Always on My Mind

Amazon.com
Willie Nelson's lonely country croon has always made even the happiest sentiments ring with a touch of sadness. Here, he covers a number of well-known songs and gives each of them his own hard-won wisdom. "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" seems an impossible task, but Nelson gets under it and while he can't steal it from Aretha Franklin, he makes it his own all the same. Paul Simon's "Bridge over Troubled Water" is a stretch and "Whiter Shade of Pale" is questionable. However, the title track is classic Nelson, as is the somber closer, "Party's Over." --Rob O'Connor

Tracks:

Do Right Woman, Do Right Man
Always On My Mind
A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Let It Be Me
Staring Each Other Down
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Old Fords And A Natural Stone
Permanently Lonely
Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning
The Party's Over
The Man Who Owes Everyone
I'm A Memory

Customer Reviews:

Gotta love it!.......2005-11-03

This is a great album! I just listened to it for the first time. You can infer from the track list that it is pop done up Willie style, but that is not a bad thing. They are all good songs, and this reissue has two bonus tracks that are also excellent. I've seen reviews of this that say it's one of his weaker efforts, but I disagree. (Glad I didn't listen to them!) The arrangements have variety, and are always tasteful and not overdone. The musical details are interesting. Another plus is the backing vocal by Toni Wine (of girl group fame) on "Permanently Lonely." If you like pop with great tunes and a sincere heartfelt message, you will love this CD.

An all time favorite .......2004-12-25

This is a CD I've been listening to for the last 20 years and I've never gotten tired of it. It's more mellow pop than it is country. Willie's voice is clear as a bell and the quality of the recording is amazing -- crisp and sharp with every instrument defined and audible.

"Always on My Mind" is, of course, one of the best known love songs of the 20th century. Almost as good are two other songs on the CD: "Old Fords and Natural Stone" and a song with a clever hook, "The last thing I needed the first thing this morning (was to have you walk out on me)." Most of the other songs are covers Willie performs adequately, if not with inspiration. But the three great songs on this CD put it in the must-have category.

One of his many classics.......2004-03-06

It is great to see this album re-mastered, now with two extra tracks (The man who owns everyone, I'm a memory). My review is based on the original album - however, my experience of other re-masters (including Willie's Stardust album) is that the sound quality will be better and the new tracks are likely to be of a high quality.

The title track was written for Elvis Presley to record, though Brenda Lee recorded it first - about six months before Elvis. Exactly why Willie chose to record this particular song is a mystery to me, but he certainly made a good choice. It became one of his trademark recordings, becoming a huge American pop hit for him. Sadly, this success was not repeated in the UK, where the version by the Pet Shop Boys went all the way to number one. Nevertheless, Willie's version helped to establish his fan base in the UK.

Aside from the title track, there are covers of songs made famous by Aretha Franklin (Do right woman), Procol Harum (Whiter shade of pale - with Waylon), Everly brothers (Let it be me) and Simon and Garfunkel (Bridge over troubled water).

Willie wrote some of the other songs though in some cases they are re-recordings - Permanently lonely and The party's over both date back to the sixties, when Willie recorded them for RCA. I believe Old fords and a natural stone and Last thing I needed first thing this morning were new for this album. I'm not sure about Staring each other down.

So, when this album was released, very few of the songs were new but several were obscure and all were transformed by Willie, whose covers never sound like the originals or any other versions.

This is one of Willie's best original albums.

Country With a Pop Slant.......2003-11-25

Willie Nelson recorded this album during the early eighties... 1982. During that time Poppy, disco type of music was all the rage. And country was being influenced by that turn in taste.
Think of Dolly Parton's 9 to 5.
Well, Willie... the consummate outlaw recorded this album in the face of all that was going on. He was not afraid to try that style of music but did not compromise his country roots. This album has a Pop feel to it... but is unmistakably country.
The title track is a Nelson classic. It was the song of the year in 1982 and 1983 for the Country Music Association awards. I can remember how this tune dominated both country radio and pop radio when I was a kid. There is no doubt it struck a chord with all types of people. Willie's choice of this song was inspired genius.
It was originally an Elvis tune. He recorded it as a lament to his wife Pricilla. And he always thought it was too personal for anyone else to hear. Willie turns it into an anthem of regret, but with a glimmer of hope. His vocals are powerful and heartfelt as always.
This particular album is filled with a wide array of material. The Aretha Franklin hit, "Do right woman, Do right man."
The Simon and Garfunkle standard, "Bridge over Troubled Water."
The Everly Brothers, "Let it Be Me."
And some great Willie originals like, "The Party's Over." And, "The Last Thing I Needed, First Thing this Morning."
Willie Nelson is a true original... when he sings a song there is no mistaking him.
This is a very underrated album. I have enjoyed it quite a bit so far... give it a try. I bet you will too. :-)

