Half a Boy-Half a Man [Import]

half a boy-half a man [import]

Track Listings
1. I Don't Trust Nobody
2. Double Shoot
3. 99 Days In Jail
4. Half A Boy, Half A Man
5. As Long As I Have You
6. B.I.G.T.I.M.E.
7. Be Bop Grandma
8. Nothing New
9. Just Passin' Thru
10. Hellbound Train
11. Not Tonight
12. Bouns Track
13. Be Bop Grandma
14. Who Do You Love
15. Night Time
16. I Drink Alone
17. One Bourbon, One Schotch, One Beer
18. Half A Boy, Half A Man
19. Get A Haircut
20. Bad To The Bone
See all 23 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Import two-fer includes Half a Boy/Half a Man (1999) & Live In 1999 plus 1 untitled bonus track. Standard jewel cases housed in a slipcase.

Half a Boy-Half a Man,George Thorogood,Rock/Pop

Half a Boy-Half a Man [Import]
A Man and a Half: The Best of Wilson Pickett
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • great music, mediocre audio quality
  • Salacious and Soulicious
  • soul music's truest legend!!!!
  • DISAPPOINTMENT
  • Wicked,wicked,wicked...and that's good!
 A Man and a Half: The Best of Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Dreams To Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology
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  5. Anthology

ASIN: B0000032DU
Release Date: 1992-04-21

Tracks:

  1. I Found A Love
  2. Let Me Be Your Boy
  3. If You Need Me
  4. It's Too Late
  5. I'm Gonna Cry (Cry Baby)
  6. Come Home Baby
  7. In The Midnight Hour
  8. Don't Fight It (Unedited Single Master)
  9. I'm Not Tired
  10. That's A Man's Way
  11. 634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)
  12. Ninety-Nine And A Half (Won't Do)
  13. Land Of 1000 Dances
  14. Mustang Sally
  15. Three-Time Loser
  16. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
  17. Soul Dance Number Three
  18. You Can't Stand Alone
  19. Funky Broadway
  20. I'm In Love
  21. Stagger Lee
  22. Jealous Love
  23. I've Come A Long Way
  24. In The Midnight Hour (Live & Burnin')

Tracks:

  1. I'm A Midnight Mover
  2. I Found A True Love
  3. She's Looking Good
  4. A Man And A Half
  5. Hey Jude
  6. Mini-Skirt Minnie
  7. Toe Hold
  8. Hey Joe
  9. You Keep Me Hangin' On
  10. She Said Yes
  11. Cole, Cooke & Redding
  12. Sugar Sugar
  13. Get Me Back On Time, Engine Number 9
  14. Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You
  15. Don't Knock My Love-Pt. 1
  16. Call My Name, I'll Be There
  17. Fire And Water
  18. (Your Love Has Brought Me) A Mighty Long Way
  19. Funk Factory
  20. Funky Broadway (Live In Ghana) (New Edit)

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars great music, mediocre audio quality.......2006-02-20

Wilson Pickett deserves better. This was issued in the early 90s and since then standards for remastering of vintage R&B/soul/and rock have improved .... Worth getting in terms of the music, 2 discs packed with one great soul track after another .... but the sound quality lacks punch .... I am hoping that someone goes back to the Atlantic studio vaults and remasters this stuff to bring out the full wickedness of Wicked Wilson Pickett!!!

5 out of 5 stars Salacious and Soulicious.......2006-01-18

For those who want a truly worthy representation of the man's body of work, check out "Man and a Half." This compilation includes gems from Wilson's early days with "The Falcons" as well as classics such as "Land of 1000 Dances" "Midnight Hour" and the staple of all open mic nights "Mustang Sally." However, the songs I have loved the most from this compilation were those that never get airplay. Such songs as Isaac Hayes' classic "Toehold", or other finds such as "I found a True love" make my feet move. I've also discovered new favorites such as "She's looking Good", "Mini-skirt Minnie", and "She said Yes". If you like soul music that's gritty and raw,check out "Wicked" Wilson's music. You won't regret it.

James Brown may be the Godfather, but Wilson Pickett is the Arch Bishop.

5 out of 5 stars soul music's truest legend!!!!.......2004-08-21

wilson pickett is truly one of the world's greatest soul singers,frow his early days with the falcons band when "i found a love" was born on through his magnificent journey of foot stompin' hips shaking everywhere ,voices shoutin' do the "funky broadway" "in the midnight hour" " she's lookin'good" "i found a true love" "mustang sally" "i'm a midnight mover" "engine #9" "fire and water" mercy, mercy!! one little foot note if anyone is interested how wilson pickett got his nickname "wicked" is when he was on a plane years ago going to a show i believe,and some woman sitting across from him caught him trying to look up her skirt and just then she hollered ooh child you is "wicked" that's how i heard it one time on the david letterman show when he asked him about it,well that's all folks!!!!joey hoffman soulin' on !!!!

3 out of 5 stars DISAPPOINTMENT.......2003-10-30

I was disappointed by sound quality of the CDs!
I still have most of the songs on tape and I'm sure
the sound is better than that from the CD-player.
And it was a great surprise to me because I play
CDs on High-quality "PHILIPS" player and I've
never had such problems with other CDs. Maybe it's due
to recording technology but anyhow it's a horrible
sound from "mono" recorded songs as well as from "stereo"
recorded.
Sorry!

5 out of 5 stars Wicked,wicked,wicked...and that's good!.......2001-08-14

Wilson Pickett had,and probably still has, it all. The church trained passionate voice in an eternal battle between the sacred and the profane. Evidence, based on "Mustang Sally" alone, suggests that the 'devil' usually got the upperhand, but in the context of great soul singing this is usually the case. No other soul man left the church behind in such a funky cloud of dust as "The Wicked" did. Thank you Rhino Records for putting this soul giant's greatest stuff (and it's all great) in one easy to buy package. From his neophyte gospel/doowop crooning with the Falcons, through the monster sixties soul standards with Jerry Wexler at the helm and the Stax musicians kickin' his booty, all the way to some of the greatest pre-disco hits Gamble and Huff ever had a hand in, this set is a soul fan's picnic in the park.Don't let the green grass fool ya in the midnight hour I found a love and she was a midnite mover on funky Broadway!Lord have mercy! Oh, sorry, I'm listening to it as I type this. I think you know how I feel.
Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • I waited for this for five years
  • Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE!
  • ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS
  • SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!
  • A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans
 Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005R5UJ
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

  1. Jesus Christ Superstar: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
  2. Jesus Christ Superstar: Everything's Alright - Yvonne Elliman/Murray Head/Ian Gilllan
  3. Jesus Christ Superstar: I Don't Know How To Love Him - Yvonne Elliman
  4. Jesus Christ Superstar: Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say) - Steve Balsamo
  5. Jesus Christ Superstar: Superstar - Murray Head
  6. Evita: Oh What A Circus/Sing You Fools - Antonio Banderas
  7. Evita: I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You - Elaine Paige/Joss Ackland
  8. Evita: Another Suitcase In Another Hall - Barbara Dickson
  9. Evita: Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
  10. Evita: High Flying, Adored - Mandy Patinkin/Patti LuPone
  11. Cats: The Jellicle Ball - Andrew Lloyd Weber
  12. Cats: Memory - Elaine Paige
  13. Cats: Gus: The Theatre Cat - Susan Jane Tanner/John Mills
  14. Cats: Mr Mistoffelees - Paul Nicholas
  15. Song And Dance: Take That Look Off Your Face - Marti Webb
  16. Song And Dance: Tell Me On A Sunday - Marti Webb
  17. Song And Dance: Unexpected Song - Sarah Brightman
  18. Song And Dance: Nothing Like You've Ever Known - Sarah Brightman
  19. Song And Dance: Introduction - Andrew Lloyd Webber
  20. Song And Dance: Variations 1 -4 - Andrew Lloyd Webber

Tracks:

