Customer Reviews

Golden Classics

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

 

 

I've only had one "celebrity crush" in my life, and Mark Lindsay was it, so this "2 LPs on 1 CD" is a sentimental journey back in time.

Though this is pure 70's "pop" and sounds dated by today's standards, it's a smooth and lovely CD...perhaps music of this era needs another 20 years to go by to be fully appreciated, when singers like Mark and other fine musicians like The Carpenters will be thought of as "vintage" rather than "dated".

Mark has a warm and sensitive style, and a wonderful sound..."Arizona" was the biggest hit for him on this collection, but he shines in songs that were popular 30 years ago like "Something", "Sunday Morning Comin' Down", and many more.

A rare and beautiful soul who is so giving to his fans, hearing Mark's voice brings back memories of how incredibly kind he was to a very shy fan (me)...meeting him was truly a highlight of my life.

The little booklet insert has a brief history of Paul Revere & the Raiders, and Mark's early solo career...for fans who want more, check out marklindsay.com, his informative and very up-to-date website.

GOD BLESS MARK, MAY HE LIVE LONG AND PROSPER !

Unfortunately many wrote Mark Lindsay off as simply a teen idol, but he is one of the most talented men in rock history - a great composer, arranger and producer and also possessing probably the second most versatile voice (behind Elvis) of the rock era. That voice is in fine form on these recordings. "Arizona" and "Silverbird" are his best known solo songs, but his great rendition of Neil Diamond's "And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind" as well as lesser known songs such as "Miss America" and "Man from Houston" make this a must-have CD for anyone who appreciates a great rock ballad.

The music in this CD takes me way back, Mark Lindsay was my constant companion, (through the headphones and in my dreams!) for some shy and awkward but also wonderful years! I loved and knew every word to all of the Raider songs, got to see him live one magical night in 1968, and followed his career after he went solo. This very gifted and talented man wrote and sang about things we all felt, and made a connection through his music that I still feel! He had the gift of belting out smoky-voiced rock and roll, or almost whispering a lullaby, always with such wonderful emotion! This CD will remind you of all those great old times, and you'll enjoy hearing those feelings again! And Mark, if you're out there, I still love you - thank you so much!

I first discovered the music of Mark Lindsay in 1970-71. I just left college and was living in a little town with a beautiful lake and just met the girl of my dream(who is now my wife of 26 years) I used to love waking up on a sunday morning listening to Sunday Morning Coming Down. Thought and still think it is one of the most beautiful song ever recorded, Mark Lindsay did a wonderful job to this Kris Kristopherson song. My other favourites are Small Town Woman, And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind, Miss America, Silver Bird...and so many more. Along the way in the last 20 years, with relocation, kids growing up and all that, I lost all my Mark Lindsay records and audio cassettes. And I have been looking for them ever since, I have looked everywhere,record stores in London, LA/Cleveland/Fayetteville/Dallas/San Fransisco, Hongkong, Taipei, Manila, old records stores, Tower/Virgin Records...on and on. This is such a great surprise and I must thank my local radio DJ for telling me to look Amazon.com. To Mark Lindsay, make a come back !!

The first two of Mark Lindsay's solo work are so good that it's a little surprising that these two albums did not sell more than they did. What good fortune to work with producer Jerry Fuller and arranger/conductor Artie Butler on the majority of these songs. Just listen to the Fuller/Butler collaborations, "Feel the Warm"(which Billy Eckstine also covered) and "Bookends", pop gems in three minutes time. I especially admired Artie Butler's very different, more rhythmic arrangement for "We've Only Just Begun" and Neil Diamond's "And the Grass Won't Pay no Mind", which has a slightly different mix (more guitars) than the vinyl version. The slowed down Bacharach-David classic from the Broadway musical Promises, Promises, "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" is just sublime. To Collectables: Why no songwriting credits on the CD? Especially when the back booklet is almost a plain, white blank. An overflow of talent, nonetheless!!

This CD is actually a double album comprised of Mark's two solo efforts: "Arizona" and "Silver Bird". This music has been difficult to find for the past several years and we are fortunate to have it at hand once again. These songs, particularly from "Arizona", bring back fond memories of high school, growing up, teenage angst, (and yes, backseats). Mark Lindsay now has an excellent career as a producer but these songs from the period between that and his days as one of "Paul Revere and the Raiders" are, as far as I'm concerned, some of his finest work. This is music to be enjoyed.

