Carly Simon - Reflections: Carly Simon's Greatest Hits
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Free Music Notes for Reflections: Carly Simon's Greatest Hits
Free Music Review: Carly's Collection
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the first Carly Simon single CD collection of its kind - spanning 30 years of singles. The term, "Greatest Hits" is somewhat misleading as it includes several singles that didn't make the top 40 charts AND omits a few that did, (i.e. Attitude Dancing - 1975, It Keeps You Runnin - 1976, , Devoted to You - 1978). There are several albums that do not have one cut represented on this collection, and that is disappointing. Still, it is a solid collection of songs from 1971 until 1999, many remastered for the first time, which is a great treat.
Simon is probably one of the most under appreciated singer songwriters of the 1970s. Perhaps her lack of touring and family priorities got in the way of bigger stardom and record sales, but her musical craftmanship cannot be denied. While many of her melodies were often less "hook" laden than her contemporaries, her lyrics were always accessible, unique but universal.
The collection, arranged in chronilogical order starts with the slow boil hit, "That's The Way I Always Heard It Should Be." The song, which many fans never really understood, is Simon at her best. While longtime collaborator Jacob Brackman wrote the lyrics, it captures Carly's family angst as if she wrote the words herself. A cynical view of marriage and family values in the early 70's, the song nevertheless was included in many marriage ceremonies after its 1971 release. Go figure?
Simon's hits like "Anticipation" and "You're So Vain", the later which made her a superstar, are also included as is "The Right Thing To Do", which she has just re-recorded as a duet with Megan Mullaly on the new Will and Grace Soundtrack coming out this fall. And speaking of duets, her 1974 top 5 hit, "Mockingbird" with James Taylor is featured along with "Haven't Got Time for the Pain", both from her "Hotcakes" album.
Simon's first foray into movie music, "Nobody Does It Better" was one of the most successful movie singles ever recorded, and certainly the most popular Carly hit that she didn't write herself. The songwriting team of Marvin Hamlisch and Carole Bayer Sager wrote it for the James Bond movie, "The Spy Who Loved Me" and brought it to her for the 1977 release.
"You Belong to Me" from 1978 was a "over the phone" collaboration with Mike McDonald from the Doobie Brothers and a funky uptempo hit in the late part of the decade. 1980 brought the year off to a solid start with the fluke hit, "Jesse" from the "Come Upstairs" album. ALthough the song never broke the top ten, the country flavored ballad became very popular and eventually became a million selling single.
Carly continued to record in the early and mid eighties with the standard collection, "Torch", the electic "Hello Big Man" and the techo-pop of "Spoiled Girl" but all three albums failed to capture much attention. Then Carly struck success with the single "Coming Around Again" from the Heartburn soundtrack and the platinum selling album of the same name. The title song as well as three other tunes are included in this compilation. She closed the 80's with an Oscar for the gospel tinged, "Let the River Run" from the film "Working Girl". The moderate hit also won Carly a Grammy and Golden Globe.
Carly started the nineties with "Have You Seen Me Lately" and the hit single, "Better Not Tell Her," a slightly naughty "other woman" story, complete with spanish guitars. One of her most beautiful songs ever written, "Love of My Life", written for the soundtrack "This Is My Life" is also included as well as two of Carly's favorites from the "Letters Never Sent" album, "Like A River", and "Touched By the Sun", songs written respectively for her mother, Andrea Simon, and good friend, Jackie Onassis. The closing song, a bonus track from the film, "Anywhere But Here" called "Amity" is a duet recorded with Carly's daughter, Sally Taylor. Although their voices are quite different, it is a lovely melding of vocals with a unique production by Don Was.
Several albums of material including "Playing Possum", "Hello Big Man", "Spoiled Girl" and the recent "The Bedroom Tapes" are not represented here, but can be found on her two-cd collection "Anthology". Nevertheless, this is quite a comprehensive collection by one of the most talented singer songwriters of the last three decades.
Free Music Review: "Nobody Does It Better" Than Carly Simon
Hit: 5 Stars
When it comes to the great female songwriters of the rock era, nobody can top Carol Simon. Along with Carole King, Carly was the premiere female singer/songwriter of the decade, scoring a string of hits buoyed by her lyrical prowess and instantly recognizable voice. From 1980 up until today, she really isn't as popular as she used to be, she still isn't popular as she used to be but still has a huge fan base (this cd ranks at 12 on the list of Amazon.com's Sales Rank).
"Reflections" is a shortened version of 2002's "Anthology", a flawless 20 - song collection of all her biggest hits. Starting with the haunting anti - mariage ballad "That's The Way I've Always Hearf It Should Be", Carly's music was the soundtrack to the 1970s'. Songs like "Anticipation" (immortalized by, of all things, Heinz Ketchup commercials), "The Right Thing To Do", "Haven't Got Time For The Pain" and "You Belong To Me", the last one the closest she ever came to disco, still sound surprisingly fresh and contemporary today. The James Bond theme "Nobody Does It Better" proved that Carly could just as easily do other people's material and make it into her own. Another example is her duet with her ex - husband James Taylor on "Mockingbird", originally a hit for Charlie and Inez Fox but has now ecome possibly the most popular lullabye of all time. Carly, James and a host of well - known studio musicans (inclduing The Band's Robbie Robertson) rock out on this number and you can't help but clap your hands and sing along to it. Trust me, this version will do anything put your baby (or anyone for that matter) to sleep.
