Soap Opera [Hybrid SACD]

Track Listings
1. Everybody's A Star (Starmaker)    
2. Ordinary People    
3. Rush Hour Blues    
4. Nine To Five    
5. When Work Is Over    
6. Have Another Drink    
7. Underneath The Neon Sign    
8. Holiday Romance    
9. You Make It All Worthwhile    
10. Ducks On The Wall11. (A) Face In The Crowd    
11. You Can't Stop The Music    
12. Everybody's A Star (Starmaker) (Mono Mix)    
13. Ordinary People (Live)    
14. You Make It All Worthwhile (Live)    
15. Underneath The Neon Sign (Live)    

Soap Opera, Music, The Kinks, Album Rock, England, Hard Rock, Pop, Pop/Rock, Prog-Rock/Art Rock, Rock, Rock & Roll, Rock/Pop
Enquiring Minds, Vol. 2: The Soap Opera
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • This is The Best Album so far from her away 4rm Three 6 Mafia.
  • Boo Bounce's Back
  • A Release Without The Production of Juicy J & DJ Paul
  • bye bye boo
  • ShEz BaK
 Enquiring Minds, Vol. 2: The Soap Opera
Gangsta Boo
Manufacturer: Rt / It's Time Child
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Gangsta & HardcoreGangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Southern RapSouthern Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Pop RapPop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Street Ringers, Vol. 1: The Mix Tape
  2. Dramatized
  3. Murder She Spoke
  4. Return, Pt. 1
  5. Ultimate Revenge

ASIN: B0000BWVCQ
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Tracks:

  1. Intro - Tha Truth
  2. Sippin & Spinnin
  3. How We Roll
  4. Let Me Get That Off You
  5. City Streets
  6. Posted @ The Bar
  7. Jail Talk
  8. Move
  9. Cutty Girl
  10. Let's Get High
  11. Down Chick
  12. Kill Or Be Killed
  13. Weed & Cocaine
  14. Interlude
  15. 3-Way (Infatuation, Lust & Love)
  16. Where They Hang

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars This is The Best Album so far from her away 4rm Three 6 Mafia........2006-04-11

Get this album, its crazy. She doing her thing solo.

5 out of 5 stars Boo Bounce's Back.......2004-09-20

Gangsta Boo comes back with Enquiring Minds 2: The Soap Opera. This is my second favorite CD from her. She flows well on her own, but can lay it down proper with back up. She raps about her days dealing, backstabbing buisness partners, and life in general. Buy this CD if you love hardcore rap. Buy this CD if you love good music in general.

3 out of 5 stars A Release Without The Production of Juicy J & DJ Paul.......2004-07-25

I think this album is good, but the production of the album is weak. I think that Gangsta Boo should have found someone who has some good production for her lyrics. She is a good underground rapper. "Spinnin & Sippin", in my opinion, is the strongest track on thia album. This releass is a good effort to show her fans that she can come out some good songs without the production of Juicy J & DJ Paul. If you are a hardcore Gangsta Boo fan, I suggest you to cop this album before it goes out-of-print.

1 out of 5 stars bye bye boo.......2004-07-16

this cd was horrible imho. gangsta boo is threw without three six, her lyrics and corny and simple as ever now and she aint got no dj paul and juicy j caliber producers on her tracks so bye bye boo well see how far u go without hypnotized minds

5 out of 5 stars ShEz BaK.......2004-07-11

Shesssss backkkkkkkkkkk
YO THIS ALBUM IS HOT who says she needed the 3-6 shes good by her self keep it gangsta boo
Happy Endings: Comic Chamber Operas
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Great for opera lovers -- even better for opera haters
 Happy Endings: Comic Chamber Operas

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by HindemithAll Works by Hindemith | Hindemith, Paul | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by MenottiAll Works by Menotti | Menotti, Gian Carlo | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Modern & 20th CenturyModern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
EnglishEnglish | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
GermanGerman | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
OperettasOperettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Menotti: The Consul
  2. Menotti: The Unicorn, the Gorgon and the Manticore
  3. Menotti: Goya
  4. The View From Here - Premiere Cast Recording
  5. The Mother of Us All

ASIN: B0000049P4
Release Date: 1995-12-01

Tracks:

  1. Gallantry: 'Gallantry' - A Soap Opera
  2. Gallantry: 'Gallantry' - A Soap Opera
  3. Gallantry: 'Gallantry' - A Soap Opera
  4. Gallantry: 'Gallantry' - A Soap Opera
  5. Gallantry: 'Gallantry' - A Soap Opera
  6. Gallantry: 'Gallantry' - A Soap Opera
  7. Gallantry: 'Gallantry' - A Soap Opera
  8. Gallantry: 'Gallantry' - A Soap Opera
  9. Gallantry: 'Gallantry' - A Soap Opera
  10. Gallantry: 'Gallantry' - A Soap Opera
  11. Gallantry: 'Gallantry' - A Soap Opera
  12. 'Hin und Zuruck', Op. 45a: 'Hin und Zuruck' (There And Back )
  13. 'Hin und Zuruck', Op. 45a: 'Hin und Zuruck' (There And Back )
  14. 'Hin und Zuruck', Op. 45a: 'Hin und Zuruck' (There And Back )
  15. 'Hin und Zuruck', Op. 45a: 'Hin und Zuruck' (There And Back )
  16. 'Hin und Zuruck', Op. 45a: 'Hin und Zuruck' (There And Back )
  17. 'Hin und Zuruck', Op. 45a: 'Hin und Zuruck' (There And Back )
  18. 'Hin und Zuruck', Op. 45a: 'Hin und Zuruck' (There And Back )
  19. 'Hin und Zuruck', Op. 45a: 'Hin und Zuruck' (There And Back )
  20. The Telephone: 'The Telephone' Or L'Amour a Trois
  21. The Telephone: 'The Telephone' Or L'Amour a Trois
  22. The Telephone: 'The Telephone' Or L'Amour a Trois
  23. The Telephone: 'The Telephone' Or L'Amour a Trois
  24. The Telephone: 'The Telephone' Or L'Amour a Trois
  25. The Telephone: 'The Telephone' Or L'Amour a Trois
  26. The Telephone: 'The Telephone' Or L'Amour a Trois
  27. The Telephone: 'The Telephone' Or L'Amour a Trois
  28. The Telephone: 'The Telephone' Or L'Amour a Trois
  29. The Telephone: 'The Telephone' Or L'Amour a Trois
  30. The Telephone: 'The Telephone' Or L'Amour a Trois
  31. The Telephone: 'The Telephone' Or L'Amour a Trois

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great for opera lovers -- even better for opera haters.......2001-09-10

These three one-act chamber operas are rare birds indeed, and it's marvelous to have them all on a single compact disc.
The first, "Gallantry: A Soap Opera," is an excellent introduction to the American opera composer Douglas Moore (whose _Ballad of Baby Doe_ is always on the short list of best American operas). This affectionate satire is presented as if it were a television program, complete with fake commercials. The whole enterprise is reminiscent of a middling "Saturday Night Live" sketch, but it's funny enough to withstand any comparison.
Paul Hindemith's "Hin und Zuruck" is probably the most caustic of the operas here, as befits a work dating from the tumultuous Weimar Republic. It depicts a domestic tragedy, then replays the same scene backwards for an improbable comic ending. This could all be delightful in live performance. But on a recording, the visual jokes that stem from running a scene forwards and backwards simply don't register. That said, Hindemith's musical balancing act between highbrow opera and lowbrow cabaret is consistently entertaining, and worth close attention.
The flat-out funniest of the three operas is Gian Carlo Menotti's "The Telephone, or L'Amour a Trois." In this piece a young man finds himself with a problem: His attempts to propose to his fiancee are always interrupted by her telephone. The young man's solution is perfectly ingenious, as is the entire opera. It should be noted that Menotti is one of the few opera composers who writes his own libretti -- and the gently mocking libretto of "The Telephone" is every bit as much fun as the music. (If you only know Menotti from the mawkish Christmas chestnut "Amahl and the Night Visitors," this little masterpiece will be a positive revelation.)
The New York Chamber Ensemble, bravely led by Stephen Rogers Radcliffe, performs with consistent precision and sensitivity. The voices, while clearly opera caliber, do not attempt to overpower the delicate, frequently unconventional instrumentation.
On the whole, the recording is just the ticket for those who believe that all operas are necessarily pretentious and overblown. But it's also a terrific gift for opera lovers, who have most likely never heard these little gems before.
Widescreen-The Collector's Edition
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Excellent 70's pop
  • You're never bored....
  • Like A Grand Old House, Restored With Additions!
  • Rupert Holmes Creates Movies In Your Mind
 Widescreen-The Collector's Edition

Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Film ScoresFilm Scores | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
BritainBritain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Musical TheaterMusical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
Soft RockSoft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Movie SoundtracksMovie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Rupert Holmes - Greatest Hits
  2. Escape: Best of Rupert Holmes
  3. Swing: A Mystery
  4. Highway Companion

ASIN: B00005N8TK
Release Date: 2001-08-07

Tracks:

