Customer Reviews

Souvenirs: Best of Janis Ian 1972-1981

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

 

 

Janis Ian began her recording career with a song (Society's child) about an inter-racial relationship and followed up with an album of protest songs. Those recordings are not included on this compilation covering her later recordings, but they can be found separately.

Between 1974 and 1979, Janis recorded four classic albums (Stars, Between the lines, Aftertones, Night rains) from which most of the tracks here are taken. Those albums featured many of the great songs we remember her for including Jesse (a top ten American hit via a Roberta Flack cover), At seventeen (a top five American hit for Janis), Love is blind (a Japanese number one hit), Will you dance (another big Japanese hit), Fly too high (featured on the soundtrack of Foxes and a minor UK hit) and The other side of the sun (another minor UK hit).

Following those albums, Janis diversified into acting and writing but continued to record great music. When Canada legalized single-sex marriages, Janis seized on the opportunity to marry her lesbian partner there in 2003.

Forget all the controversy and just listen to a brilliant folk-rock singer who never achieved the same level of success as Joan Baez, Judy Collins or Joni Mitchell but who certainly deserves to be considered alongside those outstanding singers. If you enjoy their music, give Janis a listen. This compilation provides a great introduction to her music.

This really is an excellent "Greatest Hits" collection! It includes the very best from each album and even "Mechanical Telephone" an excellent song from Janis' quirky "Uncle Wonderful" '80's album. I am so glad Janis included "Will You Dance" and "Love is Blind" in this collection. They were huge chart toppers in Japan. The "Up 'til Now" 17 Greatest hits album had to be tailored twice with alternate cuts to cater to Japanese audiences. The only suggestion I could make to improve this album was to add "Restless Eyes", not instead of, but in addition to "Passion Play" which is also an excellent song from that album! Time constraints probably had something to do with that decision. The pictures of Janis are gorgeous too! Buy this CD and you will probably start building a Janis Ian collection!

tough to give more stars to this collection when it includes only two songs from her finest album: Between the Lines (two great songs but there are at least another three songs that shouldve been included) bottom line this shouldve been a two disc set, whats there is great though

Janis is one of the very best, if not the best singer songwriters. These recordings represent some of the best vocals and songwriting of those times. She's full of emotion and beauty. You must buy this!

I recently heard Janis on a Saturday Night Live Show from 1976 and I bought this CD and have since purchased a second CD of her's. Her lyrics are profound and this lady can sing! I would recommend this CD to everyone.

The title says it all.This is a great Cd of an Artist and time mostly forgotten.

I've been a Janis Ian fan since her "Society's Child" days. This is a good showcase of her talent, but it doesn't equal the brillance of "Between the Lines". (I honestly don't think anything can.) This is a good sampler, but if you want Janis at her best, go with "Between the Lines".

This is a thorough anthology of Janis Ian with songs taken from many albums such as 'Stars', 'Between the lines', 'Aftertones', 'Miracle Row','Janis Ian', 'Night Rains','Uncle Wonderful',and 'Restless Eyes'.Besides the beautiful and well -known 'At Seventeen', and 'Jesse', there are many other beautiful melodies mixing styles from ballad to jazz, reminding singer-songwriters, like Joni Mitchell, or Carole King.Very nice indeed.