Customer Reviews

Rod McKuen - Greatest Hits

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This "Greatest Hites Of Rod McKuen" is a fantastic collection of his best recordings. Rod has a most "poetic" delivery as well as abilitiy to write lyric verses.
I first hear "Doesn't Anbod Know My Name" on a Kingston Trio album ears ago . . . i have alwas had a special place in my memory for that song . .and to hear Rod himself deliver his own words in music is a great treat. His voice wraps around his words and thoughts and sends them out to touch our hearts and souls. He succeeds so well on this song.

another McKuen classic is "Jean" from the motion picture "The Prime Of Miss Jean Brod" -- i first heard this song of Rod's composition by "Oliver" . . and i love both renderings, Oliver's and Rod's . . . the both evoke the lonsome feeling of being out alone in the heather, missing a lost love (lost by death? or lost by a departure perhaps) . . . and it is difficult to not tear-up a bit whenever you play this track.

Rod does an exccellent job with Gale Caldwell's "Cycles" . . a song i first heard by Frank Sinatra . . . andRod also wrote an entire album of songs for Mr. Sinatra . . two kindred souls. And Rod on collection also has his "Love's Been Good To Me" which Frank recorded on his album of Rod McKuen penned songs.

Ahhhh! and then there's the Jaques Brel song which Rod put english lyrics to: "If You Go Away" . . . i first heard this song sung by Australian songstress Lana Cantrell . . . and i fell in love with Lana and this song . . . and now i get to hear it by the man who wrote the english verses.

There are twenty-two tracks on this collection . . and every one a "keeper" . . . i'm forever glad that they are now preserved for all posterity: examples of a true artist at his best!

I thank you od McKuen for your contribution to the wonders of our musical and poetic heritage. You are "the best" . . .and this album presents some of "your ver best" so this it can touch our souls.

(ha . . and i seem to remember Rod McKuen in some "beach movies" from the early sixties . . . Rod, you certainly have experienced it all!) :)

I have been a Rod McKuen follower since the 1970s and miss some of my early LPs that were unfortunately stolen years ago. So I ordered this CD in good faith but when I played it was amazed to hear that the sound and tempo of the songs (in my mind based from hearing them years ago) was faster, possibly to fit all the selections on one CD (I don't know). End product is a sound that is NOT romantic OR mood setting, not peaceful, rather racing through the selections to the point of annoyance. Save your money up to buy older and in good condition copies of the originals, like I am doing.

My husband and I had listened to Rod McKuen's Live at Carnegie Hall when we were dating. This CD is good, but not like the other (which is very expensive). We enjoyed the songs and they brought back lots of memories none-the-less.

I am a contemporary artist and love listening to this while I paint. This CD is a wonderful compilation of Rod McKuen's work. It transports you to another place and time and some songs, particularly "I'll Catch The Sun" give you goose bumps immediately. It's a very romantic group of songs and Rod McKuen's voice is unique and timeless etched with a deep melancolia that's very endearing.
The leaflet that comes with the CD is more like a little book with a lot of fascinating reading about the "how's and when's and where's" of every song which makes it all the more interesting to listen to. A great buy! Go see my work on www.diwest.com.au

If you remember fondly the poetry and music of Rod McKuen from the 60's and 70's as I do, you will enjoy this vintage McKuen CD. It includes many of Rod's best..."I'll Catch the Sun", "If You Go Away" and "The Importance of the Rose"...to name a few and one, "Soldiers Who Want to be Heroes" unfortunately hits home as deeply today as it did in the 1960's. I was so happy to find this CD as my McKuen collection was on 8-track tapes :-( After listening to a few of the songs, I dug out my McKuen poetry books, lit a candle, sipped a glass of wine and sunk back into the kinder and gentler days of my youth.

Way, way, back I thought Rod McKuen was "all that." I knew he was gay, but I loved his poems & songs. I bought his books & LP's & loved his outlook. Over the years, they've all been lost, so when I saw his older, weathered face, it brought back nice memories. I'll probably not buy another, but I'm enjoying this one.

Use to listen to his album years ago as a kid and he still sounds good to me. Was glad to find him on cd since my record player and records are long gone. I have missed his songs. Would recommend this cd for anyone that remembers and cares to hear him again..:)