Roll Along

Editorial Reviews
Pacifica Tribune 1/31/01
Chris Molla has both the charm and talent to appeal to both the young, and the young at heart.

Sally Minton, Forest Hill Nursery School
We love "Roll Along", each song is innovative and imaginative. It is a classroom favorite.

Album Description
This album combines a variety of styles from traditional rock and roll to African folk songs.

Roll Along

Tracks:

Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley And The Comets
Charlie Brown - The Coasters
Splish Splash - Bobby Darin
Willie & The Hand Jive - Johnny Otis
Lollipop - The Chordettes
Rockin' Robin - Bobby Day
Alley Oop - The Hollywood Argyles
Yakety Yak - The Coasters
Name Game - Shirley Ellis
Purple People Eater - Sheb Wooley
Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor - Lonnie Donegan
Monster Mash - Bobby 'Boris' Pickett
Sea Cruise - Frankie Ford
Get A Job - The Silhouettes
La Bamba - Ritchie Valens

Product Description

ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK by Bill Haley and the Comets CHARLIE BROWN by The Coasters SPLISH SPLASH by Bobby Darin WILLIE & THE HAND JIVE by Johnny Otis LOLLIPOP by The Chordettes ROCKIN' ROBIN by Bobby Day ALLEY OOP by The Hollywood Argyles YAKETY YAK by The Coasters NAME GAME by Shirley Ellis PURPLE PEOPLE EATER by Sheb Woolery DOES YOUR CHEWING GUM LOSE ITS FLAVOR by Lonnie Donegan MONSTER MASH by Bobby "Boris" Pickett SEA CRUISE by Frankie Ford GET A JOB by The Silhouettes LA BAMBA by Ritche Valens

Amazon.com

Dust off your blue suede shoes and polish up the tail fins on the Chevy: this album transports listeners back to the 1950s and early 1960s with all-time classic rock & roll. Children will love the strong rhythms, (sometimes) silly words, and easy-to-follow vocals. Adults will enjoy the cruise down memory lane with megahits like "Rock Around the Clock," "Willie & the Hand Jive," "Rockin' Robin," and "Name Game." Retaining all the spunk and sparkle they did when rock was young, these digitally remastered tunes are ready to inspire a whole new generation of little boppers. --Deborah L. Moore

Customer Reviews:

Pure Joy.......2007-06-09

Not only does my five year-old son love it, but I do too. I just turned fifty, so I can relate to these songs' heyday. My boy loves them because they're joyfully silly!

Lots of fun!.......2007-05-10

My five year old son and I both enjoy this CD. The songs are oldies but goodies and really get him moving. We've listened to it while stuck in traffic and ended up having a lot of fun! I recognize some of the songs from when I was a kid, like Monster Mash and Chewing Gum, and then there are ones from well before my day like Rockin' Robin.
I highly recommend this CD!

Good Clean Fun!!.......2007-05-07

As a mom, I am always on the lookout for music for my young kids. Our oldest wanted something he could keep in his room to listen to, but so many CDs these days have questionable lyrics. I wanted something he could listen to whenever he wanted. I found it!!

This CD is so much fun for the whole family to listen to...kids, parents, grandparents...everyone will love it! I was amazed that I could get all of these fabulous songs by ORIGINAL ARTISTS on one CD for this price! Usually, you will pay this much for music done by immitation artists. This was great! The kids thought so many of these songs were funny...Yakkity Yak; Splish, Splash!; Willie & the Hand Jive. We all had a few laughs and some very funny dancing. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!

Kids and adults will love this.......2006-08-17

A lot of the classic Rock and Roll songs of the late 1950s-early 1960s on this album. This is a great album to introduce to young kids and adults who love classic rock and roll songs.

Toddlers Love Rock 'n' Roll.......2006-01-30

I purchased this CD for my 18 month old twins who absolutely just love it! It's great music for family gatherings because the old and young alike can enjoy singing and dancing along to it.

Average customer rating:

It's great!
Honestly, this CD sucks
What an awesome CD!!!
rocket ship beach review
we all love it

Rocket Ship Beach
Dan Zanes + Friends
Manufacturer: Festival Five Rec.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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House Party
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Dan Zanes & Friends - All Around the Kitchen! Crazy Videos & Concert Songs!

ASIN: B000051ZNR
Release Date: 2002-07-30

Tracks:

Polly Wolly Doodle (with Sheryl Crow)
King Kong Kitchie (with the Wonderland String Band)
Bushel and a Peck (with Donald Saaf and the Rocket Ship Singers)
Go Down Emmanuel Road (with the Sandy Girls)
Goodbye Old Paint
Father Goose (with Rankin' Don and the Rocket Ship
Keep on the Sunny Side (with the Wonderland String Band)
Erie Canal (with Suzanne Vega)
Buckeye Jim
Brown Girl in the Ring (with the Wonderland String Band and G.E. Smith)
Hello (with Barbara Brousal)
All My Friends Live in the Woods (with Simon Kirke)
Weather Report (Sophie and Emma)
Mole in the Ground
On the Sunny Side of the Street (with Rankin' Don and Donald Saaf)
Sidewalks of New York (with a cast of thousands)
Over the Rainbow (with Donald Saaf)

Amazon.com

Dan Zanes, lead singer of the 1980s roots-rock band the Del Fuegos, didn't need to enlist the high-profile help of pals Sheryl Crow and Suzanne Vega to produce a crowd-pleasing kids' record, but he got it anyway. On Rocket Ship Beach, where traditional tunes such as "Polly Wolly Doodle" (with Crow) and "Erie Canal" (with Vega) mingle in loosey-goosey, just-for-the-fun-of-it fashion with originals such as the plucky "All My Friends Live in the Woods" (written by Bad Company buddy Simon Kirke), Zanes exhibits the same plugged-in exuberance that gave his former band its unpredictable zing. Besides the no-amateurs instrumentation, which includes Zanes on guitar, lap steel, banjo-mandolin, and studiophone, and G.E. Smith on banjo-mandolin and guitar as part of a kickin' string band that performs the classic "King Kong Kitchie," plus a cluster of others, what stands out most about this 17-track funfest is its draw-you-in friendliness. Pitching in with the pros (who also include dancehall rapper Rankin' Don--he delivers the gruff stuff on "Father Goose" and "Sunny Side of the Street") are family friends such as the gang of West Indian babysitters turned vocal group the Sandy Girls, who give it up to impressive, get-you-boogying effect on "Emmanuel Road," and a kindergarten class that contributes, adorably, to "Sidewalks of New York." All told, this is way hipper than most kids' records and it also razzle-dazzles with its packaging--Rocket Ship Beach arrives in a chunky, colorful board-book illustrated with sweet, fantasy-fueled beachside scenes by banjo player and Zanes's brother-in-law, Donald Saaf. --Tammy La Gorce

Album Description

music is in the air. it's alive and it's here for everyone. if you can play an old song, you can write a new song. make it a family parade, all around the kitchen cock-a-doodle-doodle-doo. or how about a family band? on the front steps, in the back yard, in the park, on the sidewalk, in the basement. if you can brush your teeth, you can play tamborine. if you can tell a joke, you can sing.

festival five records is the sound of a neighborhood band on the front stoop playing tunes after dinner for a family dance. festival five records is the sound of a group of 9 and 10 year olds singing a sixty year old broadway song in the basement of a 150 year old row house. it's the sound of a 40-year-old dad on a blue porch singing a 400 year old story song about a frog that marries a mouse. when you feel that music in the air, try to catch as much as possible.