Average customer rating:

One last touch of Paris (but oversold by the critics)
wonderful perforance of excellent songs
Classic Rorem Songs!
Come To Pop, Baby!
Worthy indeed - a gem

Susan Graham - Songs of Ned Rorem
Susan Graham , Martin Martineau , and Ensemble Oriol
Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

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Similar Items:

Ned Rorem: Selected Songs
The Faces of Love ~ The Songs of Jake Heggie / Fleming, McNair, Larmore, von Stade, Forand, Cao, Clayton, Vaness, Asawa
Susan Graham - La Belle Époque (The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn)
Susan Graham ~ Berlioz - Les nuits d'été
Poèmes de l'Amour

ASIN: B00004R9BK
Release Date: 2000-04-04

Tracks:

Sonnet [Bynner]
Clouds [Goodman]
Early In The Morning [Hillyer]
The Serpent [Roethke]
Now Sleeps The Crimson Petal [Tennyson]
Opus 101 [Bynner]
I Strolled Across An Open Field [Roethke]
To A Young Girl [Yeats]
Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair [after Foster]
Ode [de Ronsard]
For Poulenc [O'Hara]
Littlle elegy [Wylie]
Alleluia
Look Down, Fair Moon [Whitman]
O You Whom I Often And Silently Come [Whitman]
I Will Always Love You [O'Hara]
The Tulip Tree [Goodman]
The Wintry Mind [Bynner]
I Am Rose [Stein]
The Lordly Hudson [Goodman]
O Do Not Love Too Long [Goodman]
Far - Far - Away [Tennyson]
For Susan [Goodman]
A Journey [Glaze]
Sometimes With One I Love [Goodman]
Love [Lodge]
Orchids [Roethke]
Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening [Frost]
Do I Love You More Than A Day [Larson]
Ferry Me Across The Water [Rossetti]
The Sowers [Bynner]
That Shadow, My Likeness [Whitman]

Amazon.com

Contemporary composer Ned Rorem is typically likened to an American Schubert (living in Paris) for the fecundity, emotional range, and quality of his songs (though this represents only one facet of a prolific career). And Rorem's masterful 1998 cycle Evidence of Things Not Seen would seem to justify that reputation, as does this marvelous anthology from the Rorem songbook of the past half-century. The composer is fond of dividing musicians into the "German" and the "French," clearly identifying himself with the latter for the elusive sparkle and subtle play of shadows that characterize his art. What other kind of sensibility could "through-compose" Gertrude Stein's "I Am Rose" in a deftly perfect 27 seconds? Fortunately, American lyric mezzo Susan Graham intuitively understands this expressive aspect, as does pianist-partner Malcolm Martineau. Graham is constantly attentive to the marriage of music and text in the 32 songs here and phrases their little worlds into being with grace and wit. She can shade to a sweet vanishing point or allow her voice to blossom, orchidlike, into a dazzling profusion of colors. Few of these songs, which draw on the poetry of Walt Whitman, Theodore Roethke, Frank O'Hara, and many others, last more than two minutes. But their resonance lingers, whether in the haunting "Opus 101"--with its lean but potent string trio scoring--or the enigmatic "That Shadow, My Likeness" from Whitman. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

One last touch of Paris (but oversold by the critics).......2005-10-11

Ned Rorem is the last survivor, since the death of Virgil Thompson, of the long reach that Paris exerted over a generation of American expatriate composers, many of whom drifted overseas between the wars to study with the legendary Nadia Boulanger. Rorem's songs sometimes have American folk roots, but mostly he writes chansons, and like their French counterparts, his are crystalline, spare, sophisticated, and precisely defined emotionally.

If he were more tlaneted he might have wirtten masterpieces, but mostly this sounds like Samuel Barber on skim milk. Rorem often sets minor, if not trivial poetry. His lyrical gift is modest. But there's no doubt that he has been neglected, largely because of his stubbornly tonal conservatism, and now that tonality is repsectable again, he is being accorded last-minute honors. I'm glad for him, and his best work, which consists of his multi-volume memoirs, has added much to American culture. But even when skillfully sung by an artist of the caliber of Susan Graham, a hour's worth of Rorem's tiny jewel-like chansons is about twice too much at one sitting.

wonderful perforance of excellent songs.......2005-01-20

I'm a neophyte to Ned Rorem's work. To be honest I purchased this CD because I really enjoy listening to Susan Graham. Although I really love hearing Ms. Graham's opera performances, I find it refreshing to hear her singing something in English. I also appreciate how she's taken time to perform something other than opera. Susan Graham's performance of Ned Rorem's songs has me seeking out other performances of his work.