One track that I haven't mentioned that I haven't mentioned yet that and feel it deserves its own special paragraph is her signature hit. Is there anything really left to say about "You're So Vain"? While it may be hard to pick the defining song of the 1970s', this one's a big contender, with Carly's acid - tinged lyrics and equally stinging vocals, supported by the chorus by an uncredited Mick Jagger. Even today, this song has been heard everywhere, from car radios to kareoke bars. And for those who keep wondering who she wrote it about, forget about it. She's probably never going to tell us, so stop worrying about it and just enjoy the damn song.
The 1980s' were a period of change for Carly. She really didn't have any big Hot 100 hits during the decade outside of the gold -selling "Jesse" and "Coming Around Again". However, she remained a consistent force on the Adult Contemporary charts with songs like "Give Me All Night", "The Stuff Dreams Are Made Off" and "All I Want Is You". She also won an Oscar during this period the beautiful ballad "Let The Ruver Run", from the movie "Working Girl".
She didn't make the Hot 100 at all during the 1990s' but contuned to have a few more hits on the "easy listening" charts. The best songs here are "Better Not Tell Her" and her duet with her daughter Sally "Amity", which is a great way to close out the cd. Also of special note is her 1994 tribute to her mother "Let The River Run". This song was written shortly after her mom's death and just before Carly herself was diagnosed with cancer in her breast. Fortunately, she won the fight and influenced people in a different way, putting up a courageous fight against one of the biggest kllers in America.
"Reflections" does levae out a number of singles. But outside of "Attitude Dancing" and her duet with James Taylor on the Everly Brothers hit "Devoted To You", none of her top 40 singles are missing, meaning that nothing really essential is missing. If you ike listening to great music, you must go out and pick up this cd.
Free Music Review: "You're Sooo Vain... You Probably Think This Song Is About You... Don't You? Don't You?"
Hit: 5 Stars
"... And all the girls dreamed
That they'd be your partner
They'd be your partner and ...
... Well you said we made such a pretty pair
And that you would never leave
But you gave away the things you loved
And one of them was me
I had some dreams
They were clouds in my coffee
Clouds in my coffee..."
Carly Simon has been one of my favorite singers and has been in my music vocabulary ever since I heard her first hit single "That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be." Being a great singer with a distinctively beautiful voice, an extraordinary knack for songwriting and exceptional talent on guitar as well as piano, she has captured myriads of fans who followed her career faithfully.
According to Stephen Davis on Liner Notes, "Carly is a true American Romantic, an exceptionally standup woman, a raving beauty, an unusually soulful singer, a versatile artist, a devoted mother, and a complex individual who has more than earned her fierce and uncompromising independence."
"Reflections" is one CD that I listen to every now and then when I feel like reminiscing fond memories of days gone by. My all-time favorites are compiled in this impressive set such as her very first hit "That's The Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" and "You're So Vain," a song so sensational and controversial that it landed to Number One slot on Billboard's singles chart for many weeks, and more hits "The Right Thing To Do," "Anticipation," "Coming Round Again," "You Belong To Me" and "Nobody Does It Better." These are the same songs that impressed me with the musical sensibility of a remarkable and gifted singer/songwriter who is still very much active in the music world for more than three decades now. Her latest project, "Moonlight Serenade" is a stunner and one of my all-time favorite recordings of time-tested standards from the Great American Songbook. I just wish there will be a follow-up CD of the same genre. "Serenade In Blue" might be a good title. That would be nice. Just a thought! ;)
This collection also highlights "Mockingbird," a song she recorded with then hubby, a fine singer/songwriter/guitarist James Taylor. Their son, Ben Taylor, played the acoustic guitar on "Love Of My Life," while their daughter Sally shared the spotlight with her famous Mom on "Amity," which showcased her beautiful voice. "Haven't Got Time For The Pain" is a song she co-wrote with Jacob Brackman and features her on piano and Sweet Baby James on acoustic lead guitar.
With twenty notable songs mostly penned by the singer herself and performed flawlessly with the backing of polished and talented musicians, the likes of Michael Brecker (tenor sax), Ralph MacDonald (percussion), Dr. John (piano/organ), David Sanborn (alto sax), Steve Gadd (drums), among many others, and not to mention a very informative and detailed eighteen-pages liner notes by Stephen Davis that includes a discography and some nice photos of Ms. Simon, this CD will be a great addition to your collection of greatest hits of all-time. I wholeheartedly recommend it for your listening pleasure now and forever.
