The Story Hour

Sally Mayes | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 5, 1999)
• Original Release Date: October 5, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B00001WROL
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #404,406 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Once upon a Time

2. Crooked Smile

3. I'll Get up Tomorrow Morning

4. The Babysitter's Here

5. Hamlet

6. Southbound Train

7. Shopping Carl of Love

8. Dear Danny

9. Painting My Kitchen

10. Superstar/Anyone Who Had a Heart

11. He Ain't Mr. Right

12. Sweet Dreams

13. Meeting Across the River

14. Heaven Can Wait

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Worth a Listen. . .Again and Again, December 28, 1999

By 

Craig McKinney (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story Hour (Audio CD)

I had the chance to see and hear Sally Mayes in Dallas when she toured with "Closer Than Ever," and I had heard she'd "retired" to raise a family. When I found this recording, I snatched it up immediately, and was pleased to hear that her return to music was well worth the wait. Each song is beautifully performed in front of a deservedly appreciative live audience, yet the album merits re-listening more than most live albums. Mayes' voice is a lush, soulful instrument which is equally at home with jazz, pop, ballads, or Broadway. She puts a delightful new spin on Christine Lavin's hilarious "Shopping Cart of Love: The Play," and I can't get enough of "My Babysitter." Fans of great singing won't be disappointed with this eclectic, tuneful recording. With bedtime stories like these, her son is a lucky boy indeed.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely songs, lovely stories!, February 10, 2000

By 

efrex (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story Hour (Audio CD)

I was only familiar with Sally Mayes from her wonderful turn in the revival of "She Loves Me", and then discovered this gorgeous cabaret album... featuring story-songs with a perfect balance of funny (Christine Lavin's "Shopping Cart of Love" is an old favorite of mine, and I still can't believe that somebody besides Christine could pull it off), and heartwrenching ("The Babysitter's Here" is shooting up my personal charts)

All the songs are superbly sung with a wide variety of expression (Mayes can pull off the country stylings of "He Ain't Mr. Right", the hyped-up jazz of Frank Loesser's "Hamlet" [or a reasonable facsimile thereof... I'm not sure Frank *quite* meant the song to sound that way], and the pop plaints of Bachrach's "Anyone Who Had A Heart" without batting one of her huge hazel eyes). Rather than limit herself to a single piano accompaniast, Mayes gets backed by a superb ensemble of violin, bass (her husband), and drums, as well as a couple of backing vocals, giving this album an extremely rich feel while still maintaining the intimate feel of a cabaret evening. Cabaret performers, take note: THIS is how you do it... don't recycle a bunch of songs we've all heard, find your own voice and make it work!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Caberet's best, March 2, 2000

By 

R. Cooner (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Story Hour (Audio CD)

Sally Mayes is truly an exceptional cabaret artist, as her newest CD, THE STORY HOUR, reveals. Sally has soul, and she knows how to communicate that in each and every selection. Approaching every song as if it is a miniature three-act play, Sally mines a wealth of emotion on THE STORY HOUR. From the giddy excitement of a young girl in awe of her favorite babysitter, to the emotional rollercoaster (and verbal dexterity!) of a woman reviewing her therapist's tactics, to the heartbreaking yearning of a rock star groupie, Sally creates an array of characters that are unforgetably human. Buy this CD and discover the versatility of one of the best cabaret and musical theatre performers around.