Search - Kiki Dee :: Cage the Songbird

Dee-Best!

R. Leonardo | Grand Rapids, Michigan United States | 06/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow! I think I have a new favorite Kiki Dee album. I have been playing this CD over and over again, like I played "Kiki Dee" and "Stay with Me" when they first came out.



Why this album was never released in the first place is a mystery. I remember reading interviews in which Kiki stated that it wasn't up to the company's (Rocket Records)expectations and I find it really strange as I feel it contains some of her best vocals ever, as well as several potential singles. I always thought her "Stay with Me" album vocals were some of her best, but I may be changing my mind. It was probably due to the mediocre chart success of her previous singles "How Glad I Am" and "Once A Fool" and maybe Rocket was trying to position Kiki as a singer-songwriter. It doesn't appear that she wrote or co-wrote any of the songs on this album.



The CD opens with "Cage the Songbird" which is based on the life of Edith Piaf and is all the more poignant, if you've seen the movie "La Vie En Rose". Kiki's vocals are absolutely beautiful on this excellent ballad track written by Elton John, Bernie Taupin and Davey Johnstone.



"Uphill Piece of Mind" has some of Kiki's gutsiest vocals and would have been a great track at AOR radio back in the day, maybe even a single. It's one of my favorites and a reminder of how much she could rock!



"Prince of Fools" is country-rock ballad that sounds like it could have been lifted from the "Loving and Free" sessions. Again, she sounds fantastic, great vocals.



"Once A Fool" - it's so good to have this on CD, as this has always been one of my absolute favorite Kiki songs. I love the vocals (some of her best), the hooks, the strings. I remember my sister and I used to request this song from our local radio station and one of the DJ's who was a Kiki fan, would play it for us. It just kills me that this wasn't a huge hit, it's so good.



"Bright Medallion" is a midtempo ballad written by Bias Boshell and is probably one of my favorites on the CD. I always thought Bias was a great songwriter and this is right up there with his best. Great lyrics. I always wanted Kiki to record a whole album of Bias songs, or maybe co-write something with him.



"Chicago" - I was never a huge fan of this song, as I really like the city of Chicago. This version has Kiki's vocals up front, as opposed to the Elton John produced version, so I prefer this version, although I do miss the bass guitar from Elton's version.



"Man After My Own Heart" is another beautiful ballad, fantastic vocals.



I wasn't really crazy about "Rock 'N Roll Me Baby" at first listen, but it has really grown on me. Very seventies, soft rock - something you might hear from Dave Mason, but it's very catchy and might have been a hit, especially on the adult contemporary radio. Again, I love her voice on this song.



"First Thing in the Morning" - OK, the "Kiki Dee" album is one of my absolute favorites, but this version is SO MUCH better. Elton's version was an over-produced pop song with too many strings and Kiki's voice was way in the back. This is the way it should be, more of a rocker and it probably would have been a higher charting single (in Britain) released like this. I was able to see Kiki in concert twice ('77 and '78 tours) and this was the way she performed this song. Love it! Plus, it was written by Bias Boshell.



"Cry Like A Baby" would have done well on AOR radio back in the day and is kind of fun with the Talkbox interlude that will remind you of Peter Frampton' "Frampton Comes Alive".



Finally, all I can say is "A Change is Gonna Come" just blew me away. This is one of her best performances and she takes this song where no one else has. Fantastic, it doesn't sound dated - just as fresh as if it was recorded today. She did Sam Cooke proud.



Anyhow, I am glad that we finally have a chance to hear this. Thanks EMI for finally releasing Kiki's catlog and Kiki, keep it up girl, you still sound fantastic today and I'm glad that you are still sharing that gorgeous voice with the world.

"

Kiki's Unreleased 1976 Album

gassy goon | 07/13/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Buried treasure unearthed here, as Kiki's shelved 1976 album finally gets to be heard. Only ONCE A FOOL was released as a single - a great, catchy pop song that should have charted higher. There are many interesting songs on here, some of which fans may know , like A MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART - a beautiful ballad that Kiki did in concert, and here in a studio version at last. Also the original versions of 2 songs that were re-recorded for the 1977 " KIKI DEE " album - CHICAGO and FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. The versions here are much more in a rock band sound, without the elaborate strings given them on the 1977 versions. My favorite is absolutely ROCK AND ROLL ME BABY, better known in the US from it's later charted version by Dave Mason - SO HIGH [ ROCK ME BABY AND ROLL ME AWAY ]. This should have been a single, as it's just a perfect melodic rocker. Then, there are versions of some well known classic hits, some beautiful ballads , and a rather eerie, strange mid-pace rock number UPHILL PEACE OF MIND. It's got a spooky atmospheric backing, and Kiki lets loose with some screaming . Definitely something different going on here, and how it could be used as the 2nd track is odd. It's more of an album closer tour-de-force. There are many ballads on here, like the title song CAGE THE SONGBIRD written by Elton John & Bernie Taupin, PRINCE OF FOOLS [ soon to be done by Yvone Elliman also ], BRIGHT MEDALLION and the beautiful A MAN AFTER MY OWN HEART, which is a bit different than the live 1975 version. Plus, 2 remakes of CRY LIKE A BABY and A CHANGE IS GONNA COME.



This album was done after THE KIKI DEE BAND broke up in 1975. Kiki didn't feel it was ultimately what she wanted , and Rocket agreed to shelve it for her. When Elton called upon Kiki to record what would become one of the biggest hits ever, DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART, there was no new Kiki album that summer of 1976 for people to buy, or even another single released from this album. That was too bad, as Kiki was really getting a worldwide hit and the recognition. If this album had been made available then, it would have made a difference. So, after 32 years, finally we got to hear all these great songs. Better late than never."