Customer Reviews

You Know Me

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Fans will like the lyrical depth and musical variety of each of the album's 14 tracks. First time listeners should embrace Jackie as a talented "new" artist.

The opening chords of the catchy "Steal The Thunder" signal Jackie is still top of her game. The album's lyrical content is spectacular exemplified by the politically/environmentally concious "Somewhere in America" where Jackie echoes "We are responsible!" Other highlights include the beautiful title track, the gentle "Keeper of the Dream", the lively "Just How Right You Are", the poignant "Vanished in Time", and the reggae anthem "Here On". Jackie's voice is as strong as ever and its good to see her return with a solid rock album where the listener is able to get to know her.

Musical pioneer Jackie was one of the first to record Bob Dylan material. She has recorded with Elvis, Jimmy Page and Van Morrison. Jackie wrote over 1000 songs (including the #1 "Bette Davis Eyes" for Kim Carnes)Her compositions have been performed by artists ranging from The Byrds to Bruce Springsteen. Her top 10 hits include "What the World Needs Now is Love" to "Put a Little Love in Your Heart."

"You Know Me" is such an ambitious project, you will be pleased to have known Jackie DeShannon.

Jackie Deshannon's records have been among my music collection for nearly as long as I've had records (since about 1965). While her versatility (and the pressures of the "shut up and sing" environment for female artists in the 1960s) led her to try many different styles, for me Jackie Deshannon was in the top tier of folk rockers. It's her material in this genre that is usually my favorite.

When I put "You Know Me" on the sound system, I hadn't heard anything new from her since "You're the Only Dancer" in the late 1970s. I was immediately reminded of the inimitable mixture of coolness and vulnerability that her voice conveys. And I got just what I want. This album is a GREAT folk rock offering. The arrangements are heavily based upon guitar, using classic Deshannon chord progressions. This is in no way dated; loads of artists still mine the musical seam originally established by Jackie Deshannon and a few of her contemporaries. Topically, the songs tend to be reflective in the manner that seems appropriate for someone of Jackie's experience and background.

I'll put it very simply: for a person to whom classics like "When You Walk In the Room," "Don't Turn Your Back on Me" and her version of "The Weight" represent peak experiences, hearing this album is like opening up a vein and letting Jackie Deshannon pour right in.

When I first heard that Jackie DeShannon was coming out with a new album I was unbelievably excited. I had seen Jackie perform on numerous television shows in the 60's and she was always one of my few favorite female rock artists. This new album "You Know Me" is a true masterpiece. It has incredible emotion, incredible passion, and immense artistry woven into its grooves. My favorite tracks are: "Just how right you are" (a true rocker), "There goes the one" (a classic DeShannon pop tune that would fit right in as soundtrack music on Ally McBeal), and Jackie's opus to heartland America, "Vanished in time" prove that Jackie's back with a stronger musical vision and lyrical perspective than ever. I highly recommend this album that proves one fact more than any other...Jackie DeShannon's talent as a singer/songwriter is timeless.

A cornucopia of harmonic majesty, Jackie DeShannon's recent album, "You Know Me" imparts a universal message, yet inherently remains unique and personal. In this music aficionado's opinion, DeShannon's talents lie partly in her unique gift and facility to capture the ethos of a given genre through song. Similar to her past hits like "Put A Little Love In Your Heart," her recent efforts in "Steal the Thunder," and "Keeper of the Dream," show she has not missed a beat (or note); her words are as powerful and prolific as ever. A must have for any pure music lover, as she is Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, and The Supremes in one. Though we had to wait over 20 years for the album, it was well worth the wait...simply brilliant.

"You Know Me" is a sensational album, but what's so amazing is that the music and lyrics are genderless. A great song is a great song and Jackie is finally having her say here. This isn't a "women's" CD or a "men's." It's just flat out killer songs by Jackie, proving that gender has nothing to do with talent. Artists shouldn't be pigeonhold.

Jackie De Shannon has been at the forefront of the music business paving the way for women before it was "cool." I'm told it was she who told an unknown folksinger named Bob Dylan to "plug in" his guitar. This album is Jackie at her best, using all she has learned through the absent years of reflection, and bursting forth again to simply dazzle us. There's a reason why Sonny Bono, Jack Nitzsche, Jorma & Jack, Marianne Faithful, teh Searchers, the Hollies, and the Beatles all thought/think she's a legend.

