Ray of Light (12 Inch Single) [CD-single]

Ray of Light (12 Inch Single) [CD-single]

Track Listings

1. Ray of Light [Album Version]

2. Ray of Light [Sasha Ultra Violet Mix] [Mix]

3. Ray of Light [William Orbit Liquid Mix] [Mix]

4. Ray of Light [Victor Calderone Club Mix] [Mix]

Tracks:

Drowned World/Substitute For Love
Swim
Ray Of Light
Candy Perfume Girl
Skin
Nothing Really Matters
Sky Fits Heaven
Shanti/Ashtangi
Frozen
The Power Of Good-Bye
To Have And Not To Hold
Little Star
Mer Girl

Amazon.com essential recording

Never underestimate Madonna's power of persuasion: By nearly all critical accounts, Ray of Light, Madonna's first album of new material since 1994's Bedtime Stories, and her first since motherhood, is her richest, most accomplished record yet. While Ray of Light is being tagged as Madonna's big leap into electronica, it's important to note two things: First, her music has always had close ties to dance culture, and, second, her collaborator William Orbit is no Chemical Brother. Though it has all the latest blips, bleeps, and crackles electronica has to offer, Ray of Light is still largely an adult album, completely within Madonna's realm. Still, Orbit's tasteful sonic constructions provide Madonna with her most adventurous, hippest musical backdrop ever. What's more, the arrangements and production are understated enough to highlight an even bigger development: Fresh from singing lessons on the Evita set, Madonna's vocal range, depth, and clarity have never been stronger. But larger pipes don't necessarily make for deeper, truer music. Never a master lyricist, Madonna's words have worked best when they've practically been slogans ("Vogue," "Express Yourself"). This time she goes for more emotional depth, and even tries her hand at ethno-techno-mysticism ("Shanti/Ashtangi"). She largely stumbles, however. The tone conveyed on songs like "Nothing Really Matters" is a self-centered pat on the back that belies her claim to a newfound altruism. It's enough to make you wonder, now that Madonna's given up being our material girl, if maybe she's set her sights on becoming the center of our spiritual world too. --Roni Sarig

Customer Reviews:

Nothing Makes The Darkness Go Like The Light..........2007-07-01

Truly. After hearing this Album I can say I felt enlightened. It's true that "Ray Of Light" is one of Madonna's best pieces of Music since "Like A Prayer". It's spiritual like it's pedecessoer 9 years before, but in a different way. While "Prayer" focuses on her Christian or catholic faith, "Light" focused more on M's New Religion. Kaballah. The sound of this album is very Hindu and Asian sounding. Overall "Prayer" was more religious, but "ROL" is definetly more spiritual, and overall more enlightening.

The Album opens with very liquid, watery sounds, hence the First tracks title "Drowned World". It doesn't get the album off to a cracking or even energetic start, but it does set the tone for things to come. It's a half decent track, but it does it's job of relaxing you and clearing your mind.

Up next is a similar, but more tropical sounding track called "Swim". This song like the previous is very calming, but feels warmer than Drowned World. It has a message of salvation. "Night is getting colder. sometimes life feels like it's a curse. We can't carry these sins on our backs. Don't wanna carry anymore. Were gonna carry this train of the track. gonna swim to the ocean floor". Overall this song is very hypnotic, and calming. A good song to play if you're stressed.

next we are thrown from a surreal, watery world into a world of pulsing dance beats, and techno vibes. YEAH. IT'S THE TITLE TRACK. YOU'VE HEARD THIS ONE - it's One you can dance to. Very energetic, and a feel good song.

"Candy Perfume Girl" is up next, and while not one of the album's best tracks it's nothing worth skipping. Like "Swim" it's very hypnotic and INDIE sounding. Pretty cool song, and different from anything she had done before.

Number 5 is a Techno trance song called "Skin". It's easily one of the Album's best, and most energetic songs. Definetly one of my faves. It's very strange, but it has a lot of artistry to it and is very enjoyable. It has some of the best lyrics on the album.

