Stan Freberg Presents The United States Of America, Vol. 2, The Middle Years

Stan Freberg | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 2, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B0000033TX
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #283,620 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Intro & Overture

2. Madison, Jefferson, Franklin, & Osbourne

3. Madison, Jefferson, Franklin, & Osbourne, Pt. 2

4. America! America!

5. Madison, Jefferson, Franklin, & Osbourne, Pt. 3

6. Rumplemeyer's Horseshoes: The Francis Scott Key Story

7. Rumplemeyer's Horseshoes

8. Stephen Foster, Beloved Songwriter

9. Samuel F.B. Morse Sends the First Telegram

10. Abe Lincoln in Analysis

11. Show Folk

12. Abe Lincoln at Home in the White House

13. Barbara Frietchie, Martyr of the Year

14. Shoot if You Must

15. Lincoln at Shiloh With General Grant

16. As Long As You're Up/A Sober Life's a Hard Life

17. The Appomattox Courthouse Bar & Grill

18. There'll Never Be Another War

19. Custer's Last Stand

20. Alexander Graham Bell and the First Phone Call

See all 32 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can I Give It TEN Stars?, July 12, 2000

By 

Richard E. Upton (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stan Freberg Presents The United States Of America, Vol. 1, The Early Years, And Vol. 2, The Middle Years (Audio CD)

I was six years old when my parents bought the original LP of Volume One, and I have listened to it regularly in the 39 years since. Not only has Volume One been committed to my memory for many years now, but it has become a part of my daily life. Phrases from that disc regularly creep into my conversations, often apropos of nothing. That album is simply one of the funniest, most wonderfully creative records ever made. Freberg's voice is just FUNNY, even when he's not trying. He always has been able to surround himself with the finest voices in the business, and many of them are here, including Paul Frees, Jesse White and June Foray. This warped history lesson also includes brilliant sound effects by Jimmy MacDonald, and extraordinary musical arrangements by Billy May. The original CD release on Capitol (which took WAY too long to happen) included some extra material that Freberg found in the Capitol vaults and re-inserted. That material is carried over here in this Rhino release, which is accompanied by the long-awaited Volume Two. Sad to say, Volume Two does not live up to its predecessor. Freberg, Foray and White are all back, but White was fresh from a stroke, and it's painful to hear him here, especially if you've just listened to his wonderfully energetic performance on Volume One. It's good to hear Freberg stalwart Peter Leeds back again too, along with new voices in the persons of Tyne Daly, John Goodman, David Ogden Stiers, Harry Shearer, Sherman Hemsley, Lorenzo Music, and Freberg's own children, among others. But the material is weaker here, and too much time is spent explaining things to the listener (especially on "Stephen Foster, Beloved Songwriter," which would otherwise be the funniest thing on here), as opposed to Freberg's assumption on Volume One that we already knew what we needed to know to find the humor. Still, the weaknesses in Volume Two are far, FAR outweighed by the strengths of Volume One. Volume One has, for years, been used in schoolroom history classes, with great success in keeping students interested and entertained. It's a brilliant piece of work by the man who may be the single most brilliant satirist ever, the wonderful Stan Freberg.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Five stars for Volume 1; one star for Volume 2, April 19, 2005

By 

Virtualmonk (Texas) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Stan Freberg Presents The United States Of America, Vol. 1, The Early Years, And Vol. 2, The Middle Years (Audio CD)

"Vol. 1, The Early Years" is without a doubt the best comedy recording I have ever heard. I personally discovered it back in the mid-80s, when I came across a copy of the album one Saturday at the radio station where I worked. It was listened to many a time "in cue" or after sign-off. I simply could not get enough of it. I also listened repeatedly to his "Original Cast" greatest hits album and the classic "Freeberg Underground" live recording he did in the mid-60s at the Hollywood Bowl.

Ever since then, I had hoped that a) Vol. 1 would someday come out on CD, and b) that he would eventually make good on his promise in the original album's liner notes to bring out a Vol. 2.

Well, both of my wishes came true. Vol. 1 is out on CD and as good if not better than I remember it. Plus, they added back in some parts that were cut so the original recording could fit on one LP. Vol. 2, on the other hand, is a *major* disappointment.

Vol. 2 simply tries too hard. It tries to tackle a huge amount of American history (from the late 1700s through the end of World War I) in 34 tracks on one CD (a virtually impossible task). It tries to satirize events during the Civil War (a hopeless task). And, its satire lacks the "let's not take ourselves too seriously" light-heartedness of Vol. 1, which is another way of saying it is trying to be Politically Correct.

It's a shame Vol. 2 wasn't written and produced soon after Vol. 1. I honestly believe Stan and Co. would have come up with another classic.

I too wish Rhino still offered Vol. 1 separately. From a marketing/business standpoint, I understand why they don't do it.

Still, if you don't have Vol. 1, it's worth the sacrifice to buy the two-volume set just to get it. Who knows? You may end up liking Vol. 2. If not, it makes a good (albeit expensive) coaster.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History never sounded like this before, February 16, 2002

By 

Scott N. Burton (Bridgeport,CT USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Stan Freberg Presents The United States Of America, Vol. 1, The Early Years, And Vol. 2, The Middle Years (Audio CD)

Stan Freberg is undoubtedly a master satirist-Volume 1 of his "United States Of America" was originally released in 1961 & became an immediate classic-Thirty-five years later in 1996,Freberg decided to put out his long awaited sequel:"The United States Of America,Volume 2"-Both volumes are equally hilarious & memorable-My favorite routines are "A Man Has To Be Careful Of What He Signs These Days" (Declaration Of Independence),"Take An Indian To Lunch This Week" (The first Thanksgiving),& "The Appomatox Bar & Grill"-Freberg is ably assisted by a fine supporting cast:The late Paul Frees & Jesse White on Volume 1 & David Ogden Stiers,Sherman Hemsley,& Tyne Daly on Volume 2-It's a known fact that most students are turned off by history-However,if teachers were to play this album in their classes,I think the students would change their minds in a heartbeat-If you're a major league Stan Freberg fan like myself,don't hesitate to purchase this outstanding 2-CD set.