Did I Fall in Love".

Pat Stanley (who earned a Tony for her performance in the disastrous GOLDILOCKS) gets the cute number "I Love a Cop". Eileen Rodgers (who later starred in a successful off-Broadway revival of ANYTHING GOES) sings the showstopping "Gentleman Jimmy", a manic flapper tune. FIORELLO! is a fantastic show in that it has no less than 3 strong female roles.

For those who only started following Tom Bosley's career during his 'Happy Days', the fact that he was a top-drawer musical theater talent will come as a big surprise. Bosley played the entire run of 795 performances. Bosley later made many more successful Broadway appearances including BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and (as of this review's writing) a triumphant stint in the Sam Mendes revival of CABARET.

Tracks:

Overture
Science Fiction Double Feature
Damn It, Janet
Over At The Frankenstein Place
Time Warp
Sweet Transvestite
The Sword Of Damocles
I Can Make You A Man
Hot Patootie
I Can Make You A Man (reprise)
Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch Me
Once In A While
Eddie's Teddy
Planet Schmanet-Wise Up Janet Weiss
Floor Show/Rose Tint My World
I'm Going Home
Spaceship
Super Heroes
Science Fiction Double Feature (reprise)
Time Warp (reprise)

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

The movie version of The Rocky Horror Show has turned into such an enduring cult success that it has pretty much obliterated the fact that it all started with a stage show. And now Richard O'Brien's musical is back on stage, where some say it truly belongs (it was nominated for the category Best Revival of a Musical in the 2001 Tony Awards). With a great cast that includes Dick Cavett, Alice Ripley (Janet), Tom Hewitt (Frank 'N' Furter), and Daphne Rubin-Vega (Magenta), the revival fires on all cylinders. Note that while Joan Jett was in the cast as Columbia, she's not on the CD (Kristen Lee Kelly is). But Lea DeLaria, last seen stealing the show in On the Town, more than compensates by playing both Eddie (Meat Loaf in the movie!) and Dr. Scott--and doing great by both. As a bonus, the song "Once in a While" is back after being cut from the movie. Bursting with energy, this recording brings the rock back in Rocky. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

One of my favorite cast recordings.......2007-01-17

This was the first Rocky Horror album I've ever listened to besides the movie soundtrack. Despite the lack of Joan Jett as Columbia and the 2nd Usherette, this album is sweet. Daphne-Rubin Vega is perfect as Magenta. And Tom Hewlett 's interpretation as Frank N. Furter is just in sync with the character. But he's still no Tim Curry. And the rest of the cast is sublime. And with Dick Cavett as the Criminologist and famed lesbian comedienne Lea DeLaria as both Eddie and Dr. Scott is just excellent.

Thougt You Were The Candyman Didn't ya freggy!.......2006-06-22

I thought that this was gonna be just another edition of the Rocky Horror Show.But boy was I wrong.I loved it they really modernized and gave it more of a Rock flavor than in the original play which was more pop.I just loved how they had the Overture and Space shipa partof the cd.They really recreated great for broadway.When i heard that broadway was doing Then Rocky Horror Show I didn't know what to think.Because Rocky Horror had been an off-broadway show for many years.The thought of it being onBroadway was just amazing Because people back in the 70's and 80's always thought that The Rocky Horror Show was much too trashy to be put on Broadway.Because you always think about broadway plays as being classy and eligent.They didn't want a play about Sex and Horror and Gay Transvestites.But this was just a head turner.I loved it.It's definitely 5 stars.The cd quality was great.It was so professionally done and it was great.I think any RHS Fan will love it.This was no candyman!

The Rockiest Recording to Date.......2006-06-07

This 2000 Broadway revival of the cult classic THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW boasts a completely re-vamped orchestration of Richard O'Brien's score. This is certainly the most rock-fused version of these songs to date, and right from the "Overture" the listener can assume this. Many may not be able to accept this harder, bolder score and I myself am a bit skeptical, considering the more piano-driven and sci-fi sounding orchestrations of the film soundtrack or Roxy cast recording. However, it is so interesting to hear these songs done like this that I cannot help but enjoy it. The performances are half-and-half. Daphne Rubin-Vega belts out the opening number in that great gravelly voice she has, and Raul Esparzza sends chills down my spine every time I hear his two great solo moments ("The darkness must flow down the river...." and "Frank 'N' Furter, it's all over..."). Sebastian LaCause is amazing as Rocky, as thankless a part that is. Eddie and Dr. Scott being portrayed by a woman (Lea DeLaria) is one of the strangest casting decisions ever and is too distracting to be able to even listen to her (his? I don't know!!!) songs: "Hot Patootie" and "Eddie's Teddy." Tom Hewitt does his best as Frank 'N' Furter, but the character was so well defined by Tim Curry in the film (one of the most underrated performances ever) that one can't help but ignore him. I'd say that this recording is something every ROCKY HORROR fan should listen to; it just all depends on whether you like the new or original orchestrations.

