Customer Reviews

I Am the Greatest

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Even those unfamiliar with boxing or the topical events of the time cannot help but roar at most of the humor in this as the former Mr. Clay delivers a series of hilarious rhymes about his modesty (or lack thereof) and likelihood of beating then-champ Sonny Liston. Ali would have made a great comedian. The added bonues is that he's just as funny when he tries to sing. His attempt to sing Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" straight with his incredibly hoarse voice and poor timing is hilarious! Ditto for his Beatle-esque, raucous version of "The Gang's All Here" celebrating his victory over Sonny Liston (check out the Paul McCartney-like WHOOOO! in the backgound on this one).

This one will have Ali fans rolling on the floor in laughter. Those who are not in the know may also find this amusing. Enjoy!

If you are a devoted Ali fan, you need this. Aside from the importance to the collector, it really IS quite funny. Definitely a kind of pre-rap. You might think this kind of endless bragging would be obnoxious, but he keeps it entertaining. If you aren't an Ali fan or boxing fan, you won't like it. But admirers of "The Greatest" will find this bringing back memories(and encouraging them to pop in the Clay-Liston fight).

This spoken word album was recorded by Cassius Clay before he became Muhammad Ali, and even before he became World Heavyweight Champion. It's pretty entertaining stuff, with Clay reading poetry and bragging about how great he is. The album was recorded in front of a live audience, and their laughter and applause definitely helps out with the atmosphere. The CD includes three bonus tracks tracks. The single version of "I am the Greatest" is shorter than the album version, plus it is set to music. "Stand By Me" is Clay's legendary Golden Throats version of the Ben E. King's classic. "The Gang's All Here" is a previously unreleased recording of Clay leading a sing-along. Fans of Muhammad Ali should really enjoy this CD.

This may shock and amaze ya! It is young Cassius Clay, before he shook up the world by actually defeating Sonny Liston for boxing's heavyweight championship; before he changed his name to Muhammad Ali. What comes across is this: Clay truly believed he would upset the overwhelming odds and win the fight! In this public performance, Clay comes off as being bright, witty, funny, verbose, and full of himself (without taking himself too seriously). He charms and delights the live audience throughout, with a fine sense of timing and a childlike smile. Clay would become, as Ali, the most charismatic sports figure in history (he is, in fact, one of the most well-known and best-loved men in the world, period). That charisma is on full display here. Clay, but 21 years old, handles this role of comedian with surprising ease. On this album, you can hear some of his classic rhymes in their earliest forms. And poor Sonny Liston! Clay used him as a verbal punching bag all night. You can't help but feel that anyone who has this kind of chutzpah, and who believes in himself that much, just might be able to do anything. At the very least, you know that if Clay had been a bust as a fighter, he could have been a fine stand-up comic, with his gift of gab. (Okay... His turns at singing on this record aren't The Greatest.) But Clay was no bust as a fighter. He was, in fact, more than anyone would have thought, at the time these brash boastings were recorded and released. But then again, they say it ain't bragging, if you can back it up!

All you have to do is look at the title of this comedy album to know that it was recorded before the artist formerly known as Cassius Clay became better known as Muhammad Ali. But when you listen to these tracks you might be surprised to also learn that the comedy portions were performed and recorded before Clay had become the heavyweight champion of the world. Once you understand that you can appreciate that this album would never have been reissued on CD if that had not happened and can only wonder what sort of footnote Clay would have been to the sport as a boisterous clown whose substance could not match his style. The idea that it is not bragging if you back it up is a truism, but young Cassius Clay certainly puts that idea to the test on this album.

So here we have the brash young boxer and Olympic champion from Louisville, Kentucky, undefeated in 19 fights with 15 knockouts at that point in his career. Clay recites poetry, talks constantly about how pretty he is, insults current champ Sonny Liston at each and every opportunity, and keeps reminding his audience that he is the greatest. Clay is introduced (wearing black tie) as Cassius Marcellus Clay and after his first reading is announced, a bell sounds. Then Clay launches into his most famous poem, "I Am the Greatest!" and the crowd goes crazy. Gary Belkin and Peter Matz are listed along with Clay as the writers for these routines. Belkin won Emmys writing for "The Carol Burnett Show," and also worked on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson," "The Danny Kaye Show," "Get Smart," "The Doris Day Show," and "Newhart." Matz was a composer who also won an Emmy for "The Carol Burnett Show," and was nominated for an Oscar for his work on "Funny Lady." My best guess is that Clay contributes most of the rhyme, Belkin comes up with the comedy skits (including the faux question and answer session), and Matz is writing the music.

The tracks on this album were recorded between August 5, 1963 and March 3, 1964. The former would be the date for the original ten tracks and the the latter would be a time after Clay won the title in which the remix of "I Am the Greatest" (with music added) and the attempts for Clay to sing Ben E. King's standard "Stand By Me" and Matz's song "The Gang's All Here." But the main attraction here is listening to Clay run on at the mouth with nobody making any effort to stop him (yes, you do miss Howard Cosell play straight man, but it is not like he would have been able to get a word in edgewise). He certainly has the timing of a stand up comedian and you have to admire his ability to keep yelling this long. "I Am the Greatest" is a novelty record to be sure, but it captures the brashness of the young Clay on the verge of actually being in all of his glory (the jokes about the Kennedy White House dates the material more than the Liston fight).

On the night of Tuesday, February 25, 1964 in the Miami Beach Convention Hall it took 21 minutes for the 8-1 underdog Clay, soon to be Cassius X and then Muhammad Ali, to become the heavyweight champion of the world. During the weigh-in Ali had declared he would "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." From the start of the fight Clay used his advantages in reach and speed to keep away from Liston's shots to the head and body. In the third round Clay had opened a large cut under Liston's eyes, but in the fourth Clay was having problems with a foreign substance in his eyes. However, Clay stayed out of Liston's reach and the champion failed to come out for the seventh round (later claiming he had suffered a dislocated shoulder). Clay lept out of his corner yelling he was "King of the World" and informing Howard Cosell and everybody else that he was "a bad man." A rematch on May 25, 1965 in Lewiston, Maine saw Clay knock out Liston in the first round (the infamous "phantom punch"). By the time Clay battered former champion Floyd Patterson for a dozen rounds later that same year, the hyperbole of Clay's claim "I Am the Greatest!" was being taken at least at face value if not as understatement.

Before He Became Muhammad ALI He was Cassius Clay.this is a Trip Disc.if Rap Music had have been Popular in the 60's then he would have been ahead of his game.maybe he wouldn't have boxed? Cuz He Could Flow On The Mic as Tight as He Could In The Ring.But Thank Goodness He Stayed in The Ring&Was a Voice of F.R.E.E.D.O.M.HE IS THE GREATEST.this is very essential too ANy ALI FAN.