Classic Rorem Songs!.......2004-05-18

Susan Graham has a remarkable mezzo voice and sings Rorem as though she really is a sounding board for the composer. Kudos to her and this CD comes highly recommended to newbies to Rorem songs and those many die-hard fans!

Come To Pop, Baby!.......2004-03-12

Recently, I heard Susan Graham on Garrison Keillor's "Prarie Home Companion" show. Wow! I didn't know who she was, but she had so much humour, verve and style while singing some show tunes, and that incredible voice. I rushed to amazon but all the English language songs I could find seemed to be on this album of Ned Rorem music. Well, whatever the weight lieder songs carry for the Germans, it seems that art songs in English mean songs you can't snap your fingers to, can't slap out a beat to and would never, ever, sing with your friends. I know, I know, I'm a Philistine, but please, Ms. Graham, give us an album of American popular classics, show tunes and the like. When I listened to you on Mr. Keillor's show, if I had been a bell, I'd have been ringing too! You are simply great. Don't let the classical music fans have all the fun. Throw a little our way too. Pretty please.

Worthy indeed - a gem.......2002-08-27

I cannot disagree with "A Music Fan"'s panning of this CD. Having first purchased the Hearing CD which he/she references, I reached the conclusion that Rorem's music was too knotty and "20th century" for repeated listenings and enjoyment. This CD with Susan Graham completely reversed my opinion. The songs are indeed chosen to be accessible, but they are much more than that. They are, simply stated, lovely. This is a disc I will play again and again, and has caused me to investigate many other Rorem CDs. I just came on line to buy it as a gift for a friend. Rorem deserves his due, and this disc gives it to him.

Average customer rating:

Livin' on songs my friends wrote for me to sing.
Excellent Album By Elvis of the 70's
"My boy" is beautiful!!!
Always On My Mind
An Album That Speaks to Your Heart

Always on My Mind
Elvis Presley
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Almost in Love

ASIN: B000002W8J
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Separate Ways
Don't Cry Daddy
My Boy
Solitaire
Bitter They Are, Harder They Fall
Hurt
Pieces Of My Life
I Miss You
It's Midnight
I've Lost You
You Gave Me A Mountain
Unchained Melody
Always On My mind

Customer Reviews:

Livin' on songs my friends wrote for me to sing........2007-01-29

This is a collection of sad ballads recorded by Elvis between 1969 and 1977. After his marriage broke up, Elvis was drawn to material that reflected what was happening in his personal life. So, he recorded a lot of songs about the end of a relationship. An example of this is "Hurt", where he sings, "You said our love was true and we'd never ever part. Now you love someone new and it breaks my heart.". When he gets to the recitation part where he says, "Yes, darling, I'm so hurt, because I still love you so.", you can tell that he really means it. But wasn't it Elton John who said, "Sad songs say so much."? Listening to this CD will give you an idea of what was going through Elvis' mind during the last years of his life.

Excellent Album By Elvis of the 70's.......2006-12-15

I bought this album on cassette in 1986 and I still listen to it.
These recordings are a testimony to the power of his voice. His live version of Unchained Melody is absolutely awesome!! The songs are mostly country-type songs, but his voice and emotion in each song really prove that he still had it when he made these recordings. Elvis could have definitely made the transition to country and he could have kept his appeal. I wish that he had become more of a country music performer during the 70's. If he could have found good songs to record, maybe a renewal of his recording career could have inspired him to overcome his problems.
I was blown away by this album in 1986 and I still am today.

"My boy" is beautiful!!!.......2005-08-15

This song is beautifully sung with great lyrics.
I love Elvis and this song is a must have for all his fans.

Michael Chessman

Always On My Mind.......2004-12-18

I have never heard a complete cd of songs that has moved me emotionally as did this volume of songs. I wasn't a big Elvis fan until after he died and really saw how he moved people by his life and kindness. This is my favorite cd of all time and I am 53 yrs old and listen to all types of music........God rest his soul.