"Nothing Really Matters" is a dance song from the album, and once again is not the typical Madonna we were used to before ROL came along, but it is a very good club song, and has a great beat. Also some great instrumental parts. Once again the songs message is about salvation and being saved. "Nothing takes the past away like the future. Nothing makes the darkness go like the light. You're shelter from the storm. Give me comfort in your arms".

"Sky Fits Heaven" is probably THE albums BEST song. Surprisingly it wasnt a single, but could have been. It's a sonic techno track, and is pure energy at it's best. An Energetic awesome dance beat mixed with great lyrics...."Traveling down this road. Watching the signs as I go. I think i'll follow my heart, It's a very good place to start".

A song sung entirely in Sanskrit(an ancient indian language) is up next. it's called "Shanti/Ashtangi". Though I didn't understand this track I was fascinated with it. It is VERY Hindu sounding, and has a lot of Asian culture to it. Overall I think it's one of the albums best songs.

"Frozen" is one of my Favourite songs from the Album. it's message is to let Love kill all your fears and hate, because as long as you hold onto them you're Frozen as a person. The Lyrics are very true, and this song has a great message. I love the Hindu sounds once again, and the Indian chants she does. It's like being in a temple. this song also had an awesome video, where Madonna is seen floating above the mojive desert.

"Power Of Goodbye" is one of the Albums ballads, and is very good. I think the message is no matter how bad things are in your life you can always escape, because nothing goes on forever. It's like saying goodbye to your troubles.

"To have, and not to hold" is a mid tempo hindu sounding song. It's about longing to have someone, but they won't let you get close enough to them. It's mediocre at best, but still enjoyable.

"Little Star" is a pretty song about her new born daughter Lourdes. It's a very sweet mid tempo dance track. It has some spiritual lyrics. "God gave a present to me. Made of Flesh and Bones. My Life. My Soul. You make my Spirit Whole". It's a sweet song.

You could think of the Album's closer "Mer Girl" as this Album's own version of "Promise To Try". It's about Madonna's mother, but unlike 1989's "Promise To Try" it's a much darker, colder song. It's the Albums most Haunting track, and the most terrfying track Madonna will probably ever do. Some people say this was not a good track to close the Album on, and something more enlightening should have been chosen, or even that this track should have been left off the Album completely. But I think it's a great song. In my oppinion the Albums most fascenating track.
The Album ends with the lyrics "I smelled her flesh. Her Rotting bones. Her decay. I ran. And I Ran. I'm still running Away.......

The Japanese Import version of this album, has an amazing bonus track - "Has To Be". It's worth the money for that 1 track alone.

The album that made the computer as an instrument a mainstream idea.......2007-02-14

The single Ray of Light is absolutely one of the best songs of Madonna's career. At the time this cd was made it seemed more like a novelty - songs all done on a pc - and I really didn't expect to find any good songs. So it was a big surprise to be blown away by the title track.

The rest of the cd is not as good unfortunately but that doesn't mean this isn't a five star effort. This is a career changing or career making release and Madonna makes the most of it.

Highly recommended just to find out what all the fuss is about.

definitely brought madonna back to the top.......2007-02-11

by the time this album came out, I had already been a madonna fan since the like a virgin/true blue days. Her comeback was so strong with the frozen video and song that my mother ended up buying the CD before I could have a chance to get it and I ended up keeping it although it wasn't the madonna album I listened to the most(those would be like a virgin, erotica, confessions on a dancefloor). My mom somehow came across it again recently and plays it around the house all the time and I can honestly say that I can't tell it was produced in the 90's, it's timeless music with an amazing sound that will never grow old. She touches on different musical styles presented in a way that makes it stand out from her previous albums. It was also a nice change from her habit of releasing ballads through the mid 90's, ray of light had the spark that was lacking in her music in the mid 90's. I don't know what it is but ever since this album, she's made consistent albums and has reached her most creative peak in her 40's, amazing woman!

Really her best ever.......2007-01-24

This is the one to have, if you don't have any Madonna. My dad likes it, my daughter likes it, I like it. It's just really good. Terrific production, lots of heart, catchy songs and a wide variety of textures and sounds.

Madonnas Best Album...PERIOD.......2007-01-11

If you don't like this album, even a little bit, then there is something serously wrong with you. Every song is amazing. The entire album is an art piece...performance art on a CD. An artistic triumph!