  1. Widescreen
  2. Terminal
  3. Second Saxophone
  4. Phantom of the Opera
  5. Talk
  6. Bagdad
  7. Our National Pastime
  8. Letters That Cross in the Mail
  9. Soap Opera
  10. Psycho Drama
  11. Bonus Tracks: Studio Musician (from the album "Rupert Holmes")
  12. Brass Knuckles (from the album "Rupert Holmes")
  13. No Small Affair (version 1)
  14. Remember WENN (theme from the AMC television series)
  15. There You Are (demo version of the song from "The Mystery of Edwin Drood")
  16. So Far So Good ("No Small Affair" version 2)
  17. Theme from Accomplice
  18. Hi Honey, I'm Home! (theme from the ABC television series)
  19. No Small Affair (version 3)
  20. By Myself (from "Solitary Confinement")
  21. The Bitter End

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Excellent 70's pop.......2007-01-11

I stumbled across this guy by accident, and had I known he was responsible for "Escape" (The Pina Colada Song) I would have written him off immediately. But his body of songwriting is a very different story. "Widescreen", "Escape-The Best of Rupert Holmes" and "Pursuit of Happiness" are filled with melodic, entertaining, thought provoking songs.

He is essentially a lost artist from that era. Instrumentation is often complex, the lyrics tell stories and, god forbid, challenge you to think about your life.

Great songwriting is a lost art in the era of hip hop and rap. If you like Burt Bacharach, Barry Manilow (I know what you're thinking but check out "Here At The Mayflower"), Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonalds best work, you should like "Widescreen".

Beautiful melodies, great lyrics, interesting arrangements well played. For some of us that's as good as it gets.

5 out of 5 stars You're never bored...........2005-02-11

It didn't come as any big surprise to me that Rupert Holmes moved from music to writing books. Every song is a story in itself.

"Brass Knuckles" is a Chandleresque tale of a gumshoe set out to restore the honor of a fallen partner.

"Letters that Cross in the Mail" talks about relationships dying via the foibles of communication. It's still as droll as it ever was.

"Psycho Drama" uses the voices of Radio Mystery Theatre players to recreate the long-dead radio play.

The music's definitely dated, but the themes are not. I love Holmes' wry humor and humanity. This is my favorite of his music and often revisited.

5 out of 5 stars Like A Grand Old House, Restored With Additions!.......2002-02-03

I've always considered this to be one of the great albums EVER, but oh wowo zowie - this is such a treat. The remastering is masterful; the musical nuances are clear at last. The additional tracks are wonderful, but especially terrific are Rupert's liner notes detailing the making of "Widescreen" in 1973-74. NOW I know how they made "Letters That Cross In The Mail" sound so unique..! Listening to it is still one of the most memorable musical experiences ever recorded. I can't recommend this CD highly enough.

5 out of 5 stars Rupert Holmes Creates Movies In Your Mind.......2000-03-22

When this album was first released on Epic Records in 1974, I thought it was brilliant. I still do. I was delighted when it was reissued on CD in 1995 on the Varese Vintage label. The album is a true blending of music and cinema...of the mind. The songs truly are movies unto themselves, short stories set to music, brilliantly written, arranged and performed. The "hit" was "Our National Pastime," wherein our hero meets a girl at a baseball game and attempts to seduce her to the tune of "The Star-Spangled Banner." "Letters That Cross In the Mail" (later covered by Barbra Streisand on an album Holmes produced), "Terminal" and "Second Saxophone" are all surprise-ending stories with great melodies. "Widescreen" and "Bagdad" set distinct moods in surround sound before surround sound was invented. "Talk" is one of several songs on the CD that use bittersweet humor to express universal feelings and experiences. "Phantom of the Opera" and "Soap Opera" are both truly movies-on-CD, the first a beautiful and sad plea for love, the second a very funny satire on TV's "daytime dramas". The last track, "Psycho Drama," is just that; a short spoken play with incidental music and sound effects, and guest voices like Ed Herlihy and Will Jordan (whose characters are takeoffs on Peter Lorre and James Mason). The original CD version contained two bonus tracks from other Holmes albums, "Deco Lady" and "Brass Knuckles." but that version went out of print. Now it's back with even MORE bonus tracks! What are you waiting for? BUY IT!
The Kinks Present a Soap Opera
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Review
  • This is my second favorite rock opera...
  • THE BEST OPERA I EVER HEARD!
  • Eccentric But Thoroughly Enjoyable Rock Theater
  • easily one of the best 70's albums by the kinks
 The Kinks Present a Soap Opera
The Kinks
Manufacturer: Velvel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

