Search - John Denver :: All Aboard

Lisa C. from MANASSAS, VA
Reviewed on 8/7/2006...

One of his last albums produced. Classic John Denver.

A Surprising Hit!

W. Foley | Canandaigua NY | 03/05/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I must confess I purchased this CD only because it was a new John Denver CD. And I am a big fan of his work. I was not enthusiastic about an album full of trains songs. Now a CD full of songs about the sea...that would have gotten my interest! Oh well, saddly that will never be...I guess I'll have to record that myself! :)Back to the task at hand. When I got home and played it, boy was I impressed! This is a great CD. Forget that it's a Childrens CD. If you like John's style of music, and even if you don't have children, or if they're all grown up and moved away, buy this CD! During the 1980's and early 90's John was trying to recapture his early success by putting out material that had songs reflecting diverse musical genres. One of his last studio albums, "Different Directions," is a prime example of that effort. But this is the CD where he was successful in achieving that aim.There are old fashioned swing, big band, folk, gospel, styles of music flawlessly woven into a theme of train songs. The medly "Freight Train Boogie/Choo Choo Ch'Boogie" will have your toes tapping. Most artists, when they try and step out of their musical style and try to broaden their perspective, often come off as cheesy and artificial. John Doesn't on this CD. One of the best tracks is the acapella "Linging Track" an old spiritual that was more than likely sung by slaves as they laid down the rails. Curtis Mayfield's song "People Get Ready" has never sounded better. "Steel Rails" is my personal favorite on this CD, and it is also great to have a decent version by John of "City of New Orleans" (unlike the version that appears on Aerie).John won a Grammy posthumously for this in the category best Childrens Album. That is bitter sweet. Yes, John deserved it for this work. But it was sad to know he was not here to enjoy it, and it was also sad because John was so often discounted and maligned. Not only is that unfair, it is also undeserved. Maybe its vindication of sorts because he truly was a talented soulful, artist. Buy this CD you will not be disapointed."

Excellent collection of train songs

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 03/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although recorded with children in mind, this album may well have more appeal to older people. In today's world, children's experience of trains is limited, especially in America. This is acknowledged in one of the songs on this album, Daddy what's a train, a song written by Utah Philips in 1973.The album opens with Jenny dreamed of trains, a cover of a song written by Vince Gill and Guy Clark in the nineties. Most of the songs are of a much older vintage, including covers of Waiting for a train (Jimmie Rodgers), On the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe (originally a hit for Judy Garland), People get ready (Curtis Mayfield) and the often-recorded City of New Orleans, a song that John first recorded for his Aerie album in the early seventies. The version here is a new recording. Steel rails is a song that I first came across on an Alison Krauss album, but it dates from 1973.The only song that is strictly for the children is The little engine that could - a song which subtly tries to teach them something about helping others and doing your best.There are a few lesser known gems here, too, like Last train done gone down (a cover of a Peter Rowan song) and Lining track (one of Leadbelly's more obscure songs). If you like train songs will enjoy this collection, whatever age you are."