Customer Reviews

Digitally Remastered Best

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

 

 

I WAS TWO THE YEAR 1966 WHEN GUANTANAMERA AND CUANDO SALI DE CUBA (WHEN I LEFT CUBA) WERE GOING AROUND THE WORLD. GUANATANAMERA IS THE MOST FAMOUS POEM WRITTEN BY CUBAN JOSE MARTI. HE REFLECTS HIS FEELING OF FREEDOM FOR HIS COUNTRY AND FEELING NECESSARY TO GIVE HIS OWN LIFE, HE DID SO, BUT NOT WITHOUT GIVING OTHERS A WORD OF HOPE. CUANDO SALI DE CUBA IS SIMILAR, BUT THIS TIME THE AUTHOR REFLECTS THE SADNESS AND HURT OF HAVING TO LEAVE HIS HOMELAND BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNIST MOVEMENT MAKING HIM TO LOOSE HIS FREEDOM AND HAVING TO GO TO OTHER PLACES TO REACH HIS FREEDOM, BUT KEEPING IN MIND TO GO BACK TO HIS HOMELAND LIVING IN FREEDOM. THESE ALBUM CONTAINS VERY WONDERFUL SONGS, SOME OF THEM IN THEIR ORIGINAL LANGUAGE, THIS IS THE CASE IN GUANTANAMERA, CUANDO SALI DE CUBA AND THE ITALIAN HIT QUANDO M'INNAMORA ( WHEN I FALL IN LOVE ). THE SWEETNESS OF THE VOICES IN THE SANDPIPERS ARE NOT ONLY ROMANTIC, THEY GIVE A SPECIAL FEELING TO EVERY SONG. MAY I ALSO COMMENT ABOUT THE BRASILIAN BOSSA NOVA BY BADEN POWELL LET GO, A SONG THAT LETS YOU SEE YOU ARE VERY VALIOUS TO EVERYONE AROUND. I RECOMMEND THIS ALBUM, BY THE SWEETNESS OF THE VOICES AND FOR A GOOD TIME TO RELAX. ALL THE SONGS ARE VERY BEAUTIFUL AND VERY WELL SELECTED. DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE IT IN YOUR COLLECTION.

The Sandpipers were an easy listening male vocal trio (Jim Brady, Mike Piano, and Richard Shoff) who had a couple of Top 20 hits in the late 1960s. "Guantanamera," with its Spanish lyrics translated in a spoken section, made in higher on the Billboard charts (#9) but the song most identified with the group was "Come Saturday Morning" (#17), which was the theme song for the film "The Sterile Cuckoo." The songs personify the group's sound, which were light harmonies sung over the delicate sounds of strings. The group was signed by Herb Alpert to the trumpeter's own label, which explains why in addition to the South American folk song "Guantanamera" there did other songs with a Latin flair, such as "Cuando Sali De Cuba" and "Quando Sali de Cuba." There are also an Italian song, "Quando m'Innamora ("When I Fall in Love") to expand the group's international flavor as well as cover versions of a slew of other hits, such as "Louie Louie," "Kumbaya," "Never My Love," "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart," and La Bamba."

Harry Belafonte and Hector Acosta were two of the group's name arrangers, which was rather surprising, but what I was most interested in learning was that the name of the female vocalist who supported the group by singing wordlessly in and around the group's main harmonies, was named Pamela Ramcier. It never dawned on me that it would be the same singer or that she performed with the Sandpipers in concert. But I have always liked that sound, both on these songs and on the soundtrack of "Once Upon a Time in the West," which is the other notable example of this style that comes to mind. The Sandpipers were not a great group, mainly because their easy listening sound comes across as being one of the main influences on Muzak (a.k.a. elevator music), but the collection of "The Best of the Sandpipers" shows them at their best. If you remember their sound, or at least their hits songs, then you should already know if you would like to listen to two dozen of their tracks.

I really wanted it for 'Quando Sali de Cuba' which I loved long ago.My other favourite tracks are 'Quando M'Innamoro','Kumbaya' and 'Free to carry on'.It is gentle soothing harmony. The Sandpipers sing so well in English, Spanish and Italian....I haven't guessed where they are really from! Just so you know...'La Bamba' is sung slowly to a different tune...not the famous one of Los Lobos.

I grew up listening to the Sandpipers before I got into Pop music. They were played on conservative radio stations in Australia. My father had some of their music. Later when I was a teenager I listened to them being played over supermarket speakers where I worked. This was in the days when Glen Campbell was the heaviest sound they played, otherwise customers would have been driven out of the stores. I always found them pleasant to listen to, and even appealing. It was curious, as it sounded like good background music, but it was more enjoyable, and never overbearing, pretentious, crass or vulgar, like much music today. (I'll never understand the reason for using swearwords or blasphemy in a song, unless it's to alienate many potential listeners)

Anyhow, the Sandpipers must still have appeal even today, judging by the high price of their CDs. I would have this album just for La Mer (Beyond the sea), but Guantanamera, Come Saturday morning, and others help make it a definite requirement for any good music collection, if your tastes are broad enough to extend that way.

Their music helped to mold me into the peace loving person that I felt I became. So I'm not plugging Amazon nor A&M, merely praising it's value.

I gave it 4 stars because it's that good. It's not up there with the best albums ever, but still something I'd listen to over most music I have, when I want to relax, which is one of the most desired effects. That's why Fleetwood Mac & ELO were so popular.

Best at medium volume, or on low as relaxing driving music.

Although the track lineup is a little scattershot, the selections are good and the sound quality is excellent. There are a few desirable album tracks omitted, so the "Guantanamera" CD is a recommended follow-up (or the soon-to-be released "Guantanamera / Sandpipers" 2-on-1 CD), but this CD can stand on its own as well. Recommended also : "A&M Digitally Remastered Best" collections of Julius Wechter & Baja Marimba band, Claudine Longet, and Chrsi Montez. Hopefully more will follow (and how about U.S. releases, A&M?)

The Sandpipers were very special for so many. They were American born but with strong connections to Cuba and other places in Latin America. They sang Strangers in The Night in Spanish {Castillano as it is called in some places and Español in others} as well as Louie-Louie in Spanish. Guantanamera and Quando Sali de Cuba are my favorites when Glass is beautiful as well as thier version of Lets Go.

The Sandpipers were an easy listening mainly 60s trio with pop/folk leanings. This CD has most (though not quite all) of their singles, charting and non charting, including their two biggest American hits, Guantanamera (9 in the US, 6 in the UK) and Come Saturday Morning (17 in the US), together with a couple of songs that were minor British hits (Quando M'innamoro reaching no. 33 and Kumbaya no. 38 in the UK charts) and a number of album cuts. These songs are all pleasant, well harmonised and easy on the ear. This is probably the best and most comprehensive compilation of The Sandpipers that you're likely to get. Sadly it's now out of print and very difficult to get hold of. But if you want the best of The Sandpipers, this is your CD, and it's well worth paying for.