That said, her second best is "Music" tied with "Bedtime Stories", both excellent. Then it's all down hill from there until you get to "Confessions on a Dance Floor", where she tries to get to get her groove back but only half way succeeds.

Average customer rating:

Review(How original huh?)
Music that transcends simple meaning...

A River Runs Through It

Manufacturer: Milan Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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A River Runs through It and Other Stories, Twenty-fifth Anniversary Edition
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A River Runs Through It

ASIN: B0007NFL54
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Tracks:

A River Runs Through It
Casting Presbyterian Style
A Land Filled With Wonder
Down The Alley (With You)
A Summer Of Lumber And Fishing
Shooting The Schutes
Three Fishermen
A Trip To The Unknown
A Four Count Rhythm
The Shiek Of Araby
Bye Bye Blackbird - Prudence Johnson
Je Ne Sais Quois
Swing Me High, Swing Me Low
A Place Remembered
A Remark Was Passed
Rugged Cross
Muskrat Ramble
Rawhide
The Wild Ride
Early Departure
The Splendor In The Grass
Jessie And Norman
Lolo's
The High Road
Yes, Quite A Day
A Fine Fisherman And The Big Blackfoot River
The Moment That Could Not Last
Too Deep For Tears
Without Complete Understanding
In The Half-Light Of The Canyon
Haunted By Waters - A River Runs Through It (Reprise)
Exclusive Interview With Mark Isham

Album Description

A River Runs Through It features Mark Isham's Grammy-and Academy Award-nominated score, plus the songs "The Sheik of Araby" written by Harry B. Smith, Ted Snyder & Francis Wheeler, "Bye Bye Blackbird" written by Mort Dixon & Ray Henderson, and "Muskrat Ramble" written by Ray Gilbert and Edward 'Kid' Ory.

Customer Reviews:

Review(How original huh?).......2007-01-25

Personally, this is one of the absolute BEST soundtracks I have ever listened to. The music is calming, soothing, and truly wonderful. The music is so well put together and nicely coordinated and I feel like I am watching the movie again...it also makes great to read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books too. Try it...you might be suprised how well it fits. :)

Music that transcends simple meaning..........2006-07-16

Mark Isham's score for the motion picture A River Runs Through It is one of the most memorable and emotionally captivating film scores of all time. The arrangements of strings, piano, woodwinds create a meditative and reflective range of music throughout the film capturing all the emotions of this powerful drama about an American family in rural Montana. It is at once deeply haunting, moving, nostalgic and sentimental and captures the innocence and beauty of nature and childhood, as well as darker themes of rebellion and tragedy. There is a profound sense of emotion that is embedded within the music that sweeps over me every time I hear it. A combination of happiness, sadness, excitement, and reflection. There is something simply sweeping and majestic within his music. I couldn't think of anything else that would better compliment the film. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Good CD
Could have been great
where is the electronic song
"My Funny Valentine takes center stage ~ Rodgers & Hart"

The Company

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Company
Floating into the Night
The Voice of Love
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ASIN: B0000YTP1Q
Release Date: 2003-12-09

Tracks:

My Funny Valentine - Elvis Costello
Bach: Menuett - Yo-Yo Ma
The World Spins - Julee Cruise
Rabekin - Light Rain
Appalachia Waltz - Yo-Yo Ma
My Funny Valentine - Chet Baker
My Funny Valentine - Marvin Laird
Ray One From Creative Force - John Zeretzke
Curtain Calls - Van Dyke Parks
My Funny Valentine - Kronos Quartet
Saint-Saens: Pas Redoublie - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra
Blue Snake & Zebras - Van Dyke Parks

Amazon.com

Writer/director Robert Altman's predilection for complex character studies has focused a jaundiced eye on everything from Nashville to the fashion industry. Here the director explores the interactions of a contemporary ballet troupe, set to a diverse pop/classical score that's anything but predictable. The dominant theme that runs throughout is the American songbook staple "My Funny Valentine," given four distinctly different idiomatic turns here by Elvis Costello, Chet Baker, the Kronos Quartet, and the piano/cello duet of Marvin Laird and Clay Ruede. The remaining source tracks range from the expected classical roots (Bach and Saint-Saens) to Twin Peaks vocal icon Julee Cruise and the world music of Light Rain, but it's left to veteran songwriter/composer/arranger Van Dyke Parks to weave those disparate influences together in his orchestral score, a task the included excerpts argue he's accomplished with typical wit and considerable charm. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Good CD.......2007-01-09

If you have seen the movie, this CD includes all the songs from all the dances in the movie. I'm a dance teacher, and this CD has been used in my classes many, many times.

