The Best of Sandy Denny

Sandy Denny

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 1, 1991)
• Original Release Date: 1989
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Hannibal
• ASIN: B00000061E
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #193,487 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
The queen of British folk-rock, Sandy Denny epitomized its contrasts of light and dark as well as its balance of traditional imagery and contemporary musicianship. That's the case whether she's recording her own bejeweled, quietly heartbreaking solo ballads or rocking alongside her partners in the Strawbs, Fotheringay, and, of course, Fairport Convention, which Denny joined as replacement for original female vocalist Judy Dyble. It was Denny (who died in 1978) who helped define that seminal band's vocal style, both on her own signature song, "Who Knows Where the Time Goes," and other originals as well as on their riveting electric updates of traditional ballads. This compilation focuses more on contemporary material (including predictably superb covers of Richard Thompson songs, both inside and outside the Fairport context), and Denny's luminous singing gives a timeless coherence to each performance. One listen to the hushed, rhapsodic sweep of songs like "Listen, Listen" and "It'll Take a Long Time" make it clear where Natalie Merchant found her muse. --Sam Sutherland

Product Description
16-track collection released through Universal.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Capturing the Hearts of British Music Lovers for a Decade, September 24, 2000

By	dev1 (Baltimore) - See all my reviews

From about nineteen sixty-eighth to seventy-eight, on this side of the Atlantic (U.S.), Joan Baez and Judy Collins pretty much had the ladies Folk scene wrapped up. Their equivalent, on the other side of the ocean, is Sandy Denny. She is, without argument, the definitive British Folk voice. And, as captured on The Best Of Sandy Denny, her voice is one of a kind: haunting, powerful, penetrating, ethereal and sophisticated (Did I miss any adjectives?). Baez and Collins are first rate writers and singers in their own right, but Denny's primary appeal is her ghostly link to Tradition English music. Close your eyes and dream of the days of kings, queens and chivalry - Sandy Denny will transport you to a mythological place centuries past.

Few fans of Sandy Denny will agree on which of her work is "the best," so `The Best Of Sandy Denny' is certain to contain minor disappointments for regular fans, but surely delight new converts. The album faithfully covers the essential periods of Denny's career including her solo work, and her recordings with the Fairport Convention and Fotheringay. The core musicians featured during these three periods are essentially the same, so `The Best Of Sandy Denny' doesn't sound like a haphazard compilation of tracks from seven albums, but has a comfortable musical continuity.

Without mincing words, the majesty and grace of `Listen, Listen,' `The Lady,' and `I'm A Dreamer' are unmatched in contemporary music. `It'll Take A Long Time' and `The Pond And The Stream' are bittersweet tales featuring heavenly guitar work. Throughout the album, the masterful guitar work of Richard Thompson, Jerry Donahue and Trevor Lucas is seductive. `Solo' is simply gorgeous and heartbreaking.

For her ability to transport the listener to a world far removed from the present, Sandy Denny has few equals. Grab of copy of `The Best Of Sandy Denny' and discover how she captured the hearts of British music lovers for a decade.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best of Times, November 4, 2001

By	J Keistler "[e-mail]" (Lake Jackson, Texas USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

As another reviewer has stated, any anthology of Sandy Denny's music this concise can't cover her work. She represented and still represents the best of folk/pop/renaissance singers of her period, recording a catalog of breadth and depth unusual for such a short career.

Still, for a 1-CD set this covers many of the high points. These are certainly some of her most accessible recordings; "Listen, Listen" and "Tam Lin" are my favorites on this CD. They are beautifully remastered.

Fortunately for all of us, most of Ms. Denny's work has been transferred to CD, so this one might serve as a great introduction to her work for the uninitiated.

To those of us old enough to remember, this music can serve as a joyful bridge to our more innocent youth. Incidentally, the music samples can be heard by clicking on the full box set.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful singer, but not the best choice of songs!, June 21, 1998

By A Customer

Sandy Denny has perhaps the most wonderfully emotive voice that I have ever heard. Her work as a singer and a songwriter are both woefully neglected. My main carp would be with the selection of tracks. I just don't understand why "Fotheringay" (from Fairport Convention's second album), "Genesis Hall" (from their third), "The Music Weaver" (from her second album), and "Blackwaterside" (from her first) could be left off of this collection!