Jen M. from CHICAGO HTS, IL Reviewed on 2/26/2007...
Just about every Carly song you ever wanted to hear. Good stuff.
CD Reviews
Excellent treat for Carly fans
James Nemeth | Chicago, IL USA | 05/24/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"While I feel this album was more a marketing ploy by her record label, Arista (it really is no more than her '75 Best Of album, with Coming Around Again hits added on), I didn't care. We fans of Carly, who know how rare a public singing appearance is for her, are overjoyed. Coming from the HBO concert, it was the first time I'd ever heard her live. Carly sounds great and sounds like she's having a good time (she actually was petrified giving the concert, but trooper that she was, she was not about to disappoint the people who had come to see her). All the hits are here: You're So Vain, Anticipation, The Right Thing To Do, Coming Around Again, You Belong To Me, etc., and including for the first time on any Carly album, Nobody Does It Better. And while one can always argue and debate whether "this song should have been on" or "why did they include that song", what we have here on Greatest Hits Live is a fairly good representation of Carly's singles over the years. One wonders, then, where "Jesse" is.The highlight of the album for me, however, is "All I Want Is You". This (live version) is my favorite all-time Carly song. It's upbeat, fast, Carly's playful on the vocals,and I can play it over and over and over and never get tired of it. I even work out to this song. I so wish Carly would do more uptempo songs like this! The second highlight is the wonderful way she intertwines "Coming Around Again" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider" into one song, with a chorus of children singing backup. You can't help but get caught up in it and find yourself singing along. Two quibbles: "Two Hot Girls"? This wasn't even a hit off Coming Around Again. I really could have done without this song. Also, "Two Hot Girls" and "The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of (a great song) are SO almost identical to their album/studio versions that their inclusion is debatable in my mind. Those minor complaints aside, Greatest Hits Live is a rare treat for all Carly fans (and all music lovers)and not to be missed. A live performance! We don't get those nearly often enough."
Simon pulls it all together
fm | MA | 05/26/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you're a Carly Simon fan, and you could only afford one of her CD's this is the one to buy. For somone who suffered from the fear of performing live, she pulls it all together in this fantastick set. If you've ever visited Martha's Vineyard, you'll appreciate her final song, Never Been Gone..you can feel the wind in your face as the ferry takes you to the island...as gulls cry over head. Wonderful!"
A live Album from Carly?
Bob Waskiewicz | Wintersville, Ohio United States | 03/12/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I never thought it could happen,a live album from Carly Simon.I was on stage with Carly at her last perfomance before this one in 1980 at the Stanley Theather in Pittsburgh Pa. You can see picture's I took of Carly when I was on stage with her,and my web-site on my members page. Carly had a bad night back then.It was great to see this concert on HBO,and purchase the CD. What a Joy to hear this live album.Carly is fantastic.From "Nobody does it better," to "Never been gone," from the Spy album.She never sounded better. "Do the walls come down," from the" Coming around again"CD is even better on this record.Carly lets it all out. This CD went gold,and I can see why.What a great comeback.I love the line in "The stuff that dreams are made of,to "take another picture" of your life.Also the end of Anticipation."These are the good old days," It's so true.Right now is the good old days,and this concert sure was a good old day for Carly.I'm looking forward to Carly's new record on May16.We've been waiting three years for another CD from the greatest female artist of our generation.Maybe Carly will tour again with this Album,and get voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame like she should have been voted in this year."
This CD is teriffic, I cannot stop listening!
John Nelson | North Fond du Lac, WI | 04/14/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was a little unsure of buying this CD at first. I relented and did purchase the CD and it is absolutely wonderful. Several of Carly's best songs are included and have a great, different sound to them with the live recording to them. The best on the CD would have to include; Nobody Does it Better, Your so Vain, Anticipation, and Two Hot Girls on a Hot Summer Night. The Coming Around Again song was in my opinion unwisly put together with Itsy Bitsy Spider, but if the CD has any demerrit, this would be it. Any fan of Carly Simon should get ahold of this CD as soon as they can, it's money well spent."
Living Things Up With Carly
k. lane | Florida, USA | 11/02/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Opening up her live performance with the smash Bond theme "Nobody Does It Better", Carly knows what to give her listeners. One of her best singles, and probably one of the few great Carly tracks she didn't have her own hand in, it's a lovely opener into her most well known and well loved classic. I'm, of course, talking about the smoldering "You're So Vain". The brief "It Happens Everyday", leads to another undeniable Carly classic, the beloved "Anticipation". Other dazzling live performances of her hits follow, gems being "The Right Thing To Do", "You Belong To Me", and "All I Want Is You". Perhaps the strongest highlight is the seven minute epic version of her late 80's come back smash "Coming Around Again/Itsy Bitsy Spider". One of those rare live recordings that is actually good, a gem of a Carly album."