Customer Reviews

Songs From the South - Greatest Hits

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Paul Kelly says, in one of his songs, that he is a legend and not a star. This statement could not be more true. Virtually unheard-of outside of Oz, Paul Kelly writes strong lyrics that perfectly capture a moment.

"Songs from the South" is his greatest-hits compilation, released in 1997. Besides his Australian chart-toppers such as "Dumb Things" and "To Her Door", it includes his songs that have become more popular over time such as "Bradman" and "How to Make Gravy".

Spanning Kelly's extensive career, this album provides an excellent introduction to his music. This album is a near-permanent resident in my CD player at work. My officemate, who rarely agrees with my taste in music, has become a fan of the evocative lyrics found on this album.

Paul Kelly has perfected the art of capturing a moment in a song. "When I First Met Your Ma" is a most unlikely love song, with a man telling his child how the man met his wife, the boy's mother. "Deeper Water" is a touching vignette of a man growing up, marrying, having children, and losing his wife to cancer. "Everything's Turning to White" is based on the short story "So Much Water So Close to Home" by Raymond Carver.

If you are not familiar with his music, this is an excellent introduction. However, since this album is only available as an import, it isn't the cheapest way to learn more about this singer-songwriter. Some of Kelly's work has been released in the US, and is thus easier and cheaper to purchase. If this price is a bit too stiff for you, try the US release of "Deeper Water" from 1995, or the upcoming US release of his most recent album, "Nothing But a Dream" (due in early 2002).

Summer of 1993, I'm in an Sydney Record Shop, a Long, Long way from Home on Vacation in the middle of Wintertime (July). I've already found some Good Stuff (Killing Time, Men at Work). I ask one of the Clerks what's good and She tells me: "Paul Kelly, he's as Bright as Sunshine". Man, those words sang outta her mouth! By luck, I chose "Under The Sun" (Sunshine, again) and she said it was a corker. On first play I heard Those Notes to: "Dumb Things"...Hey, I knew this from the "Young Einstein" Movie. This was a very good Sign. The next day I was back at that same Record Store, and I purchased Three more of Paul's CD's!

September 2007, and I'm still listening to Paul Kelly. "Songs from the South, Paul Kelly's Greatest Hits" is playing again. It's culled from 10 of Paul's Records (up til' 1997) and there are 20 Fantastic Tracks on this one. From Songs of just Paul & his Guitar: "Everything's Turning To White" & "When I First Met Your Ma" to Full Band workouts on: "Bradman" & "Careless" this is Timeless Stuff, the Best Music, always is.

All of these Great Tunes are from Paul's Pen and there is not a duffer in the Bunch. I'm not here to compare Paul to ANY American Artist, as that's not fair to the Talent of this man. This is just plain Great Music, and for me it's still; "Bright as Sunshine"...FIVE STARS !!!

Great singer-songwriters are poets: crafting words, capturing times and places, and evoking a sense of what it's like to be living in their world. Paul Kelly does that as well as anyone does, and perhaps better than most. You always feel as though he wears his heart on his sleeve and as you track through this retrospective album, you get a sense of the passages of his life.

But, for American listeners, there is the added dimension that Paul Kelly captures the Australian psyche (such as a self-deprecating sense of humor, a search for national identity, etc), the essence of life in Australia (Aussie Rules football, beaches, mates, etc.), and the issues of a land so very different but so very similar to the US (the plight of the Australian aborigines, the vast landscape, and the search for love in a sometimes loveless society, etc.)

There are many reasons why Paul Kelly is Australia's most popular singer-songwriter and that his songs are known by heart by so many. This album will help you understand why. His style moves from blues to folk to rock, and this album features some of his solo work as well as collaborations with his own band The Messengers and folks like Nick Cave, but it is his voice that is so very distinctive. Absolutely recommended.

Paul Kelly is without doubt Australia's greatest singer songwriter. His songs main strength is the evocative power of his lyrics to describe situations and experiences that all of us feel. This is a best of CD and has his finest recordings from his career so far. The only missing song of any note is "other peoples houses". Each of these songs has something special. "From little things big things grow" is the story of the first grant of land to Aboriginal people in Australia. One would think that it is rather too dry a subject for a song, yet it is so well crafted that I dare anyone to hear it and not be moved. "When I first met your ma" one of the most evocative descriptions of love to be recorded. Bradman, not so much a song about a great sportsman but a song about our respect for an age long gone and the sorts of heroes that came from it. The last song on the CD how to make the gravy was never released as a single but again is one of the more moving that Kelly has recorded. This is the treasure house of a national treasure.

For all y'all Americans, PAul Kelly is probably an unknown. That's a pity - he's something very rare and special.

It's hard to put a finger on what makes Kelly so good. His voice is distinctive sure, but its not very pretty - or strong for that matter. He play's guitar, even harmonica, but again don't expect anyhtng much other than a few open chords in his songs.

It's as a songwriter that Kelly makes his mark. His songs are catchy, often instantly appealing and resonant. They sound familiar. Many remind me of my childhood through the 80's - like old friends.

Tracks like "From St Kilda to Kings Cross', 'Before too long', 'Dumb things', 'Too her door' and 'Lover never runs on time' are very special to me for this reason.

Kelly dabbles in Rock, Pop, and Folk in this collection. He is convincing and honest. I saw that Kevin Bloody Wilson is outselling him at Amazon.com - that's a crime; this CD deserves so much more.

Paul Kelly is the finest rock/folk artist I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. Every song hits a chord with a certain emotion or memory whereby the songs become a conduit for thought and musing. Some songs have a Beatlesuqe feel and others bring Dylan to mind but Kelly's lyrics and his unique voice make the music clearly his own. He can menacing like on "Give In To My Love" or "Before Too Long" and poignant like on "Winter Coat or "To Her Door". This album should be on every music lovers' top albums of the century list.

As an expatriate Australian, nothing takes me home to Melbourne like Paul Kelly. From the very fist few bars of From St Kilda to Kings Cross, I am transported to "The Armadale Hotel" in Melbourne listening to Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls. Whenever I have the need for nostalgia, I grab this CD. I just now wish that someone would approach him about a tour to Dubai!

Paul Kelly is considered the Bard/Dylan/Springsteen of Australia, and this CD set provides ample support for those comparisons. Kelly uses words sparingly to evoke time, place, and emotions better than any songwriter I've heard. His best songs are little vignettes: Dumb Things, From St. Kilda to Kings Cross, Deeper Water, Same Old Walk, To Her Door, How to Make Gravy. You feel for--and get to know--the characters in these songs, and sometimes you don't want the story to end.

America has Bob Dylan, The U.K. has the Beatles, Canada gave us The Guess Who, Joni Mitchell and Neal Young. Oddly, Australia, the other English speaking country in the world has translated very few artists to the shores of North America. Technically The Bee Gees were Australian. So was Olivia Newton John. Then, there was Men At Work.

But Paul Kelly is the iconic Australian answer to Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Neil Young and at times throughout his career he has been the Australian answer to The Byrds, Tom Petty, John Prine, Leonard Cohen and a host of other folk/rock/pop stars. His music runs the gambit from A-Z . If you are not acquainted with Paul Kelly's body of work, here is another chance as this 2008 compilation is now available in America again. Great pop, rock, folk and country tinged music.

Quite simply, this CD contains some of the best words and music written in the last two decades. The only pity is that he is not better known in the US. I met him at concerts in Birmingham and Atlanta earlier this year. He is a gracious man and an outstanding artist and performer. You should have this CD in your collection. No doubt.