The King of Love

Editorial Reviews

Product Description:
2003 HDCD release on Curb Records. Hal is influenced by Buck Owens & Marty Robbins and is a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

The King of Love,Hal Ketchum,Curb Special Markets,Contemporary Country,Country,Country & Western,Neo-Traditionalist Country,Pop
Love Songs
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Relaxing
  • Nat King Cole - Love Songs
  • Remebering my youth
  • Touches The Heart
  • Unforgettable!
Love Songs
Nat King Cole
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00007LTI5
Release Date: 2003-02-11

Tracks:

  1. When I Fall In Love
  2. Unforgettable
  3. The Very Thought Of You
  4. Too Young
  5. Let's Fall In Love
  6. The More I See You
  7. Stay As Sweet As You Are
  8. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
  9. You're My Everything
  10. Because You're Mine
  11. Around The World
  12. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
  13. It's All In The Game
  14. You Made Me Love You
  15. For All We Know
  16. There Goes My Heart
  17. Love Letters
  18. Answer Me
  19. Stardust
  20. Autumn Leaves
  21. These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)
  22. You'll Never Know
  23. Let There Be Love
  24. More

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Relaxing.......2007-03-08

This is a relaxing CD that i enjoy listening to when i get home from work or have had a stressing day in general. Well worth listening to

5 out of 5 stars Nat King Cole - Love Songs .......2007-03-08

A wonderful relaxing tape that I enjoy listening
to on my drive back and forth between home and work.

5 out of 5 stars Remebering my youth.......2007-01-15

I enjoyed this cd so much. I think because it reminded me of listening to music with my dad in the evenings. Also, the sultry soft voice of Cole sends me to another world!

5 out of 5 stars Touches The Heart.......2007-01-11

Nat King Cole is in a league of his own. No one can match his sound - or his music. He is timeless, and his music is magic. Defintely music to have a glass of good wine with.

5 out of 5 stars Unforgettable!.......2006-12-21

WOW! This CD is a true bargain. There are 24 tracks on the disc, and that might be enough for some people. However, the selection quality of the music is terrific, and that's where the true bargain comes into play.

The first two songs, "When I Fall in Love" and "Unforgettable," set the tone, and the entire CD just melts your aches away!

Nat King Cole is known for his velvety voice, and this CD accentuates it to the maximum potential. This CD is the perfect background music for a romantic dinner or just a relaxing visit in your living room!
Cieli di Toscana
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • See Other Andrea Bocelli Review
  • Emotional therapy!
  • Great music!
  • Cieli di Toscana
  • LOVE IT!!!!
Cieli di Toscana
Paolo Gianolio , Margherita Graczyk , Gary Miller , John Reid , Luis Jardim , Francesco Sartori , Mauro Malavasi , and Massimo Guantini
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005OWJV
Release Date: 2001-10-16

Tracks:

  1. Melodramma
  2. Mille Lune Mille Onde
  3. E Ara 'A Settembre (Someone Like You)
  4. Chiara
  5. Mascagni
  6. Resta Qui
  7. Il Mistero Dell 'Amore
  8. Se La Gente Usasse Il Cuore
  9. Si Volto'
  10. L 'Abitudine
  11. L 'Incontro
  12. E Mi Manchi Tu
  13. Il Diavolo E L 'Angelo
  14. L 'Ultimo Re

Amazon.com

Not content with the simplistic "crossover" formula, superstar tenor Andrea Bocelli has been pursuing alternative paths since he emerged as a vocal phenomenon in the mid-1990s: operatic classics and contemporary popular song. The singer's last few albums have showcased his love for the former (including homages to his beloved Verdi: the Requiem and Verdi aria collection). But Cieli di Toscana ("Tuscan Skies") marks a triumphant return to the pop idiom last explored on Sogno, offering a highly varied series of the kind of beautifully crafted contemporary melodies that initially won Bocelli acclaim.

The familiar cast of songwriter-collaborators (including Francesco Sartori, responsible for the smash success "Time to Say Goodbye") mixes with new blood; Bocelli himself unveils his songwriting talents on "Il Diavolo e l'Angelo." It's a highly produced affair, but behind all the gloss, Bocelli sings with a newfound, relaxed, even mellow quality. There are intimately touching moments--"L'Incontro," a tribute to his first son featuring Bocelli's own poetry as read by U2's Bono--as well as soaring flights of lyricism (the duet "L'Abitudine" with Italian singer Helena). And on "Mascagni," with its quotes from that composer's operas, Bocelli makes another nod to his classical affinities. But whatever the style, Bocelli is a singer who knows how to go straight to his listeners' hearts. --Sarah Chin

Album Description

Exclusive UK version of Bocelli's third pop release includes the exclusive bonus track 'Tornera La Neve' and CD-ROM. The album also features 'L'Incontro' a duet with Gerard Depardieu. David Foster co-composes some of the tracks on this album as well. 2001.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars See Other Andrea Bocelli Review.......2007-07-06

Just what it says. See my other Andrea Bocelli reviews to get the idea I really like this guy.

5 out of 5 stars Emotional therapy!.......2007-05-14

"He is all heart; there's no pretense. You can feel it." No kidding. These were my mom's last comments about Bocelli two months before she left earthly existence.

This album helped me process a lot of emotional residue affiliated with the strain of difficult dynamics between my mom and myself.

Don't get me wrong. The music isn't sad; it's pure heart and emotion, so it may evoke emotions. The last cut, "L'Ultimo Re" is gorgeous with the way his voice soars!

E.A. Davis, author: Waiting for Wings: Accompanying a Parent to the Edge of Life

5 out of 5 stars Great music!.......2006-12-18

I bought the album before listening to any of the songs, because i'm a Bocelli fan. I was not disappointed. Wonderful melodies, beautiful voice.My personal favourites are Melodramma, Chiara and Resta Qui, but this is a great cd overall.

