Search - Melanie :: Beautiful People, Lay Down, Ruby Tu

TRACKLISTING:

The Man On The Flaming Pie | The Foothills of the Headlands | 08/08/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"DISC 1

1 . What Have They Done To My Song, Ma? (from the album Candles In The Rain, 1970)

2 . Mr. Tambourine Man (original recording w/ additional instrumentation)

3 . Baby Guitar (re-recording from the album Beautiful People, 1999)

4 . Beautiful People (re-recording from the album Beautiful People, 1999)

5 . Perceive It (from the album Sunset & Other Beginnings, 1975)

6 . California Dreaming (from the album Phonogenic - Not Just Another Pretty Face, 1978)

7 . Ring The Living Bell (original version slightly remixed)

8 . Prematurely Grey (alternate version)

9 . Unchained Melody (from the album Unchained Melanie, 1996)

10 . Sandman (from the album Sunset & Other Beginnings, 1975)

11 . Carolina In My Mind (original recording w/ additional instrumentation)

12 . Live Coal (from the album Silver Anniversary, 1993)

13 . Let It Be Me (from the album Phonogenic - Not Just Another Pretty Face, 1978)

14 . Meet Me On The Corner (Dream Seller) (from the album Sunset & Other Beginnings, 1975)

15 . Almost Like Being In Love (from the album Sunset & Other Beginnings, 1975)

16 . Long Train Runnin' (alternate mix)



DISC 2

1 . People Are Just Getting Ready (from the album Sunset & Other Beginnings, 1975)

2 . Bitterblue (from the album Unchained Melanie, 1996)

3 . Freedom Knows My Name (from the albums Freedom Knows My Name / Silence Is King, 1993)

4 . What Do I Keep (from the album Sunset & Other Beginnings, 1975)

5 . You Can't Hurry Love / Mama Said (from the album Sunset & Other Beginnings, 1975)

6 . Record Machine (re-recording from the album Silver Anniversary, 1993)

7 . Life Will Not Go Away (from the album Silver Anniversary, 1993)

8 . Missing You (from the album Unchained Melanie, 1996)

9 . Close To It All (re-recording from the album Silver Anniversary, 1993)

10 . Loving My Children (from the album Sunset & Other Beginnings, 1975)

11 . Cyclone (re-recording from the album Silver Anniversary, 1993)

12 . Where's The Band (from the album Sunset & Other Beginnings, 1975)

13 . Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (re-recording from the album Beautiful People, 1999)

14 . Stop! I Don't Want To Hear It (re-recording from the album Beautiful People, 1999)

15 . Rock & Roll Heart (from the albums Freedom Knows My Name / Silence Is King, 1993)

16 . Lay Down (Candles In The Rain) (re-recording from the album Silver Anniversary, 1993)



DISC 3

1 . Nickel Song (original recording w/ additional instrumentation)

2 . Those Were The Days (alternate take)

3 . Brand New Key (re-recording from the album Beautiful People, 1999)

4 . The Sun Will Shine On You And Me (previously released as "Shine On")

5 . I've Got My Mojo Working (from the album Sunset & Other Beginnings, 1975)

6 . The Sun And The Moon (from the album Sunset & Other Beginnings, 1975)

7 . Peace Will Come (According To Plan) (re-recording from the album Silver Anniversary, 1993)

8 . Knock On Wood (from the album Phonogenic - Not Just Another Pretty Face, 1978)

9 . Please Love Me (from the soundtrack All The Right Noises, 1971)

10 . Afraid Of The Dark (from the album Sunset & Other Beginnings, 1975)

11 . Every Breath You Take (from the album Unchained Melanie, 1996)

12 . Someday I'll Be A Farmer (re-recording from the album Beautiful People, 1999)

13 . If My Heart Should Lose Its Way (from the album Lowcountry, 1997)

14 . Purple Haze (from the album Silver Anniversary, 1993)

15 . A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall (from the albums Freedom Knows My Name / Silence Is King, 1993)

16 . Ruby Tuesday (pop mix) (single)



Although this is an obvious budget-priced collection, it is actually quite good. It may not be a "greatest hits," as most of the biggest hits on it are re-recordings...however, unlike most artists, Melanie possesses the rare ability to re-make her own songs with dignity and taste, offering something new without compromising the integrity of the originals. The only real problems with the set are as follows: 1) There are no liner notes (just a catalog of other Triple Treasures releases) and no thought was obviously given to the sequencing or "flow" of the tracks, which were seemingly chosen at random, and 2) A few of the songs (indicated above) have overdubbed instrumentation, likely added without the permission of Melanie, which, in attempt to make the songs sound more contemporary, just sound silly. Overall, however, while the set does have its problems, they are outweighed by the fact that this IS Melanie and the music itself--apart from the aforementioned tracks--is awesome. In short: 5 stars for the music, 3 for presentation."

Great sampling of a tremendous body of work

Charles - Music Lover | Phoenix, AZ, USA | 01/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is a lot to say about this package. First of all, it is a GREAT BUY!! There are three discs including 48 songs spanning Melanie's career from the beginning through 2001 or 2002. The disc includes both original recordings from her Buddah Records albums, re-recordings of older material, and new material.



The original recordings: There are some early original recordings, such as "What Have They Done To My Song, Ma?," "Mr. Tambourine Man" (though this track has been slightly remixed), "Please Love Me," "Carolina On My Mind," "Nickel Song," etc. The collection contains all of the tracks from Melanie's 1975 album "Sunset and Other Beginnings" (the U.S. release), and several tracks from "Phonogenic," released in 1977. Additionally, there are several songs from the "Freedom Knows My Name" album released in 1993 ("Freedom Knows My Name," "Purple Haze," "Rock 'n Roll Heart").



Re-recordings: There are good re-recordings of several of Melanie's standards: "Brand New Key," "Lay Down - Candles In the Rain," "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," "Baby Guitar," "Stop! I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore," etc.



New recordings (to U.S. fans): There are several songs from Melanie's albums released outside of the U.S. in the late '80s and early '90s: "Prematurely Grey," "If My Heart Should Lose It's Way," "Unchained Melody," etc. Additionally, there is an alternate take of "Those Were the Days" (the Mary Hopkin hit) than the one that appears on the "Moments From My Life" disc.



There aren't any liner notes, but still, this is a good sampling of Melanie's work. She is so incredibly prolific as a recording artist, though, that even a 48-song collection is just a sample. All the same, this is what will stand as Melanie's "box set.""

At last some new,old songs

Martin Ryan | Emu Swamp, via Orange, N.S.W. Australia | 02/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It was with much excitment that I tore open this package and saw the collection,with a lot of songs not found on any other C.D,s.I have been a fan of Melanies for the past 30 years.I had all her albums and have been waiting patiently to see all those albums released as C.D,s.This collection comes close to that dream,by incorporating alot of the songs from earlier albums.Also there are a couple of songs I haven,t heard before.There are also alot of new versions of old songs.I thoroughly recomend this album to anybody who likes Melanie,and to any onewho wants a really goodintroduction to the versatility of the girl.I only hope that some company some day releases the other early albums on C.D., namelyMadragarda,Stone ground words,Double live at Carneigy Hall,sunsets and other beginings."