BritainBritain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Progressive RockProgressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Hard RockHard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Classic RockClassic Rock | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. The Kinks Present Schoolboys in Disgrace
  2. Misfits
  3. Preservation: Act 2
  4. State of Confusion
  5. Preservation: Act 1

ASIN: B00000FDJR
Release Date: 1998-11-24

Tracks:

  1. Everybody's A Star (Starmaker)
  2. Ordinary People
  3. Rush Hour Blues
  4. Nine To Five
  5. When Work Is Over
  6. Have Another Drink
  7. Underneath The Neon Sign
  8. Holiday Romance
  9. You Make It All Worthwhile
  10. Ducks On The Wall
  11. (A) Face In The Crowd
  12. You Can't Stop The Music
  13. Everybody's A Star (Starmaker) (Mono Mix)
  14. Ordinary People (Live)
  15. You Make It All Worthwhile (Live)
  16. Underneath The Neon Sign (Live)

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Review.......2006-03-26

A Soap Opera is Ray Davies imagining what it would be like to be an accountant imagining what it would be like to be Ray Davies--Mojo magazine.

Concept albums tend to be mental, hence 'concept'. A concept album lacking humor or perspective is, I find, either emotionally self-indulgent or intellectually pretentious or both. The paradox of A Soap Opera is that it is finally self-conscious, yet it does not shrink from touching us. It is at once hilarious and compassionate in its portrait of Norm. If anybody can find a pop/rock album that can hold this paradox as well, please let me know on this forum.

(Sidenote: I feel that The Kinks '68-'75 period is just as remarkable as The Kinks '64-'67 period. However, I accept that '64-'67 is more accessible. The thematic albums (VGPS, Arthur, Muswell Hillbillies) and especially the concept albums (Preservation, A Soap Opera, Schoolboys in Disgrace)of the'68-'75 period require a subtler aesthetic intelligence).




5 out of 5 stars This is my second favorite rock opera..........2004-11-30

This is my second favorite rock opera (after Quadraphenia). It is a very clever story about an ordinary man named Norman who lives a very mundane life so he re-creates himself into believing he is really a rock star living his lifestyle for researching new song material. This would be a great album for the Boston Rock Opera to recreate, especially since the story is so straightforward and it already contains witty dialogue between Norman and his loving wife. Listening to this brought back many memories. Highly recommened!

5 out of 5 stars THE BEST OPERA I EVER HEARD!.......2004-04-16

I love this album every song is good.Also,every track is based around a normal working class guy called Norman.Then,a starmaker steps into his life.To make him a star.To do this he invades his body,work,and his love life.So you see it does'nt just have great songs it also has a storyline throughout the whole album.Once again all the songs are good but the one's that stand out the most are Starmaker,When Work Is Over,Holiday Romance,and my favorite song on the album You Make It All Worthwile.Those are the best but once again there all good.This was extremely cast away from all the mainstream public.A number of kinks fans didn't like this album either.I can't see why it's pure kinks material.And then some just don't understand the complecity of the kinks or this great album.Well,anyway GSTK!To all the kinks fans out there who know what that means!

4 out of 5 stars Eccentric But Thoroughly Enjoyable Rock Theater.......2004-02-29

Soap Opera was widely criticized upon its 1975 release, and certainly it bore little in common with the trademark Kinks sound that established them initially. Actually, the Kinks as a band are somewhat in the background on this one. There are female backing singers at times and horn arrangements here and there. It sounds much more like a Ray Davies solo project, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It's just different.

If you're expecting something like "You've Really Got Me Now" or "Destroyer" and have little openness toward music beyond those boundaries, you will probably dislike Soap Opera. On the other hand, if you appreciate a catchy song regardless of style, you may well love this concept album as it has a lot going for it.

The premise of Soap Opera is that a rock star trades places with an ordinary man (Norman), stepping into his life, living at his house, going to his job at the office-all the while gathering material for his songs: "I'm immortalizing his life / And I'll even sleep with his wife / For the sake of art." As the joke goes, someone's got to do it. It's hard not to smile when the Ray Davies character puts forth his "noble sacrifice."

In parts, this is an unbelievably campy CD, but it suits the material well. "Ordinary People" and "You Make It All Worthwhile" are just such numbers, but they're so infectious it's hard not to have them running through your head for days. Both are standout tracks. In the latter, Norman's wife and the Star character (Davies) have a brief squabble over her offering to serve shepherd's pie for dinner, which is far from a favorite of the singer's. But he graciously relents to eat it--for the sake of art, of course.

"Nine To Five" is a beautiful ballad about the boredom of working at the office. There are songs about heading to work in rush hour and heading to the pub afterward to unwind. Even Norman gets a turn to sing as he realizes at the end that he must give up his rock star dreams and become once again just "A Face in the Crowd."