Good recording, bad show........2006-03-10

Rocky Horror is an American institution. It's indelible, unforgettable, and entirely unique. But without the audience participation, the show is revealed - it's simply not very good. It's a passable (if dated) parody of '50s B-movies with a transvestite main character and some halfway decent songs. The show lives with and dies without an audience. The lyrics, the characters - nothing is half as fun without the audience throwing and shouting and bantering right along.

That said, this is a VERY good recording of what's there. Tom Hewitt does as good a job as anyone trying to fill Tim Curry's sequined heels, and brings some nice twists to the table instead of going the Curry-imitation route. Raul Esparza as Riff-Raff is electric - his rendition of "Time Warp" is unlike anything else you're likely to hear on a cast recording. He blasts it right into outer space, screaming like the world's going to end. Daphne Rubin-Vega is plenty of fun as Columbia, giving a nicely sinuous and raw-edged sexiness to the role. The orchestra gives their all to the new arrangements, and they sound crystal clear.

It's definitely the best recording of the show available, even sans Tim Curry.

Oh Daphne!.......2005-12-29

Most of the reviews have it right here - this production wasn't really Rocky at it's best. That being said, I must say that Daphne Ruben-Vega as magenta is probably one of the most interesting, refreshing, and note worthy things about this recording. Very cool in that regard.

That's All...

Big: The Musical (1996 Original Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

didn't work for rehearsals
Big for folks doing the Musical
It's Awesome, It's Amazing, It's BIG!!!!
a lost gem
Ungodly awful

Big: The Musical (1996 Original Broadway Cast)
Richard Maltby Jr.
Manufacturer: Decca U.S.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Contemporary Musicals | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Big: The Musical
Baby (1983 Original Broadway Cast)
Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Little Women The Musical (2005 Original Broadway Cast)
Seussical: The Musical (Original Cast Recording)

ASIN: B000005AY0
Release Date: 2001-09-25

Tracks:

Overture/Can't Wait
Talk To Her/Carnival/Zoltar Speaks
This Isn't Me
I Want To Go Home
The Time Of Your Life/Fun
Josh's Welcome/Here We Go Again
Do You Want To Play Games?/Stars, Stars, Stars
Cross The Line
It's Time
Stop, Time
The Nightmare
Dancing All The Time/I Want To Know
Coffee, Black
The Real Thing
One Special Man
When You're Big/Skateboard Ballet
I Want To Go Home/Stars, Stars, Stars (Reprise)/Finale

Customer Reviews:

didn't work for rehearsals.......2007-03-22

I used this CD to help me rehearse for the BIG production I was in, but it didn't match the libretto at all. I think there was one song on there that I could use.

Big for folks doing the Musical.......2006-03-20

If you're getting this CD to help prepare for your school or community group doing the musical, there are a lot of changes from the CD to the book. Aside from finding the book in a new key and some chunks added/deleted, Here We Go Again and When You're Big aren't included anymore.

Overall, the music's a little trite, but there are some nice moments -- mostly the stuff sung by the female leads.

It's Awesome, It's Amazing, It's BIG!!!!.......2006-01-22

My high school did "Big" my sophomore year, and oh my god, it was such a fun musical to do. I kind of forgot about it until my senior year, when I suddenly craved some of that music again. So I purchased this CD and I've been loving it since. They got rid of a couple of the songs and replaced them with others as the show progressed on Broadway, so I was suprised to hear new material (to me anyways), and for the most part, I actually enjoyed these original songs over their replacements that my production contained. This cast is phenomenal and the guy who plays Josh Baskin sounds so much like Tom Hanks at points, its crazy. It's a simple, yet a bit fantastic musical about growing up, and it's funny and romantic, and a lot of fun. I love all the songs, and it's a shame it didn't do too well on B-way. At least this recording will keep the music alive.

