Solo [Import, Original recording remastered]

Don McLean | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 14, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Bgo - Beat Goes on
• ASIN: B0000011OI
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #63,407 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #42 in Music > Indie Music > Pop > Singer-Songwriters
  • #82 in Music > Indie Music > Folk > Singer Songwriters

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Magdalene Lane

2. Masters of War

3. Wonderful Baby

4. Where Were You, Baby?

5. Empty Chairs

6. Geordie's Lost His Penker

7. Babylon

8. And I Love You So

9. Cripple Creek/ Muleskinner Blues

10. Great Big Man

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Over the Waterfall/ Arkansas Traveller

2. Homeless Brother

3. Castles in the Air (Three Flights Up)

4. Lovesick Blues

5. Winter Has Me in Its Grip

6. The Legend of Andrew McCrew

7. Dreidel

8. Vincent

9. Till Tomorrow

Editorial Reviews

Don McLean's final album for United Artists was a musical tour de force, and the best self-contained account of the full breadth of McLean's talent. Recorded live in England, in Manchester, Bristol, London, and Oxford, the 26 songs encompassed not only the artist's best-known work, but also many of his personal favorites, among them works by other composers (including Bob Dylan's "Masters of War"). All the songs are done solo by McLean on acoustic guitar and banjo, performing in a loose, freewheeling style more appropriate to a folk performance at a small club than a rock concert -- except that McLean was doing these performances to tens of thousands of people at a time. He ranges freely across his repertory, including a loose yet sincere rendition of "American Pie" and a stunning version of "Till Tomorrow" (his encore), through "The Arkansas Traveller" and "Homeless Brother" to "Castles in the Air," the last in a version that makes the studio recording seem cold and sterile. Ironically, given that it's one of the best records he ever put out and a great capstone to his career at United Artists, Solo was the only album he ever did for the label that never charted, in either England or America, possibly because it was a double-LP and very expensive, and was also issued just late enough into the 1970s to run into the twin juggernauts of punk and disco. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic, Classic Don McLean, well worth the listen., July 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Solo (Audio CD)

I had heard this recording back in 1976 when it was on 8-track and not easy to find. If you have never heard McLean in concert, you are in for a treat. McLean's voice is heavenly on his albums, but to hear him live is unbelievable. The timbre of his voice can send chills through you and if you don't already know it, this guy can play guitar and banjo like you wouldn't believe. It's delightful to hear McLean playing his songs with only himself for accompaniment. This is an album the likes of which will stay with you for a long time to come. Highly, highly recommended for true Don McLean fans.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best live performance LPs I've heard, April 9, 2006

By 

Brandon Lane (Portland Oregon USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Solo (Audio CD)

Until I saw Don McLean in concert a few years ago, I didn't know a whole lot about him. Many years earlier (back in my high school days), I owned one of his albums, "Don McLean," the one with Dreidel on it, and I also had the 7" 45 RPM of "American Pie", but prior to the concert I hadn't thought of him in years.

However, in concert I found him to be a very magnetic performer, just himself and his guitar and banjo, and a few days later I searched the used record bins for more of his music. I came home with an LP copy of this set, and found it to be one of the best live preformance LPs I have ever heard, one that captured the magic of the live performance I had heard just a few days prior.

All too often it seems, live albums are just throw aways, put out to fulfill contractual obligations on the part of the artist, or to fill a gap during an artistic fallow period. This one is emphatically *not* one of those. Put this disc on, and be prepared for the next 100 mintues or so to fly by very quickly and enjoyably.

18 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Non standard recording, & can't be played on your computer, June 30, 2001

By 

J. Carpenter "roulette" (Fremont, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Solo (Audio CD)

While I love Don McLean, it is unfortunate that this recording was done by BGO Records. They are trying to stop you from making/distributing MP3 files of their music by recording it in a non-standard format. You're not getting redbook audio on this CD. You can't play this CD on your computer. Further, they don't tell you this anywhere in the packaging. I have returned this CD and will not buy ANY music produced by BGO until such time as they get their act together, and give me what I'm paying for.