5 out of 5 stars Cieli di Toscana.......2006-08-25

There is no other voice quite like Andrea's voice. I keep listening to this CD over and over as some of the songs just touch my heart, both with his voice and the written arrangements. One of my very favorites from Andrea. He has the same qualities to his voice with popular songs as he does with opera. When following the English translations in the CD case, the message of each song becomes very clear through the inflections and tonal quality of his voice.

5 out of 5 stars LOVE IT!!!!.......2006-08-25

What more can I say once agian a total great cd, that will sure to become my favorite and my kids love it too!!! Ages 5, 8, and 15. WOW>>>>> Pleases all ages,LOVE IT LOVE LOVE IT
Disney's Greatest 3
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Disney's greatest hits, volum 3
  • Timeless Disney Music
  • Disney songs are the best
  • Great Disney Music
  • Not as good as Vol 1 and Vol 2
Disney's Greatest 3
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Disney
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006EXKT
Release Date: 2002-08-20

Amazon.com

Cynical types will accuse Disney of milking the "greatest" concept until it's drier than Tinkerbell's fairy dust ("Supercalafragilisticexpealidocious," "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Da," and "Heigh Ho" were hits off of Vol. 1; "Bare Necessities," "It's a Small World," and "Some Day My Prince Will Come" stole the show on Vol. 2), but a glimpse of this installment's track listing is all it'll take to squash their suspicions. Once again running reverse-chronologically, Vol. 3 opens with Jonatha Brooke's gorgeously achy ballad "I'll Try," from 2002's arguably not-so-great Return to Neverland, and gradually reaches back through the years to re-raise the curtain on Toy Story 2 ("When She Loved Me," performed by Sarah McLachlan), The Lion King ("Can You Feel the Love Tonight"), Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews's classic "A Spoonful of Sugar"), Pinocchio ("Give a Little Whistle"), and a bundle of treasured others, bottoming out at 1933's "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf" from The Three Little Pigs. Vol. 3 is not without its weak moments--would a G-rated movie-goers' poll produce Beauty and the Beast's "Gaston" or The Hunchback of Notre Dame's "Topsy Turvy" on a hits list? Seems unlikely. Still, the bulk of these tracks are, as the included Little Mermaid song goes, "Part of Your World," and the spread of decades they represent proves their staying power. Don't expect Disney to latch the lid on its inexhaustible archives until a dozen or so of these records, each as strong as the next, beckon you back for more. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Disney's greatest hits, volum 3.......2007-05-13

This is one of the better volums for kids and for those who are
above 18 but still have some kid in them

5 out of 5 stars Timeless Disney Music.......2007-05-07

Nothing brings sweet recollection of Disney movies like hearing the wonderful songs. In an age where there so much music with no redeeming qualities, these Disney CDs are priceless. Wonderful for the entire family to listen to around the house or in the car while traveling. We can't help but sing along. We love that these are the original tracks from the movies! Wonderful! We now have all three volumes.

5 out of 5 stars Disney songs are the best.......2006-03-18

I love the songs on this volume. I'll Try by Jonatha Brooke is such an amzing somg. I especially bought this CD fort that song but, was pleasantly surprsed by the rest of the playlist.

4 out of 5 stars Great Disney Music.......2006-02-21

I have bought the first 2 volumes of Disney's Greatest Hits and the 3rd volume doesn't disapoint. My 2 young children love to listen to this CD and talk about the movies that they come from. A definate must have!

3 out of 5 stars Not as good as Vol 1 and Vol 2.......2005-09-11

This Disney CD represents the "leftovers" that didn't make it on Vol 1 and Vol 2 of this series. Although it has some of my favorites, I don't listen to the entire CD often. Disney could have done a better job of editing the which sound files should make the cut on this one. Still, it's nice to have all 3 CDs.
The Lion King: Special Edition
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • fun but flawed
  • Simply Perfect
  • Great Album!
  • Wonderful, if only for the instrumentals
  • Wonderful Soundtrack
The Lion King: Special Edition

Manufacturer: Disney
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000CABJ2
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Tracks:

  1. Circle Of Life - Carmen Twillie
  2. I Just Can't Wait To Be King - Rowan Atkinson
  3. Be Prepared - Cheech Marin
  4. Hakuna Matata - Ernie Sabella
  5. Can You Feel The Love Tonight - Ernie Sabella
  6. The Morning Report - Jef Bennett
  7. This Land - Hans Zimmer
  8. To Die For - Hans Zimmer
  9. Under The Stars (Instrumental) - Hans Zimmer
  10. King Of Pride Rock - Hans Zimmer
  11. Circle Of Life - Elton John
  12. I Just Can't Wait To Be King - Elton John
  13. Can You Feel The Love Tonight - Elton John
  14. Can You Feel The Love Tonight (Remix) - Elton John

Amazon.com

Elton John doesn't seem like a natural choice to write for a Disney musical, but he rose to the task on The Lion King, transcending his usual penchant for the softest of soft rock. Sir Elton's collaboration with Tim Rice (former writing partner of Andrew Lloyd Webber) helps connect the soundtrack to the theatrical lineage of all Disney musicals--so much so that, like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King was eventually adapted for Broadway. Undistinguished songs like "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" are far outnumbered by stirring, stately tunes that lent the film so much of its sense of pageant and play. --John Sanchez

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars fun but flawed.......2007-05-07

in 1994, the lion king came out and broke records. the film itself took in an astounding 312 million dollars in the us. that makes it the highest grossing hand-drawn animated feature EVER (an accomplishment that will never be toppled since niether disney nor dreamworks is producing hand drawn features any more). that year at the oscars it also won two awards for the musical score and best original song (three of its songs were nominated0. so how does the music really stand up compared to other disney features.

first off there's hans zimmer's score. his score is both powerful and moving. it brilliantly incorperates elements of local african music (provided and arranged by lebo m) these elements give it a great feeling of belonging not only to the film but to it's setting. without these tribal elements the score would have been far less compeling. one small problem is when the score abandons these elementsl; they're not carried through in all of the music. but its not enough to be a real distraction. the power of the score allows the listener to feel the wildabeast charging or smell the rain falling during the monsoon or experience the brilliance of the circle of life.