An Album That Speaks to Your Heart.......2004-07-16

When I was twelve years old I chanced to hear the song "Don't Cry Daddy" on the radio, for the first and only time. While that may not be the most loved Elvis song, I related to it at the time, and put a lot of time into tracking it down on CD. At the time I had never heard any of the other songs on this album (with the exception of Unchained Melody by other artists). Over the years, having gone through the heartaches of growing up, I appreciate this album so much more.
Elvis was an incredibly talented and gifted man, and I cherish this CD. While I do love all Elvis music, including his more upbeat hits, the tracks on this album are really something special. They are deeper than his previous work, and he really expresses raw emotion and pain very beautifully.
This album is a must have for the collection of any Elvis fan, but even the casual listener can find enjoyment here. The music is slow and easy to relax to, and whenever I'm feeling hurt or sad about something, popping this in and singing along is a nice release.

Average customer rating:

Oldie, but Goodie
Once lost, now found and reissued on CD.
THOU SWELL. THE YANKEE WINS AGAIN!
A Lost Gem
Not complete and NOT first CD version

A Connecticut Yankee
Broadway Revival Cast
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

On Your Toes (1954 Revival Cast)
On Your Toes (1983 Broadway Revival Cast)
Allegro (1947 Original Broadway Cast)
Girl Crazy (1990 Studio Cast)
Greenwillow (1960 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B00005A8KC
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Tracks:

A Connecticut Yankee: Overture
A Connecticut Yankee: My Heart Stood Still
A Connecticut Yankee: Thou Swell
A Connecticut Yankee: On A Desert Island With Thee
A Connecticut Yankee: To Keep My Love Alive
A Connecticut Yankee: Can't You Do A Friend A Favor?
A Connecticut Yankee: I Feel At Home With You
A Connecticut Yankee: You Always Love The Same Girl
A Connecticut Yankee: Finale
Higher And Higher (Selections): Nothing But You
Higher And Higher (Selections): Ev'ry Sunday Afternoon
Higher And Higher (Selections): From Another World
Higher And Higher (Selections): It Never Entered My Mind
By Jupiter (Selections): Careless Rhapsody
By Jupiter (Selections): Jupiter Forbid
By Jupiter (Selections): Ev'rything I Got
By Jupiter (Selections): Nobody's Heart

Customer Reviews:

Oldie, but Goodie.......2006-08-01

Well, I was not expecting to like this one. Its SO old, and very classic (Rodgers and Hart.) But one good thing about it being Rodgers and Hart, is it has lovely lyrics. Clever and witty on every song. Mark Twains book was done justice I think, but I've never read the book. I would suggest this to classic lovers, and newer Broadway fans who want to hear a`"classic" other than Oklahoma. This is a good one. The other great thing about this CD is you get not only A Connecticut Yankee, but also highlights from two other Rodgers and Hart musicals: Higher and Higher and By Jupiter. AWSOME. Favorite Song: "To Keep My Love Alive"

Once lost, now found and reissued on CD........2005-06-03

One of Decca's earliest cast albums (recorded just a few weeks after their famous OKLAHOMA! album) this very nearly became a lost treasure. Recorded on 16" glass masters in 1943, the original release was on 78 RPMS (complete witha booklet givinga detailed synopsis and all the lyrics.) The revival was not a success and when Long Playing records were introduced in the late 1940s, CONNECTICUT YANKEE was not reissued in the new format.

At one time in the 1960s Decca had the masters transferred to tape for a possible LP reissue. That reissue never happened, and in shipping the discs back to the storage facility, they were broken. The tape was taken from the company's archives and did not turn up until almost 30 years later. Though modern technology could probably have coaxed even better sound from the master discs, we must be thankful that the tape was made when it was.

In the meanwhile there were three unautherized isses of these tracks. A new York based private label called Box Office transferred the 78's to one side of an Lp in the 1970s. Later, AEI released an elaborate gatefold Lp with not only the full score (again dubbed from 78s) but also fabricated some additional tracks reprising some of the songs (in theatrical order) by editing portions from the existing tracks. Finally there was a release on CD from Box Office with horrible sound that stil sometimes turns up for sale. Avoid it. Decca actually sent a request that Box Office withdraw the bootleg Cd.

This edition has much better sound and the bonus tracks by Hildegard and Shirley Ross from BY JUPITER and HIGHER AND HIGHER make the package very worthwhile.

