Customer Reviews

Best of Tracey Ullman

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Not quite interchangeable with the US "You Broke My Heart..." (Rhino)collection, since this one has seven tracks (3,4,10,14,18,20,21) not on that disk. Consider this one as a complement to "You Broke...", which should be your first choice for its better song selection, but do pick this up. Ullman has an obvious affection for girl group and pop readymades that is fun to listen to.

Various compilations have been released on CD with different track listings. The compilations all duplicate each other to some extent but there are significant differences.

Tracey first achieved fame in her native Britain as a comedienne, then had a brief career as a pop singer before moving to America, where she resumed her career as a comedienne. The public are always suspicious of established celebrities becoming pop singers, but make no mistake, Tracey can sing, as this and other collections of her music show. She knew her limitations and worked within them effectively and well.

Tracey recorded two original albums on LP. The first, You broke my heart in 17 places, was pure magic. The second, You caught me out, was quite a good effort with some magic moments. A compilation album was released containing the best tracks from the first two plus some other songs, including My guy, that didn't appear on either.
Tracey's biggest hit, They don't know, was a cover of a song by the brilliant Kirsty MacColl, whose own version of the song had mysteriously flopped. Tracey took the song to number two in the UK and number eight in the USA. It went to number one in Norway and several other countries. After that Kirsty supplied Tracey with other songs - You broke my heart in 17 places, You caught me out, Terry

Tracey had other hits in the UK, all covers. Breakaway (Jackie De Shannon) peaked at four. Move over darling peaked at eight in Britain just as Doris Day's original had done although neither made the USA charts. Sunglasses was first recorded by Skeeter Davis but was quickly covered by Sandy Posey. My guy was originally written and recorded by Madness as My girl. The minor hit Helpless is a Motown song originally recorded by Kim Weston.

Tracey recorded many other covers of songs from the late fifties to the early eighties including Shattered (Sandy Posey), Life is a rock but the radio rolled me (Reunion), I'm always touched by your presence dear (Blondie), Give him a great big kiss (Shangri Las), I don't want our loving to die (the Herd), Bad motorcycle (Storey sisters), I know what boys want (Waitresses), If I had you (Korgis) and Falling in and out of love (Sinceros).

Tracey also co-wrote some of the songs here, though I admit that I prefer to hear her sing covers. This compilation omits (for example) Bobby's girl, one of my favorite recordings by Tracey. Of course, there are several compilations to choose from and if it really matters, you can compare the track listings to see what the differences are.

As befitting a comedienne, Tracey's music is upbeat, fun, music not to be taken too seriously but Tracey is no mere novelty singer. This is great party music but can be enjoyed in any setting.

Like a British Lily Tomlin, Tracey Ullman has a great gift for mimicry--not impersonations, but creating new and eccentric characters that attempt to mirror humanity. Also like Lily Tomlin, Ullman is an actress of some surprising skill, and she's actually much more endearing just playing ordinary women in comical situations ("I Love You to Death", "A Dirty Shame"). I don't know if her short-lived singing career was reflective of the Real Tracey, but indeed the music seems to have splintered off from her natural personality and effervescence, and this imbues the material (girl group, New Wave, retro pop) with jubulient, engaging sass. This Best-Of on the U.K. Stiff label is a very enjoyable outing complete with informative liner notes and chart information. Ullman considered this portion of her career a complete fluke, and word has it that her vocals were sweeted a bit in the studio, but that doesn't matter because her spirit comes through--she's alternately romantic ("They Don't Know", a note-for-note copy of the Kirsty MacColl original), swooning ("Move Over Darling"), heart-rending ("Shattered"), comically forlorn ("Sunglasses", one of her very best), nostalgic ("Life is a Rock", a Reunion cover with a how-did-they-do-that? rapping effect), and vulnerable ("You Broke My Heart in 17 Places"). She's tough but tender, wise and vulnerable. If this was truly all an act, and it probably was (with tongue greatly in cheek), it was still quite a gift to anyone who loves big, Spector-ish, romantic pop music. Out of the 21 tracks here, only two or three miss the mark, and that's a pretty good average for a comedienne who considered her music career a lark.

Tracy Ullman, celebrated for her comedic performances, has a knack for 60's Girl Group vocals and it's not just an actress wink. Tracy clearly cleaves to Leslie Gore, Lulu, Lennon Sisters even! This "Best Of" has Tracy's Top 10 1984 hit "They Don't Know About Us",and most of her first LP's breezy short skirt songs "Break Away" "My Guy" and wonderfully weirdly Doris Day's " Move Over Darling". Ya gotta smile at that! I do...

I love The Best of Tracey Ullman CD. It's packed with pop masterpieces that bring to mind Blondie meets The Supremes. Ullman combines the edge of 80s British music with the Phil Spector wall of sound vibe and creates a unique style of her own. Many of her cover tunes surpass the original versions. I bought this CD only knowing her hit "They Don't Know" but every track on here is excellent. Highlights include Breakaway, They Don't Know, I Know What Boys Like, Bad Motorcycle, My Guy, Sunglasses, (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear, Shattered, and If I Had You.