The Sea

San Sebastian Strings | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 2, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000002KAD
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (136 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,372 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #74 in Music > Pop > Easy Listening > Orchestral Pop

Editorial Reviews

Released in 1967, this was the first of a series of hit albums that set the poetry of Rod McKuen to music and sound effects composed by Anita Kerr of the Anita Kerr Singers. Includes text drawn from Rod's books Listen to the Warm and Stanyan Street and Other Sorrows.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remembering when lifes experiences were sharp and new, October 4, 2000

By 

Joseph Haschka (Glendale, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Sea (Audio CD)

During the late 60's and early 70's, the songwriter, poet and singer Rod McKuen teamed with Anita Kerr, the music composer, conductor and arranger, to release a number of albums melding Rod's thoughts about life and relationships with Anita's perfect music. Three of the releases, THE EARTH, THE SEA, and THE SKY, formed a trilogy - arguably the pair's finest work together. Unfortunately, only THE SEA has been re-released on CD to date. (Lucky for me that I still have those old, vinyl disks! For those of you too young to know, they're called "records".)

I was introduced to these marvelous performances while a college teenager, when the hormone levels were high, the blood ran hot, and the experiences and emotions of life were sharp and novel. Now, 30+ years later, THE SEA and its companion albums evoke more in the way of memories than passions. However, there is one selection on THE SEA entitled "Pushing the Clouds Away", which has more meaning now than ever before:

"Clouds are not the cheeks of angels, you know. They're only clouds. Friendly sometimes, but you can never be sure. If I had longer arms, I'd push the clouds away, or make them hang above the water somewhere else. But, I'm just a man, who needs and wants mostly things he'll never have, looking for that thing hardest to find - himself. I've been going a long time now, and along the way I've learned a few things. You have to make the good times yourself. Take the little times and make them big times, and save the times that are alright for those that aren't so good. I've never been able to push the clouds away by myself."

I don't know if the McKuen/Kerr collaborations would be popular today. Perhaps they're too maudlin, too corny. But, if you can find them, listen at least once. They may make you ... feel.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CALMING AND POETIC, June 30, 2006

By 

News Junkie (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Sea (Audio CD)

All through this CD you can hear the ocean waves hitting the shoreline which is a sound I love. The background music is calming and the lyrics encourage you to remember those you love and those you once loved. I came across this CD by accident and it is the best accident I ever had. I love it so much that I bought it for other people who also love the ocean and Rob McKuen. If you want to hear poetry set to beautiful music, this CD is for you.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bring back trilogy on CD, November 28, 1999

By 

Lois MacGregor (Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: La Mer/The Sea (Audio CD)

Every Thanksgiving we begin our dinner with "The Earth" then continue with "The Sea" and "The Sky." All three are superb at capturing the ambiance of nature and bring back fond memories of the 60's. We used to give the three record set as wedding presents. Our vinyl recordings are getting scratchy; please release the trilogy on CD's! We have had this Thanksgiving tradition for 24 years- every year since our first daughter was born. All three are beautifully done, and we would like to continue playing them for the next generation.