These two classic Columbia albums are not to be missed. Arizona and Silver Bird were the two big hit singles from these two releases but the albums are full of great songs, both original and covers. Who would have thought that anyone could improve on Johnny Cash's dark reading of the Kristofferson masterpiece Sunday Morning Comin Down? Mark's version is not as dark and dismal sounding as Johnny's and it works. Mark's voice is much more palatable on the song as well.
It is well known that Mark Lindsay was the creative genius in Paul Revere and The Raiders. On the later Raider albums (my favorites), it was Mark who Produced and arranged those albums as well as writing the lions share of their original material.
On his solo albums Mark headed in a middle of the road / easy listening direction. Something that I never really understood. I always thought he should have gone in the singer-songwriter/rock direction. Like James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Elton John etc. Mark's vocals and songwriting skills were on par with the greats of that early 70s era.
Still the solo albums are great, especially if you are a fan of the Raiders. This stuff is softer, but you can't mistake the voice featured in Raider classics like Kicks, Hungy, Steppin Out, Good Thing, Don't Take It So Hard, Mr. Sun Mr. Moon etc.
It is nice to have the Arizona and Silver Bird albums on CD. I have a question for Columbia Records and Collectibles for that matter. When are we going to get Mark Lindsay's third solo album, You've Got A Friend on CD, or the classic Raiders albums Indian Reservation and Country Wine??? These are long overdue!
It would also be nice to get some bonus tracks inlcuded.
Time's a wastin'

I remember the Raiders and enjoying all the different forms of rock at the time. When I was drafted and went away to a totally new culture R&R was one of my only comforts. Lots of anger and rebellion which was easily reinforced by several bands But Mark Lindsay gave me a hopeful and gentle point of view. I didn't want to come home angry. I wanted to remember the "Small Town Woman" and that "Love's Been Good To Me" and there had been "Something" in the way I had been moved. If I ever had the chance to thank him I would! Kept me warm and real and hopeful. Some things ARE timeless. Recently on VH1'S "The List" the question was songs you never get tired of hearing. Anything by Mark Lindsay I would include. Edithanne you hit it on the head: a comforting constant!

In 1970-71; Mark Lindsay worked some solo magic while he was still with the band, Paul Revere And The Raiders, and had us all listening and singing to the Top 10 Smash, Arizona, and his Top 30 followup, Silverbird, and both are on this CD. Three others on this Disc are the Ballads, Come Saturday Morning, We've Only Just Begun, and the George Harrison Penned, Something. His beautiful Medley of the Lennon / McCartney Penned, The Long And Winding Road / Yesterday, is another highlight to this wonderful Disc. Mark blends those two songs in perfectly with his voice....Outstanding !
Besides the popular, Arizona, and, Silverbird, there are also two more Radio Friendly songs here that several of you will remember and I think both were severely underrated and should have done much better on the charts than they did and they are, And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind, and, Miss America. This is what I think about those two.......... Marks voice is stunning on the beautiful Neil Diamond Penned, And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind, and that song only reached the Top 50. Mark also gives another stellar vocal performance on, Miss America, and that one also only made the Top 50 and that song is so beautiful it is breathtaking. Turn the volume up and listen in awe ! The Top 50 nor does this review do justice to how beautiful those two Ballads are. That's the great thing about owning this CD though because you can listen to these four classics plus the other seventeen any time you want too. Several of Mark's tunes on this compilation are toned down and very mellow but I believe his talent is still as remarkable as it was with The Raiders. You and I both know that these twenty one songs are Oldies.....but they are definitely Goodies!.....Highly Recommended !
Final Note: It has been thirty six years ( 1969 ) since I seen Mark And The Raiders in Concert ! What a night ! It was great !

A combination of Mark Lindsay's two most successful albums, this CD contains his two huge hits from 1970, Arizona and Silverbird, plus the minor hit Miss America. Lindsay, who was lead vocalist for The Raiders, had other chart entries in 1971 with the songs Are You Old Enough, Problem Child and Been Too Long On The Road but they're ommitted here. Fortunately the amazing Jimmy Webb song First Hymn From Grand Terrace, although not a hit, makes up for that. Lindsay's solo work was in the tradition of the pop vocalist unlike the sound of the Raiders which was harder edged. The song Arizona is a spectacular demonstration of his vocal skills, a true pop classic with its moody buildup, magnificent melody and soaring vocals. The other tracks are accomplished interpretations of sixties and seventies classics, like I'll Never Fall In Love Again, We've Only Just Begun, Bookends, Come Saturday Morning, Kristofferson's Sunday Morning Coming Down and Denver's Leaving On a Jet Plane. If you love obscure but unique talents from the late sixties and early seventies, you'll also appreciate the music of Lee Michaels, R. Dean Taylor and Michael Nesmith, all brilliant artists from the same era whose work has now been reissued on CD. And of course, also investigate the work of Paul Revere & The Raiders, an underrated band with a memorable sound who had great hits from the middle sixties up to 1971 when they reached number two on the Billboard Hot Hundred with John D. Loudermilk's Indian Reservation. Lindsay's work with The Raiders provides a completely different perspective on his musical abilities.