Customer Reviews:

It's great!.......2007-01-27

I'm a first-time Mom who was looking for a CD both my daughter and I could enjoy. We rec'd this CD at Christmas along with "Buzz Buzz" by Laurie Berkner. This one is my personal favorite. I think I enjoy it as much, if not more than my daughter (who is 1). The songs are addicting and I, like a previous reviewer, find myself singing/humming them even when my daughter is not around. Polly Wolly Doodle and King Kong Kitchie are fabulous! I highly recommend giving this CD a spin. I'm sure my daughter will love it even more when she gets a little older.

Honestly, this CD sucks.......2007-01-18

I was excited to receive this CD because of its great reviews. Once I received it however, I found it barely listenable. My toddler daughter looked and me and said "Off!Off!" and we took it off the CD player after only 10 minutes.

People can make of Raffi all they want, but at least his music is tolerable!

Don't waste your money on this lemon of a CD.

What an awesome CD!!!.......2006-12-20

My 2 year old and 1 year old think this CD ROCKS! My son will point to the CD player and cry and whine until I turn it on. From song one they both wiggle, giggle and dance all over. The songs are very folksy, upbeat, and easy to groove too. Get this CD and watch your kids get jiggy wit' it!

rocket ship beach review.......2006-11-10

Rocket Ship Beach was my introduction to Dan Zanes. I have a new son and I was searching for some music we could both enjoy. I found this and thought I would give it a shot. The cd is wonderful. The music is addicting and I find myself driving down the road singing to myself....without my son in the car! Polly Wolly Doodle, the first track, is one of my favorites (and not because I am a Sheryl Crow fan). Another beautiful song is "Hello". This cd is upbeat, fun and yet different from some more typical childrens music. My son really enjoys the different sounds and rhythms on the cd. The cd has a few little introductions where you can hear children, a phone ringing, ect. This cd is sure to put you in a good mood. I highly recommend it! I am actually waiting for another Dan Zanes cd to arrive I liked it so much.

we all love it.......2006-08-05

The whole family can enjoy this music, unlike many of the other kid's music that is so lame.

Merrily We Roll Along (1981 Original Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

Simply amazing!
Not My Favorite Sondheim Score, But Has Its Moments
Sondheim Had a Good Thing Going
A detailed comparison of the two versions of this CD
It's okay, but...

Merrily We Roll Along (1981 Original Broadway Cast)
Stephen Sondheim , Jim Walton , and Lonny Price
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Sunday in the Park with George (1984 Original Broadway Cast)
Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979 Original Broadway Cast)
Into the Woods (1987 Original Broadway Cast)
Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast)
Company (2006 Broadway Revival Cast)

ASIN: B0009A40L6
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

Overture
Hills of Tomorrow/Merrily We Roll Along (1980)/Rich and Happy
Merrily We Roll Along (1979-1975)/Old Friends/Like It Was
Merrily We Roll Along (1974-1973)/Franklin Shepard, Inc.
Old Friends
Not a Day Goes By
Now You Know
It's a Hit!
Merrily We Roll Along (1964-1962)/Good Thing Going
Merrily We Roll Along (1961-1960)/Bobby and Jackie and Jack
Not a Day Goes By
Opening Doors
Our Time
Hills of Tomorrow
It's a Hit [*]
Not a Day Goes By [*]

Amazon.com

It's a shame that Merrily We Roll Along was such a flop on Broadway, for it contains some of Stephen Sondheim's best, brightest, and brassiest music. The reasons have been well documented: a youthful, inexperienced cast; cheesy sets and costumes; and, most of all, a confusing plot structure that starts in 1980 with bitter, cynical characters and winds its way backward to 1955, when a high school graduating class is dreaming of making its mark on the world. The main focus is on three friends (Jim Walton, Ann Morrison, and Lonny Price) who share musical ambitions but are gradually driven apart by the turbulence and fragmentation of their lives and the America around them. (You'll also hear a pre-Seinfeld Jason Alexander, and even a young chorus girl named Liz Callaway.) Sondheim almost imperceptibly reworks his themes as his characters develop, and the score includes the infectious "Old Friends," the driving title tune, the ballad "Not a Day Goes By," and "Our Time," an uplifting anthem of hope when performed out of the show's context, but emotionally devastating within it. And if the backward structure--inherited from George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's 1934 version of the show--really bothers you, you can run it almost completely chronologically by reprogramming the CD. --David Horiuchi

Album Description

A Classic Stephen Sondheim Musical Available Now at a New Low Price!

Features bonus tracks, digitally remastered and new liner notes.

Customer Reviews:

Simply amazing!.......2007-06-24

I'll admit, I was completely ignorant of musicals and of Stephen Soundheim until my son joined his high school theater troupe and he got the role of "Terry". I reluctantly attended, only because I wanted to see my son's performance, and prepared myself for what I thought would be a boring night. Boy, was I wrong! Not only was it amazing but my 10 & 8 yr. old daughters, whom I thought were going to be whining after 10 minutes, were enthralled too! I didn't realize my son's theatre troupe was so amazingly talented, the musical was so professionally performed I felt I was at a broadway show! The music is wonderful and entertaining! We have been transformed by this. We now own the soundtrack and often we catch ourselves humming various parts of it often! Especially love "Franklin Shepard, Inc.", which isn't on this copy. You've got to see this to appreciate it!

Not My Favorite Sondheim Score, But Has Its Moments.......2007-05-30

While I have never seen this show, I picked up this remastered version of the original 1981 production due to my interest in Mr. Sondheim's scores. An interesting premise - to stage a show in reverse - but the score doesn't captivate like "Company" or "Sweeney Todd", two of my favorite scores ever. Still, a worthy effort w/ a few standout songs:

Old Friends
Not A Day Goes By
Our Time

Sondheim Had a Good Thing Going.......2005-02-08

Several years ago I saw a college production of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. At the time, I knew the musical had been a flop in its original run on Broadway; I went to see the production only because two friends of mine were playing the leading roles of Frank and Charlie. But while watching the show I realized that MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG has a great score -- probably one of the greatest of any unsuccessful musical. "Like It Was," "Not a Day Goes By," and "Good Thing Going" are all haunting ballads, unusually emotional for Sondheim, while "Now You Know" and (especially) "Franklin Shepard, Inc." are patter songs in Sondheim's typical, brilliant style. Even the school "commencement song," "The Hills of Tomorrow," is memorable, as are the ensemble numbers "Rich and Happy" and "Merrily We Roll Along," not to mention the moving anthem "Our Time." Both the title song and "Old Friends" are woven through this backwards-told tale of disillusionment, recurring several times as commentary on the action.
Another original idea was to have all the roles played by very young actors -- teenagers, in fact. (Sondheim and director Harold Prince must have thought that a story about broken youthful ideals would be even more affecting if the cast itself was youthful.) Fortunately, Jim Walton, Lonny Price, and Ann Morrison as the three "old friends" INHABIT their roles to a degree that few mature actors could hope to match, while singing with confidence; Walton's "Not a Day Goes By" in particular is beautifully sung. At times, it is truly hard to believe that these performers are little more than children, so thoroughly assured do they sound. And the choral work is stunning; the chorus, in fact, may be the real star of the recording. Those unfamiliar with MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG and this original Broadway cast recording don't know what they are missing!

A detailed comparison of the two versions of this CD.......2004-02-25

Here, I will give a detailed comparison between the two version of this musical available, character by character, song by song. To begin...