  1. Starlight Express: Starlight Express - El Debarge
  2. Starlight Express: Crazy - Greg Ellis/Reva Rice/Caron Cardelle/Samantha Lane/Voyd
  3. Starlight Express: Next Time You Fall In Love - Reva Rice/Greg Ellis
  4. Starlight Express: I Am The Starlight - Lon Satton/Ray Shell
  5. Starlight Express: Light At The End Of The Tunnel - The Company
  6. Requiem: Hosanna - Placido Domingo
  7. Requiem: Pie jesu - Sarah Brightman/Paul Miles-Kingston
  8. The Phantom Of The Opera: The Phantom Of The Opera - Michael Crawford/Sarah Brightman
  9. The Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night - Michael Crawford
  10. The Phantom Of The Opera: All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Steve Barton
  11. The Phantom Of The Opera: Entr'acte - Andrew Lloyd Webber
  12. The Phantom Of The Opera: Masquerade - The Company
  13. The Phantom Of The Opera: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - Sarah Brightman
  14. Aspects Of Love: Aspects Of Aspects - Orchester Der Vereinigten Buehnen Wien
  15. Aspects Of Love: Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
  16. Aspects Of Love: Seeing Is Believing - Michael Ball/Ann Crumb
  17. Aspects Of Love: The First Man You Remember - Kevin Colson/Diana Morrison
  18. Aspects Of Love: Anything But Lonely - Sarah Brightman
  19. Aspects Of Love: Chanson D'Enfance - Sarah Brightman

Tracks:

  1. Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Any Dream Will Do - Jason Donovan
  2. Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Joseph's Coat - Maria Friedman/Richard Attenborough/Donny Osmond
  3. Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Close Every Door - Donny Osmond
  4. By Jeeves: Travel Hopefully - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis/Don Stephenson
  5. By Jeeves: When Love Arrives - Steven Pacey/Diana Morrison
  6. By Jeeves: Half A Moment - Sarah Brightman
  7. Sunset Boulevard: With One Look - Glenn Close
  8. Sunset Boulevard: New Ways To Dream - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
  9. Sunset Boulevard: The Perfect Year - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
  10. Sunset Boulevard: Sunser Boulevard - Alan Campbell
  11. Sunset Boulevard: As If We Never Said Goodbye - Glenn Close
  12. Whistle Down The Wind: Whistle Down The Wind - James Graeme/Lottie Mayor
  13. Whistle Down The Wind: Cold - Everly Brothers
  14. Whistle Down The Wind: No Matter What - Children/Adult Chorus
  15. Whistle Down The Wind: The Nature Of The Beast - Marcus Lovett/Lottie Mayor
  16. The Beautiful Game: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
  17. The Beautiful Game: The Beautiful Game - The Company
  18. The Beautiful Game: Our Kind Of Love - Hannah Waddingham
  19. The Beautiful Game: Dont Like You - Josie Walker/David Shannon
  20. The Beautiful Game: Let Us Love In Peace - Josie Walker/Omagh Youth Community Choir

Tracks:

  1. Oh What A Circus - David Essex
  2. Memory - Betty Buckley
  3. The Phantom Of The Opera - Sarah Brightman/Steve Harley
  4. All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Cliff Richard
  5. Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
  6. Any Dream Will Do - Donny Osmond
  7. Amigos Para Siempre (Friends For Life) - Sarah Brightman/Jose Carreras
  8. As If We Never Said Goodbye - Barbra Streisand
  9. The Perfect Year - Dina Carroll
  10. With One Look - Petula Clark
  11. You Must Love Me - Madonna
  12. The Heart Is Slow To Learn - Kiri Te Kanawa
  13. A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste - The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra
  14. Whistle Down The Wind - Tina Arena
  15. No Matter What - Boyzone
  16. The Vaults Of Heaven - Tom Jones
  17. Try Not To Be Afraid - Boy George
  18. Pie Jesu - Charlotte Church

Tracks:

  1. Make Believe Love - Wes Sands
  2. Down Thru' Summer - Ross Hannaman
  3. I'll Give All My Love To Southend - Ross Hannaman
  4. Believe Me I Will - Sacha Distel
  5. Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1969 Radio Luxembourg Commercial) - Joseph Consortium/Pete Murray
  6. Try It And See - Rita Pavone
  7. Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You - Time Rice And The Webber Group
  8. Goodbye Seattle - Paul Raven
  9. John 19:41 - The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra
  10. What A Line To Go Out On - Yvonne Elliman
  11. Disillusion Me - Gary Band
  12. The Ballad Of Robert And Peter - Tim Rice
  13. Christmas Dream - Maynard Williams
  14. It's Only Your Lover Returning/All Through My Crazy And Wild Days/Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
  15. It's Easy For You (1977 Jungle Room Session Version) - Elvis Presley
  16. Magdalena - Tony Christie
  17. Buenos Aires - The Roja Rockers
  18. Pollicle Dogs And Jellicle Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
  19. Mungojerrie And Rumpleteazer (Live At The Sydmonton Festival 1980) - Gemma Craven
  20. I Could Have Given You More - Petula Clark
  21. I've Been In Love Too Long - Marti Webb
  22. Benedicite - The Stephen Hill Singers

Album Description

Disc 1: Selections from Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, and Song and Dance

Disc 2: Selections from Starlight Express, Requiem, Phantom of the Opera, and Aspects of Love

Disc 3: Selections from Joseph nad the Amaziong Technicolor Dreamcoat, By Jeeves, Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind, and The Beautiful Game

CD 4: 1. "Oh What a Circus" --David Essex 2. "Memory" - Betty Buckleey 3. "The Phantom of the Opera" -Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley 4. "All I Ask of You" --Sarah Brightman, Cliff Richard 5. "Love Changes Everything"--Michael Ball 6. "Any Dream Will Do"--Donny Osmond 7. "Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life)"--Sarah Brightman, Jose Caerras 8. "As if We Never Said Goodbye"--Barbra Streisand 9. "The Perfect Year"--Dina Carroll 10. "With One Look" --Petula Clark 11. "You Must Love Me" 12. "The Heart Is Slow To Learn" --Kiri Te Kanawa 13. "Whistle Down the Wind"--Tina Arena 14. "A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing To Waste"--The Metal Philharmonic 15. "No Matter What"--Boyzone 16. "The Vaults of Heaven"--Tom Jones and Sounds of Blackness 17. "Try Not To Be Afraid"--Boy George 18. "Pie Jesu"--Charlotte Church

Disc 5: (All tracks available for the first time) 1. "Make Believe Love"--Wes Sands 2. "Down Thru' Summer"--Ross Hannaman 3. "I'll Give All My Love to Southend"--Ross Hannaman 4. "Believe Me I Will"--Sacha Distel 5. "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: 1969 Luxembourg Radio Commercial--The Jospeh Consortium, Pete Murray 6. "Try It and See"--Rita Pavone 7. "Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You"--Tim Rice and the Webber Group 8. "Goodbye Seattle"-- Paul Raven 9. "John 19:41"--The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra 10. "What a Line To Go Out On"--Yvonne Elliman 11. "Disillusion Me" --Gary Bond 12. "The Ballad of Robert and Peter"--Tim Rice 13. "Christmas Dream" --Maynard Williams 14. "It's Only Your Lover Returning/All through My Wild and Crazy Days/Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington 15. "It's Easy for You" (1977 Jungle Room Session version)--Elvis Presley 16. "Magdalena"--Tony Christie 17. "Buenos Aires"--The Rioja Rockers 18. "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats"--Andrew Lloyd Webber original demo 19. "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" (Live at Sydmonton Festival 1980)-Gemma Craven 20. "I Could Have Given You More"--Petula Clark 21. "I've Been in Love Too Long"--Marti Webb 22. "Benedicte"-- Stephen Hill Singers

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars I waited for this for five years.......2006-06-30

Between Amazone, Ebay and Napster, I don't usually buy CDs anymore, and I usually wait till I can buy them cheaper "new and used". When this set came out, I was excited, mainly by Disc 5, but wasn't going to spend $70 on it. I waited till it was cheap enough, and got it for Father's day this year.
It was worth the wait.

The concept is great. The packaging is great. The recording is great. Disc five is really cool for an ALW aficionado. There are a few real gems on it; my favorites are Petula Clark's "I Could Have Given You More" and "Benedicite."
I've always thought "Gus the Theatre Cat" made a great medley on the piano with "Unexpected Song" and "I DOn't Know How to Love Him," but wished there was an alternate lyric to match the other two songs. Now that I know there *is*, and it's a good lyric, it's a dream come true.
The melody of "Benedicite" is one of my favorites from _Sunset_ (the book mis-identifies it as "SUrrender"; it's actually "The Lady's Paying" and "Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering"). The lyrics are the canticle from Daniel 3, which comes up every odd Sunday in the Divine Office, so it's nice to have cool music to sing it with.

I haven't bought _By Jeeves_ or _THe Beautiful Game_ yet, to it was great to sample them.

There are other parts of the CD taht aren't found in my collection. I like CD 4 "The Hits."

But the selections on CDs 1-3 don't make sense.

