Customer Reviews

Tonight: In Person

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In the early 60's, my Dad hated Folk groups. UNTIL the day Ed Sullivan introduced these guys. And almost overnight, he started BUYING their records. That really says something to me! The Limeliters became a big part of my early years, and I'm sure Lou Gottlieb had a huge influence on the way I think. It's probably hard for today's music listeners to comprehend, but before The Beatles, this singing group was possibly the MOST exciting thing on the American music scene! And to put them in their proper historical context: when they appeared on the same bill during the 70's, The Kingston Trio was the WARM-UP act!

TONIGHT:IN PERSON was their 1st Live album, and their 1st with RCA. There's so much I love here-- great melodies, amazing singing, sharp intelligence & humor. While I ran across this one comparatively "late" (1970!) it's been a favorite of mine for over 30 years now. So many highlights: "There's A Meetin' Here Tonight" (rousing), "Molly Malone" (romantic & tragic), "The Monks Of St. Bernard" (dramatic & hilarious at once), "Hey Li Lee Li Lee" (Lou's "audience-participation" song), "Headin' For The Hills" (one of my favorite historical ballads, about the American Revolution), "Rumania Rumania" (perhaps the most exciting-- and funniest-- on the album) "Have Some Madeira M'Dear" (would this be out of place on Monty Python?) and "Proschai" (the multi-lingual "farewell" song).

The strongest statement I can make about this-- is I feel TONIGHT: IN PERSON is one of the greatest live folk albums EVER recorded. And it's NOT even their BEST one!! (Also check out their Elektra debut, THE LIMELITERS, recently reissued in its entirety on CD by Collector's Choice Music!)

Thank goodness this marvelous old LP has resurfaced via CD.Of all the folk groups of the 60's, The Limelighters are by far the best---from harmony to humor. It's almost as if I'm there in concert with them again! Glenn Yarbrough's melodic voice shines in "Molly Malone" and "The Far Side Of The Hill".A well done album which I highly recommend to folk music fans.

As a child, I grew up listening to the Limelighters as my parents had seen their nightclub acts and purchased all their albums. Their songs, which are ballads from across many lands, consist of hilariously funny audience group participation as well as tender songs of love. The Kingston Trio was a fantastic group, but in my mind never held a candle to the genius of the The Limelighters. Lou Gottlieb's quick witted ad-libbing was genius in itself and Alex Hassiliev was the quiet baritone. But Glenn Yarbrough, my favorite, has a clear splendid voice that when accompanied by his beautiful whistling brought forth great tenderness to his ballads of lost loves. This album consists of some of their most memorable songs. My son, also, grew up listening to this tremendous group and now three generations of our family have loved the Limelighters!

Having been employed by The Brothers Four at one point in my life I decided that it would be nice to put together a small collection of great folk music from days gone by. In deciding who I wanted in my collection The Limeliters did not enter the thought process (it's true, brain cells were lost during the 60s)until I ran across a "Those who bought so and so also bought The Limeliters" note on one of the selections.

How could I have forgotten The Limelighters and what a blessing to see this album in particular available on CD. Nothing beats Folk Music in live concert form and this particular album while it certainly shows off individual talents, humor and creativity, is enhanced with some great audience participation. That's what folk music was all about and The Limeliters were great at their craft. So chalk up some brain cells restored by The Limeliters and some great folk music to listen to and remember.

A witty live album by the finest folk trio ever. Alex, Lou, and Glenn will have your toes tapping and singing along all day long. Hopefully, we'll see more releases come out on CD (Our Men In San Francisco?) from the classic Limeliters lineup.

This is an album designed to make you smile. I think it is fair to say I learned my first true love song listening to the old vinyl LP in the basement, and to this day, Seven Daffodils is the song my wife and I consider Our Song. And, if that's not enough, there's musical humor that has also stuck with me through the years. Flanders' & Swann's Have Some Madiera, M'Dear is a song I sing to cheer up a crowd of friends, and warn my children with. And that's just two (!) of the many great songs on this album.

Like many of the other reviewers of the Limeliters, I was introduced to the trio through my father, through this album. Thirty years after I first heard it and twenty after I last heard it, I picked up the CD last week, and sang along with it the first time through. The songs stay with you, thanks to soaring harmonies and ferocious energy. The humor retains its bite more than forty years after its recording. Most impressively, the Limeliters didn't patronize its audience. Most of the humor on the record is sophisticated, and much of it is unspoken. For example, "The Monks of St. Bernard is sung entirely in French," yet the trio get across wickedly the salacious nature of the song. You don't need to like folk music to adore this record. If you appreciate musical virtuosity and peerless showmanship, you'll wear out the CD.

Maybe because they were part of my youth but I found that I enjoyed their intelligence, their harmony and their sense of humor as much as I remembered. Once I had this collection of songs on an LP so it is nice to be able to enjoy it once again via CD.

If you really like 1960's Folk and the Limelighters, this is one of the best. 'Nuff said.

DBC

A wonderful collection of songs that must not be lost.
Everyone got one for Christmas and loved it.
Mary