Frank Shepard: Jim Walton (OBC) has undeniable potential, and does especially well in "Old friends", the original Frank version of "Not a day goes by". Still, his performance has serious flaws, and his "Our Time" in particular is painful to listen to. By contrast, Malcolm Gets (NBC) was quieter and subtler in the role, but "Our Time" is the character's most important moment, and he handles it terrifically. His spectacular vocals and soaring idealism contrast sharply with Walton's shrill, shallow delivery.

Charley Kringas: Lonny Price (OBC) is spectacular as Charley. Since Charley remains an uncorrupted idealist at the play's "end", casting a teenager in the role was actually a wise move, and despite his lack of experience, Price turns out one of the most skillful performances in all of Broadway history. I tell you, the kid's a prodigy! Adam Heller (NBC) was adequate in the revival (personally, I'd love to see him do Buddy in "Follies"), but most of Charley's personality is expressed in subtext, and without the tragic complexity Price gave him, he seemed rather boring.

Mary Flynn: Ann Morrison (OBC) is quite talented, and did an excellent portrayal of an angsty teen late in the play, particularly in the second half of "Our Time". Still, she simply sounded too upbeat to be convincing as a cynical middle-aged drunk. Amy Ryder (NBC), on the other hand, is perfectly suited to the role; she has a wonderfully expressive voice and does an excellent job of subtly altering her personality over time.

Beth Spencer: This role requires a measure of overacting, but Sally Klein (OBC) goes so over the top it's not even funny. Anne Bobby (NBC), on the other hand, kept her control and gave a charmingly flamboyant and very human performance.

Gussie Carnigie: Michelle Pawk (NBC) sounds like a real Broadway headliner, and she is just delicious as the show's evil seductress. Terry Finn (OBC) had only a brief dialogue bit on the CD, and she couldn't even handle that without making a fool of herself.

Joe Josephson: Famed comedian Jason Alexander (OBC) made this character funny and charming. Paul Harmon (NBC) was intensely annoying.

As for the individual songs...

Merrily we Roll Along: The song has excellent lyrics, deep and introspective, but in the OBC you can't hear them because the obnoxious Geoffrey Horne is shouting something pointless over them.

Like it was

Amy Ryder sounded far more authentic here than Ann Morrison, although I will say Lonny Price handled his dialogue bits extremely well.

Franklin Shepard INC.

Adam Heller's diction was better in this wordy monologue-song, but I prefer Price's more passionate version.

Old Friends

The OBC has better peformances by everyone except Ann Morrison, as well as two very interesting extra verses tacked on the end.

Not a day goes by

This song was blessed with two great performances, and I honestly can't decide on a favorite between Jim Walton's gorgeous vocals and Anne Bobby's intense acting.

Now you know

The OBC did a great job of setting the mood for this number, and Walton and Morrison are at their best. Still, Amy Ryder did a decent job of salvaging the watered-down, badly edited NBC version.

It's a hit

The OBC cast were much more interesting in this number, and some key material was cut in the NBC anyway.

Good thing going

Heller was by no means bad in this number, but Price blew him out of the water.

Bobby and Jackie and Jack

The NBC is far better; Sally Klein was at her worst here, and Lonny Price, for all his many talents, is no comedian.

Not a day goes by (reprise)

Due to an asinine recording job, you can barely hear Amy Ryder in this number. Thankfully, Ann Morrison does a fabulous performance here.

Opening Doors

Jason Alexander sings beautifully and projects a loveably pushy personality in this montage. Let me say delicately that Harmon does neither of these things. The rest of the cast is excellent in either versioon, except for Jim Walton, who foreshadows the problems with his next song in an unsubtle, extremely annoying performance.

Our Time

If not for Jim Walton, the OBC would have this one in the bag; they close it with a haunting ensemble chorus led by Ann Morrison that gives the song a beautifully profound feel. However, Walton was horrendous in the first half of the song, and because he was so utterly outclassed by Malcolm Gets' exquisite performance, the song overall is far more effective in the NBC.

Finally, as for the songs that were in both versions...

The Hills of Tomorrow (OBC)

A lovely song and an excellent opening. I appreciate its importance to the plot as the first song Frank ever wrote, but I think reprising it to close the show was not as effective as simply closing with "Our Time".

That Frank (NBC)

Weak as a plot climax. I understand that in the show, it was merely intended to "set up" a dramatic confrontation in the book scenes, but on the CD it was a noticeable letdown. Still, Amy Ryder's antics as Mary were fun and powerful.

Rich and Happy (OBC)

A powerful and disturbing climax and an excellent alternative to the shallow "That Frank", even if Walton could have performed it better.

Growing up (NBC)

A complex and thought-provoking song with a beautiful melody, performed extremely well by Malcolm Gets and Michele Pawk. I personally think it serves a necessary role in the play, and I'm very glad they added it to fill that void. It gives us a chance to see into Frank's mind, something none of the other songs do. Gussie's later reprise of this song, however, is watered down and, despite its beauty, completely unnecessary.

The Blob (NBC)

A satirically funny and mildly disturbing song. Part of it appears in the OBC, but Gussie's cynically witty second verse really brings it to life.

In general, I actually recommend you get both version if you get either. Each one contains wonderful moments the other one screws up. If you must get only one, though, get the NBC. It may not be as good is some places, but it has fewer flaws.

It's okay, but..........2003-08-25

You're better off with the 1994 York Theater Off-Brodway version with Malcom Gets...while this one is pleasent at best, it's much too clunky and all over the place to really, really enjoy...the songs that were cut from this version like "Rich and Happy" are genuienly solid, but there are far too few of them to make up for the lack of fluidness that accompanies this version. Many people complain that the new version is "too artifical" with it's use of (minimum) synthesizers, and that the cast isn't adequate enough to handle the score, but I disagree...the cast for this version is simply much too young and inexperienced to really get a grasp on what it's like to play middle aged cynics. On the other hand, the '94 cast is well-equipped to handle the their roles both emotionaly and mentally. That's not to say that this version is completely devoid of any redeeming qualities...it's just far too overrated to earn the place as the definitive recording of Merrily...start with the '94 version, and if you like that one, move on to this one...the former is much more solid and fluid. There is talk of a staged reading this fall, which will hopefully lead to a full-fledged return of this extremely underrated masterpiece...a return more akin to it's latter day revival, and not the original's choppy performance.

Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast)

Average customer rating:

Great CD
Simply the Best
Inconsistent, but mostly excellent
"Celebration" is not strong enough a word
A maginificent evening, a magnificent album

Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast)
Stephen Sondheim , Betty Buckley , Paul Gemignani , Patti LuPone , Liza Minnelli , and Bernadette Peters
Manufacturer: RCA Victor Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Side By Side By Sondheim (1976 Original London Cast)
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Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall
Sondheim, Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall

ASIN: B000003FDW
Release Date: 1993-02-23

Tracks:

Symphonic Sondheim: Sweeney Todd--orchestra, Jerry Hadley ("Johanna"), Eugene Perry,Herbert Perry ("Pretty Women")
Evening Introduction--Bill Irwin
Loveland/Getting Married Today--Ensemble, Jeanne Lehman, Mark Jacoby, Madeline Kahn
Waiting for the Girls Upstairs--George Lee Andrews, Michael Jeter, James Naughton/Love, I Hear--Michael Jeter/Live Alone and Like It--James Naughton
Someone Is Waiting--Richard Muenz/Symphonic Sondheim: Barcelona--orchestra
Being Alive--Patti LuPone
Good Thing Going--The Tonics
Losing My Mind/You Could Drive a Person Crazy--Dorothy Loudon
Our Time--Boys Choir of Harlem/Children Will Listen--Betty Buckley
Anyone Can Whistle--Billy Stritch
Water Under the Bridge--Liza Minnellli, Billy Stritch
Back in Business--Liza Minnellli, Billy Stritch, Ensemble

Tracks:

Symphonic Sondheim: Comedy Tonight--Bill Irwin, orchestra
Sooner or Later--Karen Ziemba
Pretty Lady--Mark Jacoby, Eugene Perry, Herbert Perry
Green Finch and Linnet Bird--Harolyn Blackwell
The Ballad of Booth--Patrick Cassidy, Victor Garber
Broadway Baby--Daisy Eagan
I Never Do Anything Twice--BETTY
With So Little to Be Sure Of--Jerry Hadley, Carolann Page
Not a Day Goes By--Bernadette Peters
Remember?--Ron Baker, Peter Blanchet, Carol Meyer, Bronwyn Thomas, Blythe Walker (Quintet)/A Weekend in the Country--Kevin Anderson, George Lee Andrews, Mark Jacoby, Beverly Lambert, Maureen Moore, Susan Terry, Quintet
Send in the Clowns--Glenn Close
Old Friends--Liza Minnelli
Sunday--Bernadette Peters, Broadway Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Great CD.......2006-08-06

This is a wonderful double CD of fabulous musical numbers performed by theatre greats and directed by a legandary musical director.

Simply the Best.......2005-06-29

First, to the person who criticizes the recording b/c of "Broadway Baby." Daisy Egan (who sings in in this recording) sounds like she's 10 becuase she IS young. She had just appeared on Braodway in Secret Garden and won a Tony for it. It's a joke...Broadway BABY...hello, it's a joke.

In a compilation of songs like this you're always going to have tracks that you prefer over others, but the majority of the renditions in this CD are great. This is simply one of the best collections of Sondheim out there. You get interpretations that span from "classical" (Green Finch), to bordering on insane (Anything Twice). This is to demonstrate how versatile this composer really is.

In my opinion, some of the best renditions are "Not a Day Goes By," "Anyone Can Whistle", "Girls Upstairs Medley," "Losing My Mind/Drive a Person Crazy," and "Weekend inthe Country." Makes me wish I had been there to witness it first hand.

If you love Sondheim and enjoy hearing Broadway performers, get this CD. A great recording.

Inconsistent, but mostly excellent.......2004-03-21

I am sure no knowledgeable person would deny how absolutely perfect all these songs are. However, the performances on this album are extremely inconsistent. It will go from an excellent rendition (Waiting for the Girls medley, Sunday, With So Little To Be Sure Of, Sooner or Later, Green Finch, Send in the Clowns, Pretty Lady) to the weird (I never Do Anything Twice), to the bad (Broadway Baby, Our Time). I still have absolutely no idea how they managed to butcher one of the best songs ever written--Good Thing Going--and turn it into smooth jazz elevator music. Why would they give Broadway Baby to someone who sounds like she's 10? That said, Liza Minelli, Glenn Close, Karen Ziemba, Dorothy Laudon and the "Waiting for the Girls" performers are all very good. And ending with Bernadette Peters and "Sunday" ends the set on a absolutley fabulous note.

"Celebration" is not strong enough a word.......2003-04-30

This review is by Crosley.

I have been a major Sondheim fan for quite some time, and I finally obtained a copy of this album. I was blown away by the excellent cast and phenomenal selection of music. It is obvious how much work went into this production, considering that this is the live recording of a one time show, and it's flawless. The songs cover all of his shows with the exception of "Passion," which was released 3 years after this show. Also, the shows for which he wrote only lyrics are ommited, like West Side Story, Gypsy, etc. Thus, you can find material from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Merrily we Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and Assassins.

There are two striking things about this CD (besides the music and performers themselves). First of all, some of the songs are completely stylistically reworked. The most obvious are "Good Thing Going" and "I Never do Anything Twice." Both are traditionally very ballady with a piano accompaniment, but here they have been redone as jazzy tunes. The result is excellent. Such reworkings demonstrate that Sondheim writes music for virtually any style, and in these cases, across several styles. It's a great example of his variety. The other interesting thing is how many songs have overlapping melodies of songs from different shows. Case in point, "Our Time" and "No one is Alone" are sung seperately by the Harlem Boys Choir and Betty Buckley (the original Grizabella in Webber's atrocious "CATS," although Buckley was excellent) respectively, and then combined. Putting these two songs together offer different meanings to each, and the music is only enhanced. Another example, the trio of "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs," "Love, I Hear," and "Live Alone and Like It" are sung in that order, and then the latter two are combined. Again, the meanings of the songs change, this time in an almost narrative style, and offering different takes on love in the same montage. Lastly (at least for this review, there are more), Dorothy Laudon's (the original Ms. Hannigan in Annie) combination of "Losing my Mind" and "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" is brilliant. Those who are familiar with these songs will wonder how exactly they fit, but trust me, they do. She swtiches back and forth between melodies to create a number that starts poignant and beautiful, and soon moves to become uproariously funny. Both the song reworkings and overlapping melodies of unrelated songs are all for the better.

I recommend this recording to anyone wanting to get better acquainted with some of Sondheim's best work, or those already familiar who want to hear a tour de force of phenomenal music. It has been said that Sondheim is a masterful lyricist (which he is), but lacks real talent for music. This CD is the final proof that such critics are wrong. His music may take a few listenings to get into, contrary to Webber or Wildhorn, but unlike those two, he doesn't cater to the audience. He challenges them to think outside of traditional musical theater in a glorious repertoise of shows that reach for a smarter, more sophisticated form.

A maginificent evening, a magnificent album.......2001-12-16

There's something to be said for the first concert you ever see at Carnegie Hall. I was fortunate enough to have this be my first. This entire evening was devoted to his genius and the performers did not disappoint.

This wonderful double CD shows off the best and brightest of the musical theatre composer and it is, as one person put it, "an embarassment of riches." With songs from his finest works done in amazing arrangements (listen to that harmony in "We Had a Good Thing Going"!) combined with fabulous performers this is a Sondheim lovers delight.

Tracks:

Overture (Merrie Melodies Main Title Music)
This Is A Life
High Note
What's Up, Doc?
Baton Bunny
Jumpin' Jupiter
The Rabbit Of Seville
Act II Entr' Acte (Excerpt From Long Haired Hare And Merrie Melodies Main Title Music)
A Corny Concerto
Long-Haired Hare
What's Opera, Doc?
Merrie Melodies Closing Theme 'That's All Folks'

Amazon.com

Though it's the "cast album" to the touring Bugs Bunny on Broadway show, which featured a 50-piece orchestra playing to the original cartoons, the real stars here are not the musicians but Carl Stalling and Milton J. Franklyn. As the composers behind the Looney Toons cartoons, Stalling (and later Franklyn) expertly composed scores that borrowed from classical music, popular songs of the day, and the whimsical compositions of Raymond Scott. Working with talents like Chuck Avery (the most musically adventurous of Bugs Bunny's directors) and voice actors Arthur Q. Bryan (Elmer Fudd) and Mel Blanc (virtually everybody else), they created some of the best-loved music of the century. They also introduced classical music to new generations through their loving reenactments of Rossini's The Barber of Seville (as "The Rabbit of Seville") and, amazingly, the entire Ring cycle (condensed to seven minutes in "What's Opera, Doc?"). Not as expansive as the two volumes of the Carl Stalling Project, Bugs Bunny on Broadway nevertheless is a fine collection that concentrates on an oft-overlooked legacy of Bugs Bunny and company. --Randy Silver

Customer Reviews:

Not For Purists.......2004-09-22

If you have an ear for the original recordings, then this collection is not for you. On tracks like "The Rabbit of Seville" the switch from the original soundtrack to the modern re-recording is both jarring and unsatisfying. If you loved the "live" show then this may bring back some memories for you. If you want to hear the original performances of the great music from Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, I recommend "The Carl Stalling Project" instead.

