Customer Reviews

These Foolish Things

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

 

 

There is no one on this planet that can take a hoary old classic, blow the dust off it and make it completely his own, quite the way Bryan Ferry can. I never grow weary of listening to this album. Apart from the fact that this man has a sinfully wicked voice, he also has this wondrous ability to interpret lyrics that have been recorded ad nauseum, and create something fresh and eclectic (I listen to his version of "Don't Ever Change" at least once a day!)He has had many great albums, but this is the one that I would grab if my house caught fire.

Rather than writing about the wonderful music, since the other reviewers have done such a good job of it, I'll comment on the newly issued remasters of the Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry releases. They are spectacular! Each release sounds markedly better than any previous version, including the original vinyl pressings. You will hear things on this record that you didn't know were in the grooves. And the HDCD encoding is a special treat for those people with compatible CD players, though not required to hear the glories of one of the all-time great bands.

Bryan Ferry's debut solo album sets the tone for his cover albums since: inventive, campy, and completely out of left field. It also has the virtue of being his best solo effort for most of the seventies, until The Bride Stripped Bare. An amazing talent and a true rock treasure.

Musically,1973 was a very good year for Bryan Ferry. That year saw the release of his debut solo album which happens to be one of his finest collection of cover songs if not the best and Roxy Music's "Stranded"-arguably their best album as well. Seemingly everything Bryan touched that year was golden. "Hard Rain" is wonderful with its orchestral flourishes, adding more color and textures to the already colorful lyrics of Bob Dylan. Some may think it's overdone but I love its new theatrics. The Stones' "Sympathy For The Devil" also gets a full blown orchestral treatment with Mr. Ferry indeed sounding quite devilish. Other highlights include his funny, high camp version of "It's My Party", the rousing versions of "Don't Ever Change", "Piece Of My Heart", Baby I Don't Care", "You Won't See Me", "I Love How You Love Me", and "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever". The pathos displayed in songs like "River Of Salt", "Don't Worry Baby", "The Track Of My Tears" and the title song is absolutely riveting. Hearing these songs is almost like seeing them acted out because of Ferry's inherent theatricality. In addition to the songs themselves, the wonderful remastering of this CD makes it a neccessary one to own if you dig all things Bryan Ferry. Check It Out!

These Foolish Things being Ferry's 1973 release and his debute solo effort and contains cover versions of songs by the likes of Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and Elvis Presley. His rendition of Dylan's "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" is astounding as is his version of "These Foolish Things". Ferry looks quite stylish on the cover and his vocal skills are right on the mark. 5/5.

An excellent tour through the history of Rock/Pop music of the mid-20th century. Ferry has selected a premium batch of cover songs for his signature interpretations, and his taste is (of course) impeccable. The weakest point on the album is probably his cover of 'Sympathy for the Devil' which I had long thought could not be tackled by anyone other than Jagger - that was, until Laibach got a hold of it and turned it upside down and inside out (to great effect). The remainder of the album is great though, and Bryan manages to reinterpret many of these classics without forsaking the power of the originals. An impressive opening salvo.

"These Foolish Things" represents the more "pop" side of Bryan Ferry, and, if you read the liner closely enuf, you'll see that, it all but name, it is a Roxy Music album/cd, with all the "Stranded"/"Country Life"/"Siren" musicians featured (which means, thank goodness, none of "Eno's" foolishness). So "Trudi" didn't like "Hard Rain...?" Sorry, darlin', that is the absolute very best "Dylan Cover" I'VE ever heard. And Ferry's rendition of Leslie Gore's "It's My Party" is an absolute hoot, too. Really, the only drawback is Ferry's way-over-the-top "dramatic" rendition of the Stones "Sympathy For The Devil," but - hey - this is a collection of one man's favorite pop songs, and he does pull it off EVER-So-Well! Say it again: FIVE STARS!

Every few years, Bryan Ferry releases an album of cover tunes - always arranged in his own, unique style. "These Foolish Things" was the first one. Every cut is a treat, from the slightly campy take on "It's My Party" to the very sexy "Piece of My Heart." There is something for everyone on this album ... ballads, rockers (Dylan's "Hard Rain's Gonna Fall"), and Ferry's trademark '30's dancehall style beautifully displayed on the title cut. Add this to your collection immediately!

So Bryan Ferry of Roxy music was hanging out one day in London during 70's watching Happy Days and thought, "Ya, know? I wanna be look like Fonzi and cover The Beatles and Dylan too." And the rest is, shall we say, You Tube search history! (Actually, The above album and thus photo PRE DATES Arthur Fonzerelli, Johnny Nogerelli et al by about a year but still...he looks like the FONZ!!)

I'm in giddy shock over this album. There were 1970's TV stars like Shatner, Jack Webb, Nimoy, Savalas etc who made albums of cover songs so they could sound LIKE a Bryan Ferry type singer, yet Bryan Ferry made a cover album that sounds LIKE a 70's TV star covering songs and sounding like BRYAN FERRY! It's Golden Throats meet post -modernism.

He was new to singing here so this is less polished and more like Eastern European karaoke night at a Russian cafe near Angel Tube station. Fun stuff though!! CAMPY!!

I really Like Roxy Music, and I bought a couple of years ago a Box Set of Brian ferry's first three albums, This one I believe is unlike the other two, horrible I'm sorry If I offend the other people who wrote a review, but he misses in all the song to hit the right key in which to sing them, the only one that to me come's out right is his version of Elvis's Baby, I don't care, I mean Sympathy, and tracks are just awful, Piece of my heart, is very good until he hits the chorus, where he sings it so low that feels as if he was mumbling, I recommend all of his records but this one, sorry Bryan, but I humbly have to say that you didn't make it here