SCORE 5 out of 5


the songs had music by elton john and lyrics by tim rice. the following is a song-by-song breakdown.

THE CIRCLE OF LIFE - this is a great opening number with powerful vocals provided by carmen twillie and impressive african-inspired vocals in the beggining by lebo m. with the actual film, this is not only a moving but inspiring piece of cinema. even without, this is a great song that still gives me goose-bumps. this definately warranted its oscar nomination
5 out of 5

I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO BE KING - this is a really fun song by simba and nala along with zazu. its infectious beat and lyrics definately leave u humming. this may not be the most memorable song, but it definately captures the youth and innocence of simba at this point
5 out of 5

BE PREPARED - this is scar's big number so to speak. it features the hyenas in a very dark yet memorable song. the rhaspy vocals and wonderful musical arrangements make this a great piece that is both eery and impressive.
5 out of 5

HAKUNA MATATA - this is the second oscar nominated song, and although its fun buddy type number, it does get old and doesnt really age as well as the rest. this is honostly one of the weakest songs, believe it or not, its good but just cant really hold up to the other stronger pieces.
4 out of 5

CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT - here it is, 1994's oscar winner for best original song. honostly i feel that the circle of life deserved that award, but here's the song that got it. the film's version is very romantic, especially for featuring a couple of lions, timon and pumba's parts are funny, but it is simba and nala's portion that takes it home. btw elton john's version at the end is a definate winner.
5 out of 5

SONGS OVERALL - 5 out of 5

so if the score gets 5 and the songs get 5, why does the album only get 4? the answer's pretty simple. for the first time since 1989 with the little mermaid, two composers helped on this film. one provided the film's score and one provided the music for the songs. because two composers worked on this, it feels a little incohesive at times. this isn't really noticible within the film but on the soundtrack it definately stands out. elton john and hans zimmer both did a great job and the only really saving factor are the african rhythms that they both used. although this is a great soundtrack, that lack of unity does bring it down.

despite that minor flaw, this is a must-own for any disney fan or music fan in general. this is a great soundtrack that ranks right up there with beauty and the beast and must never be forgotten.

5 out of 5 stars Simply Perfect.......2007-04-09

This is hands down one of the best Disney soundtracks ever! Elton John came up with some killer tunes here! The opening song always give me goosebumps!

4 out of 5 stars Great Album!.......2007-03-31

This album is great, but I can't seem to find the part where simba and scar fight at the end. i was thinking it would be on "King of Pride Rock" but its not... so i'm a little disapointed in that. (thats one of my favorite scenes for some reason) other than that, i love the songs.

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful, if only for the instrumentals.......2007-02-14

The songs with lyrics are cute and memorable, but the strength of this album is in the last four songs. Listen to "This Land" and it instantly transports you back to the scene with Simba and Mufasa laying under the stars, and then to the scene where Simba sees Mufasa in the clouds. Listen to "...To Die For" and you feel an intense claustrophobia as you relive Mufasa's last moments and Simba's discovery of his father. Listen to Under The Stars and you can practically hear Simba screaming, "You said you'd always be there for me!" And when King Of Pride Rock comes along, you can feel your heart swell as you see Simba take his place on Pride Rock. The instrumentals are incredible works of art that never fail to draw intense emotion.

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful Soundtrack.......2006-11-16

I'm writing this review not of the release of this Special Edition, but of the music contained within. Disney's release and re-release of products is nothing new. It's one of the reasons that Disney is so strong in the market today. With that said, I have to admit that this is one of the best Disney soundtracks that has ever been cut to a disc. I never owned the original release of this music, so I'm glad that Disney did decide to re-release the original work with a few extras as part of the "The Lion King: Special Edition" release. Everything on here is wonderful, and the score itself was key to the development of the story. Selections such as "King Of Pride Rock" and "To Die For" encompass the emotional ups and downs of this film. Elton John's music is also wonderful on this disc. His most notable offerings are "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" and "Circle of Life." His only downfall is "I Just Can't Wait To Be King," which should have been left to the youngster who performed Simba's singing voice. It comes acrossed as forced by Elton John as he performs it.

The "extras" for this Special Edition include a mild and unnecessary remix of "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" and "The Morning Report," which is included on the Special Edition DVD release. Neither add to the collection, but it is nice to have "The Morning Report" on the disc.

Overall, this is one of Disney's strongest soundtracks. In my personal list, I rank it in second place behind Phil Collins' wonderfully tribal "Tarzan" soundtrack. If you don't already have the "Lion King" soundtrack, I highly suggest that you purchase this special edition copy if you are a true fan of the film or of Disney soundtracks in general.

Highly recommended.
Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge
Average customer rating: 0 out of 5 stars
  • Thirteen tales of love and revenge
  • Perfect suggestion by amazon.com
  • Awesome CD
  • Great CD
  • Shockingly good!
Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge
The Pierces
Manufacturer: Lizard King Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000MV8CUC
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

  1. Secret
  2. Boring
  3. Sticks and Stones
  4. Lights On
  5. Lies
  6. Turn on Billie
  7. Ruin
  8. Three Wishes
  9. Power of...
  10. Kill! Kill! Kill!
  11. It Was You
  12. Boy in a Rock and Roll Band
  13. Go to Heaven

