Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Released in 1987, at the height of the compact-disc revolution, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me is the prototypical CD album. Cure architect Robert Smith knew that the newly popular format could handle almost twice as much music as records, and he wasn't about to waste the space. Unfortunately, many of Kiss Me's 17 tracks sound more like B-sides. The cream is certainly worth culling, however; "Catch," "How Beautiful You Are," and the alternative-rock staple "Just Like Heaven" are among the Cure's finest moments. "Hot Hot Hot!!!" and "Why Can't I Be You?" reveal that underneath all the dyed-black hair and glum stares lay a fervent dance band. Who knew? --Bill Crandall --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me
Average customer rating:

I wanna hold you like a doll...

In response to SRS

Problematic

Overkill

Classic

Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me
The Cure
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Goth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music | Vinyl Records | American Punk | British Punk | Emo | Garage Punk | Hardcore | Post Hardcore | Proto Punk | Punk | Punk Revival | Punk-Pop | Riot Grrl | Ska Punk | Straight Edge
Post-Punk | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Disintegration

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Bloodflowers

ASIN: B000002H4Q
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

The Kiss
Catch
Torture
If Only Tonight We Could Sleep
Why Can't I Be You?
How Beautiful You Are
The Snakepit
Just Like Heaven
All I Want
Hot Hot Hot!!!
One More Time
Like Cockatoos
Icing Sugar
The Perfect Girl
A Thousand Hours
Shiver And Shake
Fight

Amazon.com

Released in 1987, at the height of the compact-disc revolution, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me is the prototypical CD album. Cure architect Robert Smith knew that the newly popular format could handle almost twice as much music as records, and he wasn't about to waste the space. Unfortunately, many of Kiss Me's 17 tracks sound more like B-sides. The cream is certainly worth culling, however; "Catch," "How Beautiful You Are," and the alternative-rock staple "Just Like Heaven" are among the Cure's finest moments. "Hot Hot Hot!!!" and "Why Can't I Be You?" reveal that underneath all the dyed-black hair and glum stares lay a fervent dance band. Who knew? --Bill Crandall

Customer Reviews:

I wanna hold you like a doll..........2006-07-19

I followed the infectious scent of Just Like Heaven (the greatest pop song ever written) to this album, and found myself listening to one of the greatest records I've ever heard. A few of my favorite songs on this record are as follows:

Torture
If Only Tonight We Could Sleep
Why Can't I Be You
Just Like Heaven
All I Want
Shiver and Shake

There's just so much mood and euphoria in these songs. The greatness of Just Like Heaven spills over into all the other compositions. Love it! Always will.

In response to SRS.......2006-06-10

"Breathe" and "A Chain Of Flowers" are available on the Join The Dots boxset.

"Hey You!!!" will be released with all its brothers and sisters in August 2006 as the next reissue campaign from Rhino (US) and Fiction/Uni (UK) takes place. They are releasing the deluxe editions of The Top, The Head On The Door, and Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me. They corrected the omission of "Hey You!!!" so we have the full album as it should be. Why it took them this long, I have no idea. Prince's 1999 cd suffered the same fate (Warners omitted "DMSR" to make the 74 min disc, but corrected it in 1991 when the capacity was increased).

OK, I should write a review...

KMKMKM came out the summer I moved from my childhood home. I remember the video of Robert Smith dressed like a bear or something in the video for "Why Can't I Be You?" and I recall falling in love with the song. I went out, bought the cassette, and the rest is history. This shows The Cure in all facets of their career...moody, gloomy, depressing, happy, poppy, dancey, quirky, rhythmic, tribal, etc. Take all of The Cure's works prior to 1987, mix it up onto a double album, and you have this one. Essential...even the filler is enjoyable if you are real Cure fan.

Problematic.......2006-05-06

Firstly, the CD is still missing Hey You, even though modern CD players can play 80 minute discs. Further, it's missing the songs Breathe and A Chain of Flowers, which are B-sides that should have been included since they're better than songs that made the cut like Torture, Fight, and The Perfect Girl.

This CD desperately needs to come out in remastered form (no clipping or compression in the remastering process, please) with Breathe, A Chain of Flowers, and Hey You.

Overkill.......2006-03-08

Double albums are usually the bane of artistry. Sure, it gives bands the opportunity to vent everything in their collective spleens at the moment it was recorded but all too often they succumb to indulgence. In this, the Cure are not immune. There are simply too many songs here that are just "OK" or mediocre and they bring down the album as a whole. Had the album been cut in size by half, this would be a much stronger collection.

HIGHLIGHTS:
For the most part, it's the singles that fare best here. "Catch" is a delicate ballad carried along on a modest string (or at least synth string) arrangement. "Why Can't I Be You?" is 3 minutes of dizzy ecstasy helped along by a zippy horn arrangement. ("Everything you do is simply delicate/Everything you do is quite angelicate/Why can't I be you?") "Just Like Heaven" is the Cure at its most erotic ("'Show me how you do that trick/The one that makes me scream' she said") while "Hot! Hot! Hot!" is a bit more coy with its passion. ("Hey hey hey!!/But I like it when that lightning comes/Hey hey hey!!/Yes I like it alot") "How Beautiful You Are" is Smith venting his disgust at a former (girl?)friend when she encountered impoverished gypsies in the street. ("How Beautiful" was the thoughts of the gypsies reflected in their eyes while her reaction was 'I hate these people staring/Make them go away from me!'")"The Perfect Girl" is probably the best of the album tracks, a could've been single with a great keyboard riff.

LOWS:
Sure the riffing is loud on "The Kiss" but the song just never really goes anywhere. "Shiver and Shake" later in the album is a much better distillation of Smith's anger. ("You're just three sick holes that run like sores") "Fight" DOES sound like the Cure's attempt at writing a "pump your fist" arena rocker and as such it's a poor fit for the band.

BOTTOM LINE:
Not essential. Most of the best tracks here are on GALORE or GREATEST HITS. Bigger Cure fans can get it and burn the best stuff (2,5,6,8,10,11,14,and 16) onto their own CD-R anthology.

Classic.......2006-01-09

Straight from the hearts, souls and nimble fingertips of The Cure comes Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, an eccentric album of joy, sorrow, anger, dizzy love, and outright insanity. This, The Cure's 8th studio album, is packed with goodies to suit every mood; from the classic, doom-ridden Goth that made the band famous, to the exceptional '80s synth pop that made them versatile, and everywhere in between. Every song is interesting, to say the least, and most are outright gems.

1. The Kiss

An interesting choice for the opening track on the album, The Kiss is tense, dramatic and eager. It follows the format of many previous Cure songs: long, Gothic intro, followed by a short set of lyrics and a fadeout.

The Kiss chronicles a bitter, sadistic connection, and a sexual relationship that is used to express hate and contempt, designed to hurt and maim, rather than the sharing of a beautiful, mutual love and respect.

It's an intense listen, but it effectively lets you know what to expect from the album; it tells you that Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me isn't just a collection of silly pop works.

2. Catch

A sure departure from the previous track, Catch is a sweet, sad tale of an unrequited crush. Robert Smith's voice is melodious and gentle, gliding reflectively along the innocent, cute lyrics. The smooth, easy guitar work, punchy percussion and bittersweet strings pull you into the mind of a man who is reminiscing about (and longing for) a strange, untouchable girl. A mellow pop ditty that you'll find yourself humming all day, this one was meant for the couple's skate at a roller rink.

3. Torture

What do you do when you know that someone is a poisonous creature who can do you know good, but is so infectious that you can't give them up?

Torture is a tale of spending one more night with such a person, and is delivered with just the sort of excellent, driving bass line and howling, provocative vocals that people have come to love and expect from The Cure. The momentum is great; you can feel the sweet torture for yourself.

4. If Only Tonight We Could Sleep

A crawling, crazed wish for peace and beauty in an ugly, dissatisfying world. With despairing instrumentals infused with Middle Eastern style, and vocals full of lament and sorrow, this experimental track will handily complement any reflective mood.

5. Why Can't I Be You?

Why Can't I Be You is the first really upbeat song on the album, and one of The Cure's most synthed-up works. The sound is magnificently big, making it almost impossible to keep from bopping around in your chair, and almost as difficult to keep yourself from jumping up and dancing.

The lyrics do a great job at telling of someone who is so incredibly beautiful and perfect that the singer and listener alike have to wonder what it would be like to be so grand.

6. How Beautiful You Are

Don't let the title throw you... this is no "Your Song". This track is about falling out of love.

The story follows a young couple walking hand in hand in Paris. When confronted by a poor family who admires the girl's beauty, she views them with disgust and contempt. How Beautiful You Are is a telling of how selfishness and disrespect can tear a couple apart.

The involved bass work, punky guitar stylings and generous sprinklings of classical violin, piano and accordion will pull you into a decaying Parisian street at sunset, and the passionate emotions behind the couple's interaction. Robert Smith's staccato vocals may throw you at first, but after a listen, you'll realize that they are needed to express the intense heartbreak and disappointment behind the lyrics.

Catch, Why Can't I Be You, Just Like Heaven and Hot Hot Hot where the four tracks from this album that were chosen to be made into singles. Though they are all excellent songs, How Beautiful You Are deserved to be in the mix. It is truly a masterpiece, and, though it's difficult for me to choose a song from the album to be my favorite, this might be it.

7. The Snakepit

Hisses, rattle and booms set the mood for this pensive anthem of dissatisfaction and contempt. The lyrics follow the realization that the storyteller is leading a hollow, empty life; an existence without meaning. Though he's surrounded by party animals and having a stereotypically "good time", he is drowned in the shallow pointlessness of it all.

This is a great listen for the days when you just need a breather.

8. Just Like Heaven

Pure magic. Just Like Heaven is a love song filled with ingenuity and wonder. By far the most atmospheric track on the album, The Cure brings you out into the open with this gorgeous work. A fresh, clear blend of acoustic guitar and rolling drums, sprinkled throughout with light synth work and simple piano, sets you atop a seaside cliff for a beautiful day with a loved one. Robert Smith's vocals on this track are the clearest and brightest on the album. Pure, clean and elegant, this spinning ode to amour will make you want to lock lips with the nearest person.

