Customer Reviews

Over the Rainbow

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

 

 

When I gave up all my vinyl, this was one of the albums that I regretfully said goodbye to. I love Livingston Taylor and his music. I still remember having every word, note and nuance from this album memorized during my high school and college days

From the folky version of "Over the Rainbow" and the dynamic "Loving Be My New Horizon," Liv's voice has that wonderful rich Taylor quality that inspired me to sing to my children. It's good to see that I *can* replace my old vinyl and share my memories with my kids.

Livingston Taylor's 3rd album was truly the gold at the end of the rainbow. It is a wonderful complete set, filled with some of the very best of his music. From the opening chorus of "Loving Be My New Horizon," we hear a powerful statement of faith in love, "Marry me & be my wife." The James Taylor/Carly Simon chorus makes it all the sweeter. Livingston's "Pretty Woman" is not the Orbison classic, but it is a great pop gem, "You got that sweet sweet face, good taste, there's something delicious." "Falling In Love With You" is a charming piano ballad with a quintessential romantic lyric, "I call myself an island & luckily I find you are the sea around me & are with me for all time." "I Can Dream of You" has such a startlingly original melody that I'm surprised it's not a standard, "I don't feel no heartaches, I don't feel no pain & I don't feel all them empty souls standing in the rain." "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is so sweetly rendered that we tend to forget Oz & Judy Garland since it seems absolutely at home in Livingston's hands. "Rodeo" is another great pop gem with Livingston's emotional acoustic guitar, "What you see for sure is what the world will be." George Harrison's "If I Needed Someone" has always been one of his most startling melodies. Livingston gives the tune a searing loneliness along with Ed Freeman's horn making the arrangement particularly unique. "Let Me Go Down" is another wonderful track that builds deliciously, "If you want to see me, pray like hell for rain." The set ends with the gorgeous "Oh Hallelujah" that sounds like it should have been written in 1850 & sung in Christian churches for the last 100 years. "Over the Rainbow" is now over 3 decades old since its release. Livingston will probably always be remembered as James Taylor's little brother; however, as this set proves, he is a master musician in his own right. Bravo!

Livingston Taylor is a nice person. I have had the pleasure of his company on a few occasions and have seen his concerts over the years. His music matches his personality. There is no way not to enjoy these songs. Especially his rendition of "Over the Rainbow", a song sung so many times one would think it would be hard to bring anything new to it. Mr Taylor truly makes it his own. Despite coming from a musical family he charts his own course. I recommend this collection.