"This Isn't Me" is one of my favorite tracks, as it's a lot of fun and has a great beat, but suprisingly it was replaced with "Good Morning to Mom", which was only so-so. "I Want To Go Home" is a great ballad that Josh sings, and its simple, a bit funny, and the ending is the best, as its cute and sad. Another song they got rid of, "Here We Go Again", is a song Susan sings, and again, I like it alot. It has a quirky melody that I like. "Stars, Stars, Stars" is another great song, and is quite cute. One of the more popular songs. "Cross The Line" is the finale to Act I and is also very excellent and up beat, and makes you want to dance. "Stop, Time" is my favorite song on the album by far. Sung by Josh's mom, it is one of the more poignant moments of the show. Heartfelt, sad, and truly beautiful, it defiantely makes you appreciate your mom. Barbara Walsh sounds superb on this: she has a great voice. I love this one. "Dancing all the Time" is another good Susan song, and it leads into "I Want To Know" by Young Josh, which is another good ballad. "Coffee, Black" is another showstopper, fun ensemble song, and again, very comedic. "One Special Man" is Susan's ballad to Josh, and it is very beatiful. My only regret is that its only 2:21 so its a short one, and I just want her to start belting at the end, but no, its a quiet ending. Still, I love this one too. The finale is great too, and features an amazing duet between Josh and Susan. I love the harmonies they do.

All in all, this is a great album. Sample the songs and give it a try. This is a must have!!

a lost gem.......2004-10-14

i saw this musical at the local high school in 2001 and was plesently suprised i of course saw the movie and the only thing i knew about this musical was it didnt stay long on broadway, so when i saw it was i shocked this is a delight cross the line still resenates in my head 5 years later.

Ungodly awful.......2004-06-19

BEWARE. This musical is perhaps one of the five worst pieces of music I have ever experienced. I began to wonder if the composer was attempting to make the world's worst musical. Listen for yourself and enjoy the disjunct vocal lines, the desperate attempt at "fun music", and - worst of all - how the highlight of the entire show both dramatically and musically is the insipidly awful "Heart and Soul". Stick to the movie because this baby is horrendous.

Average customer rating:

get it while you can.
BEST CD EVER
Vulnerable pop
Can't Keep It!
A must have for any music lover

Good Dog Bad Dog: The Home Recordings
Over the Rhine
Manufacturer: Back Porch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Ohio
Drunkard's Prayer
Films for Radio
Eve
Patience

ASIN: B000042OHE
Release Date: 2000-01-25

Tracks:

Latter Days
All I Need Is Everything
Etcetera Whatever
I Will Not Eat The Darkness
Faithfully Dangerous
The Seahorse
Everyman's Daughter
Poughkeepsie
Willoughby
It's Never Quite What It Seems
Happy To Be So
Go Down Easy

Customer Reviews:

get it while you can........2007-01-17

i may be stupid, but i know a great record when i hear one. there are great melodies all over this recording. great lyrics and vocals, too. a stunning laid back recording, perfect for evenings or cloudy sunday afternoons. buy while it can still be found.

BEST CD EVER.......2006-04-08

I bought this several years ago just on a whim. I was at B&B and it was on there listening display...never heard of them, but wow, it was awsome. Now It is still my most favorite CD ever and I have tons. The music and singing are just beautiful...
S BROOKS
FT WORTH TEXAS

Vulnerable pop.......2005-09-01

Beautiful vulnerable and honest pop. About the half of the songs are quiet, without drums, the rest is a bit dynamic.

Can't Keep It!.......2005-08-05

Everything good can and has been said already of this gorgeous offering. I don't think I own another CD I love as much or have played as often for as many years as I have this one. Every feeling, every emotion, every physical, spiritual or sensual experience finds a fresh perspective carried on Karin's achingly earnest vocals.
Plumb the depths and heights of the elegant melodies and startlingly ingenuous lyrics for yourself, but be warned: lock this baby up when you're not playing it. I've purchased this disc THREE TIMES and every time it seems to mysteriously disappear, never to be seen again. I'll buy it again -- and gladly -- but for pete's sake, get your own copy and leave mine alone!