There are a lot of musical styles represented here. "Holiday Romance" sounds like it belongs in an old Fred Astaire movie while "Everybody's A Star," "Can't Stop the Music" and "Ducks on the Wall" are more typical rockers.

Soap Opera is a celebration of the mundane. But it's far from mundane itself. This is a truly enjoyable album if you're open for something that differed from both the good early Kinks stuff and the outstanding late seventies Kinks offerings like Sleepwalker and Misfits that followed the concept album period. As for me, I think this is a great album.

4 out of 5 stars easily one of the best 70's albums by the kinks.......2003-04-22

this album has gotten a LOT of bad press. here at amazon.com, people only tend to write reviews of albums that they enjoy, so if you're only looking here, you might not really grasp how poorly this album is regarded in the kinks katalog (sorry). according to AMG this album is about as bad as the disasterous 80's era "hard rock" kinks albums. why such toxic press? well, "a soap opera" was a product of that period in kinks history when davies was consumed with the idea of the "concept album". but, unlike the "preservation" project (which SHOULD have been great, but was too messy to be really effective) "a soap opera" is more focused and personal, concentrating on one or two characters, rather than an entire ensemble cast.

the concept here seems to be something like this: a big rockstar wants to record a song (or album) about being a "normal, working class" person. so he trades places with a man named norman, and we hear as the main character has to adjust to the mundane life of the everyman. tracks like "rush hour blues", "nine to five", "have another drink", and others, all perfectly convey the numbing drudgery of the clock punching joe who lurches through the motions from day to day. these aren't really original themes, but davies communicates them with a genuine sense of empathy that, in the hands of a lesser songwriter, would devolve into caricature or condescending pity.

personally, i'm not a big fan of concept albums. i think that they're bloated and self-indulgent, and i associate them with "prog rock", which i hate. what saves "a soap opera" is that it's not impossible to listen to the songs on their own, out of the context of the larger story. doing so makes the songs seem a little redundant thematically, but it doesn't rob them of their quality.

the highlights include:

"underneath the neon sign" - a ballad lamenting the rise of the giant post-industrial cityscape at the expense of nature (a theme that would've been perfectly at home on "...village green"), complete with a ridiculous, but charming, horn drenched bridge.

"holiday romance" - a classic kinks "music hall" type number that would've fit perfectly on "muswell hillbillies".

"you make it all worthwhile" - an overtly sentimental, but still very touching song. the staccato strings during the choppy, dramatic verse, contrast beautifully with the calm and ease of the chorus, where the main character explains to his wife that, even though his job is driving him mad, she does exactly what the title suggests.

even if you weren't impressed by the preservation albums, i'd still recommend picking this album up. by kinks standards, it may not be the best album of their career, but it's still head and shoulders above most of the other pompous dreck that was being recorded in 1975.
Soap Opera
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Kinky Opera
  • Nothing normal about "Normal Norman"
  • Umm...a little literacy would help
  • put on the headphones and slide into this album
  • Strange, yet strangely relevant
 Soap Opera
The Kinks
Manufacturer: Velvel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
BritainBritain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Progressive RockProgressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Hard RockHard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Album-Oriented Rock (AOR)Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. The Kinks Present Schoolboys in Disgrace
  2. Preservation: Act 2
  3. Sleepwalker
  4. Preservation: Act 1
  5. Misfits

ASIN: B0006U3UBU
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Tracks:

  1. Everybody's A Star (Starmaker)
  2. Ordinary People
  3. Rush Hour Blues
  4. Nine To Five
  5. When Work Is Over
  6. Have Another Drink
  7. Underneath The Neon Sign
  8. Holiday Romance
  9. You Make It All Worthwhile
  10. Ducks On The Wall11. (A) Face In The Crowd
  11. You Can't Stop The Music
  12. Everybody's A Star (Starmaker) (Mono Mix)
  13. Ordinary People (Live)
  14. You Make It All Worthwhile (Live)
  15. Underneath The Neon Sign (Live)

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Kinky Opera.......2007-07-01

I bought this to replace my vinyl copy. It's a required piece of listening for anyone wanting to understand how adventuresome a rock act could be if allowed to indulge themselves to their fullest. not exactly Tommy or Quadrphenia, but still a bona fide rock opera, with a story line and a strong vaudville type of presentation.

4 out of 5 stars Nothing normal about "Normal Norman".......2007-06-13

These are some interesting concepts outlined here. I always loved the theatrical side of the Kinks, and this one was one of their best plays. Certainly it's the tightest in terms of storyline.