9. All I Want

Pure sexuality, expressed without profanity, is a rare thing to be found in modern music. But the band pulls it off in this soaring, aching track. All the storyteller wants is to be with the one person who makes him feel sane and complete.

The highlight of this song, is, without a doubt, the excellent, garage-inspired (or inspiring?) guitar work. A listen would suggest that this one sounds even better in an arena.

10. Hot Hot Hot!!!

An undeniably dance worthy funk work. Hot Hot Hot sounds almost like an inspiration for Red Hot Chili Peppers. The tight, punky guitar strumming, orchestra-inspired synthesizers and strong, domineering bass are the perfect sounds to complement this obscure song. Robert Smith's fevered, quavering vocals are meant to symbolize a man who has been struck by lightning, and, from what I can guess, they are apt. With lots of bounce and energy, this track parties down deliciously.

11. One More Time

An ode to child-like wonder, in true arena ballad fashion. With playful flute work, sparse, booming drums, and a soft guitar riff, this song is a strange break from the extreme pop, doom-ridden Goth and acoustic rock that comprises most of the album. It is an interesting, mellow, cute little tune, which might remind listeners of the soundtrack from Never Ending Story.

12. Like Cockatoos

Knocking, busy percussion, steady acoustic strumming and a sliding bass line help set the perfect "the end" mood for this rainy day break up song. In the dead of night, under a pouring rain, a man promises never to speak to his lover again. Though we're never told what she did to upset him, the city background noises and closing orchestral work somehow serve to make you glad he's leaving her.

13. Icing Sugar

Weird, man. The Cure glorifies urgent, girlish adolescent lust with furious drumbeats, screeching saxophone notes and a quick set of lyrics, delivered breathlessly. Hot, heavy, fast and naughty, you might need to take a few deep breaths after hearing this trippy ditty.

14. The Perfect Girl

She really is! Sweet strings and tinkling piano mix gorgeously with bopping drums and simple, steady guitar work, while a harpsichord further convinces us of The Cure's originality. Robert croons madly over a strange girl, whom he finds himself falling in love with. Strange looking, strange acting, and completely out of this world, she's a breath of fresh air, just like the song that was written for her. Beware of the power of this song: it has been know to cause silly dancing.

15. A Thousand Hours

Heartache drives every synth note, even piano strike and every lyric in this sweet, introspective cry of unrequited love. Every day seems to last a thousand lonely hours when you have devoted yourself to someone who doesn't care.

16. Shiver and Shake

With superior drumbeats that shimmy effortlessly, and fast, angsty guitar work, this is a worthy ode to fury. If you've ever met someone whom you wanted to kill, you can appreciate the curt, indignant lyrics and passionate animosity epitomized here.

17. Fight

The Cure's unprecedented venture in powerhouse rock begs you to never give up when the world turns on you. Robert Smith basically yells at the listener, but his reasons are justified. Stabbing, continuous synth notes, pushing lyrics and cutting guitar bring home a sense of resolution. Fight is a great closing track, with a great message. Never give in to pain and sorrow.

Though each track is unique, they seem to belong together, like a wonderfully dysfunctional family. Each song glides elegantly along our musical palates, as every work is relevant to what every person has felt at one point in time. Whether you choose to imbibe a few tracks at a time, or go for the gold and devour each song at once, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me is a true anytime listen, and a sure new wave masterpiece.

Average customer rating:

Great first album by one of the world's greatest rock bands
One of the best rock albums of 2004.
Hold Steady
A little too raw
This is the Album that made The Hold Steady one of my favorite bands...

Almost Killed Me
The Hold Steady
Manufacturer: French Kiss
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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Separation Sunday
Boys and Girls in America
Return to Cookie Mountain (with Bonus Tracks)
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ASIN: B0001IN0VM
Release Date: 2004-04-20

Tracks:

Positive Jam
The Swish
Barfruit Blues
Most People Are DJ's
Certain Songs
Knuckles
Hostile, Mass.
Sketchy Metal
Sweet Payne
Killer Parties

Customer Reviews:

Great first album by one of the world's greatest rock bands.......2007-02-17

There are overhyped bands and then there are underhyped bands, bands that receive scads of unfair and inaccurate criticism. The Hold Steady definitely falls into the latter category. I find it astonishing that a number of people are willing to dismiss them. Rock critics, who are far more finely attuned to chicanery than average, everyday fans (as the dean of American rock critics, Robert Christgau, has pointed out, if you spend almost every one of your waking hours listening to music, you are going to be better at it than someone who spends only a few hours each week), do not detect the villainous flaws that the band's detractors do. In fact, their most recent album, BOYS AND GIRLS IN AMERICA, was voted by the 494 participating critics (definitely a who's who of writers about music) the Village Voice's 2006 Pazz and Jop Poll the #4 album of the year. Getting 494 top critics to agree about something is a pretty impressive feat.

So, it is utterly safe to ignore the people who dismiss The Hold Steady. The fact isn't that they "got" the band and dismissed it, but that they still haven't a clue. I will allow that some people just have trouble with Craig Finn's voice and perhaps his appearance. He looks today like in ten years he will have the archetypal appearance of a used car dealer. He absolutely does not look like the headliner of a great rock band. Furthermore, while it is hard to deny his amazing gifts as a lyricist, he doesn't sing. Instead, he declaims the lyrics of the song. Few people manage a completely unique "singing" style, but Finn definitely has. Myself, I absolutely love the guy. No, he doesn't sing, but his vocal style perfectly suits the band's aesthetic. And I love the way his lyrics combine equally cynicism, humor, weariness, and more than a little self-deprecation.

So much attention attaches itself to Craig Finn that sometimes the rest of the band escapes notice. But this truly is a fantastic band from top to bottom. Finn might be the most dominating frontman in America today, but Tad Kubler is one of America's greatest guitarists. Indeed, he may have been born outside his time. He is one of the few guitarists around capable of foisting a song onto his back and dominating it for long stretches of time. He would be a legend had he lived in the seventies instead of today, had he lived when long, eight-minute guitar solos were not only acceptable but in demand. Anyone doubting his ability should listen to the second have of "Everyone's a DJ." The ghosts of Leslie West, Alvin Lee, and Ted Nugent haunt every measure. If Craig Finn gives the band most of its identity, Kubler gives it its musical backbone. Though they sound almost nothing like one another, a Finn-Kubler comparison to Jagger-Richards isn't misleading.

Although BOYS AND GIRLS IN AMERICA is The Hold Steady's break out album, I honestly think ALMOST KILLED ME remains their best album. But I say that with the caveat that all three of their albums fall into the "must own" category. No band on planet earth has produced three such perfect albums in the past three years.

Other reviewers have praised "The Swish," which truly is one of the great rock songs of recent years. I actually like "Everyone's a DJ" even more, mainly because of Kubler's long guitar solo. But for brilliant, funny, clever lyrics it is hard to beat "Knuckles." Every single song, however, is infused with great lyrical content, Finn's passionate declamation of the words, and one of the tightest bands in the world pounding out great music. If you love music, you need this album. They do remind you of some of the great bands of the past, though interestingly of bands that normally you do not think of at the same time. What other band sounds like Bruce Springsteen, Thin Lizzy, and the Replacements all at the same time, while also sounding completely unlike them all?

While all three of the Hold Steady's albums should be in the musical library of any music fan, I also encourage more serious collectors to go in search of two albums by the Minneapolis band Lifter Puller, FIESTAS AND FIASCOS and the compilation album SOFT ROCK, which includes virtually everything else Lifter Puller recorded. The reason this is relevant is that the frontman for that band was Craig Finn and the lead guitarist was Tad Kubler. The sound is different from the Hold Steady, but the music is of the same high quality.

One of the best rock albums of 2004........2007-01-29

If you like power chords and clever, intelligent lyrics, this CD is for you. "The Swish" is in the running for rock song of the decade, and the rest of the album is solid. It manages to be completely original, and at the same time heartily celebrates its influences. Frontman Craig Finn doesn't sing as much as he rants, and in this way his delivery is somewhat similar to that of Joe Strummer.

Hold Steady.......2007-01-09

I love this album. I adore it. I burnt a hole in it. It is not Separation Sunday, but Killer Parties and Most People are DJs are still 2 of my favorite Hold Steady songs.

Why, oh why, hasn't the license holder for Lifter Puller re-released those albums yet?

A little too raw.......2006-12-27

Let me first say that there are no exceptional songs on this album, perhaps with the exception of The Swish. The attitude of the album gives its strength. Another note is that the vocalist, well, doesnt exactly sing much at all. Throughout the album he has an attitude of attempting to bring back "the good old days" and a discontent with the current situation. He seems determined to party, drink, and have a good time. The bar rock side to this music can be easily heard but this gritty and dirty album can rock at times.

This is the Album that made The Hold Steady one of my favorite bands..........2006-11-28

The first thing I heard from them was last year's fantastic "Separation Sunday" - which, although it was great, ended up just outside my top ten for the year.
And then this year, with "Boys & Girls in America" receiving all sorts of praise, and deserving the bulk of it, I managed to pick up a a copy of this, their first album, with only moderate expectations. See, I've heard from various publications (RS and P-fork) that their three-albums-in-three-years were a streak of solid discs reminiscent of Wire's three at the tail end of the 70s - and I'm a sucker for comparisons, so I had to go back to the beginning and hear this one to see if the name-dropping was apt.
And in this case it most definitely is.

"Almost Killed Me" is the kind of album that looks better now than it did when it first came out, I think. Like, given the benefit of hindsight, yeah - this was really great, but had I heard it at the time, I may have written it off as an interesting if ultimately unspectacular debut, which many people did (largely as a result of being turned off by Craig Finn's vocals) - and which is a shame. It's also why I'm glad I came to this album in the way that I did - with the benefit of hindsight.
Going back now and listening to this, with excellent album opener "Positive Jam" leading seamlessly into the rollicking "The Swish," it's clear that this is the genius band that now is the Hold Steady in chyrsalis, and that's a beautiful thing.

