Customer Reviews

Carole King - Her Greatest Hits: Songs Of Long Ago

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD does a wonderful job of capturing all the big hits, as well as some other lesser known songs, composed, and sung by one of the great folk rock talents of this generation, Carole King. Her unique voice, piano accompaniments, and mellow but probing tunes made an unmistakable contribution to the music of the 60s and 70s, and some of her best known work became smash hits for other artists (Up on the Roof, You've Got a Friend). I would add, however, that Tapestry is one of the great albums ever recorded and because many of the great songs on it are inevitably left off a greatest hits CD, I would make sure to buy that one as well.

I've a confession.....I had originally purchased this cd strictly because I found it at a local record store at a bargain basement price.Now, I had at one time or another heard all of these songs and while I thought them pleasant I wasn't all that excited by my bargain purchase.

Now after listening to this disc every day for almost two weeks I am happy tell you how lucky I was to have found it....regardless of the price. Although I thought I might listen once or twice and then abandon it to the back of my cd collection just the opposite has happened. Carole's song structure is incredible and her lyrics are truly remarkable. Hearing these songs again have given me a much keener appreciation for her talent. "Jazzman","It's Too Late" and "Been To Canaan" are vibrant and have completely stood the test of time. There's simply not a bad song on this disc. Adding on a live version of "Natural Woman",which sent shivers down my spine upon first hearing it and you have an idea of just how strong this cd really is.

If this isn't in your collection....don't say you haven't been advised! A wonderful singer/songwriter all around.

Hearing "Jazzman" really brings back a lot of childhood memories for me. It used to come on the car radio a lot in the mid 70's while my mom towed me from place to place. And it made me have a crush on her even though I never saw a picture of her. Wild, huh? But as for the rest of the album, it does a good job of sampling her solo albums. I wish it had "You've got a Friend," but other than that minor faux pas, this album is really enjoyable. I'd pick it up.

This is a wonderful compilation album which capitulates all of Carole King's greatest hits. Carole King was one of those singer-songwriters who provided the musical backdrop for the exploration of alternative ways of looking at, exploring, and experiencing the world around us. Her many popular anthems described her feelings, existential angst, and sentimental deliberations about life, love and the battles between the sexes in very approachable and appealing ways. Both the melodies and the lyrics are topical, memorable, and quite up beat, although she is certainly capable of delivering some thought-provoking and plaintive songs, such as an existential wail over the problems with maintaining a long- distance relationship in songs like "So Far Away".

Yet Carole always keeps the tunes within the pop realm, and packages them in a seamless production with great vocals and impeccable musical arrangements, and what is included in this classic album is a treasure for the ages. From "Tapestry" to "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", from "(You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Woman" to ""You've Got A Friend", and from "Home Again" to "It's Too Late", the entire album resonates with her unique gift for terrific lyrics showcasing unforgettable melodies. It's all here, folks, a wonderful album that recapitulates all of the songs that this great pop star gave us as she emerges from the unbelievable sixties to prove the best just keep on singing! Enjoy

I like this CD alot. The only thing I did not personally care for are the live cuts at the end. I would have rather had, "You've Got A Friend" slotted in as one of 2 possibilities.

Also, because there are so many Carol King CD's to choose from, you really need to pay atention to the tracks listed on each one. I ended up buying "Tapestry" also, because i got a few songs that were not on the Greatest Hits.

This is a wonderful compilation album which capitulates all of Carole King's greatest hits. Carole King was one of those singer-songwriters who provided the musical backdrop for the exploration of alternative ways of looking at, exploring, and experiencing the world around us. Her many popular anthems described her feelings, existential angst, and sentimental deliberations about life, love and the battles between the sexes in very approachable and appealing ways. Both the melodies and the lyrics are topical, memorable, and quite up beat, although she is certainly capable of delivering some thought-provoking and plaintive songs, such as an existential wail over the problems with maintaining a long- distance relationship in songs like "So Far Away".

Yet Carole always keeps the tunes within the pop realm, and packages them in a seamless production with great vocals and impeccable musical arrangements, and what is included in this classic album is a treasure for the ages. From "Tapestry" to "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", from "(You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Woman" to ""You've Got A Friend", and from "Home Again" to "It's Too Late", the entire album resonates with her unique gift for terrific lyrics showcasing unforgettable melodies. It's all here, folks, a wonderful album that recapitulates all of the songs that this great pop star gave us as she emerges from the unbelievable sixties to prove the best just keep on singing! Enjoy

I bought this CD five years ago after seeing her featured on the VH1 special about the 100 greatest artists of Rock and Roll. Although I don't listen to it as much as some of my other music, when I do her songs connect emotionally on a personal level. Her songwriting is very intimate.

This is a wonderful compilation album which capitulates all of Carole King's greatest hits. Carole King was one of those singer-songwriters who provided the musical backdrop for the exploration of alternative ways of looking at, exploring, and experiencing the world around us. Her many popular anthems described her feelings, existential angst, and sentimental deliberations about life, love and the battles between the sexes in very approachable and appealing ways. Both the melodies and the lyrics are topical, memorable, and quite up beat, although she is certainly capable of delivering some thought-provoking and plaintive songs, such as an existential wail over the problems with maintaining a long- distance relationship in songs like "So Far Away".

