Customer Reviews

Song Will Rise

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Of all the PP&M recordings, this one seems to overflow with emotion more than any of the others. Partly it's their performances, partly the selections. From the joy expressed in "When the Ship Comes In" to the pain of "Spring Hill Mine Disaster" it's all there. This recording has the intensity that is lacking in manyof their recent albums. If I could only keep one of their albums, this would be it.

A fine album, which in some ways represented this trio in a definitive way. A powerful, emotive record and worth buying for one track alone-a gorgeous version of Gordon Lightfoot's 'For lovin' me'. Other standouts are the excellent version of Dylan's 'When the Ship Comes In', 'Ballad of Spring Hill', 'Wasn't that a time' and 'Monday Morning'. It seemed at the time that they couldn't go wrong. An album that will always have a special place in my collection

It is with A Song Will Rise (ASWR) that PPM continued in their roles as political and social activists. At the time of its release, ASWR blended what PPM did best: interpret song. From their premiere self-titled release, handsomely photographed against the brick wall of the famed Greenwich Village coffeehouse, The Bitter End, PPM embraced American folk songwriters in the Woody Guthrie tradition. As they continued to make inroads into the '60s American consciousness, their choice of songs became increasingly strident. Possessed of seamless vocal harmonies, this trio taught more than one musically-obssessed teenager to understand three-part harmony. ASWR has the political rouser "Wasn't That A Time" pitted against a different-but-equal political tune "Gilgarra Mountain." PPM's dedication to mining the best of Celtic, Anglo and American song only furthered both their musical popularity and their message. Almost every PPM record from the early years included a classic like "San Francisco Bay Blues." Here it was that newly-converted listeners would immediately recognize the song, but usually never before showcased with such universal musical appeal. A Song Will Rise makes the prediction that indeed a song, or more precisely, PPM's song(s) would rise not only in a nation's consciousness but to the top of popular music charts worldwide. It may be hard for young listeners to understand how prominent this trio was for several decades. Relegated now to a folkies' equivalent of dinosaur rock, PPM can still draw crowds but as a group seem contented to make less challenging musical contributions. It is their right and a privilege of age but if I could make a cautionary statement to the beloved Mary Travers, Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey to recall their original cohort and trailblazer, Bob Dylan, who at 60 continues to push the musical envelope to the delight of all. Take a risk. Your audience is ready.

I've always thought that American folk music should be music that expressed the heart and soul of our culture. Some music is wonderful by virtue of who sings it. Folk music can't depend on the singer. It has to be able to stand on its own no matter who sings it. Then it has a lasting quality.

So there I was in 1960-whatever wishing I could be more than a highschool geek. I bought the guitar and soon found myself a singing highschool geek. But then I bought this album and learned these songs.

Suddenly I wasn't as conscious of me singing. These songs were so heartful that even geeky me was stirred as I sang them. These songs were so full of soul - happy, sad, joyous.

If there was agenda, "Ballad of Spring Hill" spoke of its heart. "Talkin' Candy Bar Blues" indeed spoke of all of our embarassments and confrontations (and dug up an historically important genre of song). "San Fransisco Bay Blues" is just plain fun - who cared if you just got dumped. "For Loving Me" - pure classic folk music about people and relationships we've all witnessed.

Of all of PPM's albums, I have found this one over the years to be the truest to what American folk music was all about - songs that speak from the heart of our country.

On their fourth studio album,PP&M start with another Bob Dylan composition,WHEN THE SHIP COMES IN. Several other songs that are great include GILGARRA MOUNTAIN,MOTHERLESS CHILD,WASN'T THAT A TIME? and TALKIN' CANDY BAR BLUES. On the latter song,Noel Paul Stookey speaks instead of singing. The track is quite comical just like PAULTALK from PETER,PAUL & MARY IN CONCERT. MONDAY MORNING features Mary Travers taking the lead vocal about waiting for marriage. Stookey joins her vocally on that track. FOR LOVIN' ME was written by Gordon Lightfoot,whose 70's hits include IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND and SUNDOWN. THE CUCKOO is about a pretty female bird,probably the same kind we'd find in a cuckoo clock. I also like SAN FRANSISCO BAY BLUES by Jesse Fuller. Eric Clapton would record that one live for his 1992 UNPLUGGED album. All the other songs are good.

Peter, Paul and Mary are poster children for outstanding folk music. Their singing, instrumentation and lyrics are classic folk. This CD brings them out at their best. It goes deeper than their hits.

You either like Peter, Paul and Mary or you don't. I hhave always loved them, saw them in concert several times. A song will rise is just another classic example of the great harmony, voices rising for social justice,,I think if you lived thru the 60's and 70's these songs have more meaning. A treasure to baby boomers.

I bought the CD as a Christmas gift to my sister. When we were in college we attended as many PP&M concerts as possible. As far as I know she and my brother-in-law enjoyed the CD.

I really enjoyed adding "A Song will Rise" to my collection. This had many selections that I did not have by them and found this a really positive addition.

After the brilliance of the first 3 PP&M studio albums, I think A Song Will Rise is slighly disappointing. Many of the songs are just not of the same high quality of the material previously recorded. That is not to say this album does not have its powerful moments as all PP&M albums have. Motherless Child is certainly one of Mary Travers' finest recorded vocals. For Lovin' Me is romantic and bittersweet and superbly delivered. The trio's harmonies are as fantastic as ever; this album as much as any by PP&M so obviously influenced the Mamas & the Papas.

I may have been slightly disappointed, but I still consider this an album worth adding to your collection. The sincerity and emotion is there, the vocals supreme, the guitar playing enviable. Not their best, but still a fine enough project worth hearing.