First, any self-respecting ALW fan has the Original London Cast of _Phantom_, so six tracks are totally useless. Why not draw from the Canadian cast with Colm Wilkinson? Or pull out some obscure recordings never published.

Why two different tracks with Michael Ball singing "Love Changes Everything", yet they're hardly any different?

On Disc 5 is "It's Only Your Lover Returning," sung by Julie Covington. It's an early draft of the song (Lloyd Webber and Rice went through several suggested titles) and quite nice. The very thing one expects on a Boxed Set.
So why have the Julie Covington "Don't Cry for Me" on disc 1?? The only difference is a few words, but it's otherwise identical. Why not Elaine Paige or Patti Lupone or Madonna?

The _Evita_ section is otherwise the best, choosing a sample from each major recording, though I'd have chosen slightly differently (as above).

There is a great selection of "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" from the Sydmonton festival, using the original music that was changed when _Cats_ went to Broadway_. It would have been nice if they'd included more recordings from Sydmonton, like the original lyric of "All I Ask of You" shown on the second DVD to the _Phantom_ movie.

With so many great actress-singers who've played Norma Desmond, why does the collection beat us over the head with Glenn Close?

Paul Miles Kingston must be set for life in royalties, for the number of albums the original recording of "Pie Jesu" has appeared on. "Amigos Para Siempre" is nice, but it reminds me of Shari Lewis's "The Song that Doesn't End," especially when it's been used on so many compilations.

In short, this is a great collection for the obscure material, if you can get it cheap. But for a boxed set, it's a poor sampling, drawn mostly from the most familiar recordings.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE! .......2006-01-10

Please beware they made a mistake on this. It's actually the shortened Ray Shell version of STARLIGHT EXPRESS from the original 1984 London cast - NOT the El Debarge single from 1987 like it says on the box. I don't know how they let that goof pass. Sorry to Ray Shell. Having said that, this is an outstanding compilation of Lloyd Webber's greatest hits.

4 out of 5 stars ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS.......2005-03-21

Regardless of the fact that some of his latest efforts (most notably, The Woman in White) are disappointing, there can be little doubt that Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the greatest composers ever to work in the musical theatre. Ever since his "Jesus Christ Superstar" hit the stage in the early 70-is, it was clear that the conception and perception of musicals are never going to be the same again. Many of his songs became standards not only in the theatre history, but also as tops on the charts. Even though he's British, his influence on the shape of the modern musical theatre expanded over the West End boundaries long ago and has thus made an enormous impact on Broadway. Two of his shows ("Cats" and "The phantom of the opera") hold the record as two the longest running shows in the history of Broadway. He has also been the only composer to have three of his shows running at Broadway concurrently. Some of his awards include three Grammies, a Golden Globe, an Oscar and a bunch of Tony awards. But perhaps most of all, Lloyd Webber is responsible for bringing the musicals and the theatre appealing to the wide audiences, who in different circumstances would not consider seeing a musical. The secret of his success is probably the mixture of beautiful and catchy melodies, interesting subject matter (though some, like Starlight Express, are too thin) and grandiose staging.

Over the years many compilations of his work have emerged. In the late 80-is and early 90-is it was the "Encore" series and lately the one-disc collection called "Gold". The one in question here can be considered one of the best currently on the market. First, it includes a 3-disc selections from all of his shows, minus the latest one, i.e., "The Woman in White", which, considering the triviality of the score, is no great lost. The fourth disc covers some of his most known songs sung by the famous artists. Then, there is the fifth disc with previously unreleased material, most of which are the songs ALW wrote with Tim Rice for various artists during the 70-is. The disks are all neatly packed in a hardcover book that features 67 pages of pictures and text with information about each of ALW's shows. One of the other assets here is the perfect sound quality, since all of the tracks have been digitally remastered.

Here are my basic impressions and comments regarding the material on the discs:

* Disc #1 has the selections from "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Evita", "Cats" and "Song & Dance". The Superstar material mostly comes from the Concept Recording. Although the songs sound beautiful as always, their orchestration is a bit dated now. Only Steve Balsamo's "Gethsemane" from the 1996 revival cast has a modern rock sound. "Evita" comes with the material from all of the major recordings: London, Broadway and the movie productions, as well as the Concept album. No objections here; since this is one of ALW's most satisfying works, every song is just perfect, although Patti LuPone, the Broadway and overall the best Evita, is left with only a couple of lines. With the selections from "Cats", however, I have some doubts. A plus to the choice of the "Jellicle ball" impressive orchestral sequence from the 1998 movie version and "Mister Mistoffelees" from the 1981 London cast. One of the best known ALW's songs, "Memory", also comes from that album. It's a pretty version and Elaine Paige's rendition cannot be matched, but why include this when the definite version, featuring an 80-piece orchestra and Elaine Paige with much better interpretation, can be found in the same movie version. Thusly, one has to buy Elaine Paige's latest 2-disc compilation "Centre Stage: The very best of Elaine Paige" to get that one. And "Gus the theatre cat" is more a recital than a song, so there was not much point in including that. Marti Webb brings her vocal charm to the "Song & Dance" sequence, Sarah Brightman sings "Unexpected song" with her famous soprano, but as much as I like her version, Bernadette Peters, who was in this show on Broadway is strangely left out here.

* Disc # 2 starts with "Starlight Express". This was never one of my favorite ALW's shows; the plot is even lighter than in "Cats" and the 1984 original cast recording is terribly dated. Yet, here we have one terrific duet, "I am starlight" from the original together with three songs from the later revivals and it seems that fresh orchestrations were just the thing Starlight needed. My favorite remains a touchy ballad, "Next time you fall in love". "Requiem" is the most solemn of all ALW's compositions, written in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. Placido Domingo's tenor rides together with the chorus all the way through the strong "Hosanna", only to be joined by Sarah Brightman in the final moments of this song. She then gives an echoing deliverance of "Pie Jesu". What can be said of ALW's next show, "The Phantom of the Opera"? A phenomenon in its own right, it's easy to see from the six numbers included here why this is one of the best and most beloved musicals of all time. The cast, the music, the story - everything is perfect. Although "Aspects of love" was never a popular hit, it does have some of the most beautiful love melodies ALW has ever written. "Love changes everything" sung by Michael Ball is probably one of the best tunes ever about love. The rest of the selected material here has a dreamy love flavor and the melodies find their way into your brain in the best Lloyd Webber way.

* ALW's first musical, "Joseph and the amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" was more successful in its revival form than the original from the 70-is. The three songs included here are sung by the show stars, Jason Donovan and Donny Osmond. Maria Friedman was not a lucky choice to play the narrator, as the track from the 1998 movie version shows. "By Jeeves" was ALW's only big flop when it came to the stage in the 70-is. The 1995 revival sounds much better though, full of funny numbers in the best manner of the musical comedy. "Travel hopefully" remains one of the show's highlights on this compilation. "Sunset Boulevard" comes next. "Sunset" remains for me one of Webber's best scores; lush and beautiful. I listen to the original cast recording with Patti LuPone all the time. However, here most of the songs are performed by Glenn Close. A big mistake. If you've ever listened the American premiere recording with her, you'll know what I am talking about. She may have a strong stage presence, but her vocal abilities are too limited, and her aggressive approach to the role lacks any subtlety. Therefore, the two big numbers from this show, "With one look" and "As if we never said goodbye" are ruined by the fact she can't sing. The same goes for the American Joe Gillis, who was played by Alan Campbell. Luckily, Patti LuPone and Kevin Anderson, the original Norma and Joe from the London production, make their brief entrance here with the "Perfect year"; enough to show how better they are. The funny thing is, on the jacket and inside of it, Glenn Close and Alan Campbell are credited as performers in this song as well. If this was a mistake on ALW's part, it was a good one. The next ALW's show, "Whistle down the wind" was never a critic's dear and yet the audiences rushed in to see it in London. The score brings back ALW to his rock and roll roots of the seventies and the story is quite interesting. But the selections here are not the happiest, since the cast recording boasts with much better songs. And finally, "The Beautiful Game". Again, we have one of those ALW's shows that is worth in its individual parts rather than as a whole. "Our kind of love" and "Let us love in peace" are two catchy ballads. The latter is a nice amalgam version not available elsewhere. The two other tracks here I could live without.