A must have for any music lover.......2005-06-15

I have had to buy this cd 4 times. It seems to have a way of disappearing around my friends!!! However, each and every time I have bought it has been worth it. The first time I heard OTR was live and was enraptured by Karin's angelic voice. I bought this cd that night and have become an avid fan. I have yet to find anyone who is not immediately impressed by this group after hearing this cd. The songs, imparticularly Latter Days and Poughkeepsie, have a way of haunting me and often, I find myself singing them all day. This is a must have!!

Ultimate Broadway II: The Very Best of Broadway Now

Average customer rating:

redux
Moderate Quality
POOR EXCUSE FOR SOME GOOD THEATER MUSIC

Ultimate Broadway II: The Very Best of Broadway Now
Various Artists
Manufacturer: RCA Victor Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Ultimate Broadway
Only Broadway CD You'll Ever Need
The Best Of Broadway (Cast Recording Anthology)
Greatest Songs from the Musicals
The Best of Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)

ASIN: B000092Q7E
Release Date: 2003-05-20

Tracks:

Overture (from Gypsy) - London Cast Recording
Man of La Mancha (I, Don Quixote) - Brian Stokes Mitchell, Ernie Sabella
Run, Freedom, Run! - Hunter Foster
Your Daddy's Son - Ted Sperling, Ragtime Orchestra
Music Of The Night (From The Phantom Of The Opera) - Colm Wilkinson
All That Jazz (from "Chicago") - Bebe Neuwirth
Gimme Gimme - Michael Rafter
La boh; Act I; O soave fanciulla - Placido Domingo, Sherrill Milnes, Montserrat Caball
Next Best Thing To Love - Randy Graff
Cabaret - Natasha Richardson
Springtime For Hitler (From "The Producers") - John Morris, Mel Brooks
Losing My Mind - Barbara Cook
Time Warp - Raparza
Oklahoma!; Oklahoma - Finale: Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' (Reprise) - Musical Cast Recording
Breeze Off the River - Patrick Wilson
Big Spender - Jane Lanier, Valarie Pettiford, Shannon Lewis, Kim Greene, Kim Morgan, Dana Moore, Rachelle Rak, Elizbeth Parkinson, Dede LaBarre, Mary Ann Lamb, Mary McLeod
Gee Officer Krupke - Cast
Agony - Paul Gemignani
Bring Him Home (from Les Miserables) - Colm Wilkinson, Colm
Lullaby of Broadway (from "42nd Street") - John Lesko, Jerry Orbach

Customer Reviews:

redux.......2007-07-06

Four of the songs on this CD (Oklahoma, Music of the Night, Cabaret, and All That Jazz) were on the earlier Ultimate Broadway. Of all the shows that have been on Broadway over the past 70+ years, including the ones that are currently running, there is no excuse for repeats!

Moderate Quality.......2003-06-20

I believe that the show selection for this CD was excellent. However the song selection and song order were not. Why pick "Your Daddy's Son" from Ragtime when you can have the amazing and fantastic "Prologue" from the same show. Also I believe that a mistake was made by slecting "I Don Quixote" from Man of La Mancha instead of the much more listenable "Impossible Dream." Also the overture from Gypsy is not the proper song to start out a CD. Perhaps the "Overture" from The Phantom of the Opera.

This is however an excellent example of showtunes for inexperienced members of the theatrical world.

POOR EXCUSE FOR SOME GOOD THEATER MUSIC.......2003-05-20

The best of Broadway? Sure, if you consider the best of Broadway only those songs taken only from RCA Victor cast recordings. Expect the expected: Tracks from "Ragtime," "Chicago," "42nd Street" and "Man of La Mancha," sung by the likes of Audra
McDonald, Bebe Neuwirth, Jerry Orbach and Brian Stokes Mitchell. Including a live recording of Barbara Cook warbling "Losing My Mind" from her "Mostly Sondheim" CD isn't exactly kosher. But then again, neither is this gimmick-riddled release. Curtain up?
Half-way, maybe. Light the lights? Dim them, please.