Could have been great.......2005-02-14

This CD follows the all-to-common practice of presenting a dozen of the "most marketable" pieces, leaving off the more unique music. Where is the great electronic composition from the beginning, the wonderful practice piano music, and the other instrumental selections? A complete soundtrack, given courage and dedication by the CD producers, would be more unique, engrossing, and worth owning than this selection.

where is the electronic song.......2004-11-04

The sound track is great... but where is the song at the beggining of the movie? That strange electronic song? If anyone knows who did that song please email me! Thomasology@yahoo.com

"My Funny Valentine takes center stage ~ Rodgers & Hart".......2004-03-03

From director Robert Altman we have the ultimate ballet film "The Company", featuring Nerve Campbell, Malcolm McDowell, James Franco, Barbara Robertson, William Dick and actual members of Joffrey Ballet. Very effective camera work captures the poise and brilliance of the ensemble during their key ballet performances.

One of my all time favorite songs by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart "MY FUNNY VALENTINE", is presented in four different performances ~ in this order we have Elvis Costello, Chet Baker (a classic interpretation by a very talented young artist at the peak of his career), Marvin Laird (piano) and Clay Ruede (cello), Kronos Quartet ~ brings to the fold popular and classical performers ~ each approaching this standard cue with all melodic magic they can muster.

Stand outs in my book is "CURTAIN CALLS" and "BLUE SNAKE & ZEBRAS", both composed by Van Dyke Parks with extraordinary orchestration and counter parts ~ "THE WORLD SPINS", from composers Angelo Badalmenti and David K. Lynch, performed by Julee Cruise is intoxicating and thrlling, with no hangover ~ let's mention "MENUETT" (J.S. Bach) and "APPALACHIA WALTZ" (Mark O'Connor), performed by the one and only renown cello player who is recognized world wide, Yo-Yo Ma ~ "RABEKIN" (Russ Guthier), wonderful cue that rings so true for the film, a meaningful fantasy instrumental, blending Middle Eastern rhythms from world fusion group, Light Rain...gotta love it!

Tracks:

Curtain Time
Lovely Day
Music for "Rivers of the North of England": Serene/Flowing
Chiming Strings
Vanessa
Film Opens (Eleventh Hour Melody)
Melody in Moccasins
Seventh Heaven
Gin-Fizz
Vendetta - London Promenade Orchestra
Cross Roads
Laughing Marionette - London Promenade Orchestra
Pulling Strings
Tinkerbell
Tomboy
Playtime
Falcons
Speakeasy
Dance of the Hailstones
Bubble, Bubble, Bubble (Pink Champagne)
Muriella
Happy Time
Waltz in Swingtime
Veradero
Windy Corner
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Dancing Tambourine

Average customer rating:

Enjoyable, but flawed
This 1997 CD came before the movie and it's a masterpiece...
Very good recording for the price.
great, just great.
Wonderful, above Adequate CD!

Music Aboard The Titanic

Manufacturer: Inside Sounds
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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And the Band Played On
882 1/2 Amazing Answers To Your Questions About The Titanic

ASIN: B0000034DL
Release Date: 1998-04-07

Tracks:

Paddy O'Carroll
Leaving Queenstown
Oh You Beautiful Doll
Alexander's Ragtime Band
The Merry Widow: Vilia
Menuet
I Want A Girl Just Like The Girl That Married Dear Old Dad
Maple Leaf Rag
Andante Cantabile
Song Without Words
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Berliner Luft
Merry Widow Waltz - J.T. Page/Carl Wolfe/Roy Brewer/Margarita Matlin/Beth Luscombe/Ann Ray/Joe Kebschull...
Let Me Call You Sweetheart - J.T. Page/Carl Wolfe/Roy Brewer/Margarita Matlin/Beth Luscombe/Ann Ray/Joe Kebschull...
Fateful Hour
Nearer, My God, To Thee - J.T. Page/Carl Wolfe/Roy Brewer/Margarita Matlin/Beth Luscombe/Ann Ray/Joe Kebschull...