* Disc # 4 has the songs from all the above shows performed by different artists. The assembled tracks have their pros and cons. For example, we have some previously unreleased stuff, like Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's operettic rendition of "The heart is slow to learn", or a stunning and epic "A kiss is a terrible thing to waste" from "Whistle down the wind", performed by The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra. Then again, what was the point in including almost identical tracks as the ones on the previous disks? So we have Michael Ball again singing "Love changes everything" with only a bit different orchestration; Sarah Brightman comes out again with the same Phantom duets, but only with the different male singers. It would be much more appropriate to include tracks from the Toronto Cast of the Phantom, with Colm Wilkinson. Other pop deliverances (Tina Arena's "Whistle down the wind", Barbra Streisand's "As if we never said goodbye", Boyzone's "No matter what" and many more) were wisely chosen. Patti LuPone is again nowhere to be found and Petula Clark's "With one look" sounds too worn-out.

* The last disc is probably the one that will be of most interest to Lloyd Webber aficionados. It consists of entirely previously unreleased material ALW for the most part wrote for various artists during his early years, with Tim Rice. Some of these tunes, not successful as a singles, were later used in his shows. Thus "Down thru' summer" became "Buenos Aires"in Evita, "Try it and see", an unsuccessful attempt for the Eurovision was used for "King Herod's song" in "Superstar" and so on. Some of these songs are nicely made pop songs: "Make believe love", ALW's first recorded composition, for which he provided the lyrics; "Goodbye Seattle", sung by Paul Raven, who later became Gary Glitter; "Come back Richard, your country needs you", from a never made musical, sung here by Tim Rice, or Latin flavored "Magdalena", with Tony Christie singing. My all time favorite here is a song called "It's easy for you", sung by none other than Elvis Presley himself. Lloyd Webber and Rice sent him a demo recording that he accepted and recorded this live version a couple of weeks before he died. It's amazing to hear how his voice remained in the perfect shape. Also, there is a track of Andrew Lloyd Webber singing "Policle dogs and Jellicle cats" while plying the piano. His voice doesn't sound bad at all.


Taken as a whole, this compilation makes a perfect birthday or Christmas present to any fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows, or just anybody interested in some of the best tunes from the modern era of the musical theatre; despite the flaws I mentioned above. To the former, it may just be the final addition for the Andrew Lloyd Webber collection.

5 out of 5 stars SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!.......2003-01-19

"Evita." "Sunset Blvd." "Starlight Express." "Jesus Christ Superstar." "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." "Requiem." "Aspects of Love." The man who is the most recognized composer in the history of the musical theatre, the man who has won more Tonys than any other composer, the man who boasts the best-selling show of all time ("The Phantom of the
Opera") and the longest-running show of all time ("Cats"), the man whose homes are filled with three Grammys, five Oliviers, a Golden Globe, and Oscar and too many other honors and hosannas to mention, the man knighted in 1992 certainly doesn't need an introduction. Now Decca Broadway pays tribute to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with "Now and Forever," a spectacular 5-CD set compiled and produced by Sir Andy himself. It's cheaper than a
ticket to "The Producers" ... and more much exciting. This treasure trove contains highlights from all of Webber's shows, and a bonus disc of tunes sung by Betty Buckley, Barbara
Streisand, Jose Carreras, Boy George, Charlotte Church, Madonna, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, even Elvis! A must for lovers of theatre---and good music.

4 out of 5 stars A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans.......2002-05-21

This five-CD collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber's career is fantastic. It leaves virtually no stone unturned. I have no doubt that diehard Webber fans will love this, especially for the 5th disc entitled "From the Vaults." This disc alone is worth the price as it contains tunes never before heard by the typical fan. Who knew Elvis did a Lloyd Webber tune?!? I didn't! Also the tune "Benedictine" which the composer wrote for his most recent marriage is not only pretty, but it has the same medley as "The Lady's Paying" from "Sunset Blvd." which I found highly enjoyable. Another great track is the composer himself singing a cut song from "Cats" entitled "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats" which has the same tune as "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats," but to hear Sir Andrew sing is a blast...he sounds a lot like Al "Year of the Cat" Stewart.
The cuts from the musicals are great but are likely owned by ALW fans as they are on the original cast albums. And I'm glad that there were tunes included from the composers most recent efforts which have yet to make it beyond London (Whistle Down the Wind, Beautiful Game).
My only complaint is the inclusion of way too many tracks by Sarah Brightman. She must've received a great divorce settlement that included having tunes on any ALW collection until the end of time!! Her interpretations of some of the tunes were limp and uninspired. I would've much rather heard casts from around the world rather than yet another song by this disdainful soprano! How about Colm Wilkinson's version of "Music of the Night" from the original Canadian cast of "Phantom"? Or Michael Crawford's version of "Unexpected Song"? What? No Betty Buckley from "Sunset Blvd."? And of course there are songs you KNOW are going to be on the collection before you even listen to it as they have been on EVERY ALW collection for the past decade or so.
A great collection but too much Sarah Brightman!
Encore
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Classy,Romantic, And Stirring.
  • Lovely - Just Lovely!
  • Encore!
  • Captivating
  • Sarah Brightman's Best
 Encore
Sarah Brightman , Andrew Lloyd Webber , Richard Rodgers , Burton Lane , Peter Greenwell , Stephen Sondheim , George Gershwin , Giacomo Puccini , Harry Rabinowitz , and Michael Reed
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005KBBX
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Tracks:

  1. Whistle Down The Wind (Whistle Down The Wind)
  2. Away From You (Rex)
  3. Guardami (With One Look - Italian Version) (Sunset Boulevard)
  4. Think Of Me (The Phantom Of The Opera)
  5. One More Walk Around The Garden (Carmelina)
  6. Surrender (Sunset Boulevard)
  7. If I Ever Fall In Love Again (The Crooked Mile)
  8. Half A Moment (Jeeves)
  9. Piano (Memory - Italian Version) (Cats)
  10. What More Do I Need (Saturday Night)
  11. There Is More To Love (Apects Of Love)
  12. The Last Man In My Life (Song And Dance)
  13. In The Mandarin's Orchid Garden (East Is West)
  14. Nothing Like You've Ever Known (Tell Me On A Sunday & Song And Dance)
  15. Chil Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta (La Rondine)

Amazon.com

In a career that's veered from '70s pop chanteuse to Broadway star and neo-operatic diva, Sarah Brightman has brought a critics-be-damned sense of dramatic scale to nearly every project she's tackled. As the title suggests, the tracks here are largely culled from her Songs That Got Away and Surrender song anthologies, although they do include four previously unreleased outtakes from those collections. Her 1998 recording of the title song from ex-husband Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down the Wind succeeds by emphasizing its melodic grace with a deft, airy touch, while the remainder rescue worthy songs from obscure or failed musicals. From Lerner and Lane's 1959 Carmelina comes the lovely "One More Walk Around the Garden." Stephen Sondheim's youthful 1954 debut, Saturday Night, yields a sprightly take on "What More Do I Need," while an operatic reading of "In the Mandarin's Orchid Garden," from the Gershwins' unproduced 1929 East Is West, is also included. If the selection leans a little too heavily on the Lloyd Webber connection elsewhere (including Italian versions of "Guardami (With One Look)" from Sunset Boulevard and "Piano (Memory)" from Cats delivered in her patently restraint-free soprano), they're only reminders that shrewdness has hardly been the least of Brightman's talents. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Classy,Romantic, And Stirring........2007-03-09

Encore is the perfect CD for those who love diversity. Classy, Romantic and Stirring. My two favorites are Piano and One More Walk Around The Garden.
Piano (Memory)is even more soul stirring in Italian than the english version.If the english version was perfection she improved upon it. One More Walk Around The Garden is sad and soul stirring bringing a tear to the eye on every play.Sarah sings her way through every song with the voice that earned her the title Angel of Music.Everyone a Gem. A must have for every true fan.

4 out of 5 stars Lovely - Just Lovely!.......2007-01-04

Overall I was very pleased with the content and quality of this CD. Once again, Sarah sings beautifully. I rated this 4 stars instead of 5 simply because, like another reviewer, I, too, felt that it contained too much old material. I used to enjoy 'Memory' but it's been overdone to the point that I cringe when I hear it now. It's sung in Italian here and called 'Piano' but it's still 'Memory'.

I especially liked 'One More Walk Around the Garden' (Carmelina), 'There is More to Love' (Aspects of Love), 'The Last Man in My Life' (Song and Dance) and 'Chi Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta' (La Rondine). 'If I Ever Fall In Love Again' (The Crooked Mile) is especially well done as well.

I do enjoy playing the CD but I find that I pick the songs that I play rather than allowing it to play all the way through.