Cute CD for Looney Tunes fans.......2004-04-03

Sure, it's not for everyone's taste but no fan of Bugs or Daffy can be without this CD. Outside of the famous 'Merry Go Round Broke Down' and Merrie Melodies theme the Looney Tunes cartoons are well known for paying tribute to and parodying classical music and there's loads of that behavior to be had on this CD. The popular song 'What's Up Doc' is also featured here and there's just enough of Daffy Duck included to keep me happy. Hard to come by but worth getting if you can pick it up cheap.

Oh, the memories this brings back!.......2003-03-05

I never thought I'd hear some of these again. At their height, the Warner Brothers studio used classical music very cleverly in their animations, and this compilation gives us a sampling of the best. About the only thing that made me not give it the full five stars was that it didn't have the excellent "Daffy's Rhapsody."

BRILLIANT AT THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE; THE CD IS JUST AS GREAT.......2002-03-12

I just had the incredible pleasure of seeing this production, conducted by George Daugherty, at The Sydney Opera House. If the week of sold-out audiences were any indications, it's "adult kids" who really love the classic Looney Tunes cartoons. Ordered the CD immediately from Amazon when I got home, and have relived this magnificent production over and over. The music is as incredible as the animation, and Carl Stalling's incredible collaboration with the brilliant Chuck Jones is even more evident when one is just listening to the incredible orchestral performances of these spectacular scores. With the death of Mr. Jones, this CD is even more of a memento of a brilliant golden age of American animated cinema. As we say down here "downunder," it's a bloody ripper!!! (And that's a supreme compliment in Australian!!!!)

Bugs at the Bowl.......2001-07-14

Oh what joy there is in Bugs Bunny. Santa Claus came down the chimney last Christmas and left a beautifully wrapped gift with my name on it underneath our Christmas tree. A CD? For me? Yes, it was. I listened entranced and recaptured so many happy memories of my favourite Chuck Jones characters, all brought vividly to life in George Daugherty's brilliant Bugs Bunny on Broadway. But that wasn't the end of my dreams come true. I was lucky enough to see Bugs brought to life again at The Hollywood Bowl. Rush out and buy this joyful CD - then do your utmost to catch a live performance when it's next in your city.

Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim

Average customer rating:

Wonderful songs

Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim

Manufacturer: RCA Victor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Comedy Tonight: Stephen Sondheim's Funniest Songs
Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast)
Cleo Laine Sings Sondheim
Sondheim Evening: A Musical Tribute (1973 Concert Cast)
The Sondheim Collection (Studio Cast Re-recordings)

ASIN: B00006LSQJ
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Tracks:

Send In The Clowns (From 'A Little Night Music') - Cleo Laine
Losing My Mind (From 'Follies') - Barbara Cook
I Remember (From 'Evening Primrose') - David Korman
Liasons (From 'A Little Night Music') - Hermione Gingold
With So Little To Be Sure Of (From 'Anyone Can Whistle') - Jerry Hadley
Not A Day Goes By (From 'Merrily We Roll Along') - Bernadette Peters
Pretty Women (From 'Sweeney Todd') - Michael Rupert
In Buddy's Eyes (From 'Follies') - Barbara Cook
No One Is Alone (From 'Into The Woods') - Cleo Laine
Johanna (From 'Sweeney Todd') - Victor Garber
So Many People (From 'Saturday Night') - Suzanne Henry
Sorry-Grateful (From 'Company') - Stephen Collins
Too Many Mornings (From 'Follies) - Barbara Cook
Finishing The Hat (From 'Sunday In The Park With George') - Mandy Patinkin
Not While I'm Around (From 'Sweeney Todd') - Angela Lansbury
Like It Was (From 'Merrily We Roll Along') - Julie Andrews
Unworthy Of Your Love (From 'Assassins') - Annie Golden
Anyone Can Whistle (From 'Anyone Can Whistle') - Cleo Laine

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful songs.......2003-02-07

If you're a Sondheim ballad fan, this a must-have. While there are a few renditions that aren't great (Not a Day Goes By is way overdone), the selections from Follies sung by Barbara Cook are outstanding. The Cleo Laine version of "Send in the Clowns" is lovely and Stephen Collins does an amazing good job on "Sorry-Grateful" from Company. Still, it's the Follies songs that truly shine!

Average customer rating:

Crossover at Its Best
If Dawn Upshaw had made only one album...
Great songs by a better than average singer. Buy It.
A must album for all musical theatre lovers.
Timeless recording

I Wish It So
soprano Dawn Upshaw , Marc Blitzstein , Eric Stern , Stephen Sondheim , Kurt Weill , Leslie Stifelman , Leonard Bernstein , and Matthias Naegele
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000005J2V
Release Date: 1994-08-02

Tracks:

I Wish It So
There Won't Be Trumpets - Sondheim
What More Do I Need? - Sondheim
That's Him
The Girls Of Summer - Sondheim
The Saga Of Jenny
Like It Was
Stay Well
I Feel Pretty
Glitter And Be Gay
My Ship
In The Clear
Never Get Lost - Take Me To The World
My New Friends - Bernstein

Amazon.com essential recording

With a spirit of innocence and excitement, no audible breaks of register, and perfect diction, Dawn Upshaw graces us with a satisfying crossover recording in which each song is a fully realized musical monologue. The eclectic and infrequently performed repertoire, from Bernstein, Blitzstein, Sondheim, and Weill, compliments her charm and interpretive acuity. There's her humorous "Saga of Jenny," her adorable "That's Him," her poignant "Like It Was," and her freshly vibrant "I Feel Pretty." Conductor Eric Stern is divine in his arrangements and accompaniment. This is one of the best musical theater albums available. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

Crossover at Its Best.......2006-11-15

"I Wish It So" is the CD that first introduced the exceptional "crossover" talents of soprano Dawn Upshaw. The album, which comprises (mostly) little-heard songs by Kurt Weill, Marc Blitzstein, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim, opens with the title number, a lyrical gem from Blitzstein's JUNO, and continues with Sondheim's vibrant "There Won't Be Trumpets," in which Upshaw, rather than belting, lets her voice ring. She then slam-dunks Sondheim's "What More Do I Need," a truly raucous number. Other highlights include the two songs from Weill's LADY IN THE DARK: the haunting ballad "My Ship" and the witty "The Saga of Jenny," presented here in a superb jazz arrangement. The sound of Upshaw's lower middle voice in this number is thrilling. Her combining of Blizstein's "Never Get Lost" and Sondheim's soaring, life-affirming "Take Me to the World" is perfect, as is her musical yet emotional rendition of "Like It Was" from Sondheim's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. The album climaxes with the mock-coloratura aria "Glitter and Be Gay" from Bernstein's CANDIDE, in which Upshaw scales the heights with consistently pure and beautiful tone. In a day when many great opera singers attempt, unsuccessfully, to sing "popular" song, "I Wish It So" is an example of crossover at its very best. It is a CD that no one who loves both opera and musicals should miss.