Amazon.com

Allison and Catherine Pierce are from Alabama, they're sisters, they're rather attractive, one of them is supposedly (as of this writing) dating someone from the Strokes, and as kids they were both "accomplished" ballerinas. Together they make some pretty fine, artsy pop with provocative lyrics vaguely in the vein of Regina Spektor. Thirteen Tales is the first album the duo has made with their own say-so; their earlier records were pleasant if innocuous, slicked-up folk. There's a dramatic flair to their country-inflected orchestral New Wave folk-pop. With its doubled-up and contemporary-sounding pop vocal style, the macabre "Secrets" sounds like the soundtrack to a Tim Burton movie with words written by Dame Darcy, as sung by half the members of the Pussycat Dolls. If anything, they're a little too ambitious on their third album. With each track assigned its own stylistic variation (however slight), the album is scattered as a whole. But this is definitely a super entertaining duo, one to watch out for. --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Thirteen tales of love and revenge.......2007-07-15

I am a new fan of The Pierces, a sister act. I have read a lot of good reviews about the group The Pierces which got my attention. I was curious to hear their music. I recently picked up their latest cd THIRTEEN TALES OF LOVE AND REVENGE. I am absolutely hooked. The music is catchy and a lot of fun to listen too. I guess I would describe their music as indie pop. The lyrics are as quirky and playful as their music is. The group uses a lot of interesting instruments on through out the album like the glockenspiel, Hawaiian lap steel, slide whistle, sitar, and autoharp which you wouldn't hear on your typical pop album. THIRTEEN TALES OF LOVE AND REVENGE is anything but your typical pop album. The lyrics are laced with bitterness and anger over relationships that went sour. The sisters' vocals reminds me a bit of Gwen Stefani (like on "Lights Up"), Alanis Morrisette, and Fiona Apple but for the most part they have their own style of singing. I usually am not fond of when music critics fawn over certain artists because they tend to not live up to their hype but this is not the case with The Pierces. The critics were spot on with this talented duo.

5 out of 5 stars Perfect suggestion by amazon.com.......2007-05-23

I had never heard of the Pierces before and came across this album on amazon.com, it was listed as a suggestion for me based on my previous likes and purchases. I have to say, what a great way to find out about them! It fits my eclectic taste perfectly, it is sometimes sweet, has tongue-in-cheek humor and conveys many different moods. These girls are amazing, I can't wait to see what they come up with next.

5 out of 5 stars Awesome CD.......2007-05-13

Awesome CD! Highly recommended! And if it weren't for Amazon, I wouldn't have it because it's not available in stores in my area.

5 out of 5 stars Great CD.......2007-05-13

Love this. I listen to it all the time. I heard about it from a magazine and bought it on a whim.

5 out of 5 stars Shockingly good!.......2007-05-09

The newest album of The Pierces called "Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge" is chocolat for the ears! Their lyrics are funny, bold and kinky in an innocent-school-girl kind of way. It is like the novel "Special Topics in Calamity Physics" by Marisha Pessl put into music! Shockingly good!
Brokeback Mountain
Average customer rating: 0 out of 5 stars
  • Axe Rufus Wainwright, and it would be 5 stars
  • Yes, it's one of the best albums I own
  • Brokeback Mountain
  • A matter of taste...
  • Perfect, just like the movie...
Brokeback Mountain
Gustavo Santaolalla , and Various Artists
Manufacturer: Verve Forecast
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000BEZQ18
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Tracks:

  1. Opening - Gustavo Santaolalla
  2. He Was A Friend Of Mine - Willie Nelson
  3. Brokeback Mountain 1 - Gustavo Santaolalla
  4. A Love That Will Never Grow Old - Emmylou Harris
  5. King Of The Road - Rufus Wainwright
  6. Snow - Gustavo Santaolalla
  7. The Devil's Right Hand - Steve Earle
  8. No One's Gonna Love You Like Me - Mary McBride
  9. Brokeback Mountain 2 - Gustavo Santaolalla
  10. I Don't Want To Say Goodbye - Teddy Thompson
  11. I Will Never Let You Go - Jackie Greene
  12. Riding Horses - Gustavo Santaolalla
  13. An Angel Went Up In Flames - The Gas Band
  14. Its So Easy - Linda Ronstadt
  15. Brokeback Mountain 3 - Gustavo Santaolalla
  16. The Maker Makes - Rufus Wainwright
  17. The Wings - Gustavo Santaolalla

Amazon.com

Argentina-born, California-based Gustavo Santaolalla helped shape the rock en Español movement by producing Mexican bands Molotov and Café Tacuba , and Colombian singer Juanes. In the late 1990s he made a switch to soundtracks, working on well-received albums for Amores Perros and The Motorcycle Diaries. His instrumental contributions to Ang Lee's tale of two cowboys in love are acoustic guitar-based and, let's face it, a bit on the sonic-wallpaper side.

The vocal tracks, on the other hand, are uniformly lovely, even if the selection of interpreters falls on the predictable side. Linda Ronstadt, Steve Earle, Willie Nelson, and Mary McBride on the soundtrack to a contemporary Western? What a shock! Still, they're all wonderful and Santaolalla wrote at least a couple of classic-sounding country ballads ("A Love That Will Never Grow Old," sung by Emmylou Harris, and "No One's Gonna Love You Like Me," sung by Mary McBride). And don't miss Teddy Thompson and Rufus Wainwright's sweet cover of Roger Miller's 1964 "King of the Road." --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Axe Rufus Wainwright, and it would be 5 stars.......2007-06-13

This album is a mixture of the instrumental theme, which is incredibly beautiful and haunting, and some very solid country songs. I was surprised by how good the other songs were (you still have to like country music, though). There are only two songs that I don't like at all, and those are the two by Rufus Wainwright - one a cover of "King of the Road" (originally by Roger Miller). They are great demonstrations of him at his most nasal and whiny. It sounds like he is a French guy holding his nose and singing too slow. It's too bad, because they are good songs otherwise. I guess if you like him, you're golden; but I can't stand these versions. Fortunately, the rest of the disc is really good.

5 out of 5 stars Yes, it's one of the best albums I own.......2007-06-03

I listened to it over and over and over last year. Such quality all 'round.

5 out of 5 stars Brokeback Mountain.......2007-05-13

The product is what I expected. It arrived on time and in the condition advertised.