5 out of 5 stars Encore!.......2005-05-29

The title of the CD is perfect. Sarah has a beautiful and flawless voice and her singing just pulls you in. If you like Sarah Brightman, this is a wonderful CD to add to your collection. I have only started to collect her CDs from concerts she has done and I love every single one of them! BUY THIS!! You won't regret it!!!

5 out of 5 stars Captivating.......2004-12-25

Sarah Brightman sings beautifully. That's not even up for debate. Her choice of material is generally interesting as well. She runs through a wide variety of genre and regularly comes up with excellent pieces from each of them.

`Encore' is a compilation of material recorded between the late 1980's and 2001. It features strong renditions of `Away from You' by Rodgers and Harnick and `In the Mandarin's Garden' by George and Ira Gershwin. The orchestration on `If I ever Fall in Love Again' is a bit overblown but she sings the piece with sincerity, and very well. Her cover of Lane and Lerner's `One More Walk Around the Garden' is a thing of beauty. The same can be said for her handling of Sondheim's `What More Do I Need'. The weakest moment in the set comes during Puccini's `Chi Il Bel Di Doretta'. She sings it well but her voice doesn't quite have the pure power needed for the piece and there are moments where the strain shows.

Sarah Brightman really shines when she sings music written by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Her voice takes on an extra richness. He wrote the music for nine of the fifteen cuts on this release and can be identified as the composer of each one just by the tone her voice takes on when she begins singing any one of them. It's softer, richer, more expressive- it's as if there's an extra facet in her voice and spirit just for his compositions. He produced this collection but I don't believe that was a factor. The same thing struck me when she performed the material from the Phantom of the Opera that appeared on her La Luna concert DVD. `Think of Me' as performed by her was the song that attracted me to her voice even when I was less than sure of the scope of her talent. The recording here is the recording from `Phantom' and it's still stunning. `Piano' is hauntingly beautiful. `The Last Man in My Life' is given a ravishing performance. `Half a Moment' is devastating. The list goes on. There's not a weak cut from among his material. Webber's songs stay with the listener. Their melodic are lush and rich and have enough scope and variety to remain interesting over a long period of time. His orchestration is sumptuous, elaborately textured and a little sweet in the way that touches the listener as a caress. When she sings them they become all they can be. This isn't his music or hers. It's their music.

This is an excellent collection because of the way it showcases this. The material here has been (unkindly) labelled as `ear worms'. To an extent the term is accurate. Show tunes do lean toward catchy and easily accessible melodic lines. Their lyrics are often shallow. What's presented on this collection has more than its share of all of these faults. It's impossible to be cynical about it though. These songs, particularly the numbers penned by Lloyd-Webber, are strong on their own. When they're performed this well, and with this amount of affection, they're captivating. The quality of the sound on the release compliments the material beautifully. It's rich, lush and always crystal clear. Sarah Brightman herself is always a pleasure to listen to. Her voice it has a sparkling quality that's radiantly beautiful. The material on this collection shows that beauty to its fullest.

Listen to her singing these songs and let them wash over you. It's the perfect antidote for cynicism.

5 out of 5 stars Sarah Brightman's Best.......2004-02-17

When I bought this Cd, I knew that I already had much of the music already, but there were a few new songs. I just had to get it for that reason. And I had to get it so that I had more than one recording of Sarah's finest songs. I absolutely love her and feel she was and is the ultimate Christine in "Phantom." I know I would be in a minority. I think she is past that part of her life and could not play the part again, but how I wish I had seen her. I could only imagine. If you have never heard Sarah sing before, this is a perfect CD to introduce her voice. The fact that she can sing so many different styles always amazes me. I suppose I appreciate that since I am a singer myself. I recommend this Cd to anyone.
The Pajama Game (1954 Original Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Just Like I Remeber When I was Young
  • More is less.
  • A great recording, with the best cast, but...
  • Excellent musical...one of the best
  • The Cat's Pajamas
 The Pajama Game (1954 Original Broadway Cast)
Richard Adler , Jerry Ross , John Raitt , and Janis Paige
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002521
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Overture
  2. The Pajama Game/ Racing With The Clock
  3. A New Town Is A Blue Town
  4. I'm Not At All In Love
  5. I'll Never Be Jealous Again
  6. Hey There
  7. Her Is
  8. Once-A-Year-Day!
  9. Small Talk
  10. There Once Was A Man
  11. Steam Heat
  12. Think Of The Time I Save
  13. Hernando's Hideaway
  14. Seven-And-A-Half Cents
  15. Finale

Amazon.com

Based on the novel 7-1/2 Cents by Richard Bissell, The Pajama Game hit Broadway in May 1954 and ran over 1,000 performances. The plot revolves around a labor dispute at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory, with two couples (Eddie Foy Jr. and Carol Haney, John Raitt and Janis Paige) in the middle of it. The score, by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, includes Raitt's classic ballad "Hey There" (dueting with himself as recorded on a dictation machine), the humorous "Think of the Time I Save," and "Steam Heat" and "Hernando's Hideaway," both set to memorable choreography by a Broadway novice named Bob Fosse. The following year, the Adler-Ross-Fosse team would team up again with Damn Yankees.

The 2000 remastered version of The Pajama Game features vastly improved sound and bonus tracks taken from a 1954 radio show: Raitt's "The World Around Us" (dropped from the show) and Raitt and Paige's "There Once Was a Man," both with a rehearsal pianist, and Adler and Ross themselves singing "Hernando's Hideaway" with Ross at the piano. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Just Like I Remeber When I was Young.......2006-07-27

My father was a big fan of Broadway musicals. I remember going to see the Pajama Game and Damn Yankees in a summer stock theater in Warwick R.I. which contributed to me developing my own love for musicals in the 50's and 60's. This recording though in monaural is an excellent reproduction of the LP record my father had and I used to listen to (sans scratches!). I would recommend this to any person who used to like these old classics. I would like to see a local theater group do this some day before it's completely forgotten. The interviews with the composer/lyricist and notes in the CD were wonderful too.

4 out of 5 stars More is less........2004-08-15

A monster hit when it opened in 1954, and still a staple of community theatre groups, PAJAMA GAME has a delightfully refreshing score that never takes itself too seriously. On the whole it offers a better-than-average number of stand-out songs: "I'm Not At All in love", "Hey There", "Small talk", "Steam heat", "Hernando's Hideaway" and the ensmble "7 1/2 Cents." There are, however a few stumbles. "A new Town is a Blue Town" is dreary. "Her Is" is silly although the Bob Fosse dance routine made it work on stage. Both these were dropped from the movie version, so I suspect the authors also felt this material was weak.

The movie retained all of the original cast leads except for Janis Paige as Babe (replaced by Doris Day.) Day sings Babe's songs better, so your choice between the cast album and the movie soundtrack will depend on whether you need the whole score or not.

As for ths reissue...once again Sony has done a first-rate job. The sound is full bodied and rich, though necessarily mono, and the package includes some well-written liner notes.

4 out of 5 stars A great recording, with the best cast, but..........2004-05-03

"The Pajama Game" is a truly great musical. Although it's most popular songs have truly been immortalized, such as "Hernando's Hideaway" and "Hey There", the show itself seems to be sadly forgotten by many (depite winning both Best Score and Best Musical in the Tonys). It remains very popular with amateurs and high schools, though.

This recording of The Pajama Game, a remastered version on the original cast, has VASTLY improved sound and some great extra tracks. Despite the new tracks, though, a lot of the score is completley missing from this recording, and a lot of the songs have been abridged, cutting out dialogue sections and a lot of dance music, like the wonderful "Jealousy Ballet" number, but the loss can be both a blessing and a curse.

The cast is the best recorded, in my opinion.

John Raitt as Sid - I'm not sure if this show was Raitt's star turn or Carousel was, but regardless, he is a fantastic talent and it really shows on this recording. His solos on this recording are superior to any other renditions. "Hey There", "A New Town Is a Blue Town", and "There Once Was a Man"(my personal favorite) are just fantastic. Great all around.

Janis Paige as Babe - Ok...she grows on you. If Paige is not singing in a more characterized voice, than she needs to be shot because she sounds like a wounded animal, BUT for the role her funky voice is very well suited. Her belt voice doesn't use much vibrato or any classical broadway norms, but her much grittier voice brings a more "real" feel to her character. "I'm Not At All In Love" is great and her comedic-like turn in "There Once Was a Man" is also fantastic.