I never saw it as being truly about a star who changes place with a "nobody" though. To me, it was more the story of a man whose ordinary daily life is so mundane and so humdrum that he invents an exciting fantasy to make it all bearable.

Don't we all?

Anyway, this has everything we've come to expect from Ray and crew, from the giddy fun of "Ducks on the Wall" to the rebellious and anthemic (and slightly panicky) drinking songs (both versions -- "have another drink, it'll make you feel better," and "don't stop and think; have another drink") to the bittersweet and pretty "Underneath the Neon Sign." We sink, with Norman, deeper and deeper into an unescapable lethargy, hating the drudgery of daily life and feeling more and more helpless to do anything but breathe and go on.

This is tragedy at its most Greek: a story of a lively and inventive man who longs for color and excitement but who is instead overpainted in grays. When at last he accepts his life and sees that it has a tender beauty of its own, we can't help but feel a little bit disappointed. We wanted him to break free, if only to prove to us that we might hope to do it ourselves.

Give this one a chance. It's not as great as a lot of Kinks albums, but at that it's still a lot better than just about anything else.

5 out of 5 stars Umm...a little literacy would help.......2006-08-12

This is one of those Kinks records that just went sailing over people's heads. The idea of a rock star gradually becoming a mediocre nobody is the stuff of genius. It's about the oppressive sameness of the masses, and just think about it for a second. What does the expression "keep it real" mean? I can tell you. It means "don't think you're better than the 'hood. Stay undeducated and lame and watch TV and listen to weak rap numbers that denigrate women in a predictable style." Real real.

Ray Davies nailed it all those years ago: We're not a culture of individualists, by any means.. We're all about conformity. He just puts it out there, straight, no chaser. We should ask ourselves: How much have we "settled" over the years? How much has identifiable product overwhelmed the process of choice? To my knowledge, this is the only album that has ever addressed the question.

What Ray Davies does here is illustrate, from his own coast, how the weight of just "fitting in" can crush anyone, even a genius. The moral: Don't fit In! And Ray never did. Melodically as well, this has some of the greatest tunes ever generated. The actual CD closer (not the one on the extended version) has had me in tears.

This is a very, very brilliant album. I wouldn't use the word "silly" for any of it. Ironic, in high Shakespearean style, is more appropriate. It is, in its way, a fully fleshed out version of "I'm not like everybody else," which is hilariously used non-ironically in a commercial these days. Don't they get it? They are ALL like everybody else! That's what the song is about.

Irony 101 for all ad execs. Mandatory. (Oh yeah, and I know folks have noted that "Lust for Life" by Iggy is being used to promote family values. I have lived this long?)

Finally, if the above all sounds daunting....Soap Opera also great fun to listen to. Good singing, good playing, melodies and hooks galore, wit, intelligence, and Ray Davies's voice. And a spectacular foray into the mind of the 20th Century Ape-Man.

5 out of 5 stars put on the headphones and slide into this album.......2006-02-23

Just visualise the theatre in this music. This album was a great escape for me when it came out. I can't wait to get it on CD. The original album was destroyed when my husband fell down the stairs carrying my albums in a box when we were moving. Oh well. When you listen to this, it's like having a little movie playing in your head. However, recommended for hardcore Kinks fans only. If you really just like their radio ditties, you might find the soap opera side of Ray & Dave kind of weird.

4 out of 5 stars Strange, yet strangely relevant.......2005-11-09

Any Kinks album is an investment of time. Unlike other groups who try to make instant hits upon first listening, The Kinks write albums as a single thematic unit. Their "concept album" era, of which Soap Opera belongs, is their most disliked period, but also their most misunderstood.

When I first heard this album, many years ago, I thought it trite, silly and rather shallow. However, I dug it out of my cassette collection recently and re-acquainted myself with it. Once again, I was unimpressed. For some reason I kept listening to it over and over, and found myself less invested with the music than the story. Essentially its about a trumped up rock star who exchanges placed with a middle-aged clerk in order to prove he could make him a "star". Silly concept.

Suddenly I recognized a parallel between the album's story and the wave of reality show on TV. I could easily imagine a show based off of this very premise. Now the story didn't seem silly, but prescient. This is where the magic of the Kinks exists. Ray Davies delves into the distubing trend of societal obsessions and juxtaposes them with the allure of the simple life.