3 out of 5 stars A matter of taste..........2007-05-08

I didn't really pay a lot of attention to the music in the film, except for in the most intense of scenes. Perhaps this is why I was so, completely, disappointed with this soundtrack. I felt that if it did even half of what the film did for me it would be a worthy buy. My friends, this soundtrack is shat. It's mostly country and folk, which I am plainly not into. If you like these things then check this out - if not, turn away.

5 out of 5 stars Perfect, just like the movie..........2007-04-21

It is so wonderful, relaxing..if you`re thinking in buying...Just do it!
Grieg: Greatest Hits
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Wonderful!!!
  • Relaxes your mind.
  • Relaxing music from a great composer
  • Better than just an introduction
  • Great CD
Grieg: Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002A21
Release Date: 1994-08-09

Tracks:

  1. Peer Gynt Suite No. 1: Morning Mood
  2. Peer Gynt Suite No. 1: Ase's Death
  3. Peer Gynt Suite No. 1: Anitra's Dance
  4. Peer Gynt Suite No.1: In The Hall Of The Mountain King (Peer Gynt Suite #1)
  5. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 16: I Allegro molto moderato
  6. Norwegian Dance, Op. 35 No. 2
  7. Sigurd Jorsalfar: Homage March
  8. Jeg elsker dig, Op. 5: Jeg elsker dig, Op. 5 (Ich liebe dich)
  9. Lyric Suite, Op. 54: No. 3: Norwegian March
  10. Two Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34: No. 1: Heartwounds
  11. Two Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34: No. 2: The Last Spring
  12. Lyric Suite, Op. 54: No. 4: March of the Trolls
  13. Peer Gynt Suite No. 2: I The Abduction of the Bride - Ingrid's Lament (Peer Gynt Suite No. 2
  14. Peer Gynt Suite No. 2: II Arabian Dance
  15. Peer Gynt Suite No. 2: III Solvejg's Lullaby
  16. Peer Gynt Suite No. 2: IV Peer Gynt's Return Home

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful!!!.......2007-05-14

I bought this for my husband but fell in love with it myself. I had never heard of it but now consider Edvard Grieg my favorite composer. It is magnificent.

5 out of 5 stars Relaxes your mind........2005-12-30

The peer gynt suite is very delicate and it relaxes me. Whenever I hear the first movement of Peer Gynt, I feel as if I am walking along the forest at dawn with sunshine passing through the tall trees. It calms me and I usually close my eyes to imagine Grieg's creative masterpiece. What also interests me the fourth movement. It starts with slow and quiet and then slowly the music accelerates with power. Like the title, "Mountain King," says itself, you can feel the grandness of the music toward the end.

The piano concerto in a minor is my favorite. This music seem to convey the full spectrum from quiet and delicate or gracious feel of music to more powerful and magnificent all proportionally adequately. It is very enjoyable. Whenever I listen to this music, I feel as if I am resting in the high mountainn looking at the full panorama. Anyway, that's just my imagination I feel from his music and of course, yours can be very different from mine.

As for the CD quality, I hear no distraction sound and it is recorded well, I think. The little cover booklet can be informative about Grieg. Also nice price from Amazon.

4 out of 5 stars Relaxing music from a great composer.......2005-08-02

I absolutely loved the string music on Track 3. I remembered it from an old PC RPG called Quest for Glory IV. I was disappointed to find out that Track 4 was only a minute and a half long, because I grew up loving that song from the various places I heard it (Fantasia and a kid Detective PC game from the late 80's).
Overall, though, Grieg's greatest hits is a must-have for collectors of classical music. Grieg is revered as Norway's greatest composer of all time and he certainly has a knack for creating imagery of bustling fjords and majestic mountainsides with interlaced river ravines.

5 out of 5 stars Better than just an introduction.......2004-04-28

This CD goes beyond just introducing Grieg. It is a truly beautiful and for me, invaluable collection of this excellent composer. Grieg had an inimitable gift for exploring emotion, often sadness and nostalgia. However, he also had a large touch of the virtuoso, as demonstrated by the famous Piano Concerto. True, the last 2 movements are not included here; however, the first is still stunning. The Peer Gynt Suites are wonderfully played, and Ase's Death and Heartwounds are especially noteworthy - the lush orchestral sounds of these gorgeous pieces unfold exquisitely. Homage March is a nice change of pace, upbeat and with a memorable theme, and Leonard Bernstein moves at a devilish pace in March of the Trolls. This CD will not disappoint you - buy it today!

5 out of 5 stars Great CD.......2002-01-29

For an intro to Greig, this is great. The "hall of the mountain king" is done very well.
Love Makes the World (2CD Deluxe Edition)
Average customer rating: 0 out of 5 stars
  • Excellent cd!
  • THIS is how it's supposed to be...
  • Maybe not a 5!
  • Coming home...
  • Carole Rocks!
Love Makes the World (2CD Deluxe Edition)
Carole King
Manufacturer: Rockingale Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000OMD4HA
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Tracks:

  1. Love Makes the World
  2. You Can Do Anything
  3. The Reason
  4. I Wasn't Gonna Fall In Love
  5. I Don't Know
  6. Oh No, Not My Baby
  7. It Could Have Been Anyone
  8. Monday Without You
  9. An Uncommon Love
  10. You Will Find Me There
  11. Safe Again
  12. This Time

Tracks:

  1. Birthday Song
  2. Love for Christmas
  3. Where You Lead, I Will Follow
  4. Lo Que Tú Eres Para Mí
  5. Two Hearts
  6. Love Makes The World (Video)
  7. Safe Again (Video)
  8. Making of the album - Behind the Scenes featurette (Video)
  9. Interview with Carole King (Video)

Album Description

New Deluxe 2-CD edition of album originally released in 2001. Includes over 40 minutes of bonus material on a bonus enhanced CD that contains five additional tracks plus two music videos, a video interview and a behind-the-scenes featurette. Also includes the theme from Gilmore Girls "Where You Lead, I Will Follow" - which is available for the first time ever on a Carole King album.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Excellent cd!.......2007-06-28

I love this cd! The songs are beautiful, and Carole King's voice sounds as good as ever. This special edition with the dvd is amazing. It has a video of Carole singing at the piano, an interview and additional five songs, one of them in spanish, with the argentinian composer and singer Alejandro Lerner. The song "The Reason" has singer Celine Dion in the backgrounds, spectacular! There are songs co-written by David Foster and Carole Bayer Sawyer. I highly recommend this cd. You will love it to!