Eddie Foy Jr. as Hines - I just recently finished performing as Hines in a production of "The Pajama Game" so I know the role well. Foy is my favorite recorded Hines, he has such a different voice and personality to his character that simply cannot be imitated. It's a shame so much of his role was cut from the movie. "I'll Never Be Jealous Again" is pleasantly comic, "Think Of The Time I Save" is cute and pleasant, and the opening is also great. An excellent performance.

Carol Haney as Gladys - Gladys is THE show stealing role of "The Pajama Game", and the underrated and underused Carol Haney stole this production way back when. Haney is cooky, lovable, and on stage, a fantastic dancer. Haney stepped into the role originally envisioned for Gwen Verdon and made it the role it is today, funny and wonderful. Haney sings two of the show's classics, "Steam Heat"(the best recorded), and "Hernando's Hideaway" both totally wonderful.

Stanley Prager as Prez - A really great performance. Prager gives a rough, growling voice to Prez and it comes off as a great perfomance. "Her Is" is great, as is "Seven and A Half Cents"(although Prager's voice humorously cracks in mid-verse). A good performance.

Reta Shaw as Mabel - Can't pull off a cute and perverted old lady any other way. Shaw's performance is solid in "I'll Never Be Jealous Again" with Foy. Pleasant to listen to.

Well, all in all, this recording, though very abridged, has the best cast and is just as good as a choice for a recording of the show. Both is better, but for casual and curious listeners, this one beats the London cast. For those who really want the full score, go London. If I had to pick the superior, I would very reluctantly choose this one(reluctantly, due to the abridged score and Ms. Paige. One thing is for sure, every theater lover must own a copy of this wonderful show.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent musical...one of the best.......2003-05-28

I love the Pajama Game. First of all, it had an immense influence on me, having been the first musical I ever heard and the force that originally set in motion by fixation on Broadway musicals.

I also have to _deeply_ disagree with Mr. Stuart Howard, and to suggest that he in fact has no idea what he is talking about. All the musicals he said were "more important" than the Pajama Game only seem that way because they have been revived time and again. "Pajama Game" simply had the bad luck to become hopelessly dated due to cultural changes, and thus nearly impossible to revive successfully. Still, I personally think "Hernando's hideaway" and "Think of the time I save" still qualify as modern classics, and certainly it's hard to argue that "Once-a-year-day" hasn't been absorbed into our cultural consciousness.

As for Ms. Paige, I _love_ her cynical, witty delivery and extremely unique voice and style of singing, and I tend to believe that anyone who can't see her appeal has, to be blunt, outlandishly poor taste in music.

I love the Pajama Game, and, incidentally, I _highly recommend this CD. John Raitt's voice is a little cold, but it is also amazingly beautiful. The three comedy relief roles will all have you howling, Janice Paige is, as stated before, a genius, and unlike in my musicals, the songs will give you a sufficient idea of not only the story, but the characters...and "The Pajama Game" has deeper and more complex characters than any of the other old-fashioned musical comedies I can think of.

4 out of 5 stars The Cat's Pajamas.......2003-02-18

Super score. Two standards of the genre: Hey There and Hernando's Hideaway, but also a number of outstanding production numbers and duets: "Seven and a Half Cents", "Steam Heat", "I'll Never Be Jealous Again", "There Once Was a Man". Most of the singing is excellent but sometimes I have to admit Janis Paige isn't on pitch and I prefer (dare I say it) Doris Day in the movie. John Raitt is the professional he always was. This is a 50's musical through and through, filled with serious love songs, comedy with a satirical bite, and endless energy. The extra tracks on this CD are nothing too wonderful, with excerpts from a pretty banal interview with composer Jerry Ross, but they do include a song you won't hear (for good reason -- despite inteviewer Mike Wallace's glowing support it is a pretty bad song) in the show. Want to know why this show was so good: George Abbott, John Raitt, Bob Fosse, Harold Prince, Adler and Ross, Eddie Foy, Jerome Robbins, Carol Haney, Peter Gennaro. Yes, there are shows with a power-packed line-up like that, that have been bad, but not many. Enjoy the memories this will bring back.
Half a Boy/Half a Man
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • No nonsense rock
  • now were getting some good rock n roll
  • PROVING HE IS A BLUES/ROCK LEGEND AGAIN
  • not as good as I expected it to be, sorry George!
  • The Best of his Career
 Half a Boy/Half a Man
George Thorogood & the Destroyers
Manufacturer: Sanctuary Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  2. Born to Be Bad
  3. Haircut
  4. Boogie People
  5. The Hard Stuff

ASIN: B00000IFVT
Release Date: 1999-04-13

Tracks:

  1. I Don't Trust Nobody
  2. Double Shot
  3. 99 Days in Jail
  4. Half a Boy and Half a Man
  5. As Long as I Have You
  6. B.I.G.T.I.M.E.
  7. Be Bop Grandma
  8. Nothing New
  9. Just Passin' Thru
  10. Hellbound Train (Download Train)
  11. Not Tonight (I Have a Heartache)

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars No nonsense rock.......2002-03-10

HALF A BOY HALF A MAN by GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS is a no nonsense slab of rock and roll the way it should be. There are no gimmicks or flashiness, GT lets his guitar do all the talking for him. This album totally rocks and will be enjoyed by all music fans. I think out of the 11 songs on the album, the only one that doesnt cut the mustard to me is AS LONG AS I HAVE YOU. It is a good song, I just think the the vocal quality isnt up to par. If you need to know which songs are the best, I DONT TRUST NOBODY, 99 DAYS IN JAIL, JUST PASSIN THRU, DOUBLE SHOT and the title track are enough reasons why to purchase this album. I highly recommend this song for the serious music fan.

5 out of 5 stars now were getting some good rock n roll.......2001-04-11

thank god there is still someboby like gt and the destroyers to play good ol' rock n roll... this is a great album...thanks

5 out of 5 stars PROVING HE IS A BLUES/ROCK LEGEND AGAIN.......1999-06-07

GEORGE THOROGOOD HAS BEEN IN THE BUSINESS 25 YEARS AND CONTINUES TO SHOW THAT HE CAN KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES. WITH HIS USUAL GRITTY SOUND AND AMAZING GUITAR GEORGE INCORPORATES BLUES,ROCK,AND EVEN COUNTRY INTO AN ALBUM WHICH SHOWS HIS MATURITY AND COMING OF AGE FROM HIS EARLIER DAYS. HIS SHOW AT MYRTLE BEACH SC WAS HIS DEBUT FOR HALF A BOY AND HALF A MAN AND I CAN SAY THAT HIS ATTITUDE AND FLARE MADE THE SHOW AND THE MUSIC ALL THE MORE EXCITING. THANKS GEORGE...

3 out of 5 stars not as good as I expected it to be, sorry George!.......1999-05-11

I expected something along the lines of "NADINE", and it does not measure up. The best cut's are "I DON'T TRUST NOBODY" and "JUST PASSIN THRU" I expected more and was disappointed......

5 out of 5 stars The Best of his Career.......1999-05-07

This is the Thorogood album I've been waiting for. I've been the world's biggest Thorogood fan for twelve years now, and this one just blew me away.

Producer Terry Manning is back in the fold, and he gives this album a gritty, raw feel, with the slide guitar right up in your face. The best tracks are "Just Passin' Thru" and "Hellbound Train", but there isn't a dud here. There's slow blues, boogie, pop, and even country.