....and hard drugs are for bartenders, I think I might've mentioned that before...

Somewhere over the Rainbow: The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals

Average customer rating:

They were right--there is NO business like the show business they did way back when !!!
One of the best cds I ever bought.
Never Sounded Better
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
"Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Age are still among us"

Somewhere over the Rainbow: The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Ultimate Broadway
Only Broadway CD You'll Ever Need
The Best Of Broadway (Cast Recording Anthology)
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That's Entertainment!: The Best Of The M-G-M Musicals - Motion Picture Soundtrack Anthology

ASIN: B000066RO5
Release Date: 2002-06-04

Tracks:

Singin In The Rain - Gene Kelly
Theres No Business Like Show Business - Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, Keenan Wynn & Louis Calhern
'S Wonderful - Gene Kelly & Georges Guetary
Thats Entertainment! - Fred Astaire, Jack Buchanan, Nanette Fabray & Oscar Levant
Stranger In Paradise - Ann Blyth & Vic Damone
Easter Parade - Judy Garland & Fred Astaire
Lullaby Of Broadway - Winifred Shaw, Dick Powell & Chorus
Get Happy - Judy Garland
Night And Day - Fred Astaire
True Love - Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly
Honeysuckle Rose - Lena Horne w/ Benny Carter & His Orchestra
They Cant Take That Away From Me - Fred Astaire
Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet - Nancy Walker & The M-G-M Studio Chorus w/ Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
Baby, Its Cold Outside - Esther Williams & Ricardo Montalban
For Me And My Gal - Gene Kelly & Judy Garland
Puttin On The Ritz - Clark Gable & Co.
Hallelujah! - Tony Martin, Vic Damone, Kay Armen, Ann Miller, Debbie Reynolds, Clark Burroughs & Co.
Bless Yore Beautiful Hide - Howard Keel
Taking A Chance On Love - Ethel Waters & Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
As Time Goes By - Dooley Wilson w/ Elliot Carpenter (Bonus Track)
Laras Theme (Main Title) - The M-G-M Studio Orchestra (Bonus Track)

Tracks:

Over The Rainbow - Judy Garland
Its A Most Unusual Day - Jane Powell
Wunderbar - Kathryn Grayson & Howard Keel
Cant Help Lovin Dat Man - Ava Gardner
Going Hollywood - Bing Crosby
The Trolley Song - Judy Garland, The M-G-M Studio Chorus
Gigi - Louis Jourdan
I Got Rhythm - Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney & Co.
Aba Daba Honeymoon - Debbie Reynolds, Carleton Carpenter & M-G-M Studio Chorus
The Lady Is A Tramp - Lena Horne
The Best Things In Life Are Free - June Allyson & Peter Lawford
Cheek To Cheek - Fred Astaire
A Kiss To Build A Dream On - Louis Armstrong
Put 'Em In A Box - Doris Day & The Page Cavanaugh Trio
If Swing Goes, I Go Too - Fred Astaire
Almost Like Being In Love - Gene Kelly
Lets Face The Music And Dance - Fred Astaire
Be A Clown - Gene Kelly & Judy Garland
Embraceable You - Connie Francis
On The Atchison, Topeka And The Santa Fe - Judy Garland & Co.
One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) - Fred Astaire

Amazon.com

The "Golden Age" referred to here spans The Jazz Singer and the advent of the talkies to the death throes of the old studio system in the 1960s. So vast was the era's musical landscape that even this 42-track, double-disc anthology can't encompass all its peaks. Not surprisingly, the bulk of this collection originated with the Tiffany's of the screen musical, M-G-M, a body of work whose riches here encompass both pop-cultural bedrock ("Over the Rainbow," "Singin' in the Rain," "There's No Business Like Show Business," etc.) and some less familiar, if equally delightful star turns: Clark Gable gamely "Puttin' On the Ritz"; the sassy, 1948 original of "The Lady Is a Tramp" by Lena Horne; and a loopy duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" by Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban. Fred Astaire's elegant, epochal reign at RKO and M-G-M is represented by "Night and Day," "Let's Face the Music and Dance," and three others, while Metro mainstays Gene Kelly and Judy Garland share equal time and billing. It's not perfect--Cagney's "Yankee Doodle Boy" and/or some Sinatra seem more logical choices than the odd "bonus" duet of Casablanca's "As Time Goes By" and "Lara's Theme" from Dr. Zhivago that close out disc one--but it's a stunning, surprisingly comprehensive primer on the Hollywood film musical nonetheless. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

They were right--there is NO business like the show business they did way back when !!!.......2006-11-18

Everything that happens in life
Can happen in a show
You can make 'em laugh
You can make 'em cry
Anything
Anything can go....

The clown with his pants falling down
Or the dance that's a dream of romance
Or the scene where the villain is mean
That's entertainment!

The lights on the lady in tights
Or the bride with the guy on the side
Or the ball where she gives him her all
That's entertainment!

The plot and the hot simply teeming with $ex
A gay divorcee who is after her ex
It could be Oedipus Rex
Where a chap kills his father
And causes a lot of bother

The clerk who is thrown out of work
By the boss who is thrown for a loss
By the skirt who is doing him dirt

The world is a stage,
The stage is a world of entertainment!

This two CD set amply proves that the musical melodies and lyrics from the golden age of the Hollywood musical remain unsurpassed to this day. This generous two CD set offers 42 incredible songs from Hollywood classic musicals. Most of these fine numbers are indeed from MGM, as Amazon correctly notes; but there are some RKO numbers and even a little from Warner Brothers. Thank goodness, though, that most of these songs came from MGM movies; MGM was the only studio that could boast that it truly had "more stars than there are in the heavens."

I love so many songs on these two CDs. Of course, there's the unforgettable classic "Over The Rainbow" sung by Judy Garland; she also performs "Easter Parade" and "Get Happy" on this two CD set and she carries most of the tune for "I Got Rhythm" even though Mickey Rooney helps her a little. I love "Baby, It's Cold Outside" for its' romantic overtones; and Lena Horne's "The Lady Is A Tramp" is flawless! We also get a rare chance to hear Clark Gable sing in "Puttin' On The Ritz;" and Bing Crosby's "Going Hollywood" may be brief but it's a fun song anyway.

There are two "bonus" tracks on the first CD: "As Time Goes By" from Casablanca and "Lara's Theme" from Doctor Zhivago. "As Time Goes By" is a good choice; it is another unsurpassed classic song that brings back memories and touches even the hardest of hearts. "Lara's Theme," however, is from the mid 1960s and I don't consider this period to be part of the "golden age" of Hollywood musicals.

The liner notes are excellent and they offer wonderful photos of the stars as well. The cover art is well done and the reverse cover art tells which movie each song is from and who is performing each song. Moreover, the quality of the sound is excellent especially when you consider that these numbers were recorded quite a few decades ago.

In short, this superlative two CD highlights the glory of the Hollywood musical when a certain type of sophistication dominated professional movie production. I highly recommend this CD for fans of Hollywood musicals, classic pop vocals and fans of the artists and actors who perform on this two CD set.

One of the best cds I ever bought. .......2006-06-07

What an amazon collection of songs! This is bar none my favorite cd just because of the variety and the quality of songs on it. I love music from this era, and this cd is the perfect companion to my life. Love it! Buy it, you won't regret it for a moment!

Never Sounded Better.......2006-03-16

Apart from the great selection of soundtracks, what really makes this compilation top value is the quality of the sound processing. Executed with finesse, these tracks sound better than when first issued and many are unedited, fuller versions: like "Singing In The Rain", for example. Throw in the great price, and this double disc set is a "must have" for all lovers of classic movie music.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow.......2006-02-24

A Sensational CD with Lots of Showtunes that Keep You Happy and makes You Want To Sing Along With!!!

"Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Age are still among us".......2005-07-13

Rhino Records and Turner Classic Movies Music present - "SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW: THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD MUSICALS", some of the long ago musicals and stars that will never be forgotten...a 2-CD-Set covering several decades from 1935-1965 with many of the show stoppers of that time...some rare moments from entertainers that you haven't heard or thought of in sometime.

The lineup is fantastic and gives the listener a variety of what musicals were all about in the "Golden Age of the Hollywood Musicals"
June Allyson, Kay Armen, Louis Armstrong, Fred Astaire, Ann Blyth, Jack Buchanan, Louis Calhern, Bing Crosby, Vic Damone, Doris Day, Nanette Fabray, Connie Francis, Ava Gardner, Judy Garland, Kathyrn Grayson, Georges Guetary, Lena Horne, Betty Hutton, Louis Jourdan, Howard Keel, Gene Kelly, Grace Kelly, Peter Lawford, Oscar Levant, Ann Miller, Ricardo Montalban, Page Cavanaugh Trio, Debbie Reynolds, Winifred Shaw, Nancy Walker, Ethel Waters, Esther Williams, Dooley Williams and Keenan Wynn.

