Customer Reviews

The Best of Mary McCaslin: Things We Said Today

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I first encountered Mary McCaslin's song "Way Out West" while playing Where In the USA is Carmen Sandiego? with my daughter. Her haunting yet hopeful voice and lyrics stuck in my mind. What a delight to find so many fine original songs here as well as outstanding covers of "Things We Said Today" and "Blackbird". I heartily recommend this disc.

Mary McCaslin was a staple of the folk circuit in the 1970s, along with her then-husband Jim Ringer. All but one of the selections on this CD were taken from her solo albums. The single exception, "The Bramble and the Rose," comes from her and Ringer's classic album of the same name.

McCaslin's style falls somewhere between traditional folk and country. Open guitar tunings were one of her musical trademarks, and her arrangements were widely imitated. Her voice has a huskiness and twang to it that fit her fascination with the American West.

McCaslin wrote some wonderful songs. "Young Westley," on this album, is a modern take on the traditional American narrative ballad, of which "Cole Younger," (also on this CD) is a good example. "Circle of Friends" and "San Bernadino Waltz" are slightly bitter, ironic songs about friends and lovers. "Way Out West" evokes the feelings of rootlessness associated with the West.

Some of McCaslin's best songs are her covers of other artists' material. On this CD, for example, she covers songs by the Beatles, the Supremes, and Randy Newman, as well as the country classics, "Ghost Riders in the Sky" and "Wayward Wind." McCaslin has the rare ability to make other people's songs her own. You may have heard the song before, but when McCaslin does it, it's completely different. Her rendition allows the listener to experience the song in a new way and to find new meaning it it.

My only complaint with this album is that a couple of my favorite songs aren't on it. I guess there's only one solution--I'll have to buy the other CDs as well.

During the often giddy radio days of the early 70's, Mary McCaslin was a "regular," to be played in sets that included Mary Lou Harris, Neil Young, Baez, and Bonnie Raitt. Her main trait was her earthy and lovely presence. It transcended all the crazy-goofy-groovy music and found a home in many hearts.

Years later, I was living briefly in Santa Cruz when I saw that she was playing live in a local venue. I couldn't make the date because of work, but found my way to Amazon, at a whim, entered her name in the search button and .... whaddya know.

Her, "Old Friends," is one of the most valuable recordings every made.

If you want to really believe someone when they sing that rode a "blue Roan..." buy something from Mary.

Mary... If you're listening, record a LIVE album!

This compilation contains one duet (The bramble and the rose) with her late husband, Jim Ringer, but is otherwise made up of tracks from three solo albums Way out west, Prairie in the sky and Old friends, all released in the period 1973 to 1977. Mary sings a mix of covers and originals to a simple, acoustic backing. About half the songs have a western theme, but some of the most interesting songs here originated in the cities of Detroit and Liverpool.

From Detroit came My world is empty without you, a classic Motown song that was a hit for the Supremes. You might expect it to sit uncomfortably on an album like this, but Mary stripped the song down to its basics and the end result proves that her choice was inspired. Covers of Motown songs in country and folk music are a rarity. I've come across a few, but not as many as I'd like.

From Liverpool came two Beatles songs - Things we said today and Blackbird. Their inclusion is less surprising, as there is a long tradition of Beatles covers in many genres of music.

Of the other covers here, Wayward wind, Ghost riders in the sky and Cole Younger all sing of the west, while Last Cannonball is a classic train song and Randy Newman wrote living without you.

Mary wrote all the remaining songs except The bramble and the rose. As with the covers, some of Mary's own songs have a western theme and some don't, but they are all worth hearing.

Music like this will never sell in huge quantities but I cannot praise this collection highly enough.

I bought a CD burner back in 1996 so I could transfer A Life and Time from my well-used vinyl. It is an exquisite album, slightly comic, slightly sad, without the venom that seems so ridiculous from millionaire performers, but not naive either. A good blend, with an absolutely knockout version of You Keep Me Hangin' On, which is so right and makes Diana's sound stupid.

This is a collection of material recorded before ALAT, taken from three 70s releases. I do not have the complete CDs from which these songs are taken, but there are no duds here. Every song rings true, with her lovely voice, clever arrangements, and sterling picking all supporting the inherent value in the lyrics. Her covers, whether famous (Things We Said Today) or not so famous (Living Without You) are intelligent and beautiful, transformed fully into her songs. Her original material is poignant. Just a wonderful collection.

I opt for the first two lines of this song as being possibly the most most musically and lyrically beautiful one might ever hear in a folk ong. I can listen to this song again and again just for those few lines. Strangely my teenager can too, so we have those great bonding moments in the car sometimes. And "Way Out West" is also lovely. Sometimes you have to buy an album for just those few songs that move you!

I don't know where I first heard of Mary McCaslin but I decided to take a chance and purchased this CD. It is wonderful. It has soulful songs that are lovely to listen to, many written by McCaslin and others written by popular songwriters, such as Lennon/McCartney and R. Newman.

I recommend this CD to those who enjoy popular music sung with a vibrant voice.

I first heard the haunting refrain that turned out to be "The Dealers" years ago while playing "Carmen Sandiego," as the theme for the state of Oregon. I had been searching, fruitlessly, for it ever since, without knowing who sang it. And thanks Amazon reviews and Google, now I have found the source of this beautiful song- and many more! This is a lovely album, as can be shown by the fact that that one refrain stayed in my head for so many, many years.