Dreamgirls in Concert (2001 Concert Cast)

Average customer rating:

Dreamgirls 2001
Not the real "DREAM" experience
Absolutely brilliant!
Amazing!!!!!!
One Night Only

Dreamgirls in Concert (2001 Concert Cast)
Henry Krieger , Audra McDonald , Brian Stokes Mitchell , Emily Skinner , and Darius de Haas
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

McDonald, Audra | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Dreamgirls (1982 Original Broadway Cast)
Dreamgirls: Music From The Motion Picture [2-CD Deluxe Edition]
Dreamgirls
Company (2006 Broadway Revival Cast)
Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B00005Y4P4
Release Date: 2002-02-26

Tracks:

I'm Looking for Something, Baby
Goin' Downtown
Takin' the Long Way Home
Move (You're Steppin on My Heart)
Scene: Fifty bucks says the Dreamettes don't win
Fake Your Way to the Top
Scene: It ain't working, Marty
Cadillac Car
Cadillac Car (On the Road)
Cadillac Car (Recording Studio)
Scene: I don't believe they can do that
Steppin' to the Bad Side
Scene: I'm working on a long shot
Party, Party
I Want You, Baby
Scene: I'm a woman now
Family
Scene: What are you doing to that girl?
Dreamgirls
Press Conference
Heavy
Walkin' Down the Strip/Scene: Las Vegas
It's All Over
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going

Tracks:

Opening Act II: Dreams Medley
Scene: Effie White is the best singer you're gonna find
I Am Changing
Vogue Sequence
When I First Saw You
Ain't No Party
I Meant You No Harm
The Rap
I Miss You, Old Friend
One Night Only
One Night Only (Disco Version)
I'm Somebody
Hard to Say Good-bye
Dreamgirls (Reprise)

Amazon.com

A Chorus Line may be better known, but Dreamgirls was a towering achievement for director Michael Bennett. Loosely based on the Supremes' story, the 1982 musical told a typical show-biz tale of fame, backbiting, and survival. As is often the case for one-night only events, the cast in this concert version (recorded in New York on September 24, 2001) is led by an eye-popping assortment of Broadway powerhouses: Lillias White (The Life), Audra McDonald (Ragtime, Marie Christine), and Heather Headley (Ragtime). McDonald reveals a previously undisclosed comic streak, while Headley confirms her status as a rising star. Reprising the role of Effie Melody White (created by Jennifer Holliday), White belts the classic "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going." But the beauty of Dreamgirls is that it's so packed with catchy, Motown-influenced R&B numbers that each lead can sink her teeth into some prime material and get a turn in the spotlight. This double-CD set really makes you wish you'd been there when the show was recorded: you can hear the crowd going berserk at times, and the temptation is strong to do the same thing in the comfort of your living room. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Dreamgirls 2001.......2007-06-27

This was the worst reproduction of Dreamgirls that I ever heard. I was so disappointed the CD went into the garbage. This is one CD that I would not sell to the public because I expect so much and get so little.

Not the real "DREAM" experience.......2007-04-04

Forget about the film sountrack. Get this CD set. And it's far better than the original cast recording which goes lacking. More songs and more everything that makes a live performance just what it is. Live (compared to film where anything can be done to enhance a performance!) -- the energy, the excitement and the performances make this a rare treat for anyone wanting to share in the real DREAM experience.

Isn't a full Broadway revival long over due. But wait: I've heard rumors that a rvial may be "in the works. I certainly hope so. Maybe this time it will receive the Tony award it deserved in the first place.

Absolutely brilliant!.......2007-01-28

There is atleast 5 new songs on this album that were not in the movie! These girls kill it I mean they are just amazing singers, and this all live! This is needed for any Dreamgirls fanatic like me! You are gonna love it! Enjoy! love live laugh :)

Amazing!!!!!!.......2006-12-04

As a theatre lover, this recording is amazing. I actually prefer this recording to the OBC. Sheryl Lee Ralph is okay, but can't touch Audra's Deena. The first time I heard Ms. White's "And I Am Telling You..", goosbumps all over my body. The only weak cast member in my opinon is Heather Headly. Vocally, she just isn't there. Too much Aida, not enough Dreamgirls. But all in all, a great live recording of a great show.

One Night Only .......2006-07-19

I was lucky enough to attend this One Night Only concert performance of Dreamgirls and it was a night I will never forget!! The cast was brilliant and the cd is as good if not better than the Broadway cast recording because it is the entire show not just the songs. Bravo to everyone involved !!!

The Baker's Wife (Members of the 1976 Original Cast)

Average customer rating:

Must Have Schwartz CD
A CULT FAVORITE. GIVE A LISTEN, AND YOU'LL SEE WHY. . . . . .
You have to be in the mood...and like musicals
Beautiful, Sad and Melancholy
Patti in her element!