On Disc One 21 Classic Songs from great musicals with songs in alphabetical order:
AS TIME GOES BY - Dooley Wilson with Elliot Carpenter, pianist (1942)
BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE - Esther Williams & Ricardo Montalban (1949)
BLESS, YORE BEAUTIFUL HIDE - Howard Keel (1954)
EASTER PARADE - Fred Astaire & Judy Garland (1948)
FOR ME AND MY GAL - Gene Kelly & Judy Garland (1942)
GET HAPPY - Judy Garland (1950)
HALLELUJAH! - Tony Martin, Vic Damone, Kay Armen, Ann Miller, Debbie Reynolds, Clark Burroughs (for Russ Tamblyn) (1955)
HONEYSUCKLE ROSE - Lena Horne with Benny Carter & His Orchestra (1943)
LARA'S THEME (MAIN TITLE) - M-G-M Studio Orchestra (1965)
LULLABY OF BROADWAY - Winifred Shaw & Dick Powell (1935)
MILKMAN, KEEP THOSE BOTTLES QUIET - Nancy Walker with Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra (1944)
NIGHT AND DAY - Fred Astaire (1934)
PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ - Clark Gable & Company (1939)
'S WONDERFUL - Gene Kelly & Georges Guetary (1951)
SINGIN' IN THE RAIN - Gene Kelly (1951)
STRANGER IN PARADISE - Ann Blyth & Vic Damone (1955)
TAKING A CHANCE ON LOVE - Ethel Waters & Eddie "Rochester" Anderson (1943)
THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT - Fred Astaire, Jack Buchanan, Nanette Fabray & Oscar Levant (1953)
THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS - Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, Keenan Wynn & Louis Calhern (1950)
THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME - Fred Astaire (1949)
TRUE LOVE - Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly (1956)

On Disc Two more memorable performances from the Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals:
A KISS TO BUILD A DREAM ON - Louis Armstrong (1951)
ABA DABA HONEYMOON - Debbie Reynolds & Carleton Carpenter (1950)
ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE - Gene Kelly (1954)
BE A CLOWN - Judy Garland & Gene Kelly (1948)
BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE - June Allyson & Peter Lawford (1947)
CAN'T HELP LOVIN' DAT MAN - Ava Gardner (beautiful woman, who my youngest grandaughter is named after...Avalon) (1951)
CHEEK TO CHEEK - Fred Astaire (1935)
EMBRACEABLE YOU - Connie Francis (1965)
GIGI - Louis Jourdan (1958)
GOING HOLLYWOOD - Bing Crosby (1933)
I GOT RHYTHM - Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney (1943)
IF SWING GOES, I GO TOO - Fred Astaire (1946)
IT'S A MOST UNUSUAL DAY - Jane Powell (1948)
LADY IS A TRAMP - Lena Horne (1948)
LET'S FACE THE MUSIC AND DANCE - Fred Astaire (1936)
ON THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA AND THE SANTA FE - Judy Garland & Company (1946)
ONE FOR MY BABY (AND ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD) - Fred Astaire (1943)
OVER THE RAINBOW - Judy Garland (became her theme song for the rest of her life) (1939)
PUT 'EM IN A BOX - Doris Day & the Page Cavanaugh Trio (1948)
THE TROLLEY SONG - Judy Garland & MGM Studio Chorus (1944)
WUNDERBAR - Kathryn Grayson & Howard Keel (two of MGM's favorite singing duos) (1953)

It was once said by the songwriters of that era - "There are two artists you want perform your songs on the big screen, they are Fred Astaire and Judy Garland they sing it just the way we wrote it, for which you will have a guaranteed hit on your hands"...well, this collections certainly has some merit to that statement...because with Judy Garland and Fred Astaire performing seven songs each, there must be something to it.

This collection of musicals still has the magic that we remember from those bygone years...but as long as we have the labels and networks who play and show these wonderful films of yesteryear, they will never be forgotten...hats off to Rhino Records, George Feltenstein (producer) and Doug Schwartz (engineer) and Turner Classic Movies for sharing those 42 selections from 42 films...celebrating decades of the tunes and artists that gave it their all...from what it commonly called "The Hollywood Dream Factory"...The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals is still among us...gotta love it!

Total Time: 2-CD-Set ~ Rhino Records 78323 ~ (6/02/2002)

Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)

Average customer rating:

Fabulous for any Broadway-lover
Top Shelf
TERRIFIC CD'S
Great Collection of Broadways greatest Songs
Great Compilation!

Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Best of Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)
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ASIN: B00064ADMK
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Tracks:

Give My Regards To Broadway- Joel Grey
Swanee- Al Jolson
When The Moon Shines On The Moonshine- Bert Williams
A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody- John Steel
My Man- Fanny Brice
Fascinating Rhythm- Fred Astaire, Adele Astaire
If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie)- 78rpm Version Eddie Cantor
Someone To Watch Over Me- Gertrude Lawrence
Bill- 78 rpm Version Helen Morgan
Ol' Man River- Paul Robeson
Ain't Misbehavin'- Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
Ten Cents A Dance- Ruth Etting
Body And Soul- Libby Holman
Brother, Can You Spare A Dime- Bing Crosby
Night And Day- Fred Astaire
Heat Wave- Ethel Waters
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes- Tamara
You're The Top- Ethel Merman
Summertime- Anne Brown
September Song- Walter Huston
My Heart Belongs To Daddy- Mary Martin
It Never Entered My Mind- Shirley Ross
Bewitched, Bothered, Bewildered- Vivienne Segal
Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning- Irving Berlin
Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'- Alfred Drake

Tracks:

New York, New York- Cris Alexander,Adolph Green,John Reardon
If I Loved You- John Raitt,Jan Clayton
Come Rain Or Come Shine- Ruby Hill,Harold Nicholas
There's No Business Like Show Business- Ensemble
How Are Things In Glocca Morra? From "Finian's Rainbow"- Ella Logan
Once In Love With Amy- Ray Bolger
Wunderbar- Alfred Drake,Patricia Morison
Some Enchanted Evening- Ezio Pinza
Lost In The Stars- Todd Duncan
Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend- Carol Channing
Luck Be A Lady- Robert Alda,Guys
Getting To Know You- Gertrude Lawrence
Who Cares?- Jack Carson,Betty Oakes
Stranger In Paradise- from " Kismet" Doretta Morrow,Richard Kiley
Ballad Of Mack The Knife- Gerald Price
Hey There- from "The Pajama Game" John Raitt
Whatever Lola Wants- Gwen Verdon
I Could Have Danced All Night- Julie Andrews
Standing On The Corner- from "The Most Happy Fella, 1956" Shorty Long,John Henson,Alan Gilbert
The Party's Over- Judy Holliday
Glitter And Be Gay- Barbara Cook
Tonight- Larry Kert, Carol Lawrence

Tracks:

Seventy-Six Trombones- Robert Preston
I Enjoy Being A Girl- from "Flower Drum Song, 1958" Pat Suzuki
Everything's Coming Up Roses- Ethel Merman
My Favorite Things- from "The Sound Of Music" Mary Martin
Put On A Happy Face- from "Bye Bye Birdie" Dick Van Dyke
Try To Remember- Jerry Orbach
Camelot- from "Camelot" Richard Burton
Love Makes The World Go 'Round- Anna Maria Alberghetti
I Believe In You- Robert Morse And Co.
The Sweetest Sounds- Diahann Carroll,Richard Kiley
Comedy Tonight- Zero Mostel
What Kind Of Fool Am I?- Anthony Newley
As Long As He Needs Me- Georgia Brown
Hello, Dolly!- Carol Channing,Cast
People- Barbra Streisand
Anyone Can Whistle- from "Anyone Can Whistle" Lee Remick
If I Were A Rich Man- Zero Mostel
Night Song- Sammy Davis, Jr.
The Impossible Dream- Richard Kiley
If My Friends Could See Me Now- Gwen Verdon
Open a New Window- from Mame Voice

Tracks:

Willkommen- from "Cabaret" Joel Grey
Let The Sunshine In- James Rado,Lynn Kellogg,Melba Moore,Cast
I'll Never Fall In Love Again- Jill O'Hara,Jerry Orbach
The Ladies Who Lunch- from "Company" Elaine Stritch
Tea For Two- Roger Rathburn,Susan Watson
I'm Still Here- Yvonne De Carlo
I Don't Know How To Love Him- Yvonne Elliman
We Go Together- Adrienne Barbeau,Barry Bostwick,Walter Bobbie,Cast
Corner Of The Sky- John Rubinstein
Send In The Clowns- Glynis Johns
Ease On Down The Road- Stephanie Mills,Tiger Haynes,Ted Ross,Hinton
One- from "A Chorus Line" Cast
All That Jazz- Chita Rivera,Ensemble
Tomorrow- Andrea Mcardle
Don't Cry For Me Argentina- Patti Lupone
Come Follow The Band
Lullaby Of Broadway- Jerry Orbach
And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going- Jennifer Holliday
The Bells Of St. Sebastian- Raul Julia

Tracks:

Memory- Betty Buckley
I Am What I Am- George Hearn
Move On- Bernadette Peters,Mandy Patinkin
Do You Hear The People Sing?- Michael Maguire,Cast
The Music Of The Night- Michael Crawford
You're Nothing Without Me- James Naughton,Gregg Edelman
The American Dream- Jonathan Pryce,Cast
Doctor Jazz- Gregory Hines,Company
With One Look- Glenn Close
On Broadway- Adrian Bailey,Frederick B. Owens,Ken Ard,Victor Trent Cook
Le Jazz Hot- Julie Andrews,Ensemble
Seasons Of Love-
Hakuna Matata- Max Casella,Tom Alan Robbins,Scott Irby-Ranniar,Jason Raize
I Wanna Be A Producer- Matthew Broderick,Ensemble
Dancing Queen- Louise Plowright,Jenny Galloway
Good Morning Baltimore- Marissa Jaret Winokur
Movin' Out- Michael Cavanaugh,Band
I Go To Rio- Hugh Jackman,Company
Defying Gravity- Kristin Chenoweth,Idina Menzel

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous for any Broadway-lover.......2007-01-30

Packs into 5 CD's a sampling of Broadway tunes from the 20's thru (almost) today, mostly from original cast recordings. Includes not just well-known hits, but also some lesser-known gems. Sound quality is first rate, booklet is informative too. Have given this as a gift to several friends with rave reviews.

Top Shelf.......2007-01-04

This is THE definitive collection of Broadway hits. I have other collections, and none of them measure up. A great deal of care was obviously taken in compiling and presenting this box set. It covers a lot of ground, starting with some long-forgotten but still very enjoyable hits from the days of yore, and finishing with present-day favorites. To the best of my knowledge, the recordings are by those who made them famous. You won't be disappointed.

TERRIFIC CD'S.......2006-03-23

THESE BROADWAY MUSICALS CD'S ARE A BROADWAY LOVERS DREAM. WITH EACH SONG, MEMORIES COME FLOODING BACK. BOTH THE FAMILIAR AND THE FORGOTTEN SONGS ARE A TRUE LISTENING PLEASURE. IF YOU LIKE BROADWAY, YOU'LL LOVE THIS SET.