5 out of 5 stars THIS is how it's supposed to be..........2007-06-21

In my review of "Living Room Tour", I stated that Carole's voice isn't what it once was. I wasn't wrong, about that recording, but, happily, this album shows that maybe she was just having a bad day on the other effort. {It does have good points for incurable fans, like me}

Here is an absolutely wonderful record. Carole's songwriting is, of course, as good as ever. And, surprise, so is her voice. The whole album is a joy to listen to. New songs done the old, FABULOUS, way.

If you're new to Carole, start with "Tapestry"; that's basic. Everyone with ears needs to have "Tapestry". For a second purchase, try this. You'll love it. Promise.

5 out of 5 stars Maybe not a 5!.......2007-06-19

I had to give this CD 5 stars out of respect for carole king. Not a bad CD!...A few I don't like, but my favorites are "the reason" despite Dion's annoying voice. "and safe again."

4 out of 5 stars Coming home..........2007-06-10

A very good cd with a new/modern style, but still very recognizable as Carol King... I think it is amazing that some people are able to keep there own style, but still go with the time.

5 out of 5 stars Carole Rocks!.......2007-06-10

Her best songwriting in 30 years. Great collaborations with Babyface, Celine Dion, and kd lang. Terrific arrangements and powerful lyrics.
The Producers (2001 Original Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Just what I wanted
  • I Want to be a producer
  • Spring Time for "The Producers"
  • Mel Brooks = Brilliant
  • it won 11 (if im correct) TONY awards for a reason!
The Producers (2001 Original Broadway Cast)
Mel Brooks , Matthew Broderick , Nathan Lane , Roger Bart , Gary Beach , Cady Huffman , Jesse Levy , and Grace Paradise, Jennifer Smith Tony Kadleck
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005AY6I
Release Date: 2001-04-17

Tracks:

  1. Overture
  2. Opening Night
  3. The King of Broadway
  4. We Can Do It
  5. Unhappy
  6. I Wanna Be a Producer
  7. In Old Bavaria
  8. Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop
  9. Keep It Gay
  10. When You Got It, Flaunt It
  11. Along Came Bialy
  12. That Face
  13. Have You Ever Heard the German Band?
  14. It's Bad Luck to Say Good Luck on Op'ning Night
  15. Springtime for hitler
  16. Where Did We Go Right?
  17. Betrayed
  18. 'Til Him
  19. Prisoners Of Love (Leo & Max)
  20. Goodbye!

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

The Producers was the vehicle that first proclaimed Mel Brooks's decidedly singular comic vision as a film director in 1968. At the time, the world may not have been entirely ready for the depth charges of hilarity he unleashed; but more than three decades later, it seemed almost foreordained that the film's retooling as a full-fledged musical--directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman--would become the smash hit of the 2000-2001 Broadway season (even before opening at the St. James Theatre in April). Brooks is, of course, no stranger to the Broadway musical genre or to songwriting, but skeptics might find themselves taken by surprise at just how outrageously well all the threads come together for the new show.

The film's absurd core vignette--the infamous "Springtime for Hitler"--if anything gains a few notches in hilarity when framed by a character-rich musical that comes off as both parody and valentine in its mimicry of Broadway's "golden age." Brooks (with the help of idiomatically expert arrangements by Glen Kelly) has cooked up a variety of numbers constituting a virtual primer of old-fashioned American musical comedy styles (there's even a toying with Cabaret-style decadence), but they're always coated with an extra layer of zaniness. In fact, the whole show becomes a Chinese box of parodies within parodies. But what really gets the whole mix working is a surefire cast headed by Nathan Lane playing Max Bialystock and Matthew Broderick doing a delightfully nebbish turn with delusions of misplaced glory as his sidekick, Leo Bloom.

From his first big number (musically winking at Fiddler on the Roof), Lane hungrily lays claim to the role, undaunted by his formidable predecessor, Zero Mostel. Even on disc, you can visualize his over-the-top mugging as a dethroned "king of Broadway" who was "the first producer ever to do summer stock in the winter." Comedy, as they say, is all about timing, and that's exactly what Lane gets right. His interactions with Bloom, Franz Liebkind (Brad Oscar), and Roger de Bris (Gary Beach) are priceless, even when only in sound. As for the tunes, Brooks crafts a number of truly memorable ones--don't be surprised to find yourself horrified as you hum along with "Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop" and, of course, "Springtime for Hitler." --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Just what I wanted.......2006-11-06

I saw the making of the CD on TV. The cast does a great job. I have the CD in my car stereo and listen to it often.

5 out of 5 stars I Want to be a producer.......2006-03-06

This recording is great! I saw the play in november and loved the music. I bought the CD a little later and i am still listing to it. The cast are all great singers and did a great job. The songs are witty and catchy and never get old. You should listin to this.(Warning:See the movie or the play before you listin to this, you might hate it if you've have not.)

5 out of 5 stars Spring Time for "The Producers".......2005-12-13

While I'll abmit that Nazi regemes and Hitler are probably some of the least funny thing in the world...i have to admit that the words to Springtime for Hitler are hilarious, just like the rest of the songs on this cast recording.

While "The Producers" Is not as musically complex or mature as other "Best Musical" scores of recent years (Spamalot, Avenue Q, Hairspray,) It is funnier than all of those put together. Nathan lane And Matthew Broderick Are perfectly cast in their roles and Caddy Hoffman is great, and when Ulla belt, she Belts!
the rest of the cast is amazing.