The Baker's Wife (Members of the 1976 Original Cast)

Manufacturer: Take Home Tunes!
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Contemporary | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Broadway & Vocalists | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Traditional & Vocal Pop | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Rags
Working (Original 1978 Broadway Cast)
Baby (1983 Original Broadway Cast)
The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B00006AWJM
Release Date: 1995-08-01

Tracks:

Chanson - Teri Ralston
Merci, Madame - Paul Sorvino/Patti LuPone
Gifts Of Love - Patti LuPone/Paul Sorvino
Proud Lady - Kurt Peterson
Serenade - Kurt Peterson/Paul Sorvino/Patti LuPone
Meadowlark - Patti LuPone
Any-Day-Now Day - Patti LuPone
Endless Delights - Kurt Peterson/Patti LuPone
If I Have To Live Alone - Paul Sorvino
Where Is The Warmth? - Patti LuPone
Finale (Gifts Of Love) - Patti LuPone/Paul Sorvino

Customer Reviews:

Must Have Schwartz CD.......2007-07-06

This is an amazing CD with many great songs for men and women. This has the legendary song Meadowlark. And the men songs Proud Lady and If I Have To Live Alone, are amazing songs to listen to and sing.

I gave it 4 stars because it is an older recording which doesn't give you the full effect of these powerful and simple songs as modern day recording techniques would. But this CD is still a great buy with performers: Teri Ralston, Paul Sorvino, Patti LuPone, and Kurt Peterson.

A CULT FAVORITE. GIVE A LISTEN, AND YOU'LL SEE WHY. . . . . . .......2007-05-10

"This wonderful cast album continues to mystify listeners as to why THE BAKER'S WIFE was a huge flop." (David Barbour, "The TheaterMania Guide to Musical Theater Recordings") Was it because of Joseph Stein's book? (He had, after all, received a Tony for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF four years earlier.) The musical score? (Stephen Schwartz already had GODSPELL, PIPPIN, and THE MAGIC SHOW under his belt.) Was it the choreography? Perhaps the director? Maybe the producer? ("Producer David Merrick was continually firing people during the troubled out-of-town previews, including the two stars, the director and choreographer, and multiple revisions turned a promising show into a mess that closed before even making it to Broadway." - Michael Dale, broadwayworld.com)

After its six-month pre-Broadway tour, THE BAKER'S WIFE finally "made like a Verdi heroine" and up and died in Washington. Shortly thereafter, composer Stephen Schwartz assembled the remaining cast to make this private recording. The baker in a " . . . small Provençal town, still surprisingly provincial in the mid-1930s . . . " is now played by Paul Sorvino, who had replaced Topol on the road. Patti LuPone played Geneviève, the baker's young wife, who is seduced by the village stud (Kurt Peterson) and leaves her husband for a torrid romance with her young Lothario. Teri Ralston, as the cafe proprietor's wife, beautifully established the show's mood with her opening song.

Although each of the singers is remarkable, it is Paul Sorvino who is the revelation here. Best-known as Det. Sgt. Philip "Phil" Cerreta in TVs LAW & ORDER (1991-1992) & the 1972 Drama Desk Award winner for THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON, his ringing tenor carries the show. "His superb singing may take some fans by surprise, but he is brilliant in 'Merci, Madam,' 'Any-Day-Now-Day,' and the powerful lament 'If I Have to Live Alone.' Patti Lupone's powerful rendition of 'Meadowlark' became a cult event in itself, and Kurt Peterson is wickedly funny in 'Proud Lady.' I know many who think Teri Ralston's 'Chanson' is a jewel. " (John Kendrick, musicals101.com)

"When interest in stock and regional productions grew, as well as a London premiere, Schwartz and Stein took the opportunity to look at the show objectively and make changes without the pressures of being on the road to Broadway." (Michael Dale) Subsequent productions at the Paper Mill Playhouse (2005), the Windfall Theatre in Milwaukee, WI (2007), Seattle's Civic Light Opera (2007), and Philadelphia's Arden Theatre (2001), and others have met with both critical and popular success.