Great Collection of Broadways greatest Songs .......2005-06-14

This Collection was perfectly made it has almost all the most famous Broadway songs on this 5 cd set. The Music is great and has Broadways greatest treasures like "Memory""People""With One Look""Give my regards Too Broadway" just to name a few of this numerous cd set with over 100 songs. This is a great buy if you like musicals or The music of Broadway

Great Compilation!.......2005-01-17

If you are a fan of the Broadway Musicals, this is a collection that you should purchase. Since I got the 5 disc set I've enjoyed listening to it. The majority of the songs are done by the original singers. The collection is priceless considering that you will have over 100 songs from popular musicals since the beginning of Broadway

Average customer rating:

Very Best of Broadway Music

Very Best Of Broadway Musicals
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Metro Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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Ultimate Broadway

ASIN: B000068CC4
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Tracks:

All That Jazz
If I Can't Love Her
Maybe This Time
People Will Say We're In Love
The Impossible Dream
Seventy Six Trombones
Can You Feel The Love Tonight?
Still
Send In The Clowns
One
Younger Than Springtime
This Is The Moment
Good Morning Starshine
Your Getting To Be A Habit With Me
Wunderbar
Maria
I Could Have Danced All Night
Singin' In The Rain
Written In The Stars
One Song Glory

Customer Reviews:

Very Best of Broadway Music.......2007-05-08

I really like Broadway music so this is the BEST!!!!!!
I let someone else borrow this to listen at her house--She liked it also

Kiss Me, Kate (1948 Original Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

The best and maybe the last CD of this great musical.
Beautiful remastering of historic original cast recording
the peerless original cast
Who Put The Shake In Shakespeare?
TIMELESS BROADWAY SHOW

Kiss Me, Kate (1948 Original Broadway Cast)
Cole Porter , Alfred Drake , and Patricia Morison
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000007OHT
Release Date: 1998-06-02

Tracks:

Act I: Overture
Act I: Another Op'nin', Another Show
Act I: Why Can't You Behave?
Act I: Wunderbar
Act I: So In Love
Act I: We Open In Venice
Act I: Tom, Dick Or Harry
Act I: I've Come To Wive It Wealthily In Padua
Act I: I Hate Men
Act I: Were Thine That Special Face
Act II: Too Darn Hot
Act II: Where Is The Life That Late I Led?
Act II: Always True To You (In My Fashion)
Act II: Bianca
Act II: So In Love (Reprise)
Act II: Brush Up Your Shakespeare
Act II: I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple
Act II: Finale: Kiss Me, Kate
Kiss Me, Kate Overture

Amazon.com

Opening at the tail end of 1948, Kiss Me, Kate became an instant classic--and amazingly didn't receive a full-scale revival until 1999. All the more reason to revel in its original version. With its cunning play-within-a-play premise (a musical update of The Taming of the Shrew reverberates in backstage feuds), brilliant mix of high and low comedy, and of course some of Cole Porter's better-known songs--"So in Love," "I Hate Men," Too Darn Hot," "Always True to You (In My Fashion)"--Kiss Me, Kate remains a funny, zesty hall of mirrors. Hard as you may try to find a fly in the ointment, there's no fault with the cast either--Patricia Morison, for instance, is a perfectly petulant Lilli Vanessi. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

The best and maybe the last CD of this great musical........2006-02-20

Now is the perfect time to buy the CD of this.

Sony's transfer engineers used state-of-the-art restoration software to remove the roughness and surface noise from the originals, but (thankfully) they resisted the urge to tart-up the sound with artificial reverb, faux stereo, and thundering bass. This is by far the best-sounding CD of this ever released, and it may be the last.

The age of music ownership in America could be drawing to a close. Five years from now, this music may only be available by download, you might only be "borrowing" it, and it probably won't come with the the authentic cover art or the 26-page booklet.

(See also the original broadway CD of Out of This World.)

Beautiful remastering of historic original cast recording.......2004-05-24

Recorded in January 1949, this album of KISS ME KATE has remained in print adn a steady best-seller for over 50 years now.

The sound on this newly remastered CD is crisp and clear and easily surpasses all previous issues. Sony even uses the original artwork from the very first LP release.

The performances remain as fresh as ever. Alfred Drake was Broadway's top leading man and sounds just glorious. Pat Morrison had less of a career but sounds just perfect as Lilli. Lisa Kirk is wonderful as Lois, and Harold Lang makes the most of his few moments on the record as her boyfriend, Bill. In an unusual move these peopel reunited 10 years later to re-record the score for Capitol in true stereo. They still sound great on that recording (on CD as part of the Broadway Angel series) but the performances are fresher on this recording made just 2 weeks after KIS ME KATE had opened on Broadway to rave reviews.

The CD booklet has good info about the show, though curiously, no synopsis. There are, however, a half dozen pictures of the original production. This edition featureds longer takes of "We Open in Venice", "I Hate Men" and "Too Darn Hot" though the total extra music adds but a minute to the album's running time. A bonus track of the Overture dates from a 1958 stereo recording by Lehman Engle.

KISS ME KATE was the first Tony Award winner for Best Musical (1949). The 1999 revival won a Tony for Best Revival.

the peerless original cast.......2004-03-04

KISS ME KATE is still regarded as Cole Porter's greatest musical; a charming backstage story detailing feuding ex-spouses Lilli Vanessi and Fred Graham as they star in a musical version of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew".

Very rarely has the score been bettered than the original 1949 cast album, reissued here on the Columbia Broadway Masterworks label. Patricia Morison plays Lilli, with Alfred Drake (OKLAHOMA!, KISMET, GIGI) as Fred, the feuding, ego-ridden leads. Lisa Kirk (ALLEGRO, MACK AND MABEL) is the sexy young starlet Lois, with Harold Lang (PAL JOEY) as her caddish boyfriend Bill.

KISS ME KATE opened at the New Century Theatre on Broadway in 1949, making history in its run of over 1000 performances. Patricia Morison is perfectly-suited to the role of Lilli. She offers a glowing rendition of "So in Love", whilst her duet with Alfred Drake in the tongue-in-cheek "Wunderbar" is sublime. Lisa Kirk gets three of the big showstoppers ("Why Can't You Behave?", "Tom Dick or Harry" and "Always True to You in My Fashion"), and nails each and every one. Harold Lang was a better dancer than he ever was as a singer, but is quite good on this disc.

A must-own.

Who Put The Shake In Shakespeare?.......2001-04-11

Who put the 'shake' in 'Shakespeare'? Cole Porter, of course! Kiss Me Kate is the best of his musicals, and this recording is the best of the recordings! The original Broadway cast performs with much old-style, vaudeville jazz!

The story is set in a Baltimore theatre where a divorced couple, Fred Graham and Lilli Vannessi, are in the two leading roles of a musical version of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. Fred currently dates a colorful light-heart named Lois Lane, while Lilli is about to head off to get maried in the south. Lois, by the way, will 'always be true' to her boyfriend, the gambling player Bill Calhoun. The story takes off from there!

The show originaly opened on Broadway in 1948. It's timelessness has still not worn off after so many years. The classic script by Bela and Sam Spewack, and the best music of Cole Porter, we cannot fail! The show has been performed since then in many many countries, and has been performed in many languages! It has only recently been revived on Broadway.

Kiss Me Kate has become a staple of classic Broadway, and this is the cast that will not be outdone. Patricia Morrison is a perfect, operatic, Lilli Vanesi. She is strong, yet thoughtful. Her voice fills the CD with a lively 'Wunderbar' and the raging 'I Hate Men.' Alfred Drake is a manly and appealing Fred Graham who will have you laughing out loud! His 'Where Is the Live...?' is yet to be surpassed. Harold Lang is a sexy, and hypnotic Bill Calhoun. He takes the role for himself, and his 'Bianca' is done to the point of perfection! His voice is misty and self-confident, and has the qualities all Bill Calhoun's should. And of course, there will be no one as good as Lisa Kirk for the role of Lois Lane! Her tongue-in-cheek performance on this CD is flawless! She is teasing, sympathetic, funny, and has the right voice to win her part! I can't imagine anyone who can do what she has done with 'Alway True to You' and 'Why Can't You Behave.' The classic character songs are very nice! The balladic, and melodic 'So In Love' will ring in your head. 'We Open In Venice' will make you dance! And 'Brush Up Your Shakespeare'(performed with much humor by Jack Diamond and Harry Clark) will give you a laugh the next time you read 'Romeo.' You won't be disapointed!

The nostalgic quality of the 40's is alive and well in this recording. Columbia has done a great job restoring the work, and the scratching that were a part of the original releases. The sound quality is crisp and clear, and the music sounds wonderful! The magic hasn't worn out yet!

There have been a few more recordings of the work, including a complete London recording, and the new Broadway revival cast. None can do as well as the original recording, however. In the revival recordng, however, they come close. Brian Stokes Mitchell has the voice for Fred, but runs through his lines a bit fast, and without much enthusiasm. And the orchestrations for the new recording are a bit overdone, and they sound more like PBS's Jazz, than Broadway.

Altogether, this is great recording. I was very pleased with my buy, and hope that you will add it to your collection right away! It's time to Brush Up Your Shakespeare!

TIMELESS BROADWAY SHOW.......2001-01-11

COLE PORTER'S most famous musical play hasn't lost none of it's power over the years;it's one of those few shows in which all the elements clicks:cast,songs,libretto, to make a great entertainment product.Without getting to cynical,KISS ME KATE has enough good songs to fill 3 BROADWAY shows of today ,and i am not kidding,it's a fact.While the revival is also of interest,it's always a delight to hear the original with PATRICIA MORRISSON and ALFRED DRAKE, both terrific in their parts.I can assure you that you'll play this record more than twice.It's not only WUNDERBAR ,it's WONDERFUL!You can't actually single out one number because they are all good.All right, if we have to choose one, it's SO IN LOVE.

Average customer rating:

Kiss
karaoke anyone?? another eh.. expanded editon
AMAZING re-issue
One of their finest moments!
CLASSIC. SUCH A STRONG RELEASE.

Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me
The Cure
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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The Cure - Festival 2005

ASIN: B000GGSM94
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Tracks:

The Kiss
Catch
If Only Tonight We Could Sleep
Why Can't I Be You?
How Beautiful You Are...
Snakepit
Hey You!
Just Like Heaven
All I Want
Hot Hot Hot!!!
One More Time
Like Cockatoos
Icing Sugar
The Perfect Girl
A Thousand Hours
Shiver And Shake
Fight

Tracks:

The Kiss (RS Home demo)
The Perfect Girl (studio demo)
Like Cockatoos (studio demo)
Hot Hot Hot!!! (studio demo)
Shiver And Shake (studio demo)
If Only Tonight We Could Sleep (studio demo)
Just Like Heaven (studio demo)
Hey You! (studio demo)
A Thousand Hours (studio alt mix)
Icing Sugar (studio alt mix)
One More Time (studio alt mix)
How Beautiful You Are... (live bootleg)
Snakepit (live bootleg)
Catch (live bootleg)
Torture (live bootleg)
Fight (live bootleg)
Why Can't I Be You? (live bootleg)

Album Description

This is The Cure's landmark album, featuring 18 previously unreleased tracks.

Customer Reviews:

Kiss.......2007-02-16

This is a pretty good attempt to return to the more raw sound that they used to have. I really like the length and the tracks go together nicely.

karaoke anyone?? another eh.. expanded editon.......2007-01-10

While i've been listening to the Cure since my first dreary day encounter when all i thought about was sinking slowly into madness. The long awaited deluxe edition, original remasters, or whatever you want to call it has arrived. The packaging is great it seems almost like a mini box set with linear notes, (although i've said this again i hate Digipaks, they are rather hard to keep immaculate: why does Rhino feel the need to do away with jewel boxes when doing a remaster??) The album of course Brilliant. What more can you say. It's probably my second favorite since we all know nothing will surpass disintegration as the ultimate album to have ever. With that said, a die hard cure fan will love anything the cure will throw at them, maybe it's just me but i was dissapointed with the second disc. Whilst reading the package you seem to think that you are getting rare demo's and you are...to a point. The first nine tracks are intrumentals which they conveniently reveal to you INSIDE the package. Had they put this outside I would have paused and pondered on weather to buy it. It's nice to get a glimpse into the beginning recording process and what the final product sounds like but did they have to do all nine tracks? You actually get three vocal studio rough mixes. Then it closes with 6 live bootlegs. I don't know about you but i hate live versions on expanded editions. To me it's like going to a concert and the band lets the audience sing your favorite songs for them half the time. Don't get me wrong, The Fight, was probably the best cut on the second disc, but you can't help but long for the vocal arrangement on the instrumentals. That would have gave this set five stars. I can only cringe and wait to see what they are going to do with the long awaited disintegration.

AMAZING re-issue.......2006-12-09

In this time where everything is being re-issued, re-packaged and re-vamped, it's great to see this release from The Cure. Since seeing the first three, I'd been waiting to get to "Head on the Door" and "Kiss Me..."

This set is worth it for a billion different reasons, but, in my opinion, for the one absolute moment of brilliance on here: "A Thousand Hours (alt)." God how I remember nearly 20 years ago, when this first came out, and I was a member of some Cure Fan Club (Other Voices I think it was called) ran out of Norman, Oklahoma...I had to rely on such gems on scratchy-recordings and bootlegs, all put on to cassette...and the flip side to the "Standing on A Beach" cassette...why that was never released as a two-cd set, I'll never know. The other beauty of this era is "Snow in Summer," and especially "Sugar Girl," but you'll have to get "Join the Dots" to go for those. Still....such an incredible time and era of The Cure. Listening to the bonus disc brought it all back again. Can't wait for "Disintegration" next.

One of their finest moments!.......2006-11-05

This album(cd)stands the test of time.One of,if not their most varied release.From hard rockers like "The Kiss" to giddy numbers like "Catch" to the infectous pop of "Why Cant I Be You" or "Just Like Heaven"on down to the more ethereal Cure-like numbers such as "Like Cockatoos" and "A Thousand Hours",there is something for everyone in this collection.

CLASSIC. SUCH A STRONG RELEASE........2006-09-20

Oh man, this album is amazing. Last time I listened to it was probably a few years ago on the original CD w/o "Hey You!" It's awesome to have this masterpiece album remastered with much better sound in its originally intended form of all 18 tracks (Amazon has omitted "Torture" by mistake, but let me reassure you, it's there in all its edgy glory). The build-up intro of "The Kiss" is unparalleled except for say, other Cure songs like "Open" or "Want." When the first vocals of the album burst upon you (OH KISS ME KISS ME KISS ME!!! YOUR TONGUE'S LIKE POISON, SO SWOLLEN IT FILLS UP MY MOUTH!!!) you know you're in for a sick ride. You've got your classic singles "Why Can't I Be You?" and "Hot Hot Hot!!!" along with the most famous of all, "Just Like Heaven." But this is only the icing on the cake. "How Beautiful You Are..." and "One More Time" are both amazing non-single tracks, to compliment the rest of the album. Also, if I were to ever have the opportunity to make a movie, I'd definitely have "Fight" as the soundtrack to a sick, crazy, violent fight scene...it'd be perfect. I won't go into all the other tracks...just buy it and experience one of the best albums ever created. It's so diverse, from crazy-cuckoo happy to dark, angsty, edgy, and anthemic. Throughout it all, there's always great melody and passion. Robert Smith is a genius and this release is one of The Cure's strongest...it showcases extreme talent and versatility.

PS ~ The bonus disc is awesome for hearing a lot of the songs as they were first presented and comparing them to their end results that made it onto the album...a very nice insight.

Kiss Me, Kate (1999 Broadway Revival Cast)

Average customer rating:

AN ENTERTAINING, MISGUIDED REVIVAL . . . . .
broadway buff
The Best Version out there!
zesty new revival of the Cole Porter classic
New orchestrations are revival cast album's undoing

Kiss Me, Kate (1999 Broadway Revival Cast)
Cole Porter
Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Kiss Me Kate (Broadway Revival - PBS Great Performances)
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ASIN: B00003OP0U
Release Date: 2000-01-25

Tracks:

Another Op'nin', Another Show
Why Can't You Behave?
Wunderbar
So in Love
We Open in Venice
Tom, Dick, or Harry
I've Come to Wive It Wealthily in Padua
I Hate Men
Were Thine That Special Face
Cantiamo d'Amore
Kiss Me, Kate
Too Darn Hot
Where Is the Life That Late I Led?
Always True to You (In My Fashion)
Bianca
So in Love (Reprise)
Brush up Your Shakespeare
Pavane
I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple
Kiss Me, Kate (Finale)

Amazon.com

This terrific new recording of Cole Porter's greatest show grabs you from the beginning: shimmering strings lead straight into "Another Op'nin', Another Show" before the orchestra takes over. Then it's on to many of Porter's best-loved melodies and wittiest lyrics, including "Wunderbar," "So in Love," "Always True to You (In My Fashion)," and "Why Can't You Behave?" Art imitates life in this story of a troupe's performance of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, as the stars quarrel as much offstage as they do onstage, and Porter's score reflects this with both contemporary '40s songs ("Too Darn Hot") and Bard-inspired stage songs ("I've Come to Wive It Wealthily in Padua"). Similarly, Don Sebesky's marvelous new orchestrations alternate a jazzy band with Elizabethan-period drums and recorders. Brian Stokes Mitchell and Marin Mazzie (both alums of Ragtime) are in glorious voice as the feuding stars, while Amy Spanger and Michael Berresse shine as the secondary couple. Surprisingly, when this production debuted on Broadway in the fall of 1999, it was the show's first-ever major revival. The original 1948 cast recording is still great listening, but this is a Kiss Me, Kate for the new century. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

AN ENTERTAINING, MISGUIDED REVIVAL . . . . . .......2007-01-04

When KISS ME, KATE opened in Philadelphia on December 2, 1948, "the show and its dazzling cast . . . elicited an avalanche of critical praise. Not one song was added, dropped, or shifted in position from that moment until the Broadway opening, nor was the book altered significantly." (from Miles Kruger's notes for the 1990 EMI recording) Therefore, if something is so perfect, why mess with it? Why try to update it? Why attempt to ". . . [invigorate] the material with a contemporary sensibility that permeates everything: the way it looks, the way it plays, the way it sounds." (from Sheryl Flatow's note to the 1999 DRG recording) Would anyone even consider putting a blond wig and a push-up bra on the Mona Lisa?

Not that "the classics" should be never be fiddled with. It happens all the time with Shakespeare and Verdi and Puccini - sometimes with pleasing results. Sometimes not. The 2005 rethinking of SWEENEY TODD works admirably well (although I still prefer the original, more operatic version) and I understand so does the new revival of COMPANY. Both can be understood as reinventions that clarify and enhance character and motive. But this KATE doesn't work, because it's just Mona Lisa in a push-up bra.

The fault doesn't lie so much with the singers as it does with the concept. Perhaps KATE played differently on stage, but recording producer Hugh Fordin is quoted in the liner notes as saying, "I want a cast album to sound as if the performers are doing the show for you in your living room." How preposterous! Has he seen the size of my living room? Musical director Paul Gemignani says, "I pick up the pace, so the music is faster on the recording. I do that because the listener doesn't have visuals, and because it energizes the performers." Really, but at what cost. Brian Stokes Mitchell is forced to sing "Where Is the Life That Late I Led" at such a pace that it loses all nuance. Compare it to Alfred Drake on the original or to Thomas Hampson's on the EMI recording and you'll understand. Marin Mazzie has the most pleasing voice of all the Lili Vanessi/Kate's on record. Her "I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple" is lovely, but someone unwisely encouraged her to do some extremely ugly vocalizing during "I Hate Men." I see visions of nodes growing on her vocal chords as she growls through this number. Mazzie could take a lesson from Patricia Morrison on how to sing angrily without abusing the voice. Michael Berresse is a fine Bill/Lucentio, but Amy Spanger is too much of an air-head, dumb blonde (see Adelaide in GUYS AND DOLLS) for me. I prefer the 1948 (also 1959) original Lois Lane (Lisa Kirk), a fully mature and confident woman who definitely knows her way around men.