THOU SWELL. THE YANKEE WINS AGAIN!.......2003-02-09

"A Connecticut Yankee," by Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers, contains more hit songs than the average Broadway season nowadays. "My Heart Stood," "Still," "Thou Swell" and the redoubtable "To Keep My Love Alive" all sound fresh and vibrant in this fabulously remastered 1943 recording. Particularly wonderful is the total and complete recording of "To Keep My Love Alive," sung by the one great (female) love of the Lyricist's life, Vivienne Segal ... nearly seven minutes of the wittiest ways to do in a husband. This is one of the first "original cast" recordings ever recorded, and it sounds as crisp and clear as a recording made today. Bravo! (Submitted by staff member Stephen J. Finn)

A Lost Gem.......2002-01-17

A wonderful rerelease of glass discs made for the 1943 revival of this charming musical. While the orchestra is less than polished (there is one particular trumpet you can hear over and over that is awful and flat!)--it has a lot of zest to it, and makes one yearn to see the play - indeed, to see more of the Rodgers and Hart shows performed.

Not complete and NOT first CD version.......2001-08-19

This CD collection of tracks from the 1943 revival of the Rodgers & Hart musical is advertised as the first CD presentation of these tracks. This is incorrect. I have a CD issued in 1999 by Box Office Recordings called "A Collector's Rodgers & Hart" which contains all the "Connecticut Yankee" tracks plus 14 additional tracks of Rodgers & Hart covers (different from the covers on the Decca CD).

Worse, I have an AEI LP recording of the revival which has three additional tracks from the show. Why weren't these selections included in this recording?

On the other hand, even the 9 tracks from Connecticut Yankee are worth owning. As a previous reviewer said, just Vivienne Segal's "To Keep My Love Alive" is worth the price of admission!

Divas Las Vegas: Vh1 Divas: 2002 [Cd with Bonus Dvd ]
Average customer rating:

Divas Las Vegas.

Divas Las Vegas: Vh1 Divas: 2002 [Cd with Bonus Dvd ]
Various artists , 1. You Shook Me All Night Long - Celine Dion w/Anastacia , 2. Believe - Cher 5. Landslide - Dixie Chicks w/ Stevie Nicks , 4. Underneath Your Clothes - Shakira One Day In Your Life - Anastacia , and 7. I'm Alive - Celine Dion 9. Finale: Jailhouse Rock - Anastacia / Always On My Mind - Shakira / Heartbreak Hotel - Cher / Can't Help Falling In Love - Celine Dion
Manufacturer: Epic
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000NRJA6A

Product Description

The fifth collection culled from the annual VH1 Divas specials is a little too genteel. Maybe because the producers are now old hands at pairing up pop's biggest female singers, and they know how to avoid potential fireworks. But it's the fireworks that make these records sizzle. Who can forget Elton John's rendition of "The Bitch Is Back" on the 1999 edition? Except for the rendition of AC/DC's "You Shook Me," inexplicably assigned to Celine Dion and disco revivalist Anastacia, which features blistering guitar by Meredith ("Bitch") Brooks, none of the cuts crackle. Cher's dance floor hit "I Believe" sounds canned and forced, and Latin firecracker Shakira goes low-key with an acoustic version of her soft-focus "Underneath Your Clothes." Even the vivacious Dixie Chicks can't rescue the record with their performance of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide," complete with Stevie Nicks. --Jaan Uhelszki

Customer Reviews:

Divas Las Vegas........2007-04-12

Really enjoyable special.
The highlights would have to be Cher's and Celine Dions performances.
Cher performs Believe and A Song for the Lonely and knocks them dead.
Celine performs Im Alive and A New Day Has Come and practically brings the house down. She was superb.
Other artist were good also, in particular Anastacia.
Very interesting to watch and great to own.

The John Adams Earbox: A 10-CD Retrospective

Average customer rating:

Moved to tears
Nonesuch delivers.Again
harmonia in excelsis
Our greatest living composer
Wonderful CD

The John Adams Earbox: A 10-CD Retrospective

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Steve Reich 1965-1995
Naive & Sentimental Music
John Adams: The Dharma at Big Sur/My Father Knew Charles Ives
25 Years: Retrospective
Century Rolls

ASIN: B00001SID1
Release Date: 1999-10-19

Tracks:

Lollapalooza
John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Judah To Ocean
John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Toot Nipple
John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Dogjam
John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Pavane: She's So Fine
John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Rag The Bone
John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Habanera
John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Stubble Crotchet
John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Hammer & Chisel
John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Alligator Escalator
John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Standchen: The Little Serenade
John's Book Of Alleged Dances: Judah To Ocean (Reprise)
Slonimsky's Earbox

Tracks:

Two Fanfares For Orchestra - Tromba Lontana
Two Fanfares For Orchestra - Short Ride In A Fast Machine
Common Tones In Simple Time
El Dorado - Part I. A Dream Of Gold
El Dorado - Part II. Soledades