Very highly recommended. "No serious showtune collection is complete without this one. " - John Kendrick

You have to be in the mood...and like musicals.......2006-04-23

As my title probably implies, I don't think this is a musical for everyone. 'Meadowlark' is one of the most amazing songs I've ever heard, but that's one song and 14 dollars (i think that's what it costs...) for one song is not good value. This is quite an old recording, so the sound's a bit fuzzy, but you can still understand everything.
I'm not saying that the other songs aren't good; they are, but they and the story itself are quite original. Art House-like. The complete opposite of what today's 'popular' musicals are like. It's still a great soundtrack to listen to, but it's an 'aquired taste'. You either need to really like Patti Lu Pone, really like Stephen Schwartz or really appreciate abstract musicals.
All the singing is great, there's ample emotion in every song and some of the songs are even suprisingly catchy. If it wasn't such an unusual musical, it probably would have done extremely well. I don't even know what makes it unusual, but it is. My favourite song (after Meadowlark) is 'Endless Delights'. It reminds me of music you hear when you see the world spinning around, but it isn't annoying.
I personally enjoy this CD, but the effect wears off after a while. I'm sure if I put it away for a couple of years and then come back to it, I'll be obsessed all over again, but I'm also sure not everyone likes musicals as much as I do. Listen to the samples and if you like the music, buy it.

Beautiful, Sad and Melancholy.......2005-11-18

I purchased this album years ago because I was chasing every musical that Patti LuPone was a member of; there's something about her voice.

I was surprised at the quality of the recording too. I'd warn anyone purchasing this, the recording is not in stereo and almost sounds tinny in places but I grew to love this sound because I listened to the music beneath it.

Traditional French town, a nice traditional story, what better than to have the music sound almost as if it's been lifted out of the period over a stronger version of a grammophone?

I like all the songs and it's difficult to choose my most loved one. Chanson speaks so much about life but the song I'd have to choose as my favourite: the melancholy "If I have to live alone". I find it so sad and it reminds me of how it feels to be alone and lonely; and listening to it, I want to help the baker too.

In all, it's a good CD, just judge it for what it is!

Patti in her element!.......2005-02-28

Following the brash, vibrant score of PIPPIN, composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz proved his versatility with THE BAKER'S WIFE, a score which glitters like the rarest of jewels, and never more fetching than on the original cast album featuring divine Patti LuPone. LuPone plays the title role, a woman who leaves her predictable, homely existence with her husband (Paul Sorvino) for the handsome young rogue who turns her head (Kurt Peterson). Teri Ralson appears to sing the score's first jewel number, "Chanson", a swirling intoxicating waltz. Patti LuPone sings the thrilling "Meadowlark", almost a mini-musical in itself. Equally wonderful is her sobering "Where Is the Warmth?", where she comes to realise her folly and returns to her husband. Too bad that this particular recording has been poorly-mastered for compact disc. Analogue distortion and drop-outs litter the recording, and are extremely-distracting. Hopefully a revised remaster will appear one day, but until then, this recording of THE BAKER'S WIFE is the best we'll get.

Find Your Own Way Home (2CD + DVD Set) [ENHANCED]

Average customer rating:

Find Your Own Way Home (2007)
REO Speedwagon returns with gusto!

Find Your Own Way Home (2CD + DVD Set) [ENHANCED]
REO Speedwagon
Manufacturer: Speedwagon Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Crystal Visions - The Very Best of Stevie Nicks (CD / DVD)
Influence
Memory Almost Full [Deluxe Limited Edition]
Lost Highway
Snakes & Arrows

ASIN: B000P66YSQ

Product Description

Limited Edition includes Bonus Unplugged DVD and Live Enhanced CD. Track Listing: CD ONE - Find Your Own Way Home: (1)Smilin' In The End (2)Find Your Own Way Home (3)I Needed To Fall (4)Dangerous Combination (5)Lost On The Road Of Love (6)Another Lifetime (7)Run Away Baby (8)Everything You Feel (9)Born To Love You (10)Let My Love Find You CD TWO - Hi Infidelity Then Again..Live: This enhanced CD features REO Speedwagon at XM Studios performing their seminal album, "Hi Infidelity." It's the first time the band has performed this album in its entirety since 1981. Enhanced CD Video footage is included. (1)Don't Let Him Go (2)Keep On Loving You (3)Follow My Heart (4)In Your Letter (5)Take It On The Run (6)Tough Guys (7)Out Of Season (8)Shakin' It Loose (9)Someone Tonight (10)I Wish You Were There BONUS DVD - XM Artist Confidential: REO Speedwagon recorded this DVD at the XM Studios where the band performed 4 of their classic hits plus 3 songs from their new album. Interview footage and an audience Q&A is also included.