This is by far the best work George has ever done.
Good News (1947 Movie Soundtrack) (Rhino Handmade)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Good News (1947 Movie Soundtrack) (Rhino Handmade)
    Ray Henderson , Peter Lawford , and June Allyson
    Manufacturer: Rhino Handmade
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    5. Summer Stock / In the Good Old Summertime (Movie Soundtracks) (Rhino Handmade)

    ASIN: B0001LYFX6
    Release Date: 2004-01-01

    Tracks:

    1. Medley: Tait Song/Good News/The Best Things in Life Are Free (Main ...) - MGM Studio Chorus, Joan McCracken
    2. Be a Ladies' Man (He's a Ladies' Man) - Peter Lawford, Ray McDonald, Mel Torm
    3. Easier Way [#][Outtake] - June Allyson, , MGM Studio Chorus,
    4. Wedding of the Painted Doll [#] - MGM Studio Orchestra
    5. Lucky in Love - June Allyson, Peter Lawford, , MGM Studio Chorus, Pat Marshall, Joan McCracken, Mel Torm
    6. Lucky in Love (Reprise) [Outtake] - Mel Torm
    7. French Lesson - June Allyson, Peter Lawford
    8. Best Things in Life Are Free - June Allyson
    9. College Daze (The French Lesson) [#] - MGM Studio Orchestra
    10. Pass That Peace Pipe - MGM Studio Chorus, Joan McCracken
    11. Crenshaw Game (Good News/He's a Ladies' Man) [#] - MGM Studio Orchestra
    12. Just Imagine - June Allyson
    13. Just Imagine (Reprise) - Mel Torm
    14. Best Things in Life Are Free (Reprise) - Peter Lawford, Mel Torm
    15. Second Half (Tait College/He's a Ladies' Man/Lucky in Love) - MGM Studio Orchestra
    16. Touchdown (Touchdown/Good News/Lucky in Love) [#] - MGM Studio Orchestra
    17. Varsity Drag Finale - June Allyson, Peter Lawford, , MGM Studio Chorus
    18. June Allyson Interview With Dick Simmons/Songs from 1930 Version ... - June Allyson, Dicky Simmons
    19. Good News [#][*]
    20. Varsity Drag [*]
    The Essential Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber
    Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    • Okay, but kind of disappointing
    • Not quite what I expected...
    • Some great performances, some not so great...
    • Disappointed
    • Musical Talent at Its Best
    		 The Essential Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber

    Manufacturer: Metro Music
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    1. The Very Best Of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection
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    ASIN: B00005Y47E
    Release Date: 2002-02-22

    Tracks:

    1. Any Dream Will Do
    2. Close Every Door
    3. Heaven On Their Minds
    4. Everything's Alright
    5. Gethsemane
    6. I Don't Know How To Love Him
    7. Jesus Christ Superstar
    8. Could We Start Again Please?
    9. Don't Cry For Me Argentina
    10. Another Suitcase In Another Hall
    11. Buenos Aires
    12. Rainbow High
    13. High Flying Adored
    14. Memory
    15. Jellicle Cats
    16. Mister Mistofeles
    17. Unexpected Song
    18. Last Man In My Life
    19. Rolling Stock
    20. U-N-C-O-U-P-L-E-D

    Tracks:

    1. Only You
    2. Starlight Express
    3. There's Me
    4. Pie Jesu
    5. Angel Of Music
    6. Masquerade
    7. Wishing Somehow You Were Here Again
    8. All I Ask Of You
    9. The Phantom Of The Opera
    10. Music Of The Night
    11. Love Changes Everything
    12. The First Man You Remember
    13. Seeing Is Believing
    14. As If We Never Said Goodbye
    15. Sunset Boulevard
    16. With One Look
    17. Too Much In Love To Care
    18. Half A Moment
    19. Whistle Down The Wind
    20. Our Kind Of Love

    Album Description

    Full title, 'Essential Songs Of Andrew Lloyd Webber'. UK budget-price compilation. 40 superlative performances featuring songs from every one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musicals. Guest artists include John Barrymore, Issy Van Randwyck, Dave Willetts, Maria Friedman, Kim Criswell, Graham Bickley and the National Symphony Orchestra. Housed in a slipcase. 2002.

    Customer Reviews:

    3 out of 5 stars Okay, but kind of disappointing.......2006-04-17

    This isn't a bad recording, but the tracks are not the actual performances off of any cast recording of any of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals. The reditions of the songs on the disc are of varying quality. Some are pretty good. Some are borderline awful.
    It is a good collection for inexpensively getting a lot of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most popular songs in one place and having them there to be able to listen to get the idea of what a certain song sounds like and is about. It isn't the collection of definitive recordings for certain roles. In fact in a couple examples, I wonder if the performer fully understood the context of the song he or she was singing &/or what it was about. Overall, the album is good, for the most part, if not excellent.

    However, the liner notes for "The Essential Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber" is another matter. I don't mean to be unkind, but the author of the comments on the different tracks (one Rexton S. Bunnett) is blatantly WRONG in multiple instances. I don't mean just in nit-picky details, but in major plot details/context of songs, like the fact that Bunnett identifies "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" as being sung by "our heroine" (who he does not even identify by name as Christine Daae) as she thinks about her lover, not as being sung about Christine's dead father. He also says that the Phantom has found his perfect love and "Angel of Music" in Christine... because HE is the Angel of Music who Christine believes has been sent to her by her dead father, and because although the Phantom is obsessed with Christine, that relationship is far from "loving" (even if Christine shows him compassion. I feel like these (and a couple other mistakes) are major plot points to get wrong. A good amount of the commentary reads as if Bunnett might have written it at the last minute, fudging his way through entries on musicals of which he had little knowledge; like what an essay I might write on a book I never read for my college class but had quickly looked up on Cliff's Notes would sound like. In terms of sheer editing, there are spelling mistakes, run-on sentences and spacing errors ("Any DreamWill Do")in the liner notes. Where was the copy editor?
    And the most frightening fact of all, under Bunnett's credentials, it says "Harper Collins has just published his revision and updating of the Collins Book of the Musical."
    I am being very critical, but I think that for a widely-released CD it is reasonable to expect the liner notes to be at a professional level, as they were most likely supposed to be.

    3 out of 5 stars Not quite what I expected..........2005-04-23

    I was looking for a CD of the original performances and this CD doesn't have them. I suppose it was my fault for not looking closer, but the songs just weren't the same. Personally, I was not impressed. If you don't care that they aren't the originals then it is nice to listen to.

    4 out of 5 stars Some great performances, some not so great..........2005-04-18

    This CD is actually pretty good, considering you get 40 songs for less than $16. Let's evaluate the pros and cons.

    Pros:

    Two classic songs that are performed excellently are Phantom of the Opera and I Don't Know How to Love Him.

    Of course you want to compare Phantom to the classic Michael Crawford/ Sarah Brightman version. Well, guess what? This version is BETTER. The woman has a deeper voice than Brightman, and her singing style is just awesome. The ending of this version (you know, the "Sing, my angel of music, sing for me!") is different, but in a good way... I think.)

    And of course, the standard for I Don't Know How to Love Him is Yvonne's version. This version is different, but it grew on me quickly. This version has a country feel to it, almost. Somehow it works and sounds great.

    There are a lot of great performances in this collection. My favorites include: Heaven on Their Minds, Everything's Alright, Could We Start Again Please, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, Buenos Aires, Rainbow High, Only You, Starlight Express, Angel of Music, Masquerade, All I Ask of You, Half a Moment, and Whistle Down the Wind. I think they're all great versions of their more famous counterparts.

    Cons:

    First of all, there are some technical problems that are kind of disappointing. A few of the songs have a very echoey sound. Any Dream Will Do, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, and There's Me are the songs that come to mind that are the worst in this regard. It isn't really bad, just enough to be slightly annoying, more so when the volume is turned way up on your CD player.

    A few songs are worthy of skipping over when listening to this collection. In my opinion, Superstar, Sunset Boulevard, and Gethesmane are the biggest disappointments.

    Superstar just doesn't cut it for me. The singer really overdoes it, making it overstylized... really makes you yearn for Murray Head. I can't stand listening to it. Just my opinion.

    Sunset Boulevard is one of my very favorite musicals, so I was really hoping that the singer would do justice to its title song. Unfortunately I don't think he did. You can't help but compare it to Alan Campbell's fantastic version. This guy has a very choppy way of singing, when I'm used to it being sung so smoothly. Maybe it would grow on me, but I don't think I'll give it a chance to. However, that last note is much stronger than Alan Campbell's. It doesn't make up for the rest of the song, though.

    Finally, Gethsemane. The inevitable fact is that NO ONE can sing this song like Michael Ball. This guy tries, he really does. But he doesn't have the right voice or the right style. So please listen to Michael Ball's performance of Gethsemane if you want to know how breathtaking of a song it can be. It's on the Royal Albert Hall DVD, and I'm sure he's got it on one of his CDs.

    Anyway, overall, this is a good CD if you like quantity over quality. Don't buy it for the classics, you'll probably end up disappointed with many of them. Buy it for the lesser known songs. You probably won't like every song, especially if you're a big ALW fan, but for the price, it's worth it.

    If you want classic versions of classic ALW songs, you might prefer something like "The Very Best of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection".

    1 out of 5 stars Disappointed.......2005-03-11

    The singer(s)does not do justice for the lyrics. It was grating to the ears. Save your money for the originals.