As for the song I can't think of one that I don't like, They are all great!

I would hope that the fact that the show makes light of Hitler doesn't turn you off, because you would be missing somthing great.

5 out of 5 stars Mel Brooks = Brilliant.......2005-12-12

My theatre group went to New York two years ago, adn we did a marathon 4 shows in 3 days. Each show got progressively better, finally culminating in seeing Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick's final performance of "The Producers." I have been a fan of Brooks' since I saw "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" 5 years ago. Naturally, I was beyond excited to see the show he made of his most brilliant film.

I was not disappointed. It was funny, racy, and downright fabulous. I bought the soundtrack at intermission and have been listening to it ever since. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves musicals. Lane and Broderick play off each other perfectly, Cady Huffman has one of the best belting voices I've heard in ages, and the songs are actually FUNNY.

Aside from raving about one of my favorite shows, I would like to address the comments made about the show downplaying Hitler and being racist towards Germans. In no way does this show downplay Hitler's terrible deeds. Bialystock and Bloom make several comments about how disgusted they are about the play- the fact that it is so insulting to our sensibilities is the reason why it was chosen in the first place. I am Jewish and have studied the Holocaust and WWII for years. I was not offended in the least, nor did I feel the Brooks was promoting or trivializing Hitler's war crimes. Brooks himself is Jewish for god's sake.

Second, I see nothing in the show that is racist towards Germans. Yes there is a Nazi in it who is German. How is that racist? The Nazis went all over the world after WWII- it is possible that several ended up in New York City. And no one will argue that some Nazi's were German. You might as well say that the show is discriminatory towards Swedes, or gay directors, or producers, or the countless number of things made fun of in the show.

5 out of 5 stars it won 11 (if im correct) TONY awards for a reason!.......2005-12-08

This is by far the funniest thing I have ever seen. I got the chance to see it on broadway with Lane (unfortunatly not Broderick) and most of the original cast. For some reason, certain people seem to think this play is racist. First off, the whole thing is pure 100% SATIRE. I'm 15 and I can realize that. Also, are you aware that Mel Brooks is jewish? Yeah, so lighten up. I realize what Hitler did, and it will never be forgotten. But my God, get a sense of humor. In case you never saw the play, the Bavarian guy breaks his leg (making "It's bad luck to say good luck on opening night funny) and is replaced by the gay director for the song "Springtime for Hitler". ITS HILARIOUS! BROOKS MADE HITLER A GAY GUY! And why do you think he did that? Geeze... just lighten up!

So about the CD...awesome. I love these songs, and I am very much looking forward to seeing the movie version of the musical coming out in late December! GO SEE IT!
An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Ring introduction critique
  • FASCINATING STUDY FOR NOVICES AND AFFICIONADOS ALIKE
  • Welcome back to a classic analysis
  • Essential for Understanding Wagner's Ring Cycle
  • Very Functional
An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen
Deryck Cooke , Georg Solti , Wiener Philharmoniker , Anita Valkki , Berit Lindholm , Birgit Nilsson , Brigitte Fassbaender , Christa Ludwig , Claire Watson , Claudia Hellmann , Dame Gwyneth Jones , Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau , Eberhard Wächter , George London , Gerhard Stolze , Gottlob Frick , Grace Hoffmann , Gustav Neidlinger , Hans Hotter , Helen Watts , Helga Dernesch , Hetty Plumacher , Ira Malaniuk , James King , Jean Madeira , Joan Sutherland , Kirsten Flagstad , Kurt Böhme , Lucia Popp , Marga Höffgen , Marilyn Tyler , Maureen Guy , Oda Balsborg , Paul Kuen , Régine Crespin , Set Svanholm , Vera Little , Vera Schlosser , Waldemar Kmentt , Walter Kreppel , and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000424H
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

  1. Of All Great Musical Compositions... (Examples 1-4)
  2. The Fundamental Symbol... (Examples 5-11)
  3. Returning Now To The Nature Motive... (Examples 6, 12-16)
  4. A Number Of Further Motives... (Examples 5, 17-21)
  5. A Second, Much Smaller Family... (Examples 22-25)
  6. So Much For Nature. (Examples 26-38)
  7. The Cause Of The Deterioration... (Examples 39-44)
  8. The Other Transformation... (Examples 45-48)
  9. Several Other Motives... (Examples 49-52)
  10. Two Further Motives... (Examples 41, 53-61)
  11. The Basic Motive Associated With The Spear... (Examples 62-68)
  12. Along Another, More Complex Line... (Examples 69-72)
  13. In Act Two Of Walkure... (Examples 69, 73-75)
  14. Returning Now To Act Two Of Walkure... (Examples 76-79)
  15. Love Is Another Of The Central Symbols... (Examples 80-83)
  16. Later In The Same Scene... (Examples 84-87)
  17. Freia's Motive Has Two Independent Segments... (Examples 88-91)
  18. The Label 'Flight'... (Example 92)
  19. When Fasolt, In Scene Two Of Rhinegold... (Examples 93-98)
  20. A Little Later In The Interlude... (Examples 99-103)

Tracks:

  1. The Other New Motive... (Examples 104-109)
  2. There Are Several Independent Love-Motives... (Examples 110-114)
  3. The Characters In Whose Lives... (Examples 115-120)
  4. One Further Motive Belongs... (Example 121)
  5. The Sword Motive Recurs... (Examples 122-130)
  6. Ironically, This Phrase... (Examples 131-135)
  7. Closely Associated With Gutrune's Motive... (Examples 136-140)
  8. Here We Come To The End... (Examples 141-146)
  9. Complemtary To This Symbol... (Examples 147-149)
  10. One Last Central Symbol... (Examples 150-157)
  11. One Further Motive Connected... (Examples 158-161)
  12. There Are One Or Two Motives... (Examples 162-168)
  13. These Motives Of Alberich And Mime... (Examples 169-171)
  14. Quite A Number Of The Subsidiary Motives... (Examples 172-176)
  15. Besides This Family Of Motives... (Examples 177-180)
  16. Our Final Example... (Examples 10, 181, 182)
  17. In The Final Scene Of Gotterdammerung... (Examples 181-183)
  18. Even More Masterly... (Examples 184-188)
  19. Now If We Return... (Examples 189-191)
  20. This Masterly Way... (Examples 192, 193)