But most irritating of all, this KISS ME KATE, like many other recent revivals, does NOT SOUND LIKE BROADWAY! Robert Russell Bennett's marvelous orchestrations have been discarded and replaced by Don Sebesky's wimpy Las Vegas-style arrangements. Even though "So in Love" is beautifully sung by both stars, it sounds more lke "Sinatra at the Sands" than Broadway. And what's with the "Steam Heat"/"Cool" intro to "Too Darn Hot." This is Cole Porter, not Leonard Bernstein or Adler & Ross.

All carping aside, there is much to recommend this recording. But for authentic Broadway, you're better off with the original 1948 Broadway cast recording, even with its dated sound. The 1959 Angel "Reassembled Original Cast" benefits from better sound, but the performances aren't as fresh as they were 11 years earlier. John McGlinn's 1990 EMI "complete" recording offers excellent sound, an outstanding orchestra & chorus, every note & every lyric written for the show, a rather stiff-sounding Thomas Hampson, a Lois Lane/Bianca (Kim Criswell) almost as good as Lisa Kirk, and the strangest-sounding Kate you'll ever hear (Dame Josephine Barstow). An essential recording, it is now out of print.

The choice? Simple, you must have one of each.

broadway buff.......2006-03-21

This is a case of fixing something that ain't broke. Cole Porter is a master of musical score, his genius lies in the superbly witty blend of the story line, lyrics, and score. Technically this recording may be superior to the original 1950 Broadway version, but that's all. Modifying the score is an interesting effort but inferior to the original. The singing voices of the actors in this new Broadway cast probably appeal to the less-well trained ear of to-day's young adults, but to someone a bit older than that these, their voices sound ill trained, screechy and oblivious of the original score and lyrics. Cole Porter's elegant wit blows completly by them.
I give it 3 stars for technology, but suggest you stick with the original for pure enjoyment.

The Best Version out there!.......2005-06-20

I have to say this totally changed my views on Kiss Me Kate. After seeing the movie I thought it was good, but at times to operatic and it made my ears ring too much. After buying the broadway cast CD I pretty much put this musical in the catorgory of musicals I just didn't like that much. I got the new cast album as a gift and was hesitant to listen to it. I put it on in the background and was so suprized! Finally instead of the normal sing ever song the same operatic way these actors were feeling there music! I mean I can see why some would perfer the ballad operatic tones in "I hate Men" and "always true to you" because that's how they were always done, but I loved the attitude that this cast displayed by her snariling angry version of I hate men and the none operatic "Always True to You". There were countless other songs I enjoyed so much more beacause they didn't cause you to go death from having the same operatic ring to them. This version of Kiss Me Kate is the best ever!

zesty new revival of the Cole Porter classic.......2004-08-15

The 1999 Broadway revival of KISS ME KATE was a big success, running nearly 3 years and spawning a national tour as well as a London production (which was taped for DVD release). The cast album is a real delight. Brian Stokes Mitchell (KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, MAN OF LA MANCHA) is a grand Fred Graham, and Marin Mazzie is a thrilling Lilli Vanessi, the feuding ex-spouses starring in a musical version of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew". Michael Berresse and Amy Spanger add a playful sexiness to their performamces as Bill Calhoun and Lois Lane, with Adriane Lenox as a perfectly-belted Hattie. The orchestrations by Don Sebesky are bright and full of bounce; I especially love the bluesy arrangement of "So in Love". This cast album is highly-recommended if you already own the OBC with Alfred Drake, Patricia Morison and Lisa Kirk.

New orchestrations are revival cast album's undoing.......2004-05-24

The 1999 Tony award winning revival of KISS ME KATE managed to show there was still life in this 50-year old show. Brian Stokes Mitchell and Marin Mazzie are ideal as a modern day Fred and Lilli. Amy Spangler has the proper saucy style for Lois. There was some (needless, though minor) tinkering with the book and the show's famous Overture was dropped. (That Overture must be jinxed: on both the Columbia and Capitol cast albums it was replaced by the Entr'acte. The 1987 London cast uses a new Overture.) The "updated" arrangements by Don Sebesky are no improvement on the originals, although the use of Elizabethan styled music for the Shrew sections is appropriate. The new recording includes more dialogue than previous releases. The production moved to London after its Broadway run and that edition was taped and has been released on DVD and is well worth checking out.

Average customer rating:

Delightful
A Master Class in Singing
Bryn is swell, but the bombast is annoying
Surprisingly Fine Crossover from Fleming and Terfel
BREATHTAKING VOCAL MAGNIFICENCE~BRAVO!!!

Renee and Bryn: Under the Stars
John Harold Kander , Andrew Lloyd Webber , Claude-Michel Schoenberg , Richard Rodgers , Gerard Presgurvic , Jason Robert Brown , Meredith Willson , Lucy Simon , Cole Porter , Stephen Flaherty , Ralph Salmins , and David Hartley
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000088E7D
Release Date: 2003-02-11

Tracks:

"Not While I'm Around" (from Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim)
"Moonfall" (from The Mystery of Edwin Drood by R. Holmes)
"I Don't Remember You The Happy Tim" and "Sometimes a Day Goes By" (from Woman of the Year by Kander & Ebb)
"All the Love I Have" (from The Beautiful Game by Ben Elton & Andrew Lloyd Webber)
"I Wish I Could Forget You / Loving You" (from Passion by Stephen Sondheim)
"Stars" (from Les Misirables by Boublil & Schvnberg)
"All I Ask of You" (from The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber)
"Hello, Young Lovers" (from The King and I by Rodgers & Hammerstein)
"Pretty Women" (from Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim)
"Aimer" (from Romio et Juliette by Presgurvic)
"All the Wasted Time" (from Parade by J. Brown)
"Seventy-Six Trombones" (from The Music Man by Willson)
"How Could I Ever Know" (from The Secret Garden by Simon and Norman)
"So In Love" (from Kiss Me Kate by Cole Porter)
"Wheels Of a Dream" (from Ragtime by Ahrens & Flaherty)

Amazon.com

In these days of the crossover, it is hardly surprising to find two great opera singers making a foray into numbers from Broadway musicals by such composers as Cole Porter, Stephen Sondheim, and Andrew Lloyd Webber. What's remarkable is that they seem completely at home in this music. Both say they grew up listening to it, and indeed they approach these songs with no less care and seriousness than they'd give the most demanding operatic arias, and without a trace of condescension. However, their vocal, expressive, and interpretive styles are very different, both in the solos and the duets. Terfel projects assertive manliness, tender, intimate affection, and rollicking humor without external effects, using only his incomparably sonorous voice and powerful personality. His diction is impeccably clear, and though he has sometimes let his theatrical flair spill over into Schubert songs, he is the soul of simplicity here. This is in stark contrast to Fleming's tendency to exaggerate colors and dynamics and to turn sentiment into sentimentality. Moreover, though she claims a background as a jazz singer, her "crooning" sounds artificial and unnatural. However, her top notes, culminating in a triumphant high C at the end of the final number, ring gloriously. Her voice glows and shimmers with irresistible luster, soaring from seductive whispers to thrilling climaxes. The program features a great variety of love songs, and includes an antiwar protest (from Beautiful Game), a celebration of the American dream (from Ragtime), and a rousing fun piece (from The Music Man). Unfortunately, even the best songs are marred by thoroughly corny arrangements. Listeners will find their own favorites, but the real "stars" on this record are the two singers. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Delightful .......2006-07-24

I truly enjoy Terfel's vocal talent and found it to be well suited for this genre. Fleming's impeccable soprano voice is a bit overpowering for this style of music. (I own this CD)

A Master Class in Singing.......2006-06-20

This CD is a must-have for any person interested in the singing art. Ms. Fleming and Mr. Terfel gives new light to these Musical Theatre classics. Their fine vocalism in the musical theatre genre coupled with the depth of musicality and dramatic phrasing in each of the selections is truly a breath of fresh air. This recording is indeed a Master Class!

Bryn is swell, but the bombast is annoying.......2006-05-03

Love Bryn Terfel, the finest bass-baritone in Opera. Love Renee Fleming's luscious soprano. But the arrangements! Kettle drums and bombast and bang, bang, bang! Once Renee starts swooping, things go downhill, with little redemption.

It starts out beautifully. "Not While I'm Around" has never sounded more intimate to me than Terfel's caressing pianissimo. Fleming's "Moonglow" is stunningly good. Terfel makes a medley out of "I Don't Remember You and Sometimes a Day Goes By" that makes you want to cheer, and Fleming does a lovely Sondheim medley as well. Bryn sings "Stars" and makes me long for him in Les Mis. And then...things tend to go downhill. The bombast takes over and gets to you - it overwhelms two of the biggest voices now recording. Then Fleming begins to swoop and scoop, over-coloring and often coming off as simply self-indulgent, reminding one of a kid who makes a point of putting his face in a camera shot.

I don't mind Bryn as Prof. Harold Hill - I frankly think the Welsh accent is kinda cute - and it doesn't bother me on "Wheels of Dream," either, but Fleming seems to have lost her mind on that great song, and rather than indulging her, it would have simply been better left off the album. Ditto "All that Wasted Time" which is pretty much unlistenable. Ms. Fleming needs to stop thinking she is a jazz singer.

The four stars are because this album does contain some truly GLORIOUS moments, particularly in the duets, and in Terfel's solo's which are warm and memorable. Without him, the kettle drums and Fleming's self-indulgence would have made the whole endeavor unbearable.