Customer Reviews:

Find Your Own Way Home (2007).......2007-06-04

Find Your Own Way Home is Reo Speedwagon's first album of new material in eleven years. This version of the album comes with Hi Infidelity Live Again and a dvd of interviews and performances from XM studios. With this edition of Find Your Own Way Home you get a lot of bang for your buck! Find Your Own Way Home is possibly Reo's best album since 1981's Hi Infidelity. Smilin' in the End, Find Your Own Way Home, and Dangerous Combination are just a few of the highlights.

For Hi Infidelity Live Again, it contains the whole album Hi Infidelity recorded live in the XM studios. While of course it isn't as great as the original album, but it is very well performed and a lot of fun to listen too.

The final disc is a dvd of Reo performing some live songs and answering a few questions in between. You got to hear the acoustic version of Ridin' the Storm.

Overall, a great package. I would recommend this to all Reo Speedwagon fans.

REO Speedwagon returns with gusto!.......2007-04-28

REO Speedwagon was one of the classic arena rock/pop bands from the late 1970's to 1980's. Along with Styx, Journey, and Loverboy, REO Speedwagon formed the backbone of this period of music where huge album sales and concert gross defined one of the wildest expansions of music in history.

Then, after their album, "Life, As We Know It," REO hit a period of changes in lineup with the departure of founding members, drummer Alan Gratzer, and lead guitarist Gary Richrath. Along with these shakeups, REO suddenly departed the Billboard album charts.

The new lineup featured drummer Bryan Hitt and guitarist Dave Amato and released two original albums, "The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog, and a Chicken," plus "Building the Bridge." The second album featured a cut used in a Presidential election.

But neither album achieved anything remotely close to the success of their previous releases, much less the earth shattering success of "High Infidelity." This latest original album, "Find Your Own Way Home," changes all of that.

This album has already charted and that is despite a limited initial release through Wal-Mart stores. Now the album has been generally released. More important, the songs in this album are truly excellent and varied.

The initial two releases are "Smilin' In the End" to the classic rock stations and "Find Your Own Way Home" to the adult contemporary stations. "Smilin' in The End" is an old-fashioned rock and roll romp, a defiant ode of success against the odds. "Find Your Own Way Home" is a classic REO power ballad, but with a soulful theme of unfulfilled love with a pointed rejoinder that the lover must find her own lost way.

One hopes this is not the end of the releases to radio stations because as good as these two songs are, they are not the finest on the album.

The album has many songs that echo the REO classics of the past, but also expands the band's genre into new territory. "Born to Love You," is a wonderful blues song with an electric punch. Bassist Bruce Hall again lends his baritone voice as lead singer, and the song is pure toe-tapping energy. But there is more where that came from.

"Everything You Feel" is perhaps the single best song on the entire album, a masterful blend of high energy instrumentals with ballad style lyrics that form a brilliant example of progressive rock. The song starts slow, with a barely audible extended musical introduction, a pale whisper that builds into a crescendo of hard hitting guitar and organ compositions. Within this wall-splitting instrumental is a ballad that explores the measure of the man as the sum of his relationships, broken and successful.

But there are other flavors. "Dangerous Combination" is a fabulously original song about the effects of alcohol on the male brain. The lyrics are splendid:

"I've been thinkin' too much.
I've been drinkin' to much.
Oh and thinkin' and drinkin' for me is a dangerous combination.

If we're gonna turn back, better turn back now.
I'd say no, but I don't know how.
Girl I really should be leaving.
But that's another conversation."

As you may surmise, the album has a central them, very much an adult version of the one so well done in "High Infidelity," hard luck in love and the pain of recognizing it! Except, unlike the techno rock of "Hi Infidelity," this album reflects a far higher degree of maturity, and without question a wide range of musical expressions.

If you want to listen to progressive rock, power ballads, blues, power anthems, folk, and country, you can load up a six-disk CD player cassette. Or, you can simply purchase this one album and find at least one quality example of each!

It's been 19 years since REO released an album of this quality. They've been highly successful on the concert tours but had a war chest of quality songs. Finally, the best of those new songs have made it on a new album. For REO fans, this is a release to celebrate. But for fans who have never heard REO songs, "Find Your Own Way Home" is a marvelous starting point.

Album Review:

Album Review

Album Review