Customer Reviews

Where Have All The Flowers Gone: The Songs of Pete Seeger

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

You'll hear your favorites on this album, and you'll hear songs new to you that will blow you away.

Besides being a collection of songs honoring Seeger, these are wonderful on their own. Re-release these as singles, and they will be hits in the folk-music circles, and could hold their own on some more popular stations (like Chicago's WXRT).

For me, I loved Studs Terkel reading "Blessed Be the Nation," Jackson Browne/Bonnie Raitt singing, "Kisses Sweeter than Wine," and the deeply haunting "My Father's Mansion" as sung by Billy Bragg and Eliza Carthy in a celtic flavor.

Hearing Donovan's version of "My Rainbow Race" was refreshing, and Dick Gaughan's dramatic rendering of "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy" knocked my socks off. Surprising me was Tim Robbins' "All My Children of the Sun." So he can sing, too? Amazing.

Listen to Greg Brown singing "Sailing Down My Golden River." He has a Johnny Cash thing going on when he sings it, don't you think? Check it out. Very cool.

There are others, some 39 songs in all, and each I honestly liked. No duds, no "why did they put that on the album" songs.

I fully recommend this album.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

I just heard this 2cd set and am blown away by it! I didn't realize he had written all those songs! I loved the reggae song, and all the others. I work at two libraries. One library had it, and I am going to buy this for my other library, and a copy for me, since it has all the notes from Pete and the artists who sing his songs. EVERYONE should hear this!

In agreeing with all the other top-star reviews in this list, I want to add that part of what makes Pete Seeger such a treasure is the timelessness of his writing. Reggae Pete? Why not! Like Shakespeare, adapting classics for modern tastes only emphasizes their universality. This tribute makes it clear that Pete's music belongs in the global culture, for all generations present and future to discover and make their own.

On a separate note, I want to direct America-centric readers to the work of Tommy Sands, a great friend of Pete's who sings the title song. North-of-Ireland Irish, Tommy follows in Pete's peace-activist footsteps, and deserves the international recognition he has received for his work... Slàinte!

On first listen, the divergent arrangements and production of these Pete Seeger classics recorded by others startle. However, after a few listens I can't get enough. The folk melodies wrap around the new voices and interpretations like they should... beautiful and compelling music by the national treasure that is Pete Seeger.

I love this set. It blends the works of Pete Seeger and many of the artists of subsequent decades for me. If you don't know who Pete Seeger is, get it. If you do, you will love the feeling of coming home, but to a repainted house with different furniture. Pete Seeger is an icon. You should know what he's done for us. This CD will give you a taste of his impact in the U.S.

CD was in great shape - but dull in content. I was not impressed wtih his rendition on this CD. BORING.

This is a supurb collection of Folk Music.It was released in 1998,but is really Folk Music of the 60's ,all of it written by the person who was the central figure of the Folk Music scene at the height of its popularity.It was the music that represented the thoughts,experiences,hopes,fears,dreams,heartbreaks,protests and just about everything that the music scene portrayed during the sixties.However,anyone familiar with this music is in for a big surprise and treat when they listen to this album.While everything ,all 39 recordings,are from Seeger,all but one,"And Still I'm Searching" are other artist's interpreting Seeger's songs.It will be a great surprise for you,as it certainly was for me, to hear these artists singing Seeger's songs.Also,you will find many songs in this collection that will probably be totally new ,or at least somewhat forgotten.
There are songs that have become so familiar to long time Folkies as well as mainstream listeners, that when done by others will ,to use an old expression,"knock your socks off".
Just to captivate your curiosity,can you imagine:
Jackson Browne & Bonnie Raitt singing "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine"
Bruce Cockburn singing "Turn,Turn,Turn"
Nanci Griffith and Friends singing "If I Had A Hammer"
Bruce Springsteen singing "We Shall Overcome"
Studs Terkel doing "Blessed Be The Nation" or "Oh,Sacred World"
And what would a Folk Music collection be without
Peter,Paul & Mary,The Weavers and "Wimoweh",Odetta and "One Grain Of Sand"
Then to wrap it all up,Pete tells us what his long journey in Folk Music has been all about with "And Still I'm Searching.
If you are a Folk Music fan, or a fan of American Music heritage;you'll treasure this collection.The inserts that are included with these two CD's are excellent and will give you a much greater insight into what was on Seeger's mind at the time and how he came about to compose these songs.

On this 2 CD set over two dozen friends and fans of Pete Seeger, famous and accomplished in their own right, sing his songs in their own styles. This gives many of the songs a new, unfamiliar feel, and tends to bring attention to the words rather than just to familiar melodies. (Having said that, Roger McGuinn's "Bells of Rhymney" could easily have been Pete Seeger in voice and style.) Together the musicians and songs present a collection of about 150 minutes of wonderful music. I highly recommend it; mine is on repeat.

Pete Seeger is the genuine article. A man who has devoted his life to using his gifts and talents to do his part to make the world a more humane place. His music sung by him is a unique contribution. This album combining Seeger's own voice with a fine collection of collaborators honoring him may even be better. If not better, at least more engaging when listening to the whole album thanks to the variety of voices and stylings. If you want pure Pete Seeger, he has plenty for you. If you are interested in a fresh and honest interpretation of his work, this is a good source.

This is a beautiful collection of songs. My family listens to this as much as we can. Once we get sick of one CD we listen to the other. Although there are a few tracks that aren't as pleasing, the really excellent ones (Where Have All the Flowers Gone, Sailing Down My Golden River) make up for it ten fold.