Tracks:

Harmonielehre - Part I
Harmonielehre - Part II The Anfortas Wound
Harmonielehre - Part III Meister Eckhardt And Quackie
Violin Concerto - Part I
Violin Concerto - Part II Chaconne:
Violin Concerto - Part III Toccare

Tracks:

Chamber Sympony - Mongel Airs
Chamber Sympony - Aria With Walking Bass
Chamber Sympony
Hoodo Zephyr - Tundra
Hoodo Zephyr - Dissappointment Lake
Hoodo Zephyr - Hoodo Zephyr
Gnarly Buttons - The Perilous Shore
Gnarly Buttons - Hoe-Down (Mad Cow)
Gnarly Buttons - Put Your Loving Arms Around Me

Tracks:

Ensemble - I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky
A Sermon On Romance
Consuelo's Dream
Mike's Song About Arresting A Particular Individual
Tiffany's Solo
Song About The On-Site Altercation
Song About The Bad Boys And The News
Your Honor My Client He's A Young Black Man
Leila's Song; Alone (Again Or At Last)
Three Weeks And Still I'm Outta My Mind
Crushed By The Rock I Been Standing On
Dewain's Song Of Liberation And Surprise
!Este Pais! / This Country
One Last Look At The Angel In Your Eyes
Finale

Tracks:

Lollapalooza
John's Book Of Alleged Dances - Judah To Ocean
John's Book Of Alleged Dances - Toot Nipple
John's Book Of Alleged Dances - Dogjam
John's Book Of Alleged Dances - Pavane: She's So Fine
John's Book Of Alleged Dances - Rag The Bone
John's Book Of Alleged Dances - Habenera
John's Book Of Alleged Dances - Stubble Crotchet
John's Book Of Alleged Dances - Hammer & Chisel
John's Book Of Alleged Dances - Alligator Escalator
John's Book Of Alleged Dances - Standchen: The Little Serenade
John's Book Of Alleged Dances - Judah To Ocean (Reprise)
Slonimsky's Earbox

Tracks:

Harmonium - Negative Love
Harmonium - Becuase I Could Not Stop For Death
Harmonium - Wild Nights
Shaker Loops - Shaking and Trambling
Shaker Loops - Hymning Slews
Shaker Loops - Loops and Verses
Shaker Loops - A Final Shaking

Tracks:

The Chairman Dances - Foxtrot For Orchestra
Grand Pianola Music - First Movement
Grand Pianola Music - Second Movement
Grand Pianola Music - Third Movement: On The Dominant Divide
Fearful Symmetries

Tracks:

Nixon In China - Opening
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China - Landing Of The Spirit Of '76
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China - Cheers
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China - Opening
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China -
Nixon In China -

Tracks:

The Wound-Dresser
Christian Zeal And Activity
Five Songs - Thoreau
Five Songs - Down East
Five Songs - Cradle Song
Five Songs - At The River
Five Songs - Serenity
Eros Piano

Amazon.com

Having earned his composing stripes after the 1960s, John Adams had the pioneering work of Steve Reich, Philip Glass, and Terry Riley close at hand as he ventured into his trade. And, while minimalism's historical continuum helps place Adams, he used Reich, Glass, and Riley (among others) only as a starting point. And here's proof: a 10-CD retrospective of nearly all Adams's recorded compositions on Nonesuch Records, the label that also issued Steve Reich 1965-1995 and Kronos Quartet: 25 Years. Adams's Harmonium, a choral work of startling energy and effervescence, appears here in a new recording, as do distillations of both The Death of Klinghoffer and Nixon in China, two path-clearing operas. Over the span of a career covered by Earbox, Adams has returned minimalism to traditional instrumental ensembles as well as to projects that at once advanced a political commentary and took that commentary back to orchestral audiences. And so, in far less time than his predecessors, Adams created works that now play like standard repertoire pieces: The Wound Dresser and Shaker Loops and the Violin Concerto--all of them are here. What these works demonstrate is a fierce creativity on the one hand and perhaps a hunger for commercial advances on the other. Adams may at times be a bustling free thinker, but he sounds ever conscious of what audiences are listening to. As for the works themselves, they remain every bit as daunting as when written.