Surprisingly Fine Crossover from Fleming and Terfel.......2006-04-18

Bryn Terfel and Renee Fleming are two of the most acclaimed opera singers of our day. But the musical theatre fan who puts on their Broadway CD, RENEE AND BRYN: UNDER THE STARS, expecting to hear a carelessly compiled hodgepodge of songs sung by voices ill-suited to them is in for a big surprise, beginning with the first phrases of the duo's warmly sung "Not While I'm Around" from SWEENEY TODD. True, these singers' beautiful voices have greater power and range than even the best of the Broadway stars', but this is an asset in these songs, most of which are either semi-operatic in nature or call (like THE MUSIC MAN's "Seventy-Six Trombones") for such an outsize personality as Terfel's. Fleming's sensuous and tonally gorgeous rendition of "Moonfall" from THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD can be placed among her very finest recordings, operatic and otherwise. And Terfel is ideally suited to both "Pretty Women" from SWEENEY TODD and "Stars" from LES MISERABLES; few if any Broadway Javerts could match the impact of his "This I swear by the stars!" Kander and Ebb's "I Don't Remember You" and "Sometimes a Day Goes By" make a perfect medley here, as do Sondheim's "I Wish I Could Forget You" and "Loving You" from PASSION. And though I don't care for the Andrew Lloyd Webber selections (ersatz Puccini) or the Jason Robert Brown one (which sounds too much like a pop song), Terfel and Fleming's singing of them is beyond reproach. The program ends with a bang: a rendition of "Wheels of a Dream" worthy to stand beside the now-classic one by Brian Stokes Mitchell and Audra McDonald on the original cast album of RAGTIME. Welshman Terfel's natural accent is noticeable here; but if one imagines him as, say, an Irish immigrant married to an African-American woman (as Fleming here sounds uncannily like McDonald or like Leontyne Price) his accent is appropriate and his voicing of the "bridge" section ("Oh Sarah, it's more than promises/Sarah, it must be true...") especially moving. Fleming's ecstatic final high note makes one want to applaud and cheer, both for the song and for the successful "crossover" effort.

BREATHTAKING VOCAL MAGNIFICENCE~BRAVO!!!.......2004-10-11

So captivating are these incredible singers in the glorious live concert "Under The Stars" creating an unforgettable musical masterpiece of epic proportions that is so moving and great to watch that I ran out and purchased this studio recorded Compact Disc the next day!! The brilliance of the live broadcast carried over into the recording studio capturing Renee and Bryn at the peak of their incredible powers emotionally and vocally making them the most effective crossover artists since the great Barbara Cook who like Miss Cook sing with emotion that is accurate for this type of material which is usually not the case with classical voices. Renee Fleming sings with genuine passion and stirring emotions and her timing is absolutely flawless and this lady has alot of soul and the Torrie Zito arranged "Moonfall" is a stunning masterpiece that clearly illustrates this. A dazzling medley each show both singers in glorious peak form with Bryn splendid in the enchanting "I Don't Remember You/Sometimes A Day Goes By" and Renee spellbinding and haunting in the gorgeous "I Wish I Could Forget You/Loving You" which will make anyone who loves a great voice fall in love with this amazingly gifted singer. "Stars" features a commanding performance from Bryn that raises the roof and this is so refreshing and inspired in these musically tired times!!! This superb showcase is full of wonderfully exciting performances which are capable of making people feel again and this is what is sorely needed in music today and BRAVO to Bryn Terfel and the gorgeous Renee Fleming for achieving this with complete artistic brilliance. Captivating duets fill this wonderous collection and never have classics such as "Not While I'm Around" or "All I Ask Of You" been sung more brilliantly than here. Renee is magical with "Hello, Young Lovers" while Bryn is commanding and winning with "Pretty Women". Renee's stunning "All The Wasted Time" is a vocal and emotional tour-de-force that is like a wild roller-coaster ride that you won't want to end as this is one of the most riveting songs that I have ever heard from a Broadway score and this certainly must be the definitive performance of this great song. This lady can really really sing and this is some deeply serious singing~WOW!!! Gorgeous together again in the beautiful "How Could I Ever Know" which is hair-raising and wonderfully soulful and sophisicated together in Cole Porter's "So In Love". A grand finale by these two awesome vocal wonders lives up to expectations being a complete blowout vocal festival and they definitely do not disappoint here!!! "Wheels Of A Dream" is mesmerizing and soars to magnificent heights with Bryn and Renee in peak form singing to the skies and hitting notes that I swear I have never heard before~BRAVO!!!!!!! You are both magically inspired and simply put as good as it gets!!!! Highly recommended if you love two awesome vocal wonders at their absolute peak in a magnificent beautifully orchestrated setting!!! Thank you Bryn & Renee...

Average customer rating:

At last - a release worthy of a classic "Kate"
DEFINITELY THE BEST
Fabulous STEREO recording of classic Cole Porter score
A tour de force
One of the best

Kiss Me Kate (1953 Film Soundtrack)
Cole Porter , Howard Keel , and Kathryn Grayson
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000033MR
Release Date: 1996-11-19

Tracks:

Overture Medley: Always True To You In My Fashion/Why Can't You Behave/Another Openin', Another....
Main Title (So In Love/Wunderbar)
So In Love
Too Darn Hot
Why Can't You Behave
Electric Sign (Another Openin', Another Show)
Lilli's Cork
Wunderbar
So In Love (Reprise)
We Open In Venice (Extended Version)
Tom, Dick Or Harry
I've Come To Wive It Wealthily In Padua
I Hate Men
Were Thine That Special Face
Finale Act One (Kiss Me Kate)
And So To Wed (We Open In Venice/I Hate Men)
I've Come To Wive It Wealthily In Padua (Reprise)
Where Is The Life That Late I Led
Bianca
Why Can't You Behave
Were Thine That Special Face
Always True To You In My Fashion
Brush Up Your Shakespeare
Bianca's Wedding (We Open In Venice)
From This Moment On
Down On Kate (Includes So In Love)
Kiss Me Kate (Finale, Act 2)

Customer Reviews:

At last - a release worthy of a classic "Kate".......2005-07-18

The wizards at Rhino have put us once again in their debt for this re-release of the soundtrack to MGM's Kiss Me Kate. For anyone who loves the Broadway musical and its Hollywood incarnation, this recording is an essential part of any collection.

Musical lovers have historically been very poorly served by the "original cast" and "soundtrack" recordings. What should have been glorious mementos of the theatrical (or cinematic) experience have often turned out to be savagely butchered and indifferently reproduced shadows of what could have been. With the extended playing time of CDs and the efforts of enthusiasts who (at last) recognise the treasures lying in the studio vaults, many musicals are being re-released in greatly improved sound and including previously unreleased orchestral underscoring and extended performances.

Kiss Me Kate receives a rip-roaring outing here (listen to Wunderbar, Tom Dick or Harry or Where is the Life That Late I Led. A somewhat mangled score (if you're a Broadway purist)...but what performances! It is a dream team with everyone at their finest - Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, the MGM Orchestra not missing a beat under André Previn. And those orchestrations! Conrad Salinger and his colleagues were surely the unsung geniuses of the MGM musical sound.

This is a joy to listen to and we must be grateful to the efforts of everyone who made it possible, assembled as it has been from fast-deteriorating scraps of recordings criminally neglected in the MGM archives. Listen to this and then feast your ears on other recordings in the series. I recommend Gigi, Show Boat, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Meet Me in St Louis, Hit The Deck and Kismet for starters.

The sound is, of course, variable and not up to the technical standards of today. But, bearing in mind the vintage, it is always good, often miraculous, and far, far better than it has ever sounded before. In fact, it is just right...just how an MGM musical should sound. It is also as complete as it is ever going to get.

Now come on Rhino - what about working the same miracles with High Society, Bells Are Ringing and Goodbye Mr Chips?

Why only a 4 out of 5 star rating? Simple; because we've had to wait so long!

DEFINITELY THE BEST.......2004-06-05

I wholeheartedly agree with every comment already posted. This recording is astonishing in its completeness. The audio quality is as superb as already mentioned. I agree that Howard Keel gives a definitive performance, and that Kathryn Grayson is heard to best advantage. Ann Miller is beyond compare in her bravura performance. The spirit of the MGM studio orchestra is also heard at the top of its game. I was lucky to see a 3D screening of this movie around 1979 or 1980. It was well worth it then, and this recording captures everything about the film that anyone could ever want.

Fabulous STEREO recording of classic Cole Porter score.......2003-01-07

The MGM film version of Cole Porter's KISS ME KATE was released in 1953. It was filmed in 3D but was not widely released in that format as it required special projection equipment and required the audience to wear eye-straining glasses. It was successful both in the 3D version, as well as the conventional "flat" version that was more widely released. It was also one of the very first films released in stereo. The cast included some of the greatest musical talents in Hollywood at the time: Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson, and Ann Miller. All are in top vocal form.

This soundtrack unquestionably surpasses any other recordings of the score, although the two original cast recordings come close. All tracks are taken directly from the original recording session masters and have been remixed for stereo (the original soundtrack album of 1953 contained only a handful of songs - compared to this - and was heard only in monaural). Not only are all cuts from the original vinyl release included here (you wouldn't expect the CD to not include them, would you?), but a HUGE amount of instrumental underscoring and additional material is here as well. The sound quality (in glorious STEREO) is fabulous. The BEST recording of the score, hands down. I also recommend, though, the 1959 stereo recording with the original cast. Fabulous.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A tour de force.......2001-02-25

Although I tend to prefer Broadway to film scores, this is a notable exception. Howard Keel is a one man tour de force, dashing off number after number with machismo, panache, and wit, Ann Miller is splendid, and even Kathryn Grayson is much better than her usual cloying self. Porter's lyrics are the stuff of genius (how many people in the history of the world could have written Brush Up Your Shakespeare?), the melodies are uplifting and catchy, the plot is hysterical, but above all this is Howard Keel's show, perhaps his greatest performance along with Showboat.

One of the best.......2000-12-13

MGM's KISS ME KATE is a fabulous film and for a change is very faithful to the original Broadway show. It was not only MGM's first film to be released in stereo, it was originally released in 3-D! You'll see things being thrown at the audience throughout the film. Oh, to experience it that way! The soundtrack is stupendous and is one of my absolute favorites. Cole Porter's score is his overall best and the entire cast performs it to perfection. Kathryn Grayson's voice usually grates on my nerves, but here she is absolutely perfect. The soundtrack restoration is flawless and includes never before released underscoring and addition verses to "We Open in Venice." Ann Miller is at the height of her career and Howard Keel is absolutely stunning in is interpretaion of "Where is the Life That Late I Led." The orchestration of "From This Moment On" leaves me breathless. I could listen to this one every day.

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