Customer Reviews

The Best of Buffy Sainte-Marie(twofer 2 Albums in One)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Buffy Sainte-Marie is an acquired taste. Some are put off by the quaver in her voice; others object to her politicizing of music; still others find her jumping around from one music genre to another a bit odd. Nonetheless, she is a stupendous talent, and this collection showcases all the above. The anger evident in "My Country Tis of Thy People You're Dying" is a stinging indictment of American treatment of native American cultures. "Uuniversal Soldier" is a classic anti-war anthem. "Codine" is haunting in the reality that Buffy's voice brings to it. For those who like a little Nashville sound, "I'm Gonna Be A Country Girl Again" (which, though released as a single several times steadfastly refused to become a hit) and "Soulful Shade of Blue" are beautiful country tributes. Of course, the collection wouldn't be complete without Buffy Sainte-Marie's own version of the classic "Until It's Time For You To Go." So many more could be singled out for their beauty or for their uniqueness. Suffice it to say that this a great introduction to Buffy Sainte-Marie's songbook. Though a bit scattered in organization of tracks--as other reviewers have stated--it is still a fine tribute to a multi-talented musician who is far too silent today.

No other entertainer has ever moved me as deeply and as consistently as Buffy Sainte Marie.

"The Best of Buffy Sainte-Marie" compact disc is one of the great values in prerecorded music. The 24 tracks offer 65minutes and 12 seconds of the most varied and brilliantly performed songs a mortal could hope to hear.

I can't think of another album that manages to enlighten the listener on so many varied themes: war, genocide, drugs, patriotism, love lost and found, religion, life choices, commerce, urban sprawl, prejudice and faith yet emphasizing and celebrating the joy of living.

Buffy's voice is a national treasure, and her exquisitely arranged backgrounds perfectly frame her unique and compelling singing.

I've had the great fortune to see and hear her in concert several times in my life and thank god this greatest hits album is always available to help me relive the magic.

I grew up on Buffy Sainte-Marie. I bought this to hear her again. A lot of the cuts are really second rate and disapointing, for instance this version of Piney Wood Hills is awful compared to what you can hear on her album "Many a Mile". Also, this best of mixes periods which just don't go together at all. Try to get her original recordings. Not all of them are available on Amazon, there is an Italian distributor you can find on Google.

The Best of Buffy Sainte-Marie is a great compilation of some of her best work. If you are unfamiliar with Ms. Sainte-Marie's work this album will give you full range of her musical stylings. The lament that is Cod'ine makes you feel the anguish in the soul of the addict. Groundhog reminds me of the songs my grandmother would sing to me. My Country `Tis of Thy People You're Dying led to some mighty interesting debates in history class. This is a wonderful album and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Ms. Saint-Marie's music and I feel that it is a wonderful first album in anyone's Buffy Saint-Marie collection.

there are some truly wonderful songs on here, but the compilation also puts on a lot of schloc. almost all of her later work, i feel, is terrible - all her synthetic stuff, ick! and there's a fair amount of it on here. i've owned this album (in record form) for five or six years, and there are just some songs NOT WORTH EVER LISTENING TO.

now, all that said, for the wonderful songs on here, the ones with buffy and a guitar (and sometimes with her bass player), they are just wonderful, truly a powerful musical and emotional experience. universal soldier is up there with the best of em, as in "now that the buffalo's gone" and "my country tis of thy people you're dying" and "many a mile." buffy is raw power, and don't be fooled, she's one hell of a talented musician as well, highly sophisticated both in voice and on guitar.

she's raw woman, raw human, just raw! (but that later stuff, god, what was she thinking?)

Every song on this cd is passionately and brilliantly done. However,Buffy Sainte Marie's musical interpretation of a Leonard Cohen poem- God Is Alive Magic's Afoot- is probably a little-known wonder of the world and alone in itself worth every cent paid for it.
Cohen's poem sums up the Gospels movingly and succintly, while Sainte Marie sets the rythm, power, spirit and feeling of his words to perfect original music.
Cohen and Sainte Marie are an unbeatable combination.

I have been an enthusiastic fan of Buffy Sainte-Marie's for upwards of thirty years, yet this collection (along with Vol. 2 of "The Best ...") just doesn't do it for me.

Everything the more enthusiastic reviewers say about Buffy I heartily agree with. Her unique voice. The themes from political to personal. The musicianship. And I have no complaint with the selection of songs.

Yet I find these "Best of" collections ultimately disappointing. Perhaps it's only because I became accustomed to listening to the whole, individual albums on vinyl, each with its own very individual style, but it really jars my senses to hear a simple folk song with minimal instrumentation (such as Cripple Creek) followed by a lushly orchestrated country son (I'm Gonna be a Country Girl Again) then by electronica (The Vampire). I was quite disappointed when I made the switch to CD and found these were about the only Buffy available.

If you are new to Buffy, one of these collections would make a good introduction, but by all means get some of the individual albums as well -- the songs sound much better when not torn out of context. Or simply start out with an individual album or two.

Buffy Sainte=Marie cultural roots are those of her Cree tribal family background. On her Best of album are to be found the thought provoking self-penned songs that have made her the spokesperson of the indigenous tribes of America.

Joy and sadness are found in abundance here. Ground Hog is a celebration of life itself, I'm Gonna be a Country Girl Again says volumes about the sense of nostalgia felt by the exile; at the heart of songs such as these is a sense of felt joy. In contrast are Buffy's ballads, which are songs of 'monumental' sadness; Cod'ine is a grim comment on drug addiction and My Country 'Tis Of Thy People You're Dying is a shocking revelation of the history of America.

Possessing a voice of astonishing vocal range, Buffy has been writing and performing her music for nearly fifty years. This album encapsulates that life.

I like ecclectic music, and Buffy Sainte Marie is the epitome of ecclectic. This has got to be one of the most comprehensive musical collections out there! Her voice has mucho vibrato and takes some getting used to. Hey, so does Bob Dyaln, another person whose "Greatest Hits" album is expansive. Stick with it and you will be well rewarded. If you just want an album where all the tracks deliver up the same style of a one hit wonder, you don't need this album. If you want to hear the breadth and depth of one of the greatest singer-songwriters in the USA and in folk music history, then this is for you. I LOVE the mix of protest, personal reflection, fun, folks, country, pop, rock, POETRY at it's finest. Many of these songs move me to the deepest level with the combination of thought, emotion and tune. Yes, the arrangements leave something to be desired on some of the songs, but Buffy's brilliance shines through. I cannot understand why these songs aren't covered more by other artists, but when you look at the weak tea of most pop music divas nowdays I guess it's self explanatory. Buffy is something all together different and original! Great road music!

I am reluctant to give this CD 5 stars only because, as another reviewer mentioned, I prefer individual albums, all of them, or at least I'd prefer the songs in order of recording. I look forward to a box set comparable to the Nick Drake collection.

Still, this disk and its companion volume 2 are bargains. I agree that Buffy's best album represented by this collection is Illuminations but there are many, many gems that ought to be rediscovered and covered by new artists. By the way, I think "Coincidence and Likely Stories" is a masterpiece! Is it out of print?!?