Soap Opera's Greatest Love Themes
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Good CD if you enjoy soap opera music
  • Great CD For All Soap Opera Lovers
 Soap Opera's Greatest Love Themes
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Scotti Bros.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie SoundtracksMovie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Television SoundtracksTelevision Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
1980s1980s | By Decade | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
1980-19891980-1989 | Decades | Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Soap Opera's Greatest Love Themes, Volume II
  2. Soap Opera's Greatest Love Themes, Vol. 3
  3. All-Time Top 100 TV Themes
  4. The Music Of General Hospital (Television Series)
  5. Alone In A Crowd

ASIN: B000000U5D
Release Date: 1992-01-28

Tracks:

  1. 'This Time Around' - Bobbie Eakes/Jeff Trachta
  2. Theme From 'The Bold And The Beautiful'
  3. 'Think Of Laura'
  4. 'Nadia's Theme'
  5. 'Save One Night For Me'
  6. Theme From 'Santa Barbara'
  7. 'Welcome To The Edge'
  8. Theme From 'Days Of Our Lives'
  9. 'Broken Wings'
  10. Theme From 'Knots Landing'
  11. 'Yours'
  12. Theme From 'Dallas'

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Good CD if you enjoy soap opera music.......2004-05-08

If you enjoy the soap operas and the music in the soap operas then you would enjoy this Cd.The CD has the theme of Santa Barbara and theme song for the characters Kelly Robert Craig and Quinn and the theme for Days and Dallas

4 out of 5 stars Great CD For All Soap Opera Lovers.......1998-09-23

This is a great CD and a great collection of songs that otherwise would not be found on one CD. As a soap opera lover, it's great to be able to hear your favorite theme songs even when you're not watching your soap. It's quite fun to hear the theme of Dallas when you aren't watching the opening credits. Wonderful music for all soap lovers :)
Dogs of Our Lives
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Dogs of Our Lives
    Various Artists
    Manufacturer: Re-Bop Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Children's Music | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Children's Music | Indie Music | Stores | Music
    Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
    Similar Items:
    1. The Dog: Silly Songs

    ASIN: B0000AZKKY
    Release Date: 2001-03-01

    Tracks:

    1. Opening Credits
    2. Doggone Dog Gone
    3. Runaway
    4. Ill Be Doggone
    5. Bulldog Dont Bark
    6. The Dogfight
    7. Deputy Dog
    8. Mary Q Makes Hound Dogs Scram
    9. Can I See Your License?
    10. Walkin The Dog
    11. Doggie Gargle Ad
    12. Bird Dog
    13. Give a Dogga Bone
    14. An Angry Daisy Speaks (Her Mind)
    15. Hound Dog
    16. A Contrite Rover Begs (For Forgiveness)
    17. Doggone Right
    18. Rover And Big Jim Shake (And Make Up)
    19. Hot Dog Buddy Buddy
    20. Give a Dogga Bone
    21. Dog Kisses
    22. I Can Tell You Anything
    23. Dogfood Ad and How Rude
    24. Closing Credits
    Soap Opera's Favorite Wedding Music
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • LOVE IT
    • PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME
    • So good. . . it could be illegal
    • LOOK AT US NOW
    • EXCELLENT!
    		 Soap Opera's Favorite Wedding Music
    Various Artists
    Manufacturer: Scotti Bros.
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    Wedding MusicWedding Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
    ASIN: B000000T1D
    Release Date: 1995-10-10

    Tracks:

    1. Processional Wedding [The Wedding March from Lohengrin]
    2. Look at Us Now [Theme of Bob & Billie of Days of Our Lives] - Tabitha Fair, Micah Wilshire
    3. Only One I Love [Theme of Ned & Lois of General Hospital]
    4. You Make Loving You Feel So Right [Theme of Reva & Josh of Guiding ...] - Anne Bristol,
    5. All of You [Theme of Tad & Dixie of All My Children]
    6. Hold on to Love [Theme of Ross & Blake of Guiding Light] - Mike Dalton
    7. Change in Me Is You [Theme of Cruz & Eden of Santa Barbara] - Jimmy Dunne
    8. I Found Love [Theme of Erica & Dimitri of All My Children] - Peabo Bryson
    9. Dreams Today [Theme of Siobhan & Joe of Ryan's Hope] - Earl Rose
    10. Nobody Loves Me Like You Do [Theme of Steve & Betsy of as the ...] - Jimmy Dunne,
    11. You're My Angel [Theme of Angel & Caleb of as the World Turns]
    12. I Know That This Is Love [Theme of Vicky & Ryan of Another World] - Mike Hadley, Cathy Spurr
    13. Recessional March [The Wedding March from a Midsummer Night's Dream]

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars LOVE IT.......2000-12-21

    I've heard this CD and I really want one of my own. Please let me know when you are able to get it again! I think it is a MUST HAVE for anyone who loves great music or is getting married.