Yet Carole always keeps the tunes within the pop realm, and packages them in a seamless production with great vocals and impeccable musical arrangements, and what is included in this classic album is a treasure for the ages. From "Tapestry" to "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", from "(You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Woman" to ""You've Got A Friend", and from "Home Again" to "It's Too Late", the entire album resonates with her unique gift for terrific lyrics showcasing unforgettable melodies. It's all here, folks, a wonderful album that recapitulates all of the songs that this great pop star gave us as she emerges from the unbelievable sixties to prove the best just keep on singing! Enjoy

This is a wonderful collection of Carole's greatest hits. And they are great! The CD contains remastered songs from original sources. The sound is very good. 4 out of 5. I give the CD 5 starts because it is just that, 5 stars. Great recording, great performance, great songs.

I admit, I am not the biggest fan of Carole King as a vocalist. However as a songwriter and lyricist, I have been impressed with her work. Carole actually started out as a songwriter in the 1960s. She was well known for her songwriting collaborations with Gerry Goffin - these songs included Little Eva's "The Loco-Motion" and Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman". Eventually Carole would strike out on her own with a solo career. While her first solo effort, "Writer" was a bomb - her next album 1971's "Tapestry" became one of the landmark albums of the 1970s. Carole's albums that would follow "Tapestry" wouldn't measure up to the commercial success of that 1971 effort -but these follow-up albums still had much of the quality of that landmark album. Carole's recordings from the peak of her solo career from 1971-1975 are captured on the collection "Carole King - Her Greatest Hits: Songs of Long Ago". This selection captures some of her more popular tracks on one collection.

As mentioned, I am not the biggest fan of Carole's vocals. Although they are unique, they don't really impress me that much. Her music is what impresses me a lot more. Carole's music can best be described as a cross of Folk and Jazz. At times there are Blues interspersed in the mudic. The lyrics are also very folk-ish in style - but hey this was the 1970s and this was pretty much the trend for this time period. Although Carole incorporated a supporting band - it is the piano that is the core instrument used in her music. If Billy Joel is "The Piano Man", you can make an argument for Carole being "The Piano Lady".

This version is the remastered version of this collection. This collection contains 14 tracks. My version, the original version of "Her Greatest Hits" only included 12 tracks. Missing from my collection are the two bonus live tracks - "Eventually" and "(You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman". But it is the 12 studio tracks that really are the core of this collection. These 12 tracks are taken from 6 albums. These 6 albums are: "Tapestry" ("It's Too Late", "I Feel the Earth Move", "So Far Away", "Smackwater Jack"); "Music" ("Brother Brother", "Sweet Seasons"); "Rhymes and Reasons" ("Been to Canaan"); "Fantasy" ("Corazon", "Believe in Humanity"); "Wrap Around Joy ("Nightingale", "Jazzman"); "Thoroughbred" ("Only Love is Real").

If you are looking at other Carole King greatest hits collection, the one collection that rivals "Her Greatest Hits" is "Natural Woman: The Ode Collection 1968-1976". This is a two-disc set that is much more comprehensive than "Her Greatest Hits". "Natural Woman" includes 36 tracks and does cover a larger period of time as well as going deeper. The 12-core studio tracks included on "Her Greatest Hits' are also included on the "Natural Woman" collection - the only exception to this is that "Believe in Humanity" is a live version. The two bonus live tracks that are included on the remastered "Her Greatest Hits" are not a part of the "Natural Woman" collection.

One thing that I usually prefer in a Greatest Hits collection is for the songs to be arranged in chronological order in which they were recorded and released. By listening to songs in chronological order, it allows me to see how an artist has progressed or changed over time. Unfortunately, "Her Greatest Hits" doesn't do this. The songs are in a mixed order with no real basis for how they were arranged.

As mentioned, Carole incorporates the use of a studio band. There have been some big name musicians that have worked with her on her efforts. The most notable name is Danny Kortchmar - who played electric guitar on several of Carole's albums. Leland Sklar - best known as the long-bearded basis from Phil Collins' "Serious" band plays electric bass on "Only Love is Real". That single also features "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack percussionist and musician Ralph MacDonald. In an ironic twist both Kortchmar and MacDonald, might have worked with "The Piano Lady", but they also worked with "The Piano Man" on separate occasions.

Carole is best known for her music from "Tapestry". Most people are familiar with the piano-laden songs "It's Too Late" and "I Feel the Earth Move" as well as the ballad "So Far Away". It is the fourth song from "Tapestry" that is included that I feel is the strongest. "Smackwater Jack" is a bluesy song that basically is a narrative. The music might be up tempo, but it is a dark narrative. It tells the story of a man named 'Smackwater Jack' who buys a shotgun and shoots down a congregation. He is eventually captured and hung without a trial.

I think Carole's strongest songs actually have come from other efforts she has released. "Jazzman" is probably my favorite track she has done. This song - while using the piano as the cornerstone instrument features some terrific horns. This song is a great example of the folkish lyrics integrated with a Jazz-like sound. I was disappointed only two songs from "Fantasy" were included. This was probably her most innovative work. However, the two tracks included still do justice. "Corazon" is a Latin tempo song. It could easily be mistaken for a Santana song with the guitar and percussion that is included. It is also impressive that the whole song is done in Spanish. "Believe in Humanity" is the other song from "Fantasy" - it has a bluesy piano sound - but lyrically sends a powerful message on the chorus "So don't tell me about the things you heard; Maybe I'm wrong but I want to believe in humanity".

The liner notes are pretty thin. There is an interesting twist on how the musician credits are told in the form of a narrative. While not as deep as "Natural Woman", this is still a pretty good collection to get acquainted with Carole's music. I'd recommend it.