If Dawn Upshaw had made only one album..........2006-08-24

I have a weak spot for crossover albums by opera stars, which can often be train wrecks or embarrissing self-parodies. There's not a cringe-worthy note in this one, however. Dawn Upshaw has never been as vibrant on disc, and her style in pop music (albeit serious pop music) surpasses expectations. She is a master at touching vulnerability and stars-in-her-eyes vulnerability. There's no current Broadway star who can match her in any of these songs form Sondheim, Weill, and Bernstein, certainly not for sheer beauty of voice and charm. Upshaw went on to make an excellent album of Rodgers and Hart songs, but nothing else quite matches this first effort.

Great songs by a better than average singer. Buy It........2006-04-24

'I Wish It So' sung by popular / classical switch hitter, Dawn Upshaw is a very, very good interpretation of classical American musical theatre pieces by four masters of the genre, Leonard Bernstein (music), Marc Blitzstein (lyrics), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and Kurt Weill (music). As I am most familiar with female interpretations of Kurt Weill's songs, especially by the likes of his widow, Lotte Lenya and Weill interpreter extraordinare, Ute Lemper, I have to say that while Upshaw does them justice, she does ont outshine the very best Weill interpretations. Primarily, I believe she suffers from never actually performing the works on stage, as Lenya has.

And, since Ute Lemper did an album with a similar collection of songs (Illusions) from Sondheim and others, I thing Lemper still has the edge on interpreting other composers as well.

On the positive side, I find Upshaw's interpretation as good or better than almost everyone else who makes a career out of these songs, such as, dare I say it, Barbra Streisand. This is a good thing, because I believe Upshaw is not up to the very best mezzos who share her classical works. She can't hold a candle, for example, to Renee Fleming or Anne Sofie von Otter, although her interpretations of Weill are as good as von Otter, just not as good as Lenya and Lemper.

A very, very nice album if you like female vocalists.

A must album for all musical theatre lovers........2005-04-21

Dawn Upshaw once again disproves the adage that opera singers can't sing showtunes properly. Her diction, her ability to act out the lyrics and her crystal clear angel-like voice are just heavenly. Miss Upshaw could teach quite a few Broadway and Cabaret singers a thing or two about interpretation and she would have her hands full teaching opera singers like Te Kanawa or Fleming how to put over a showtune properly. Simply divine!

Timeless recording.......2004-07-20

This is an endlessly rewarding album by an operatic soprano who demonstrates an expressiveness and range rare in crossover albums of this sort. Upshaw modifies her classical technique without compromising it, narrating with a conversational tone and youthful ebullience well-suited to musical theater. She continues her tradition of championing obscure American art songs with three gorgeous Blitzstein pieces, and wisely avoids the standard, overdone Sondheim showpieces in favor of several gorgeous lesser-known songs. "I Feel Pretty" is given a refreshing makeover, while "Glitter and Be Gay" demonstrates both her impressive vocal control and comedic prowess. Despite the odd choice of "There Won't Be Trumpets", which demands a belter to properly execute the climax, this album is a well-conceived and cohesive collection that becomes more enjoyable on each subsequent listen.

The Story Goes On: Liz Callaway On & Off Broadway

Average customer rating:

Y'all are crazy!
Liz Callaway Goes On...
Liz Callaway SOARS!
....Love this album too!
Unknown Talent Sings Unknown and Known Broadway Songs

The Story Goes On: Liz Callaway On & Off Broadway

Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Anywhere I Wander - Liz Callaway Sings Frank Loesser
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Ann Hampton Callaway

ASIN: B00005B176
Release Date: 2001-04-03

Tracks:

You There in the Back Row
I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair
Since You Stayed Here
Knowing When to Leave/Promises Promises
Where Is Love? (with Billy Porter)
Meadowlark
Sleepy Man
Our Time (with Ann Hampton Callaway)
I Got the Sun in the Morning
Stop, Time
One Boy
Marry Me a Little
The Story Goes On
A Place Called Home

Amazon.com

Broadway veteran Liz Callaway (most famous for her five-year stint as Grizabella in Cats on Broadway in the late '90s) fills her second solo album with lesser-known tunes, a number of them covering moments in her career. Her lovely soprano can break your heart with the ballad "Since You Stayed Here" then thrill you with the showstopper "The Story Goes On" from Baby (which earned her a Tony nomination). The emotional heart of the album is "Meadowlark," Stephen Schwartz's wondrous tale of risk and heartbreak that proves a particularly glorious marriage with Callaway's voice. In a savvy bit of programming, that peak is followed by the deliciously langorous "Sleepy Man." Callaway's sister, jazz/cabaret singer Ann Hampton Callaway, makes a guest appearance in Stephen Sondheim's powerful "Our Time," a teaser of the sisters' live collaboration. Of Varese Sarabande's many albums spotlighting Broadway singers, The Story Goes On is one of their absolute best. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Y'all are crazy!.......2006-11-03

The Billy Porter duet is one of the most unique and thrilling songs on the cd. What a fantastic re-invention of that song. And their voices by themselves and together are glorious. Its all personal taste and by no means is that the only good song. Its probably THE best solo cd by a broadway artist. Incredible!

Liz Callaway Goes On..........2006-05-02

Liz Callaway has one of the most enthralling voices around. Her voice is melodious and very soothing and especially shines in soft and subdued ballads. She doesn't have a big voice but she has an amazing range and sense of melody.

She opens the album with a strong rendition of "You There in the Back Row" a song I'm not familiar with but has grown to love. The next track "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of my Hair" lacks the spunk and bite that I think the song should have, and the arrangement felt out of place in the album.

She had a touching and moving rendition of `Since You Stayed Here". I'm not familiar with the musical Brownstone but this song made me want to check out the musical. It's about someone forced to become a stronger person after a breakup or some sort, that you wouldn't recognize it's the same person. I really love this song and Liz captured the strength as well as the sadness of the song.

Another standout is her now trademark version of "Meadowlark". The story of the meadowlark was a metaphor that convinced the character to the important decision she made in leaving her husband for another man. This is a really powerful song and truly Liz Callaway soared in this song. "Sleepy Man" was another notable track. This is probably the song that fits Liz Callaway's voice most perfectly. It was very sweet and really really soothing in the ears. This is one of my favorite tracks.

"Stop Time" is a song about the inexplicable combination of joy and sadness of watching your child grow up. It was a tender rendition that ends with a beautiful subdued last note. This woman knows how to end a song.

Once I got passed the cheesiness of the arrangement of "One Boy", I enjoyed it. It's old fashioned but it's still good. Liz then made an updated rendition of "The Story Goes On" from her show "Baby" This song was about a mother-to-be finally realizing the beauty and magic of carrying a child after she felt the child's first kick. I prefer the stronger arrangement of the song in this album compared to the Baby Cast Recording, but the innocence of that earlier rendition still resonates.

She ended the album with a beautiful rendition of "A Place Called Home". I first heard this song in one of Lea Salonga's concerts and I fell in love with this song. Her last note was very touching and melodiously and heartbreakingly romantic.