Amazon.com

It's hard not to get nostalgic listening to the selections jazz composer and musician Carl Wolf produced and arranged for Music Aboard the Titanic, a collection of mostly popular music from 1912. The strings-and-piano chamber group Wolf leads does its best to showcase the versatility of the White Star Line musicians, playing a set list that includes ragtime, light classical, and waltzes. "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "Blue Danube," and "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" are the best-known inclusions, all played in elegant, straightforward fashion. Songs are intelligently grouped by their presumed setting onboard the ship, with lighter tunes classified as "Luncheon: 1st Class Dining Room" and more serious fare found in "Concert in the 1st Class Lounge." Compared to the bombast of certain Titanic tributes, this collection is sublime. Just be forewarned: whether played on the Titanic or on this CD, this is largely background music. --Jason Verlinde

Album Description

One of the most enduring legacies of the 'Titanic' is the heroism of the eight musicians who continued playing even as the great steamship sank into the Atlantic. A powerful prologue and epilogue composed by Carl Wolfe, along with selections from the White Star songbook, capture the spirit of the voyage and of the music these musicians played.

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable, but flawed.......2003-08-27

Overall, this is an enjoyable album that is worth purchasing. The playing is refined and elegant, and it succeeds in conveying the atmosphere of a tea room or lounge on the doomed ship. But, there are a number of areas where the recording could have been improved:

- Many of the songs are represented only by the chorus, with the verses being completely absent. "Let Me Call You Sweetheart", for instance, runs through the chorus 3 times, with slightly varying orchestration, but never do we hear the verse.

- The string playing is pretty poor with regard to intonation. Passages where multiple strings are (supposedly) in unison come off a little harsh. Maybe that was the authentic way string players sounded back then? Doubtful.

- The newly composed material that bookends the authentic original music is rather discordant in style. I found myself just playing the middle tracks, skipping the first and last two.

This 1997 CD came before the movie and it's a masterpiece..........2002-06-02

In 1996, Carl Wolfe was commissioned to arrange music from the Titanic playlist (used by the White Star Line musicians) for the 1997 Titanic Exhibition. It is officially endorsed by the exhibition. Since its release, dozens of other CDs have followed, hoping to capitalize off of the success of the movie. Some aren't bad, but "Music Aboard The Titanic" is effective because it was written and arranged by a musician/composer who had served 20 years in the U.S. Navy as an arranger, conductor and musician. His two original pieces--"Leaving Queenstown" and "Fateful Hour"--are emotionally-charged and tie the entire work together as a concept CD. "Music Aboard The Titanic" is a real masterpiece. I should know--I was the one who commissioned Carl Wolfe for the job!

Very good recording for the price........1999-08-16

This recording provides a nice look into the musical trends of the upper class of early 1900s society. Although the quality of the music is certainly not that of I Salonisti, it is pleasant, clear, and relatively well-orchestrated. One of the problems with this recording, however, is that some of the pieces are not complete and/or played as they were intended to be played. The section "Dinner Dance" (tracks 12-15) includes Strauss' BLUE DANUBE; this CD's version is only a 2 1/2 minute "clip" from the original piece. Note also that -- depending on the type of audio CD player you have -- you may experience what one reviewer called "clicking" sounds. This has happend only on one CD player I have used.

Despite the minor flaws in this CD, it is definately worth the fifteen or so dollars, if you are a fan of salon-style music.