    5 out of 5 stars PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME.......2000-05-17

    I am getting married July 15, 2000 and I want to play the song look at us now. It has been "our" song for the last 5 years and I misplaced my CD somewhere and realized now when I really, really need it I can not replace it because it is out of stock! If you have a copy can you please email me at mdawnh@wsunix.wsu.edu and we can work something out so you can make me a copy!? Please Please help, my wedding will not be complete without this song!

    5 out of 5 stars So good. . . it could be illegal.......2000-05-05

    My girlfriend (of over 4 years, and she's cute, too), is Cathy Spurr. She and her friend Debbie wrote, "I Know That This Is Love", so of course I love the song. But I only have the tape she gave me. I'd love a CD, please order more.

    5 out of 5 stars LOOK AT US NOW.......2000-04-24

    I WAS RECENTLY MARRIED IN OCTOBER OF 99 AND I HAD THE SONG LOOK AT US NOW FROM BO AND BILLIE ON DAYS OF OUR LIVES AND IT WAS SO HEARTFELT, BEAUTIFUL DOESN'T EVEN DESCRIBE HOW WONDERFUL MY WEDDING WAS THIS SONG MOVED NOT ONLY MY GROOM BUT MY AUDIENCE AS WELL IT WAS GREAT ! OUR LOVE WAS FELT THROUGHOUT THE WEDDING GALLERY.........THANK YOU FOR COMING UP WITH SUCH A CD AS THIS... I MUST HAVE THE CD PLEASSSSSSEEEEE GET IN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE . I ALSO RECOMMEND THE CD TO ANY BRIDE TO BE ...... TRUST ME YOU WANT HAVE TO THINK TWICE.

    5 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT!.......2000-04-05

    I had this CD and I loved it! I accidentally left it in our rental car in Hawaii and I NEED to replace it! It is one of my favorite CDs! It's perfect for weddings or just mellow listening! I used it in my wedding and I listened to it constantly! Please hurry and restock this CD!
    TV Soap Opera Theme Songs
    Average customer rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    • Yuk
    		 TV Soap Opera Theme Songs
    Various Artists
    Manufacturer: Delta
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    Modern PostbebopModern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Hard BopHard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
    Television SoundtracksTelevision Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
    CDs Under $7CDs Under $7 | Television Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
    All Bargain TitlesAll Bargain Titles | Television Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
    Similar Items:
    1. TV Guide: 50 All-Time Favorite TV Themes
    2. All-Time Top 100 TV Themes

    ASIN: B000001V4J
    Release Date: 1993-11-30

    Tracks:

    1. As The World Turns (As The World Turns On And On)
    2. Knot's Landing
    3. The Young And The Restless (Nadia's Theme)
    4. Santa Barbara
    5. Days Of Our Lives
    6. All My Children (Love Theme, 'Broken Wing')
    7. Dallas
    8. General Hospital (Autumn Breeze)
    9. Another World
    10. The Guiding Light

    Customer Reviews:

    1 out of 5 stars Yuk.......2002-01-06

    Bad synth recreations. The ones on the Television's Greatest Hits series are real. Buy those.
    Soap Opera's Greatest Love Themes, Volume II
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Soap Opera's Greatest Love Themes, Volume II
      Various Artists
      Manufacturer: Scotti Bros.
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
      Orchestral PopOrchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
      Movie SoundtracksMovie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
      Television SoundtracksTelevision Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
      Similar Items:
      1. Soap Opera's Greatest Love Themes
      2. Soap Opera's Greatest Love Themes, Vol. 3
      3. The Music Of General Hospital (Television Series)
      4. Alone In A Crowd
      5. All-Time Top 100 TV Themes

      ASIN: B00000AUJ2
      Release Date: 1993-06-28

      Tracks:

      1. Love Like This
      2. Simply Love
      3. For Just One Moment
      4. Eve's Romance
      5. I Knew That I'd Fall
      6. One Step Closer
      7. I Think of You
      8. Together, Forever With You
      9. Kim and Bob's Song
      10. Heart Don't Fail Me Now
      11. Another World
      12. Lady Killer Ballad

      Music Review:

      1. Special One (Bonus DVD)
      2. Suitable for Framing
      3. Sweet - Greatest Hits [Import] [Original recording remastered]
      4. The Beach Boys' Christmas Album
      5. The Best of Bob Dylan, Vol. 2 [Import]
      6. The Byrds [Box set]
      7. The Crown Jewels [Box set]
      8. The Dark Side of the Moon [Gold CD]
      9. The Great American Songbook [Box set]
      10. The Magnificent Moodies [Extra tracks] [Import]

      Music Review

      Music Review