Party Doll and Other Favorites

Mary Chapin Carpenter

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 25, 1999)
• Original Release Date: May 25, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00000J290
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #24,091 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording
In addition to subverting the conventions of greatest-hits discs--only 5 of these 17 tracks appear in the hit versions from Carpenter's studio albums--Party Doll does a better job of balancing the singer/songwriter's moods than any of her releases since 1992's Come On Come On. Here, upbeat celebrations such as "Down at the Twist and Shout" (included in a live Super Bowl take) and "I Feel Lucky" comfortably rub shoulders with the quietly sweet ("Dreamland," originally on an early-'90s various-artists set of lullabies) and brooding ("Stones in the Road") sides of Carpenter's work. Finally, her rendition of Mick Jagger's title tune hints that she has vital work yet to do. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Party Doll, music for the the heart, mind and spirit, June 7, 2000

By	Martin Gerster (United States) - See all my reviews

Mary Chapin Carpenter is an extraordinary artist, one of the few capable of accurately reflecting the nature of being in your 20's and 30's and living in modern America. The selection of tracks on this CD proves over and over again that her singing comes from both the heart and the soul. Anyone interested in her musical career would find their money well-spent by buying this "greatest hits" colection. The mix of live performances and studio recordings is a rare treat to listeners, showing Carpenter's full range of talents. Although she is recognizably a throwback to Folk Music of the old school, Carpenter's songs comprise such crossover Pop, Blues and Country hits like "Passionate Kisses", "Down at The Twist and Shout", "You Can't Take Love for Granted", "I Feel Lucky", and "I'll Take my Chances". Thus, making her a peer of other such great performers as Willie Nelson, Linda Ronstadt, Trisha Yearwood, and the Mavericks. While this is a "greatest hits" CD, her career is still young and her listeners still have many more years of hearing more excellent music from her to look forward to! It was almost dissapointing, however, with all of this great music, much of it never having been released before, it was almost disapointing to see that the always moving "I am a Town" wasn't included on this CD.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Party Doll will touch your heart and soul., July 7, 1999

By A Customer

Mary Chapin Carpenter is an extraordinary artist.The mix of live performances and studio tracks are great to have on a "greatest hits CD" I find it wonderfully amazing how well the songs were sung with heart and soul in her live verisons and how her voice could draw you in and make you feel like a close friend. If all live performances sounded just like the recording, why would we spend our money going to concerts when we could listen to a CD. I LOVE the new song "Almost Home" and have been touched by it in a very deep way. I will be seeing Mary in concert for the first time this Friday in Springfield Missouri so I cant comment on her stage presence, but I know she'll be wonderful.I have no expectations, I applaud her for having the guts to get up in front of thousands of people and sing her heart out.As my friend Oprah would say-"You Go Girl"

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Carpenter does it again, May 29, 1999

By A Customer

Leave it to Mary Chapin Carpenter, one of the most innovative and uncompromising singer-songwriters of her generation, to reinvent the concept of greatest hits packages and turn it into a near-brilliant retrospective of her career. While other country artists are content to spit out uninspired, carbon-copy greatest hits albums, Carpenter has used the occasion to present "Party Doll and Other Favorites," an inspired blending of her many musical moods of the past dozen-or-so years. In part a compilation of eight of her biggest hits, the album also includes some rare tracks she recorded for other projects, three new songs and three album favorites that have never found their way to formulaic radio formats.

The album's true genius lies in the inclusion of live versions of several of Carpenter's biggest hits, with a slow, beautiful rendition of "Quittin' Time" and wonderful acoustic versions of "I Take My Chances" and "Stones in the Road" the obvious standouts. The only quibble is that all of her hits aren't presented this way, since the album versions of "I Feel Lucky," "Shut Up and Kiss Me," "Passionate Kisses," and "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" pale in comparison to the live versions she has presented in concert over the years.

Other inspired touches include the rare tracks presented within, including her cover of Mick Jagger's "Party Doll," which closes the album on a bittersweet note, the lovely lullaby "Dreamland," and her rendition of John Lennon's "Grow Old With Me," which is already a wedding favorite. The absolute highlight of the album, however, is her soaring ballad "10,000 Miles" from the movie "Fly Away Home," which may very well take your breath away.

The new songs "Wherever You Are" and "Almost Home" provide evidence that Carpenter's remarkable songwriting prowess has endured. "Party Doll and Other Favorites" is an album that fans can cherish and will provide a fine introduction to the talents of a one-of-a-kind artist.