Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood [SOUNDTRACK]

David Mansfield (Composer), T-Bone Burnett (Composer), Various Artists (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 28, 2002)
• Original Release Date: June 7, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000658AS
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,853 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #5 in	Music > Country > Cajun & Zydeco > Cajun & Creole
  #5 in	Music > Jazz > Traditional Jazz & Ragtime > Boogie-Woogie
  #6 in	Music > Blues > Piano

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
With the soundtrack to Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, O Brother, Where Art Thou? producer T Bone Burnett has compiled another gently nostalgic gem. Filled with covers of jazz standards, sparse blues picking, and traditional Cajun pieces, Sisterhood matches Brother in ambiance and impeccable musicianship. The highlights are numerous: Bob Dylan's lively song waltzes with a raspy narrative, Lauryn Hill uses acoustic plucking to complement her soulful croon, and Bob Schneider contributes an understated love-ballad rumbling with piano. Even the cover songs are first-rate; Macy Gray jive-jumps through a faithful Billie Holiday cover, and Tony Bennett slows things down with a dapper and distinguished Nat "King" Cole homage. Despite the diffuse genres covered, the superior quality of Sisterhood's songs renders these differences negligible, and the album's pacing ensures a pleasing alternation of styles that never lags. In fact, there's nary a bad song on the entire album. The divine secret's out--Sisterhood is an essential listen. --Annie Zaleski

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Schizophrenic, But Haunting Soundtrack, May 31, 2002

By	Karl Miller "kemspeaks" (Phoenixville, PA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

T-Bone Burnette's foray into the world of film soundtracks continues to produce some beautifil results. Blending old time Cajun blues, some of today's finest female vocalists, and a few icons (Dylan, Mahalia Jackson), the soundtrack to YaYa works as you would expect a soundtrack to work - it has some stellar moments, but it isn't fully cohesive.
Someone had a lot of fun putting this CD together, because they are some obscure, yet delightful tracks. Ann Savoy, a singer I did not know before buying this disc, has a gorgeous voice, and the soft accompaniment to her three contributions highlights her music very well. New tracks from two of today's most interesting singers, Allison Krause ("Sitting At The Window Of My Room" is wonderful), and Lauryn Hill ("Selah", a great track that is much better than anything on Miss Hill's 2nd album) are extremely enjoyable.Mahalia Jackson's "Walk In Jerusalem" is a soulful gospel pleasure, and Richard and Linda Thompson's "Dimming Of The Day" is one of their best songs (though if you know this song beware, for some unknown reason, the instrumentation is a lot different than on the original).
The biggest misfire on this disc is Macy Gray's remake of Billie Holiday's "I Want to Be Your Mother's Son In Law". Gray is a great singer, but her voice isn't equipped for remaking classic blues/jazz numbers, especially one where the limitations of her voice are readily apparent.
The problem with this disc is that it cannot set (or cannot hold) one mood for more than 2-3 songs in a row. I have been hitting the skip button on my player a lot since I bought it. You'll enjoy the songs, just be prepared for an erratic approach to the programming.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars T Bone's da man!, June 24, 2002

By	Kori Frazier (Kent, OH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After experiencing newfound fame and success with the multi-platinum Grammy awarding O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU soundtrack and DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN, the live companion to its hugely popular predecessor, producer T Bone Burnett has created yet another masterpiece. While the DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA YA SISTERHOOD soundtrack does not follow in the same bluegrass vain as Burnett's other two efforts, it is still a phenomenal collection of music worth owning.

The soundtrack contains a wonderful variety of cajun, blues, and rock and roll music that any music fan will find pleasing and refreshing, as well as appearances by some of today's most talented musicians. Macy Gray performs the Billie Holliday tune, "I Want to Be Your Mother's Son In Law" to sheer perfection, Lauryn Hill contributes an emotion-packed recording of "Selah," and Grammy award winning O Brother veteran Alison Krauss appears with a lovely version of "Sitting in the Window of My Room." New music by music legends Tony Bennett and Bob Dylan is also worth hearing. Like the O BROTHER soundtrack, Burnett mixes the newly recorded songs with music of the past, including three rockin' Jimmy Reed tracks and a symphonic remix of Richard and Linda Thompson's "Dimming of the Day."

Whether you've seen the movie or not, this is a fantastic music collection to own. If you loved the O Brother soundtrack, love the blues, or love great music in general, check it out! :-)

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Divine Music from the YaYa's, May 31, 2002

By A Customer

While watching a private viewing of this film with a YaYa Sister of my own, I found my foot tapping more than not. I preordered the CD from Amazon and have not stopped playing it since it arrived.

The Cajun Violins sing soulfully of the bayous lost in the waves of heat and heart. Each song flows gently in the next and one finds themselves dancing away their gloom. Jazz from years gone by jumps alive in the new. There is not one track that one wants to "pass over". A true little jewel in a world of pretenders.