Songs to Learn and Sing

Echo & The Bunnymen

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: November 15, 1985
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sire / London/Rhino
• ASIN: B000002L8T
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #46,693 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Songs to Learn and Sing is a staple in the collection of post-new-wave rock. It was an era when the term progressive had just replaced the word alternative to describe music that was just too cool for American radio. This album is a compilation of Echo and the Bunnymen's British chart toppers from 1980 to 1985. The only song on this album that received attention beyond the band's cult following was "Bring on the Dancing Horses," made famous by its inclusion in the Pretty in Pink soundtrack. Echo and the Bunnymen are a tinny, twangy, ever-so-slightly-out-of-tune guitar band. What lead singer Ian McCulloch lacked in vocal range he made up for by embracing his comfort zone with full-force cracking, emotional yelps. A distinctive, recognizable sound, even to the barely initiated, this album marks an era yet is so enjoyable, it remains proudly timeless. --Beth Bessmer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a must have..., August 31, 2005

By	M. Lohrke "spitcake.blogspot.com" (Provo, UT) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

ian mcculloch and co. practically invented the british guitar rock later adopted by the likes of the smiths, the stone rose, et. al. more melodic and accessible than the likes of joy division, echo and the bunnymen straddled the line between exquisite song crafting and experimentation.

ian mcculloch proved to be the perfect frontman -- the trademark haircut, the trenchcoat, the voice that threated to crack at any second, the enigmatic persona. while not a truly gifted vocalist, he never had to be. his raspy voice is ideally suited to the music. much of the bunnymen's charm lay in their working class roots, settling for less than perfect, slightly gritty production and focusing instead on quality beats and melodies. will sargeant single-handedly ushered in a new guitar movement. his playing was sometimes intrusive in the beginning, but always interesting melodically and sonically as he matured. (and coldplay oughta be paying him royalties for the riffs they've nicked from him.) add to that a more than capable rhythm section (r.i.p., pete), and the bunnymen became one of the most influential rock bands of the last 25 years.

some of the finest bunnymen songs are found here: the oft mentioned 'the killing moon,' 'never stop,' 'the cutter,' 'the rescue,' etc. even now (2005), they sound fresh. every time i play this cd in my car or at home, i'm blown away by how utterly *fantastic* a band they really are--inventive, unique, and ridiculously original; excellent arrangements, flawless melodies, superb musicianship. of course, it always helps to have ian broudie doing the knob-twiddling.

this collection is something of 'greatest hits' that chronicles one of the most important 'post-punk' bands to ever come out of the UK. a must have for any music afficionado.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Bring on the best songs., January 4, 2004

By	H3@+h (VT) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This is pretty much what the casual fan is looking for. It's a collection of their early 80's songs, and includes the hit "Bring On The Dancing Horses", from the "Pretty In Pink" soundtrack. Other great songs are "Rescue", "Cutter", and the great "Killing Moon". The only big thing missing is "Lips Like Sugar", which was released afterwards. Otherwise this is a nice simple collection. It will go great with your "Cure" and "Joy Division" cd's. They do have an 18 track import collection. "Ian McCulloch's" solo stuff is good too, especially "Candleland".

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just the beginning..., February 16, 2002

By	Eric Beck (Stafford, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This is going to be just the beginning for you. The Bunnymen piqued my interest with Evergreen, so I thought I'd start off my Bunnymen collection with a sampler. Although this became my most played CD, it was my least satisfying! I just had to buy more and have not been disappointed ever since. It is obvious just listening to the disc the whole way through how different the Bunnymen's albums are. Furthermore, the rest of the songs on each album are just as good as the ones included here. In fact, I don't think the Crocodiles songs give you a good impression on how great an album that one is. It is awesome!

This is a smart investment. Not only do you get a sample of each of the Bunnymen's four classic albums, but you get two great non-album tracks in Never Stop and Bring on the Dancing Horses. If you could just get a Greatest Hits that included these two and The Game and Lips Like Sugar, the only two good tracks off the otherwise (...) Gray Album, then you would be all set.