Grade= A

Liz Callaway SOARS!.......2005-06-27

Wow! I love this cd! I went to a camp in Decatur, Illinois called Showchoir Camps of America. One night, as our evening entertainment, she performed this entire album!! That afternoon Ms. Liz came for a question and answer session with Phil Reno. She is such a down to earth person and sooo very talented! At the concert, I started to cry! During one song, Ms. Liz forgot the words to a song ( actually, I forgot what the song was called!), so she just made up some words to it!! If you want a TRUELY talented performer, Liz Callaway is the one for you!

....Love this album too!.......2004-08-18

I love this album. There are a few songs I kinda skip, because it was just weird. That song being "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of my Hair", weird. I loved the duet "Where is Love" from the musical Oliver. "Stop,Time" from the musical BIG (grab your puffs!). I enjoyed the 50's sounding "One Boy!" from Bye,Bye Birdie. Liz has a wonderful range, and flattering childish tone to her voice, reaching notes that would take me years of training to ever reach again! She has complied all these exciting songs and ends the album with "A Place Called Home", from A Christmas Carol. I could never give her enough praise. If you like Strisand, and Sintra, you'll love her too! :-) Liz is always shinning when she sings! Enjoy!

Unknown Talent Sings Unknown and Known Broadway Songs.......2003-06-10

... I thought I recognized the voice but I couldn't quite place it. I finally realized that she was the singing voice of Anastacia in the animated movie. Meg Ryan was the speaking voice. Liz Callaway has one of the clearest voices I have ever heard and also a very strong voice. I love her rendition of Knowing When to Leave/Promises, Promises by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Great arrangements. Dionne Warwick, who I am also a fan of covered Promises, and the Carpenters sang a version of Knowing When to Leave. I'm also a Carpenters' fan. On this album all the songs are Broadway. Many I hadn't heard before but love now due to Liz. The first song, You There in the Backrow is a tribute to fans of shows. "Watch me sing my song for you" the words go. Liz makes you want to jump to your feet. Liz does a rendition of I' Gonna Wash that Man Right Out of My Hair from South Pacific, rock version. I can't say that's my favorite, but favorite to one of my friends. Since You Stayed Here, another unknown song to me, is quiet and hauntingly beautiful. Bette Midler does a version of this I think on her CD with From a Distance. She sings a duet with her sister, Ann Hampton Callaway who sings on Sibling Revelry with Liz. Ann wrote and sang the theme from The Nanny. The song Liz and Callaway and here sister does is Our Time. It's also on Sibling Revelry. Great duet. One of my favorites on the CD is Marry Me a Little by Stephen Sondheim. The words are a plea to marry me, a little. The song is an almost a desperate plea to marry me but you don't have to make promises you don't want to, an open marriage? Make a few demands a few that I'm able to fulfill. She sings I'm ready. We won't have to give up a thing, we'll stay who we are the words say. Someone I'm Ready. I would give this song 5 stars on its own. It makes me cry because she sounds like she will settle but at the same time she wants the love fully. The arrngements on this album are unique. She sings I've Got the Sun in the Morning from Annie Get Your Gun jazzy. Most of the other songs on the album are not known by most people. I can only say that Liz makes you want to see these shows and she pulls you in. I think I've become her biggest fan. I'm a singer too. I could see myself singing with her. I have her The Beat Goes On album too with sixties hits. I hope that people will get to know her because if you haven't heard this or her voice, you are going to be deprived of a remarkale clear strong voice. Buy this. I promise you won't be sorry! One more addition, Meadowlark. Spectacular! The story tells of someone hesitating because the time wasn't right and she learns from the story to live your life, climb every mtn.

Average customer rating:

Did not like this at all...
fun songs
Parent-Friendly Kids' Music
We love this CD!
Fun Music for All Ages!

Cool Songs For Cool Kids
Daddy a Go-Go
Manufacturer: Boyd's Tone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Monkey In The Middle
Mojo A Go Go - Real Rock For Kids
Eat Every Bean and Pea On Your Plate
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ASIN: B00000I9UA
Release Date: 2001-04-03

Tracks:

A Dog Named Boomer/Scooby Doo, Where Are You?
The ABC Song
Go Speed Racer
Daddy A Go Go Theme Song
Brush Your Teeth
I Can Swing By Myself
The Name Song
The Thang From Planet Twang
Daddy's Diaper Blues
Ants in My Pants
Chop Til' You Drop
Adventures in Carpool
I Got My PF Flyers' Workin'
Dad's in The Sky
Glad To Be A Dad

Amazon.com

These Atlanta, Georgia, pops can rock! Stay-at-home-dad John Boydston and Walt Brewer (ex-Jody Grind) have cleverly blended their passions for parenting and rock & rolling with the supergroovy Daddy à Go-Go release, Cool Music for Cool Kids. Tackling subject matter ranging from the merits of brushing your teeth to the pleasures of fatherhood to carpooling and diaper changing, Daddy à Go-Go fills the gap for hip parents and kids with a hankering for something cooler and more substantive than Barney, edgier than Raffi. Daddy à Go-Go makes jubilant jangle-pop recalling the '80s heyday of Athens, Georgia, as well as '60s three-chord pop. "I Can Swing By Myself" and "Ants in My Pants" are infectious bass-heavy twang-rockers, and the carpool song kicks some serious Neil Young-style booty. Instrumentals such as "The Thang from Planet Twang," "Chop 'Till You Drop," and "Glad to Be a Dad" are surf and rockabilly inflected explorations in sound and the boogie that follows. From Boydston's delightful originals to the Dads' covers of themes from Scooby Doo and Speed Racer, Daddy à Go-Go does a family good. --Paige La Grone

Album Description

"Cool Songs for Cool Kids" is Daddy A Go Go's first CD and was named to Amazon.com's first ever Top 10 Best Kids Records of the Year List (1999) and continues to be a favorite among Daddy a Go Go fans. All Music Guide writes: "Cool Songs for Cool Kids is a great introduction to Daddy a Go-Go's cool sound. The title of Daddy a Go-Go's debut Cool Songs for Cool Kids tells most of the story behind the album, though it leaves out the key ingredient of its appeal: the cool dads that comprise Daddy a Go-Go. Walt Brewer and John Boydston mix elements of surf, rockabilly, bubblegum, and classic rock and playful themes into 15 fun songs for kids and parents. Rough, jangly covers of the theme songs to Scooby Doo and Speed Racer, surfy instrumentals like "The Thang From Planet Twang," and witty originals like "Dads in the Sky" and "Daddy's Diaper Blues" reflect the different sides of Daddy a Go-Go's fun, unique style." Its a kids record that doesn't talk down to kids (or to parents) and begins the Daddy a Go Go tradition of never insulting anyone's intelligence, while keeping it fun. Daddy a Go Go has 5 CD's, so check out Daddy A Go Go's other 4 CD's here at Amazon.com, starting with the 2006 release "Eat Every Bean and Pea On Your Plate," one of Amazon.com's Top 10 Best Kids CD"s of the Year Choices. Also Parents Choice Award Winner "Monkey In The Middle," which was also named to Amazon.com's Top 10 Best Kids Records of the Year in 2000. "Big Rock Rooster" expands Daddy a Go Go's notion of rock and roll for the family with rom covers of Allan Sherman's "Hello Muddah,Hello Faddah" and a punchy version of "Come On Get Happy", to fun clever originals like "I Wanna Be An Action Figure" and "I Think I Might Be a Dog." And in 2004 Daddy A Go Go won a 2nd Parents Choice Award with "Mojo A Go Go - Real Rock For Kids" CD, which was again named to Amazon.com's Top 10 Best Kids CD's The Year List. Check out these other CD's as well, and look for Daddy A Go Go's 5th CD release in spring 2006. Check them all out.