    5 out of 5 stars Musical Talent at Its Best.......2003-01-03

    What a pleasure to hear a collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber's beautiful music from such wonderful voices accompanied by an outstanding symphony. This sensational CD is a treasure to own.
    The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection / Encore
    Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    • Lovely
    • Encore!
    • Another way to make money on the back of Sarah
    		 The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection / Encore

    Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B00006LLOO
    Release Date: 2002-10-15

    Tracks:

    1. Phantom of the Opera
    2. Unexpected Song
    3. Chanson d'Efrance
    4. All I Ask of You
    5. Don't Cry for Me Argentina
    6. Another Suitcase in Another Hall
    7. Love Changes Everything
    8. Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life)
    9. Memory
    10. Gus: The Theatre Cat
    11. Anything But Lonely
    12. Macavity: The Mystery Cat
    13. Tell Me on a Sunday
    14. Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
    15. Pie Jesu
    16. Music of the Night

    Tracks:

    1. Whitsle Down the Wind {From Whistle Down the Wind}
    2. Away from You {From Rex}
    3. Guardami (With One Look) {From Sunset Boulevard} [Italian Version]
    4. Think of Me {From the Phantom of the Opera}
    5. One More Walk the Around the Garden {From Carmelina}
    6. Surrender {From Sunset Boulevard}
    7. If I Ever Fall in Love Again {From the Crooked Mile}
    8. Half a Moment {From Jeeves}
    9. Piano (Memory) {From Cats} [Italian Version]
    10. What More Do I Need {From Saturday Night}
    11. There Is More to Love {From Aspects of Love}
    12. Last Man in My Life {From Song and Dance}
    13. In the Mandarin's Orchid Garden {From East Is West}
    14. Nothing Like You've Ever Known {From Tell Me on a Sunday and Song and D
    15. Chi il Bel Sogno Di Doretta {From la Rondine}

    Amazon.com

    In a career that's veered from '70s pop chanteuse to Broadway star and neo-operatic diva, Sarah Brightman has brought a critics-be-damned sense of dramatic scale to nearly every project she's tackled. This two-CD package of 31 hits brings together selections from Brightman's original Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection, including many definitive versions of Lloyd Webber classics. Also included are songs from her album Encore, which itself was largely culled from her Songs That Got Away and Surrender song anthologies, although they do include four previously unreleased outtakes from those collections.

    Her 1998 recording of the title song from ex-husband Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down the Wind succeeds by emphasizing its melodic grace with a deft, airy touch, while the remainder rescue worthy songs from obscure or failed musicals. From Lerner and Lane's 1959 Carmelina comes the lovely "One More Walk Around the Garden." Stephen Sondheim's youthful 1954 debut, Saturday Night, yields a sprightly take on "What More Do I Need," and an operatic reading of "In the Mandarin's Orchid Garden," from the Gershwins' unproduced 1929 East Is West, is also included. If the selection leans a little too heavily on the Lloyd Webber connection elsewhere (including Italian versions of "Guardami (With One Look)" from Sunset Boulevard and "Piano (Memory)" from Cats, delivered in her patently restraint-free soprano), they're only reminders that shrewdness has hardly been the least of Brightman's talents. --Jerry McCulley

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Lovely.......2007-01-09

    Both of these discs afford great pleasure. The Lloyd Webber compilation presents many of his biggest hits in fine performances by his ex-wife. The Encore disc gives fascinating glimpses of worthy but little known pieces from musicals. Arrangements are wonderful, and Sarah Brightman is in excellent voice throughout. At times she has a tendency to wax a bit operatic, but she certainly does have the chops to bring it off successfully, so I'm not complaining. Obviously, Ms. Brightman was trained in the classical tradition, and she knows how to use her voice to best advantage in service to the material. In short, she has musical integrity.

    4 out of 5 stars Encore!.......2004-09-29

    Before she was a sparkling pop/classical diva, Sarah Brightman was a Broadway star and the onetime wife of the legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber. This two-disc set that includes her "Encore," a collection of songs from mostly-obscure musicals, and "The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection," several of Webber's songs (mostly picked from "Songs That Got Away" and "Surrender").

    "Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection" starts off with the gothic "Phantom of the Opera," but quickly moves on to lighter fare in the airy "Unexpected Song," a soaring duet with Cliff Richards in "All I Ask Of You," the sparkling "Love Changes Everything," and some tepid forays into the shrill "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" and "Memory."

    "Encore" is far more ethereal and steady. The piano-led "Whistle Down The Wind" starts it off on a strong note, before the aching "Away From You," operatic "Think of Me," affectionate "If I Ever Fall in Love Again," and the symphonic "Nothing Like You've Ever Known." A particular highlight is the sparkling "What More Do I Need," a little tune that celebrates how love brightens up even the most dingy little apartment, in the most miserable weather. "With your love/what more do I need?"

    Sarah Brightman was obviously on solid footing with these two CDs. It might leave a bad taste in some fans' mouths that "Collection" is mostly compiled from a pair of other Brightman albums, but if listeners don't have "Surrender" and "Songs That Got Away," this two-disc set would be an excellent way to acquaint themselves with it.

    "Encore" is steady and well-suited for Brightman's voice, as well as having a sort of Victorian-garden air. "Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection" has the most flaws of the two -- some of the songs like "Memory" aren't suited to Brightman's voice, and she comes across as shrill and uneasy. But in songs written for her talents and "Encore," her voice alternately soars and murmurs in an airy soprano.

    Sarah Brightman reached her artistic pinnacle so far in the velvety "Eden," but her stuff here is still quite beautiful. "The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection/Encore" two-pack is a satisfying look at some of Brightman's Broadway-based songs.

    1 out of 5 stars Another way to make money on the back of Sarah.......2002-11-28

    Yes, it's true. Sarah has nothing to do with these cds, but her voice. It's another record that Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really "not that" Useful Group release to make money. Those two cds are very good though. If you have one of them, i suggest to get the other separatly.
    Achtung Bono
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Most Amusing, Catchy CD This Year!
    		 Achtung Bono
    Half Man Half Biscuit
    Manufacturer: Probe Plus
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
    Pop RockPop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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    ASIN: B000ATJYOE
    Release Date: 2005-09-19

    Tracks:

    1. Restless Legs
    2. Corgi Registered Friends
    3. For What Is Chatteris....
    4. Shit Arm, Bad Tattoo
    5. Surging Out Of Convalescence
    6. Upon Westminster Bridge
    7. Joy Division Oven Gloves
    8. Mate Of The Bloke
    9. Asparagus Next Left
    10. Depressed Beyond Tablets
    11. Bogus Official
    12. Letters Sent
    13. Twydale's Lament
    14. We Built This Village On

    Album Description

    HMHB have been playing some of these songs live for a while now. Everyone is a gem, as you'd expect from the boys from the Wirral. With such underwhelming titles as 'Joy Diviison Oven Gloves' you know you're onto a winner. To say that HMHB take the pith out of the rounded orange that it is pop is a truism, but one well worth repeating. Listen, learn and laugh. Sheer indie craft at it's best. Probe Plus. 2005.

    Album Details

    Parody of the U2 Album.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Most Amusing, Catchy CD This Year!.......2005-12-27

    Okay, I'm not English, so half of the references these guys make in their songs are totally lost on me. But it doesn't matter! Their music is that rare combination of highly amusing yet incredibly catchy songwriting that only a few are able to accomplish -- early Jonathan Richman and Butterscott spring to mind.

    Don't get me wrong -- these are not novelty songs. They're actually deeply satirical, biting songs that also have awesome tunes to back them up. And it's one of those great CD's that has at least 5 great songs on it. It brings me back to some early punk records that have a real driving energy throughout the whole thing.

    I gather these guys have been around for years. But I just discovered them now. And my life is 2% better because of them.
    Cammell Laird Social Club
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Cammell Laird Social Club
      Half Man Half Biscuit
      Manufacturer: Probe Plus
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
      ASIN: B000F90376
      Release Date: 2006-06-12

      Tracks:

      1. Light At The End Of The Tunnel
      2. When The Evening Sun Goes Down
      3. San Antonio Foam Party
      4. Them's The Vagaries
      5. If I Had Possession Over Pancake Day
      6. Referee's Alphabet
      7. She's In Broadstars
      8. Tyrolean Knockabout
      9. Breaking News
      10. Yards Of Dental Floss
      11. Paradise Lost
      12. Damnation Slumbercth Not
      13. Stavanger Toestub

      Music:

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      2. Introducing
      3. Introducing the Sounds Of...
      4. Kasabian [Enhanced] [Limited Edition] [Import]
      5. King of California
      6. Light Years
      7. Live '89 [Import]
      8. Live [Import]
      9. Live in Japan
      10. & Love for All [Import]

      Music

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