Some may object to particular selections. I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky, for example, hardly ranks with Adams's best work. But this box isn't a mere best-of; it's an almost-all-of. At times terrifically American--especially in the news-aware operas and their narrative pragmatism--Adams well deserves a major box set, and its coverage is appropriate to his varied, stylistically diverse output. As with any large-scale retrospective, Earbox--which fairly bristles with Adams's new composition, Slonimsky's Earbox--has spots where fans might balk at the quality of the composer's writing. But it's got a fantastic accompanying booklet along with its many hours of inarguably modern and thoroughly listener-friendly music. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

Moved to tears.......2004-03-18

Never before in my life was i moved so intensely and directly by classical music. I put the first cd in my player and a few minutes later tears are flowing. I find myself dancing and moving to a rythm i already seem to know. Wow, i just have to share that.

Nonesuch delivers.Again.......2002-11-27

John adams is one of the most popular living composers of"modern" classical music[I believe the cutoff point, though arbitrary is usually WWII}.I came to him late, through my husband. Modersn classical music , I said? What the hell is that?My husband kept playing bits and pieces of adams for me, and more and more i found myself amazed. and swayed. His operas have been groundbreaking{Nixon in China} controversial{Death Of klinghoffer},his compostions sublimely beautiful{shaker Loops or harmonium].HIS STATURE IS WORTHY THEN OF SUCH A MONUMENTAL CAREER SPANNING BOX SET.This 10 disc set[great value, again from NONESUCH}encompasses Adams' entire career,and though there are some misses here{I was looking at the ceiling and then i saw the sky doesnt quite fit},it is still magnificent. the Highlights are ,{for me} the Wound Dresser, Chamber symphony,Violin Concerto, of course, Shaker Loops and Harmonuim are wonderful. The true jewels here are Nixon in China,the Chairman dances and the Death of Klinghoffer,which is simply a masterpiece. The set comes with a wonderful book, which contains essay's by Robert Hurwitz {An Uncommon Man}renaud Machart[John adams as seen from europe} and Essays before an earbox by Adams himself.A Chronology and dicography are included. A wonderful study of an American original,worth the investment, Highly highly recommended

harmonia in excelsis.......2001-11-12

I must agree with Mr. Bartlett, particularly with regard to "Ceiling." It may well be because his Violin Concerto and Harmonielehre are so powerful. 4.5 stars.
Interesting, and likely intentional, is that two names in the extensive liner book fail to mention two great and glaringly obvious precursors: Carl Orff and Raymond Scott. Without "Carmina Burana," there would be no "Harmonium." Orff has his mark all over Adams's gifted and epic compositions. Similarly, though there are glib references to "cartoon music," the polymath engineer/musician Scott is a seminal figure in American music, and casts a large shadow over the witty juxtapositions and sense of play one loves in Adams's work. In all, an excellent career overview.

Our greatest living composer.......2001-07-22

As a composer, I'm staggered that anyone could fail to be gripped by this music.

That anyone can use the words "spoiled, overrated" amazes me. I emphatically disagree with "A music fan"'s review.

I don't think it's "mind-numbing"; I think it's spiritual and exciting. To me it's the most substantial music being created in our times.

I'm really sorry that anyone could fail to enjoy it, and really recommend others to listen for themselves.

Wonderful CD.......2000-04-02

This compilation should turn even the most curmudgeonly listerner into a fan. Beautifully recorded, great notes -- and it's a heck of a bargain!

Average customer rating:

Always on My Mind "Special Edition"

Manufacturer: TIME LIFE / WARNER
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

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Love Me Tender
Romances

ASIN: B000BUN6VY

Product Description

CONTAINS THESE 20 TRACKS: We've Only Just Begun, I Will Always Love You, Amazing Grace, Always On My Mind, Georgia On My Mind, Chariots Of Firs, The Wind Beneath My Wings, You Light Up My Life, Star Dust, Green, Green Grass Of Home, The Way We Were, Crazy, Let It Be Me, Yesterday, Send In The Clowns, You Are The Sunshine Of My Life, Misty, Unchained Melody, Memory, Are You Lonesome Tonight?

Average customer rating:

Always On My Mind
Pet Shop Boys
Manufacturer: Parlophone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music
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Very

ASIN: B000057P0K

Average customer rating:

Always on my mind.
Country with a pop veneer...rather than pop in a cowboy hat
Beautiful from start to finish
Solid Cd
Father/bride wedding music

Always on My Mind
Willie Nelson
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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City of New Orleans
Stardust
Red Headed Stranger

ASIN: B0000025QW
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Do Right Woman, Do Right Man
Always On My Mind
A Whiter Shade Of Pale
Let It Be Me
Staring Each Other Down
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Old Fords And A Natural Stone
Permanently Lonely
Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning
The Party's Over

