Customer Reviews

Even Stevens [LP VINYL]

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This release is not widely availabe- I looked around a lot before finding it. I'm glad I did. While all the songs are worthehile, there is one stand-out, knock-you-off-your-feet track- "Funny Man", which I suspect is autobiographical. "Funny Man" is a re-working of one of his earlier Mercury songs. Unbelievably powerful! Much like his revamping of "Misty", you'd never believe a cute little novelty song could be transformed into this big, moving powerful ballad. Ray is in fine voice throughout and strikes the perfect balance between his comic persona and his serious side. A very spirtiual, but never preacy, offering from one of country's best!

There are probably two good reasons for loving Ray Stevens. One is minutely important - "The Streak" may be the funniest recording ever made. The second, and most significant however, is this "album". The songs capture a moment when doo-wop met rock & roll and were filtered through a singer with, egads, country sensibilities. The hits, though at the time minor (not unlike Credence Clearwater Revival never having a #1 song), are unique expressions of the era - "Mr. Businessman", "Unwind", and "The Great Escape". But the greatness of this album lies in the incredible quality of the other songs. "Funny Man", "Say Cheese", "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow", and "Face The Music" are unrequited-love classics. And give a listen to "Isn't It Lonely Together" - it might make you think. If you come to the realization that Ray Sevens may have wasted his abilities on comedy songs, you probably have a keen sense of what the sixties meant to music.

A1 The Minority
A2 Funny Man
A3 For He's A Jolly Good Fellow
A4 Say Cheese
A5 Mr. Businessman
B1 Isn't Lonely Together
B2 Face The Music
B3 The Earl Of Stilton Square
B4 Unwind
B5 The Great Escape

Unlike most people, I love the serious side of Ray Stevens. This CD is awesome.

I'm ordering this album today as I only have the vinyl version of way back when. It's especially exciting to see that there will be a little bonus for my trouble! What an awesome all-around musician--what a shame his "serious" side has been eclipsed by his comic genius! Now, if only I could find a CD collection with his (circa "Misty") rendition of
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow"!

Right from the start of this masterpiece to the very end (the CD contains several bonus tracks of his 1965-1967 Monument singles not available on album/CD until now), Ray is in command of things here. I love the bouncy "Earl of Stilton Square" in which some of his phrases come out sounding British. "The Minority" and "The Great Escape" are also good. The only song i would have left off is "Say Cheese". Aside from that everything is great. "Isn't It Lonely Together?" is mind blowing and "Mr. Businessman" is outstanding. I really love his vocal performance on the sorrowful "Party People" from 1965. Originally released in 1968, this was the album that sent him into super-stardom and he never looked back.