The Best of Flanders & Swan - A Transport of Delight [IMPORT]

Michael Flanders (Composer), Donald Swann (Composer), Donald Swann (Performer), Michael Flanders (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Donald Swann, Michael Flanders
• Composer: Michael Flanders, Donald Swann
• Audio CD (May 6, 1994)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI Europe Generic
• ASIN: B000026LBT
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,652 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Act One: Introduction

2. Transport of Delight

3. Song of Reproduction

4. Gnu Song

5. Songs for Our Time: Philological Waltz/Satellite Moon/A Happy Song

6. Song of the Weather

7. Greensleeves

8. Misalliance

9. Madeira, M'Dear

10. Hippopotamus Song

11. Act Two: Introduction

12. All Gall

13. Horoscope

14. Gas-Man Cometh

15. Sounding Brass

16. Ill Wind

17. First and Second Law

18. By Air

19. Song of Patriotic Prejudice

20. Hippo Encore

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not quite the best, but pretty good..., June 24, 2006

By	T. Connor (Idaho, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Flanders and Swann were brilliant, witty songwriters who wrote acute but subtle satire (among other things). In spite of the title, this record is not a "Best Of" collection, but a repackaging of their two best-known albums, "At the Drop of a Hat" and "At the Drop of Another Hat." A lot of people don't realize that there were two recordings of "At the Drop of a Hat": the first, produced by George Martin for Parlophone, was recorded during its original run at the Fortune Theatre in London in the late '50s, and is much better than the Angel Records version recorded on Broadway. This reissue, unfortunately, uses the Broadway version, in which Flanders seems a little bored with the material (or perhaps unsure that the American audience will get some of the jokes) and tends to rush the punch lines. This collection also omits one of the best songs from "At the Drop of a Hat"(which certainly belongs on any CD with this title), the conscientious-objection allegory "The Reluctant Cannibal."

While this is well worth listening to, your money would be better spent on the original "Hats" in their complete form (with "Cannibal"), preferably the Martin-produced version, if it's still available.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful!, March 15, 2006

By	athena "athena" (nc) - See all my reviews

This live recording of some of the best loved Flanders and Swann songs is truly a transport of delight!

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and very English songs, June 4, 2003

By	Rick Row (Palo Alto, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Michael Flanders and Donald Swan composed and sang their own amusing songs, accompanied by Donald Swan playing the piano. Flanders was a large man in a wheelchair and Swan a slight man. Good natured, somewhat dry, very English lyrics, and somewhat dated as they were popular in the 1950s and 1960s. They did wonderful stage shows in those simpler times.