Amazon.com

When Wagner set the Ring to music, he intended the orchestra to act in the fashion of a chorus from a classic Greek tragedy--setting the mood and commenting on the action. In order to allow a nonverbal musical line to reflect on the plot, Wagner developed a psychologically and musically complex symbology to communicate his thoughts to the listener. From the beginning the Ring has spawned numerous written commentaries on the relationships of the motif structure, but by using examples from the Decca Ring recording, Deryck Cooke's thoughtful spoken commentary is by far the most accessible guide for either the fledgling Ring enthusiast or the seasoned veteran. --Christian C. Rix

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Ring introduction critique.......2006-11-04

This is very worthwhile, at the same time it requires time, patience and attention, but it does provide some keys to better enjoyment of a sensational piece of music.

5 out of 5 stars FASCINATING STUDY FOR NOVICES AND AFFICIONADOS ALIKE.......2006-08-16

This may look an intimidating, daunting and dull prospect - a 2+ hour lecture on the motifs in the Ring. Don't be put off. Whether you're a relative novice to the Ring and want to find out what it's all about, more experienced with a desire to understand the composer's methods better or an afficionado who thinks he knows it all inside out, there is great pleasure as well as elucidation to be had from this set. Originally made to accompany the Decca Solti Ring, it contains a multitude of musical illustrations taken from those recordings as well as some specially recorded by Solti just for this Introduction.

It wasn't the first time this has been tried. The famous HMV sets from the late 20's also included recorded examples of over 100 motifs. (These, by the way, are available as part of the Pearl reissue of those wonderful HMV recordings). What that set lacked was the wonderful insights as well as the approachability of the talk by Deryck Cooke. Cooke was a great and much missed musicologist - a Mahler expert responsible for the performing edition of the Tenth Symphony still most played today, a fascinating explorer into the nature of music's basic building-blocks in his excellent book, The Language of Music, and an inspiring and elucidating critic of Wagner's work as shown by the fascinating book he left unfinished at his death, I Saw the World End.

On these CDs he does much more than list the leitmotifs and identify them as calling-cards. He shows the amazingly integrated and organic growth of the musical material that Wagner uses throughout his vast work. He demonstrates how motifs can change their sense and meaning as they evolve through the drama. And he shows how the complex combinations of motifs can radically advance both the musical and the dramatic narrative of the piece. There are even places where he corrects the misinterpretation of some of the motifs that had become ingrained from early commentators' false labels.

This set should engage and enlighten anyone with an interest in Wagner's huge and inexhaustible tetralogy. Do give it a try - no matter how far down the road to Wagnerianism you are.

4 out of 5 stars Welcome back to a classic analysis.......2006-05-28

Deryck Cooke's lecture series upon THE RING is almost as much a classic by now as the Solti RING cycle, with which it was originally issued on LP, and from which it derives its musical examples. The difference is that whereas the Solti RING has been continuously in print ever since it was completed, and was among the first opera sets to benefit from the CD revolution, the Cooke analysis was for long almost totally unobtainable. Now we have it back. It should be welcomed: it is a classic. Cooke's mellow, deep voice with the hint of a Celtic burr - which made him ideal on BBC radio - patiently explains Wagner's melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic metamorphoses to such good effect that if you own this recording, you really require no other RING analysis. (A pity about the abrupt beginnings and endings of too many vocal and orchestral illustrations, though.) Musicology lost a fine, sensitive thinker with Cooke's premature death in 1976.

If all you want is dilettantish baby food, there are plenty of dumbed-down Wagner commentaries on the market, stretching from Anna Russell's famous monologue (which doesn't pretend to be anything other than a parody aimed at morons) to the latest standard-issue "Wagner-was-a-Nazi-boo-hiss" feuilleton (which, unfortunately, does). Without reasonable score-reading skill you will find Cooke useless, however diligently you have ploughed through Marx, Jung, Freud, or other gurus purportedly relevant to THE RING. Cooke expects you to use your brains and your musical sense. Quelle horreur. At today's BBC his "elitism" would render him unemployable.

5 out of 5 stars Essential for Understanding Wagner's Ring Cycle.......2006-05-15

I originally bought this set on vinyl in the early 70s when I discovered the Ring in college. I studied the records and booklet assiduously, and after about three run-throughs I finally started getting it. Wow! Thirty-five years later, I still remember Mr. Cooke's analyses of various motive families, and I don't know how I could have mastered and loved the Ring without him. I now own this set on CD and listen again on the rare occasion of attending a Ring performance. My wife calls me a "Ring nut," but of course I'm nuts about many other things as well.

Bottom line, buy this set and study it if the Ring has captivated you as it has countless others. The presentation is dry, but sticking with it brings measureless and longlasting rewards.

4 out of 5 stars Very Functional.......2006-03-19

This CD set is excellent for what it sets out to do: present the leitmotives of the Ring according to their relationship to one another and their role in developing both characters and plotlines. Deryck Cooke's lectures on each motive are very insightful, very helpful at cueing the listener into the semantic aspect of Wagner's orchestral writing. The one drawback is that the musical examples are a bit jarring. Without fade-ins or -outs, the engineering is quite barbaric. And though the orchestra was, I believe, conducted by Solti, and is beautifully done, the vocal performances can be quite unpleasant. Point being: this is not background music, but in accomplishing what it sets out to do, it is very successful, and I don't know of anything else like it.

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