Freedom: Songs from the Heart of America [Box set]

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 10, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00007FOGP
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #305,003 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free - Nina Simone

2. America (My Country 'Tis Of Thee) - Washington Men's Camarata

3. Yankee Doodle - The Broadway Quartet (feat. Charles Harrison)

4. Because All Men Are Brothers - Peter, Paul & Mary w/ Dave Brubeck

5. Simple Gifts - The New York Philharmonic

6. The Star Spangled Banner - Duke Ellington

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. I'm On My Way (Live) - Mahalia Jackson

2. In My Merry Oldsmobile - Les Brown & His Orchestra

3. Keep Off The Grass - James P. Johnson

4. Over There - Arthur Fields

5. When The Moon Shines On The Moonshine - Bert Williams

6. The Death Of Mother Jones - Gene Autry

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. The Times They Are A-Changin' - Bob Dylan

2. America - Chita Rivera, Marilyn Cooper & Reri Grist

3. A Change Is Gonna Come - Terence Trent D'Arby & Booker T & The MG's

4. We Shall Overcome - Mahalia Jackson

5. Dancing In The Street - Martha And The Vandellas

6. If I Had A Hammer (The Hammer Song) - Pete Seeger

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Freedom ROCKS!, December 18, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Freedom: Songs from the Heart of America (Audio CD)

I thought this was going to be yet another predictable compilation of traditional freedom songs.Thankfully,it's not. It's by far the best holiday gift I could ever imagine giving-great songs-great range of artists, doing songs both well known and unknown.I never heard Nina Simone's "I wish I knew how it would feel to be Free" and it's fantastic. Same holds true for Dave Brubeck's version of "Because all Men Are Brothers." In this time of forced patriotis,this compilation offers a creative and memorable collection of songs that are stirring-not sappy, fun and not forced-for listeners of all ages. Where else could you find Duke Ellington,Bruce Springsteen, Suzanne Vega and Mahalia Jackson..Billie Holiday, Woody and Arlo Guthrie,Bob Dylan, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Johnny Cash and Jerry Garcia?? It's amazing that such great music is finaly put together in one boxed set. I can't wait to see the tv version on which the cds are based.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Freedom ROCKS!, December 18, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Freedom: Songs from the Heart of America (Audio CD)

I thought this was going to be yet another predictable compilation of traditional freedom songs.Thankfully,it's not. It's by far the best holiday gift I could ever imagine giving-great songs-great range of artists, doing songs both well known and unknown.I never heard Nina Simone's "I wish I knew how it would feel to be Free" and it's fantastic. Same holds true for Dave Brubeck's version of "Because all Men Are Brothers." In this time of forced patriotis,this compilation offers a creative and memorable collection of songs that are stirring-not sappy, fun and not forced-for listeners of all ages. Where else could you find Duke Ellington,Bruce Springsteen, Suzanne Vega and Mahalia Jackson..Billie Holiday, Woody and Arlo Guthrie,Bob Dylan, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Johnny Cash and Jerry Garcia?? It's amazing that such great music is finaly put together in one boxed set. I can't wait to see the tv version on which the cds are based.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best, July 1, 2005

By 

Bruce Kendall "BEK" (Southern Pines, NC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Freedom: Songs from the Heart of America (Audio CD)

If you're going to spend some rather serious bucks on a compilation CD, you could do a lot worse than this! It takes us on a multidimensional, multigenerational trip through some of the plateaus of American music from the first half of the 20th century, on. I guess Columbia is trying to catch up with Sony on these all encompassing compilations, and if so, more power to them. This recording touches so many bases and appeals to so many different sensibilities, fans of different genres, etc. that it would be impossible to cover it in under 2,000 words. I'm far too lazy to attempt that, amyway. Suffice it to say that there isn't a bad cut on the CD and that the compilers actually took some thought into arranging the thing.

As it's nearing 4th of July this year and our country is not in the best of shape (OK, maybe I'm spending too much time looking in the mirror after my showers this summer!), this CD collection should come as a refreshing and fulfilling reminder of what American music is all about, and why we should remember why it's still a vital, freedom loving country, with room for differing styles, tastes, etc!

BEK