You may wish to consider the following other recordings at Amazon.com. I own all of them and am very impressed, overall:

* LAST DANCE: MUSIC FOR A VANISHING ERA (I Salonisti) - EXCELLENT * AND THE BAND PLAYED ON: MUSIC ABOARD THE TITANIC (I Salonisti) - EXCELLENT * MUSIC FROM THE WHITE STAR SONGBOOK - VERY GOOD * THE MUSIC OF THE TITANIC - GOOD * 21 AUTHENTIC SONGS FROM TITANIC (Mary Jane Newman and the Southampton Pier Players) - EXCELLENT * TITANIC: MUSIC FROM THE FATEFUL VOYAGE (Ian Whitcomb & The White Star Orchestra) - EXCELLENT

great, just great........1999-03-01

very good for a record that is too lon

Wonderful, above Adequate CD!.......1999-02-18

THIS CD IS GREAT. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE A FEW CLICKING SOUNDS, ITS WONDERFUL. YUP

Average customer rating:

Spectacular.
"Ray of Light": AND I FEEEEEEELLLLLL!!!!!!!
The song.....
Ray Of Light is a great song!
Funny

Ray of Light
Madonna
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Music
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ASIN: B000007RT7
Release Date: 1998-06-23

Tracks:

Ray Of Light (Album Version)
Ray Of Light (Sasha Ultra Violet Mix)
Ray Of Light (William Orbit Liquid Mix)
Ray Of Light (Victor Calderone Club Mix)

Customer Reviews:

Spectacular........2006-09-29

This song is an absolute classic as it is.
The remixes on the cd single are also fantastic.
My personal favorite is,
1. William Orbit Liquid mix.
Well worth buying, and a must have for any Madonna fan.
Do yourself a favour and buy today.
You won't regret it.

"Ray of Light": AND I FEEEEEEELLLLLL!!!!!!!.......2006-06-09

"Ray of Light" (the album) is wonderful. And so is this single. It always reminds me of summer, and it puts me in a good mood. Here is a review and rating of each track:
1. Album Version (5:22) 10/10: Just what it says. A radio edit or even an extended mix would have been nicer, though.

2. Sasha Ultra Violet Mix (10:47) 10/10: I LOVE THIS REMIX!!! It is also interesting to note that this is the first time he ever remixed Madonna. Oh, and did anyone notice that Sasha raised the song's key a little bit? Anyway, Mr. Digweed did a great job!!!

3. William Orbit Liquid Mix (8:08) 10/10: This is my favorite. It sounds like it was made in 1991 instead of 1998. It also very much resembles the album version. I especially like the part where Madge sings "And I feel like I just got home" in OPERA style!

4. Calderone Club Mix (9:29) 9.8/10: I like it, but I don't love it. Don't get me wrong, it's DEFINITELY club-worthy. It's just that it could have been longer, like Mr. Calderone's work on "Music".

One last question: WHY DID THIS GET RELEASED IN TWO PARTS?! Part 2 is EXTREMELY hard to find, and I'm annoyed that it went out of print so early, because the Twilo mix is amazing! Madonna, here's an idea: re-release this (with 8 tracks) in 2008 (10 year anniversary!). Then, everyone will have the complete set of commercial remixes.

The song............2005-08-02

How could I ever forget this song????? It made the 90s so great to remember! And the remixes are cool. I love the ultra violet mix...I remember the seeing the video for it...I think it was going in slow motion then fast..and everything was ultraviolet. Ray of Light is great album!

Ray Of Light is a great song!.......2005-06-11

Ray Of Light is a great song! Even if you already have the album, I'd still recommend this Maxi Single highly. The US version comes in a beautiful ecopack, which most people find annoying but I think it looks great! The UK CD (Part 1) has exactly the same tracklisting but comes in the simline jewl cases. Which ever you purchase, they are both great items!

The single includes 4 great versions of Ray Of Light, and even if you are dissapointed with the remixes, which I doubt it, there is still the album version! If you are weary about remixes, just buy the album. The Album Version is excellent! It's by far one of the best singles Madonna has released and a great choice for single release!

The Ultra Violet Mix was a remix that I wasn't that keen on the first time I heard it, but after a few listens I fell in love with it! It's a somewhat trance-sounding 11-minute remix. I think it's fabulous! The Liquid Remix suprised me! It was produced by William Orbit, who also produced the original version. If you like the original you will like this one! At the end of the remix, the "And I Feel Like I Just Got Home" lyric in Opera style was just brilliant!! My favourite remix, though, is the Calderone Club Mix. This is far better than some other remixes he has produced for Madonna, and I've heard it in some others places too!

