Live [Live]

Erykah Badu | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 18, 1997)
• Original Release Date: November 18, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Umvd Labels
• ASIN: B000005B0L
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,848 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #5 in Music > R&B > Neo-Soul
  • #21 in Music > Rap & Hip-Hop > Experimental Rap
  • #52 in Music > Blues > Contemporary Blues

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

There is always cause for concern when a promising new artist follows up a solid debut with a live album rehashing all the same material. After seeing Erykah Badu steal the "Smokin Grooves Tour" summer of 1996, however, it only makes sense that her record company decided to release Live as a stopgap between her next studio recording. To put it mildly, the Badu live experience is anything but typical. There is a kindred bond between the singer and her audiences which translates wonderfully onto the disc. It's in the warmth of the songs, the intimacy with which Badu addresses the crowd, and the constant chants of "Erykah!" emanating from the masses. For her part, Badu does a wonderful job revisiting the material from her superb debut Baduizm. She also takes on an assortment of covers, ranging from Roy Ayers's "Searching" to the Mary Jane Girls' "All Night Long," making each one sound distinctly her own. The most captivating moment, though, is a new number called "Tyrone," in which she most eloquently tells a dense boyfriend to take a hike. --Aidin Vaziri

Product Description

BADU ERIKAH LIVE

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Stay, indeed November 27, 2000

By Pharoah S. Wail VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

This cd is a wonderful companion piece (with great new stuff as well) to the Baduizm studio cd. I wouldn't exchange one for the other though, both have their strengths and show a side of Erykah that the other does not.

This cd starts with something that I imagine many of Erykah's fans may not pick up on. The first minute or so of "Rimshot" is actually the Miles Davis masterpiece "So What" (originally appearing on the album, "Kind Of Blue"), with Erykah's backing vocalists chanting Badu over it. This leads to my only complaint... The liner-notes should have acknowledged the Miles tune, if for no other reason than to allow someone with no jazz knowledge to seek out the original Miles album if they are so inclined.

"Other Side Of The Game" and Chaka Khan's "Stay" both get incredible, all-out, going-for-it vocal fluorishes. These two songs alone would make this cd worth purchasing. "Ye Yo" is a song that says all the words that every child deserves to hear coming from their mothers lips, and it says them without being sappy and stupid. Again, this song sets Erykah far above the great majority of the R&B world. While others are yet again singing of wanting to get someone into bed, Erykah unleashes an emotional blessing for her unborn (at the time this was recorded) child.

I read a couple of the previous reviews that basically made it sound like this cd has no new material. That's incorrect. "Ye Yo", "Searching", "Boogie Nights/All Night", "Stay", and both versions of "Tyrone" (one is Live and one is studio) are not found on any of Erykah's other cd's. "Tyrone" is the ultimate kiss-off song, and her unique and spiritual vocal phrasings and lyrics permeate this great cd.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Ignore reviewer luke, this is LIVE!!!!!!! April 29, 2006

By Melancholy

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Just wanted to point-out to those of you out there who are hesitant to purchase this because of the god-awful review by (luke).

What I'm reading from reviewer (Luke) about this gem is that he's reading the final credit's and coming to a false conclusion & totally overlooking the most obvious point that there are two recording crew's on this project. It's almost laughable that amazon let his review exploit falsehood's to us buyer's of real music.

(First)ofcourse is (The Live Recording & in-house Mixing Crew) which is stated (on the disc itself mind you) the vocal's(front & back)/instrument's/band & the wonderfully captured particapation of the audience which to me is just as important as the muisc in this case becasue the whole vibe is perfectly in sync.

(Second) is the Sony Music Stuido he's is talking about where they proceed(just like any other live show) with the final mixdown of this timeless (LIVE) cd.

This is the smoothess Live cd of 97'no doubt. Come on luke relax baby and don't mess with the structure and authentcity of grown folk's music, this is the real deal yah...

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Live Album That I Have Ever Heard!! December 2, 2001

By Tourmaline

Format:Audio CD

I purchased Baudizm back in February of 97' and I thought it was an instant classic. I was sure that it would be a while before anything topped it. But, when I bought the live album a couple of months later, it blew me away. First of all, the live album is much better than Baduizm. It is flawless. This is the best live R&B album that I own, with Maxwell's MTV Unplugged EP ranking at a close second. On this album, the band is on point and Badu's cover of Chaka Khan's "Stay" is amazing. Even with the disc in your stereo, Badu makes you feel as if you are there in the audience. That is how hospitable and personal this album is. This album proves that Erykah Badu is more than just a singer, she is an artist and a great live performer. With that said, I conclude that is album is Badu's best work to date and it is a must have for those that enjoy live performances. This album is over four years old, but I still whip this masterpiece out quite often, mainly because the performance on this disc has yet to be matched.