"Carly's great songs will live on, as long as they remain in the keeping of those that understand their entire value, their deepest meaning and the transcendental distinction of her powerfully evocative works of art." ~ Stephen Davis ~
Free Music Review: Reflective On ;)
Hit: 5 Stars
Well, well. Yes,yes. Just for the record, your beloved Seer did an interview many years ago for Seering Stone magazine. Most of you probably don't remember it. That's o.k. I barely do. I do recall the writing staff looking stunned as I walked into their offices with my Seer's hat dipped below my third eye and wearing an apricot scarf. And when they asked about my travels and I told them I just took my carpet up to Nova Scotia, all pandemonium broke loose. They all ran to the phones to contact Carly Simon to come in and interview with me. I suppose this will always be a mystery to me. ;)
But, what about Carly and the selection here? Well, I will tell you that for years I have always enjoyed her music. And she's had so many hits and good tunes that I wondered why I couldn't get all that on one release? Very frustrating to a Seer who holds no sway with music executives. However, good fortune finally came around and they released this excellent compilation "Reflections".
Carly came up with the confessional singer-songwriters in the 70's. Mega-talented, she wooed her lover (and us) with that beautiful angelic voice. She inhabited the landscape of vulnerable, independent women whose quest was always for finding that ideal love. Despite the disappointments and illusions, she continued to learn about life and relate her lessons back to us. I think that is one aspect about her music that always rings true. She paints the gems here with eloquent, lyrical finesse and genius. The compositions are always measured and arranged with melodic enjoyment as first and foremost. This c.d. is pure pleasure from the first til the last.
In "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" she's afraid of losing herself in expectations and conventions. With "Anticipation" she questions the unknown future and how things can change the way she is feeling at the moment. Her classic line "These are the good old days" relates to the now. The good old days are at this moment.
Need I explain the irony of "You're So Vain"? The kicker is that of course the song is about him. Very clever put down. The theme from The Spy Who Loved Me, "Nobody Does It Better" is genius because of it's universal appeal. Each and every song here reveals an emotion, a thought, a yearning in the most equisite terms.
Carly employs some of the finest musicians for accompaniment. She plays piano or guitar on the cuts. But, also assembled here are some of the best session players on bass, drums, lead guitar and sax. No folks, there is not a false note and they all exude the highest professionalism bringing these songs to life. I will also mention that James Taylor even makes an appearance here and there. But, you knew that.
Before I go, I should mention a song that awes me time and time again. That would be "Like a River", a lush and resplendent ode to her mother. Never slipping into the maudlin, it is sentimental with the joy of memory. Which is exactly how we should feel about loved ones who are gone.
In closing, this is a sure winner. Easy listening but done with such class and expertise. A real joy. Seriously. I am glad that someone had brains in that ivory tower. Now folks, forgive me but I must leave. I have a meeting this afternoon with a little filly in Saratoga. ;)
Coming Around Again --- Metamorpho
Free Music Review: A Romantic, Emotional & Remarkable Collection Of Carly Songs
Hit: 5 Stars
I was not around at the height of Carly Simon's career. I am certainly old enough to have been around, but I lived outside the US for a long time, in an area where salsa and the cumbia were more popular than Ms. Simon. Now I get to listen to such fabulous artists as singers-songwriters Carly and Carol King retrospectively - and they sound even better now, than when I caught bits of their sound in the 1970s.
"Reflections" is a recording that includes 20 songs which span 30 years of the artist's career. She has a beautiful clear voice, and a natural style, which more than capably express a wide array of emotions. Her music, and much of it is her own, has been influenced by traditional American folk music, jazz, the blues and rock 'n roll. Carly Simon has been placed in the "confessional" genre of vocalists and songwriters. I don't pay attention to that kind of labeling. I feel like her songs are frank, honest and often very moving - from the heart. She is also quite sexy at times, and it is difficult not to move to her beat.
One of my favorite cuts, "Like A River" was written for her mother, Andrea Simon, right after her death. Carly once said in an interview, "My yearning to communicate with her was so strong, it seemed to me that she could really hear me." Ms. Simon's voice, her lyrics, and signature piano make an extremely moving elegy to her mom. "Amity" a duet with daughter Sally Taylor is another captivating and emotional piece. "Nobody Does It Better," sung for the 1977 James Bond hit "The Spy Who Loved Me" is a fabulous, upbeat love song, and a real ego booster for the man in one's life. It topped the AC charts for several weeks in 1977. "You're So Vain," a number which has always aroused much speculation as to who the subject is, is included, as is "Mocking Bird" - another of my great favorites. Carly is accompanied here by her then husband, James Taylor, and their duet is absolutely phenomenal! "Let The River Run" from the soundtrack of "Working Girl" won her a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. "You Belong to Me" from 1978 is yet another winner - and one many women will identify with. And "Touched By the Sun" is a touching and inspirational tribute to good friend, Jackie Onassis
"Reflections" is a superb CD - a real jewel - very romantic, emotional, and beautifully interpreted. "Love of my Life" a song that really reaches me down deep, is an excellent representation of the riches that are to be found in this collection. I cannot recommend this CD highly enough.
JANA