Customer Reviews

Dream A Little Dream: The Cass Elliot Collection

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When your world's closing in
And there's no place to hide
And you're needin' a friend to be there
At your side
Send a message to me
I'll arrive and you'll see
Whether you're right or wrong
This is where you belong
Give it a try and you'll see

Move in a little closer baby
You've got to keep me closer baby
Come in a little closer baby
Together we can make it happen
Wait and see....

After she left The Mamas and The Papas, Cass Elliot became one of few solo artists to come out of the 60s and the 70s and STILL be well remembered today by people of all ages. Although her life was tragically cut short, she did not leave us before she entertained us with a mature vocal command of her songs that only a great singer could produce. Her vocal style always allowed the nuances of the lyrics to come through and this CD shows that clearly.

In essence, this is a fine compilation album. There are songs recorded live from her TV special/record album entitled "Don't Call Me Mama Anymore;" and there are two infectiously beautiful "bubblegum music" numbers entitled "Move In A Little Closer, Baby" and "It's Getting Better." Watch out, though, because Cass could sing folksy/bluesy songs including "Wild Women" (recorded here when she was with a group called The Big Three) and the rock style song called "California Earthquake." A most versatile singer, indeed!

I agree with other reviewers who write that it is extremely ironic that she came out with the song "I'm Coming To The Best Part Of My Life" so close to her untimely death. In addition, could it be that we are encouraged to remember Cass fondly by the placement of "Dream A Little Dream Of Me" as the last song on this CD? Perhaps so; but I for one don't need much encouragement.

In short, this CD is a great introduction to Cass Elliot's work and this is a good value if you're on a budget and want to choose just one Cass Elliot CD to start off with. (This CD is also good for fans of contemporary pop vocalists.) The credits are given for each song but there are no lyrics written. Instead of lyrics there are extensive liner notes by Jon E. Johnson. There are excellent photos of Cass, too. You can't escape the outrageous color photo of the bejeweled Cass reclining on a couch right on the front cover of the CD artwork! Another black and white photo of her naked but strategically covered by huge bunches of daisies is also terrific.

What else can I say? This album makes me rejoice that Cass shared her talent with us; it also makes me a bit sad that she died so young because had she lived this would only have been the beginning of decades of fine art. I say buy this CD and enjoy it many times over--you just won't be able to play it just once!

This album was a long time coming. The songs are beautiful and spirited, just like cass was. She had a range unmatched by todays performers. People like madonna and Mariah should take note. She had a way of singing into your heart, and into your mind. Songs like "Make your own kind of music" and "one way ticket" will sure to lift you up on gloomy days. And songs like "I can dream, Can't I?" Will no doubt leave you in tears. I have been a huge cass fan since I was a kid, and when this album came out, it was one of the best days of my life. Sadly I have to give this cd 4 stars, and for 2 good reason. Although I admire her daughter for releasing her mothers "greatest" hits in a way, she instead chooses mostly cuts from Cass Elliots "Bubblegum and Lemonade" album. Which is Sad! She made 8 albums in her career, and her most inovative a challenging work (her last 3 albums for RCA Records) are all but forgotten on here. With the exception of the live tracks, which were from the "Don't call me Mama anymore" album and one song from her self titled album. But the rest were mostly from her "Bubblegum" album. And secondly is to the MCA executives for not releasing her albums onto cd. I say BOOOOOOOOOO to all of you. Your denial of the fact that her albums might be sucessful, and that there are still Cass fans out there who want her music Re-Released is a crime. There Is so much more music of hers that you are denying the public that it sickens me that MCA executives have written me saying "That there isn't that much interest in Cass Elliot anymore" is completely untrue. But I say to all those who are thinking of buying this album to do so. Because this might be the closest you will ever get to hearing Cass Elliot's voice. And what a voice it was.

The Cass Elliot Collection is the best CD available for those who want to have all of her big solo hits (there weren't as many as people might think; most of her successful singles came off the Bubblegum album) as well as some stellar album cuts. What's so amazing is the variety of songs/music on this collection. Cass could sing it all - from vaudeville sounding tin pan alley to big ballads to folk and rock. On this CD, some early gems such as "California Earthquake" go nicely with her aching ode to her little girl "My Love". I especially love the cut "Disney Girls" (written by a Beach Boy for her) which is, sadly, the only song from her underrated self-titled album (now out of print). But the majority of these songs are all very satisfying -- with "I'm Coming to the Best Part of My Life" still a very sadly ironic ending. For those who are missing "Easy Come or Easy Go" or "Welcome to the World", there are other collections available. But for your money, there is not a weak song on this gorgeous album.