On the Vinyl Record there were 8 tracks, so if you have a Vinyl player you may be better off buying that! There are other remixes available for Ray Of Light, such as edited versions of Tracks 2, 3 and 4 on here, plus the Sasha Twilo Mix. Also try and listen to Has To Be if you can, because it's such an excellent song! The whole album is great, and better still, buy the Limited Edition album if you can, which won a grammy award for best Album Packaging.

Funny.......2005-03-31

Ray of Light is a great song, but Madonna simply does not have the vocal range to pull it off. Its funny and endearing when she tries her best to hit the high notes and hits her vocal limit instead.

Average customer rating:

Ray of Light

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000GW88PG
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Album Description

Japanese Limited Edition reissue of The Queen Of Pop's smash 1998 album. Includes one bonus track, Has To Be, which was only available in the U.S. as a b-side. Released after becoming a new mom, this album was widely critically praised, and eventually scored 3 Grammys! Features the singles Frozen, Drowned World/Substitute For Love, The Power Of Goodbye, Nothing Really Matters, club favorite Sky Fits Heaven and the title track, which also won 5 MTV VMA awards, including Best Female and Video Of The Year. Warner Bros

Average customer rating:

Beautiful melody but lacks variety

Being Julia
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Being Julia
The Queen
Ladies in Lavender
De-Lovely
Memoirs of a Geisha

ASIN: B00065U0NG
Release Date: 2004-11-16

Tracks:

Curtain Up
Real World - The Mills Brothers
Lift
Bei Mir Bist du Sch
Farewell My Love
Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries
Never Seen Them Shine Like That Before
Birthday Presents
It Will Only End in Tears
They Didn't Believe Me
Charades
I Saw the Light On
Am I Late
Not That Sort of Girl
Take a Break
Yes, Yes - Alison Jiear
Avice Gets the Part
Reunion - The Andrews Sisters
Play for the Other Side
Mad About the Boy
Jimmy's Magic
Avice Takes a Bow
For Old Times' Sake
Laird O'Drumblair
Stage Is Set
Curtain Call
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Quite Alone

Amazon.com

Based on Somerset Maugham's middling novel Theater, Annette Bening stars as the title character, an aging star of the London stage whose life and the melodramas she performs have come to mirror each other. Composer Mychael Danna sets those conflicts to a score that emphasizes theatrical surfaces and rigid role-playing, utilizing a finely honed classical pastiche approach with parallels to his previous period-evoking work on Vanity Fair. His cues here are rooted in the light romantic chamber music of the 19th century, though they frequently bristle with a more contemporary energy and aplomb. Offering counterpoint to Danna's dignified, oft-precious classical confections and mining the story's more sensual human dimensions are pop chestnuts from the era (The Andrews Sisters' saucy "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon" and Mills Brothers' jaunty "Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries"), as well as fine contemporary takes of "They Didn't Believe Me" and Noel Coward's "Mad About the Boy" by Denzel Sinclair and Alison Jicar's elegant read of "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes." --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful melody but lacks variety.......2005-04-11

Being Julia OST has a beautiful main melody which occurs over and over again throughout the tracks. I especially like "Curtain Up" and "Quite Alone". However, Being Julia OST doesn't have other strong melody to show along side with the main melody which seems a little too simple for a complete album. The movie is great too. Annette Bening's performance is outstanding.

Light out of Darkness (A Tribute to Ray Charles)

Average customer rating:

Wonderful Tribute
A Nice Tribute To Ray Charles
Terrific tribute to Ray Charles
My favorite Shirley Horn
Rare Sensibility plus a Unique Repertoire

Light out of Darkness (A Tribute to Ray Charles)
Shirley Horn
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

I Remember Miles
You Won't Forget Me
Loving You
Close Enough for Love
The Main Ingredient

ASIN: B0000046QQ
Release Date: 1993-09-21

Tracks:

Hit The Road, Jack
Just A Little Lovin'
You Don't Know Me
Drown In My Own Tears
Hard Hearted Hannah (The Vamp Of Savannah)
Georgia On My Mind
Makin' Whoopie
Green (It's Not Easy Being Green)
Bye Bye Love
The Sun Died
How Long Has This Been Going On
If You Were Mine
I Got A Man
Just For A Thrill
Light Out Of Darkness

Amazon.com essential recording

Shirley Horn's tribute to Ray Charles is typically idiosyncratic yet unaffected by a need to justify the critical hype. She plays organ as well as piano while Charles Ables doubles on bass and guitar and Gary Bartz adds soulful alto-sax obliggatos. Horn's versions of "Hit the Road, Jack" and "I Got a Man" replace the gospel fire of the originals with sexy, lighthearted swing, while "Drown in My Own Tears" is more torch ballad than bluesy hymn. The album's emotional centerpiece is "Green (It's Not Easy Being Green)," a tune Brother Ray borrowed from Kermit the Frog. Amazingly, Horn finds deeper meaning in the lyric than either of them. --Rick Mitchell

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Tribute.......2003-10-04

The song selections and the heartfelt delivery make this a wonderful tribute to Ray Charles and his gift to the world! Add Shirley Horn to the mix, and you have an outstanding musical release!

A Nice Tribute To Ray Charles.......2002-07-27

This is a departure from the usual material that Shirley Horn does but it comes off well. There are more uptempo tunes than she normally does and certainly, in spirit, you have to think of Ray Charles as you listen to her renditions of the songs associated with him.

My favorites are the ballads because, in my opinion, that is her strength and in this area, I think she has few peers. She sings the way Miles Davis used to play a ballad with his trumpet, making extremely effective use of space within the melody. As such my two favorites on this cd are "The Sun Died" and the title song.

Especially Ray Charles or Shirley Horn fans should enjoy this one.

Terrific tribute to Ray Charles.......2001-10-18

This is a wonderful tribute album to Ray Charles. Shirley Horn is just fabulous as are the other musicians. "Green" happens to be my favourite track, which is just Shirley's voice and piano and is just wonderful. But each and every track on here is great, couldn't be better. She puts such feeling and meaning into each song, and I am so glad I finally discovered her. This may be my first Shirley Horn album, but it will not be my last. The 12 page booklet has great liner notes as well as a few photos.

My favorite Shirley Horn.......2001-09-19

This is worth getting if only for her "It's Not Easy Being Green," the best reading of that song I have heard by anyone. It's one thing to read the lyrics and understand the meaning, but Shirley really makes you feel it. Just deeply beautiful. And in a perfect world, it would have ruled the radio in '93 and Ken Burns would've talked about the great Shirley Horn revival in these last 10 years. Ah, well. If the record couldn't sweep the nation, at least it could be a big hit in your house.

Rare Sensibility plus a Unique Repertoire.......2000-07-09

Maybe some say it is not the most representative Ray Charles. Also maybe some say it did not tingle but Ms.Horn did hit the road and made it with the personal Ray Charles material. Great renditions of "Being Green" and Gershwin's "How Long Has This Been Going On". There is also an extraordinary rendition of "The Sun Died", a French song wonderfully recorded by Mr. Charles. Impressive!

Average customer rating:

An Amazing Dance Single!

Ray Of Light
Madonna
Manufacturer: Maverick
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000087I8

Album Details

Four Mixes of Title Track - Sasha Ultra Violet Mix, William Orbit Liquid Remix, Victor Calderone Remix, LP Version.

Customer Reviews:

An Amazing Dance Single!.......1999-10-28

This Cd is excellent. The Bests are fantastic you just want to get up and dance! There are 4 songs. 1. Ray of Light (Album Version)(5:19) 2. Ray of Light (Ultraviolet Mix)(10:43) 3. Ray of Light(Liquid Mix)(8:03) 4. Ray of light(Calderone Club Mix)(9:29). My Personal favorite ones are the Calderone Club Mix and the Liquid Mix. Sasha's Ultraviolet mix is hot, but a little drawn out. The beats in both the Liquid Mix and Calderone Club Mix are purely tight, and hard to resist. I would defintely recommend this single to any Madonna fan, and anyone who likes to dance to some really tight beats.... )|( Peace

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