What a great album. I love every track. The songs are so personal and intricate. I grew up in the 70's and it was my older brothers who turned me on to Jackie DeShannon. Why aren't more albums of hers available on CD? Loved seeing Jackie on Letterman recently. God, she still looks incredible!! It's hard to believe she could have toured with the Beatles. I read in People Magazine this week that she opened up for the Beatles, so she must have quite a bit of talent if she was able to impress Lennon, McCartney and company. On her new album I really enjoyed the tracks..."Steal the Thunder", "Hear On" (a cool reggae song) and "Just how right you are" really rocks! I highly recommend this excellent album to Amazon buyers and music lovers everywhere.

Although most people may know her songs as sung by the artists that covered them, Jackie DeShannon is a true artist. This album is her first in over 20 years and is a fine showcase for these smart and rockin' songs. I find myself listening to this CD quite regularly.

For those people who may not be aware, Jackie wrote songs such as Bette Davis Eyes, Come Stay With Me, When You Walk In The Room and Put A Little Love In Your Heart.

She has played alongside the Beatles, Neal Diamond and Van Morrison.

She is an influence on the likes of Sheryl Crow, Jewel and Tori Amos. She recorded classics such as What The World Needs Now Is Love (written by the ever-awesome Burt Bacharach).

To sum things up, this is Jackie's best albums and one for those who like strong songwriting and a performer with a knack for writing catchy songs.

Welcome back Jackie DeShannon!

This is a great CD. I put it on my "Class of 2000 Best CDs" list on Amazon as the most welcome comeback of the year. Jackie sings about love, about America & the environment. She's got such a great platform that she ought to run for president! The opener is an infectious midtempo tune, "Steal the Thunder," "want to give you all his love..." It's the kind you keep humming after the CD ends. "The sky's on fire; I can feel my desire," Jackie sings in "Wind Rider" with a hot electric lead guitar. "Somewhere In America" is Jackie's platform speech that deals with wild life and the rainforest and has a red hot sax part. On "Any Heart" Jackie's voice alternately hints fragility and strength with what could be a ballad on a U2 CD, "Any heart can break." In "Song for Sandra Jeanne (Rites of Passage)" I get a sense of journey in the music like a boat bobbing on the ocean, "Truth's precision bows to none." The title track has a beautiful melody, "Something must be proven, following a shooting star, someone with a restless heart, you know me." "Just How Right You Are" is midtempo pop with prominent piano, ending with searing electric guitar on a Spector-like wall-of-sound arrangement as Jackie sings about "falling into ecstacy." Pop perfection doesn't get any better than "There Goes the One." This song was stuck on my favorite tracks rotation in the changer for over a year with that great jammin' sax. "Vanished in Time" is a great road song that laments the loss of our heartlands and references Jackson Pollock, the artist, "the staggering movement of grace." Nice percussion and a stately melody highlight "Keeper of the Dream." The hot electric guitar makes you get the feeling with "voices of outrage" on "Raze." "Red Montana Sky" is a good midtempo tune with a nice piano part about a Big Sky romance. "Set your mind to be strong from 'Here On'," Jackie sings on this reggae-tinged instant classic! Buy the CD for this track! The CD ends with Carl Wilson's "Trader." I fell in love with this song on the Beach Boys' "Holland" album; and with its pulsing rhythm, beautiful melody and environmental message, it is the perfect close to Jackie's CD. "Nourishment fills the prairies & the hillsides..." This is a marvelous CD I heartily recommend. If we can't elect Jackie president, we can listen to this gorgeous muse.

In a random and blessed twist of fate, I happened to be at a club (the Roxy in LA) with a few friends when I heard a classic song being performed by a moving and energetic voice downstairs. The song was "Bette Davis Eyes", and although I had only previously heard the Kim Carnes rendition, I was roused by the talent I was in the presence of that night. Completely unaware of who this was, I approached the balcony, looked over, and saw a crowd of people surrounding this woman -- enthusiastically dancing and thoroughly enjoying themselves. I, not wanting to look completely out of touch with the music scene, asked a bartender who that was. She replied "you don't know?" Shamefully, I said no, and she, obviously perturbed, informed me that it was Jackie DeShannon. I was amazed -- Jackie DeShannon, made famous for one of the most well known songs in musical history (What The World Needs Now Is Love) -- was performing, and after a couple years off, she still sounded as good as ever. Within the next few weeks, I went out and purchased the CD (when it was released). Let me say that, in this day and age, with Napster and the digital music "sharing" going on, I hardly ever buy an album. This one, however, I had to have. Even more importantly, I didn't regret the purchase a day later, and I still listen to it quite frequently. Unlike the rest of the garbage and filler that pervades the music industry today -- the entire reason that I stopped buying music -- this album was recorded with the same energy and life that I heard her singing with that evening, live. How many other artist can you say that about right now?