Customer Reviews:

Did not like this at all..........2007-02-06

I was very disappointed in this album. I bought it after reading the reviews, many of which stated that this album was one they enjoyed listening to as much as their kids. In my opinion, it sounds very canned and synthy. But it just might be my taste. I'm a huge fan of Elizabeth Mitchell, whose instrumentation is very minimal and whose songs really stand on the vocals and the lyrics. Daddy a Go-Go's songs are too chaotic for me!

fun songs.......2005-08-24

This is a fun dance CD. We haven't tried it in the car yet, but we have a great time singing the ABC's and my favorite, Speed Racer.

Parent-Friendly Kids' Music.......2000-12-30

This is one of only a few of our kids' cds that my husband & I don't mind hearing over & over. The kids are three & five, and, of course, want to hear the same cd again and again - this one is actually tolerable even if you've already heard it five times that day....it's also good for getting the kids moving - it's very danceable.

We love this CD!.......2000-09-10

This is a great CD. My 3-year-old daughter can't help but dance when she hears it. The first time I played it, she sang the alphabet to the "Alphabet Song". It's great to find such a fabulous collection of kids' music all on one CD. We played the CD 3 times the first day we had it. Buy this one!

Fun Music for All Ages!.......2000-03-14

We bought this album because we wanted music that the whole family could enjoy, an does it deliver! Often with children's music the songs can get pretty boring after awhile. This CD is full of fun dance tunes and even throws in a little lesson on personal hygiene with "brush your teeth!". Our three year old has been listening and dancing to it since he was 21 months old. We know our 3 month old will love it too. We can't wait for more from these Go-Go Daddies!

Barbara Cook Sings Mostly Sondheim (Live at Carnegie Hall 2001)

Average customer rating:

Wow!
Everyone Should Whistle
An amazing intro to the body of work of a true master
Beautiful, moving concert
... and I love Barbara Cook

Barbara Cook Sings Mostly Sondheim (Live at Carnegie Hall 2001)

Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Barbara Cook's Broadway!
Barbara Cook at the Met with Special Guests
Tribute
It's Better with a Band
The Champion Season: Live at the Cafe Carlyle

ASIN: B000059LFF
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Tracks:

Everybody Says Don't
I Wonder What Became of Me?
The Eagle and Me
I Had Myself a True Love
Into the Woods / Giants in the Sky (Malcolm Gets)
Another Hundred People / So Many People (Malcolm Gets)
Let's Face the Music and Dance / The Song Is You (duet with Malcolm Gets)
Happiness
Loving You
You Could Drive a Person Crazy
Not A Day Goes By / Losing My Mind

Tracks:

Buds Won't Bud
I Got Lost in His Arms
West Side Story Segment: Something's Coming / Tonight (Malcolm Gets)
Move On (duet with Malcolm Gets)
Medley: Hard Hearted Hannah / Waiting for the Robert E. Lee / San Francisco
Ice Cream
Send in the Clowns
The Trolley Song
Not While I'm Around (duet with Malcolm Gets)
Anyone Can Whistle

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Barbara Cook is one of today's most accomplished song stylists, and if you don't believe us, just listen to this live album. It's a master class in the art of singing. It documents an evening at Carnegie Hall during which Cook proved that she can dissect and extract the substance out of the simplest of lyrics. One of the best surprises is "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" (from Company), which is taken at an amiable trot and allows the singer to display its humor. Cook is not a swinging singer and uptempo is not her pace; give her a ballad, though, and she'll wring the last drop of emotion out of it. Her version of "Losing My Mind" (here paired with "Not a Day Goes By") is simply astonishing. The singer also performs songs that Sondheim has said he wished he had written, an awful lot of them by Harold Arlen. No complaints here. Guest Malcolm Gets solos on a few songs and duets with Cook on others, including "Let's Face the Music and Dance." This is classic material done masterfully by a classic singer. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Wow!.......2004-02-20

Having read the other reviews there is little more for me to add. I have been a Barbara Cook fan for a longtime and for me, this is one of her best concerts ever. I do, however, prefer the DVD. As with some other reviewers, I do not want to hear Malcolm Gets (as much as I like him) when I want to listen to Barbara. Her flawless interpretation of music is a hard act to follow for any singer! I managed to see this concert 4 times over a year and a half. Each time I saw her the voice was stronger and more assured (I would not have thought that possible). I can't help but think we will have the pleasure of hearing Ms Cook for many years to come. For those people who enjoyed his CD I strongly recommend purchasing the DVD. Barabara's rendition of So Many People is breathtaking (literally, I don't think I breathed once during the entire song). If you ever have opportunity to see her live - go! She has an ability to make you feel as if every song she sings and every word she speaks is directed to you alone. She can take a large venue and make it feel as intimate as your own living room. Having had the pleasure of meeting her I can say she is as youthful and pleasurable in person as she is in her performance.

Everyone Should Whistle.......2003-10-11

After being privileged to attend this concert, I had to own the CD. Once a lyric coloratura and the original Cunegonde in Bernstein's Candide, Ms. Cook has become (in her 70s) a true diva, blessed with a velvety, warm sound. Every note has meaning. Her high B-flat on "Ice Cream" is still the envy of any soprano today. Everyone should whistle after hearing the superb performances on this CD. Even better, though, is the experience of having been in the concert hall for the live performance. Brava, Ms. Cook!

An amazing intro to the body of work of a true master.......2003-06-16

When I first bought tickets for the 'Mostly Sondheim' show on tour (in San Francisco) I figured it couldn't be too bad. Besides, I had only been exposed to a few of his songs (Anyone Can Whistle, Losing My Mind...) and had only seen "A Little Night Music". On the way out of the theater I immediately picked up this recording of the program. It is truly amazing. I immediately began listening to it and have barely put it down in the last few months. Furthermore, my Sondheim CD collection increased in size from an unflattering zero to five (and it's still growing)! This is an amazing introduction to the works of Stephen Sondheim, who is now my favorite modern musical composer). Buy this now if you don't already have it!

Beautiful, moving concert.......2003-04-13

This is a wonderful CD set with a great selection of songs. I do want to express a slight reservation, however. Barbara Cook has been one of my favorite singers for a number of years and the way her voice defies time is extraordinary -- for her to be singing with such bright, beautiful tone in her mid-70s with no wobble or beat in the voice is an amazing achievment.

I do have to say that by 2001, when this concert was recorded, Cook seemed to have a lost a little bit of power and intensity in her singing. This is only natural for someone of her age. Her voice is still lovely, but you can sense her keeping it in reserve a bit. She's as expressive as ever, but compare the rendition of "I got lost in his arms" on this album to the one on her previous album recorded in 1999, "The Champion Season", and there's less urgency and vocal depth in her singing here. That said, the high B at the end of "Ice Cream" is sensational.

So, despite that caveat, this is, again, a wonderful album, a must for Cook fans, especially for the gorgeous renditions of songs I'd never thought I'd get to hear her perform: "Not a Day Goes By", "Happiness/Loving You", "San Francisco", etc. Buy it!

... and I love Barbara Cook.......2003-02-11

This recording is a disappointment for me. It is not her best work, and Malcolm Gets is uninspired. My biggest complaint however is the engineering of the recording. Throughout the speaking was to soft, the singing volumes uneven, and the applause deafening. I will be passing this CD on to friends, and will later donate it to my local library.

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