Lawrence

This collection is one of the only places where you can find Cass' solo songs on CD, and it is also the best. It includes her wonderful inspirational bubble-gum hits, such as "It's Getting Better" and "Move In a Little Closer." But it also includes many of her beautiful soulful songs, such as "Disney Girls" and "Who's to Blame." It even proves that she can sing the blues ("Wild Women") and includes a live song from her Vegas act ("Don't Call me Mama Anymore.") The monolgue before this song seems silly at first, but ti will grow on you. Cass Elliot was an excellent singer and a fascinating person, but most people don't know much about her today. I think it is time for her to make a comeback, though, and this album will make you see why. It is a better collection than "Mama's Big Ones" because it has a more diverse selection of songs, interesting liner notes, and great cover art.

No "Greatest Hits" collection ever has all of the songs that all of the fans want, so I really don't think it is fair to criticize what's not on the CD. Personally, I think it is a great shame that 'The Room Nobody Lives In' has never been put on CD. But if we are just looking at this CD, I'd have to recommend it. It does have a large number of the songs that her fans want to hear and I really enjoyed the ones I had never heard before. I still have my record player and two Cass albums, Dream and Little Dream and Make Your Own Kind of Music. I feel that this CD does represent the best from those two albums (except for the song listed above). Oh, and the insert is great. I never expected the picture in the inside of a nude Cass laying on her belly in a field of daisies. Quite a shocker initially but it is tasteful and made me giggle.

In short, no [bad] songs, lots of the good songs ... worth the purchase.

The songs for this collection were obviously chosen with love and that shows. At first I wondered when I saw that the list didn't include the BIGGEST hits necessarily but thinking it over as I listened (repeatedly) I understood and remembered that this album was put together by daughter Owen. She might have been a small child but she got it. I applaud both Cass and Owen

Cass was a wonderful performer who was at her best on stage, not in the recording studio. That said, there is one truly great solo album by Cass that accurately reflects what she could do as an artist, and this ain't it. The album, of course, is her first RCA album, entitled simply "Cass Elliot". As soon as she warms up to the first song, the soulful "I'll Be Home", it's almost non-stop great singing clear through to the ending with a wistful (rather than either romantic or cynical) version of "All In the Game". There are many highlights, including the opening and closing numbers, the old hit "Baby I'm Yours" (Cass at her cuddliest), the wonderful "Cherries Jubilee" and "I Think It's Going to Rain Today", and the greatest Cass Elliot number of all times, "Jesus Was a Cross Maker". The "almost" non-stop is due to the presence of only two weak numbers, the tired and trite "That Song", which not even Cass could rescue, and the peculiar and awkward "Disney Girls". Guess which song is the only cut from this album to be included on "Dream a Little Dream"? That's right, "Disney Girls". I could go on and on about the wonderful things Cass recorded that are missing from this album, including the second greatest CE number, "Different", from the Pufnstuf movie (remember Cass as Witch Hazel?), but suffice it to say that this collection mostly reiterates the brassy Dunhill hits which, ironically, Cass herself actually disliked. Not that there aren't several good numbers on it, but this is far, far from the definitive Cass Elliot collection that it could have been.

a great cd put together by her daughter though much more is needed from the vaults. including video material aswell.rca/mca/warner should dig deep and release more. terence@boultby.freeserve.co.uk anyother cass elliot fans e-mail me to share video' gossip etc

I must agree with most of the other reviewers when I say that this song doesn't have her best stuff on it. Much of it is on her first album "Bubblegum, Lemonade, ..." and her second album "Make Your Own Kind of Music". "He's a Runner" is my favorite Mama Cass song and I need to have it and all the others on CD, I'm wearing my vinyl thin!!! But at least MCA is getting the right idea by releasing an all-new anthology. Now just follow that up with CD re-releases of all her solo albums.

This is an acceptable collection of Cass songs, but I think it's criminal that nothing from her wonderful 'The Road Is No Place For A Lady' LP is included. Another problem: The best album Cass ever recorded is her self-titled one, but it is represented here by the worst song Cass ever recorded, the limp "Disney Girls." Sound quality is good, and the pics are nice, but song selection definitely could've been better. Rating: 3.5 stars.

P.S. Where's "He's A Runner"? Now, THAT'S a beautiful track.