Amazon.com

Willie Nelson's lonely country croon has always made even the happiest sentiments ring with a touch of sadness. Here, he covers a number of well-known songs and gives each of them his own hard-won wisdom. "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" seems an impossible task, but Nelson gets under it and while he can't steal it from Aretha Franklin, he makes it his own all the same. Paul Simon's "Bridge over Troubled Water" is a stretch and "Whiter Shade of Pale" is questionable. However, the title track is classic Nelson, as is the somber closer, "Party's Over." --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews:

Always on my mind........2005-11-25

Pure of voice, pure of soulful lead guitar played on beat-up classical guitar, a songwriter of great subtlety and depth who can conjure up any mood, paint vivid scenes of American myth, and bring you back to the simpler American days of our dreams.

Country with a pop veneer...rather than pop in a cowboy hat.......2005-05-25

The 80s was a time when the "Urban Cowboy" fad suddenly made country music mainstream again and Nashville stoked the crossover fires with acts like Alabama, Kenny Rogers, and Anne Murray blurring the lines between the music of rural America and mainstream pop.

While Willie covers quite a few pop songs here, he re-fashions them into his image, rather than allowing himself to be bent to theirs and for the most part the album is very successful. Memphis producing legend Chips Moman is sympathetic and doesn't drown Nelson in unnecessary instrumentation or shove him down into the mix.

HIGHLIGHTS:
He doesn't steal "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" from Aretha (as Amazon's reviewer notes) but he does successfully tap into the 'wandering eyes' theme inherent in Moman's tune. It was an inspired choice for the album and works well. The title track is easily the finest track here. Willie takes an also ran Elvis track and makes it his. (This coming from someone who owns all 3 Elvis "decade" box sets). I'll also take issue with the assessment that "A Whiter Shade of Pale" is 'questionable' as the Amazon reviewer asserts. Nelson stretches and we get to hear his upper register..something he doesn't often use. It's a pleasant surprise and the addition of a sensitive vocal from Waylon Jennings only makes it better. Clever lyrics highlight "Last Thing I Needed First Thing this Morning".

LOWS:
The epic "Bridge over Troubled Water" really calls for a "belter" vocalist...and that Willie is decidedly not. At the coda where the music swells for the big finale, it feels like a whimper instead of a bang. It's one of the few misbegotten song choices here. "Permanently Lonely" isn't awful but it's somewhat mediocre. Amid the stronger songs here, it's a valley.

BOTTOM LINE:
While it's definitely not a highwater mark in Willie's catalogue like STARDUST, it's a fine effort that holds up surprisingly well. Every Nelson fan will probably like this and most country fans should as well.

3 1/2 stars

Beautiful from start to finish.......2002-03-23

This is a lovely CD. The production is precise and crisp. Willie's voice has never sounded better. The choice of songs is at first surprising, but as soon as you start to listen you realize that once Willie sings something it belongs to him. Nothing proves this more than listening to him steal Always On My Mind away from the King. The song may be the highlight, but other great tracks include A Whiter Shade of Pale (which is a nice duet with Waylon Jennings), Let It Be Me, The Last Thing I Needed The First Thing This Morning, and the somber closer, The Party's Over.

You absolutely can't go wrong with this whether you are a die-hard fan (in which case you already have this) or a casual listener.

Solid Cd.......2002-03-12

This is a solid cd in which Willie does a great job
with the material. The tracks "Always on my mind",
"Old Fords and A Natural Stone", "Do Right Woman, Do
Right Man" are the tracks to listen to, along with
the disc's best work, "The Last Thing I Needed First
Thing This Morning" (One of his best songs ever)

Some of the other songs are either okay or just bad.
Bridge over Trouble water is a stretch for Willie
but decent. Whiter Shade of Pale is very forgetable.

Overall, This cd is worth the money if your a Willie
fan.

Father/bride wedding music.......2001-06-02

This is classic Willie. His rendition of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was chosen by my daughter and her father to dance to at her wedding and there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Always on My Mind: The Best of Willie Nelson

Average customer rating:

Always on My Mind: The Best of Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Manufacturer: Prism Platinum
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000GGSM3K
Release Date: 2006-07-11

Tracks:

Always on My Mind
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
City of New Orleans
Georgia on My Mind
Stardust
Seven Spanish Angels
On the Road Again
'Til I Gain Control Again
If You've Got the Money Honey I've Got the Time
Luckenbach, Texas
Good-Hearted Woman
Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground
Red-Headed Stranger
Medley: Funny How Time Slips Away Crazy/Night Life
To All the Girls I've Love Before

Music Album:

Music Album