Image Unavailable
Color:
-
-
-
- Sorry, this item is not available in
- Image not available
- To view this video download Flash Player
Anthology: No Big Surprise
| Listen Now with Amazon Music |
|
No Big Surprise: The Steve Goodman Anthology
"Please retry" | Amazon Music Unlimited |
| Price | New from | Used from |
|
MP3 Music, September 15, 1994
"Please retry" | $9.49 | — |
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Track Listings
Disc: 1
| 1 | Between the Lines |
| 2 | Take Me Out to the Ballgame |
| 3 | Go Cubs Go |
| 4 | City of New Orleans |
| 5 | Would You Like to Learn to Dance? |
| 6 | Souvenirs |
| 7 | Red Ball Jets |
| 8 | The One That Got Away |
| 9 | Talk Backwards |
| 10 | If She Were You |
| 11 | Danger |
| 12 | You Better Get It While You Can (The Ballad of...) |
| 13 | Yellow Coat |
| 14 | Banana Republics |
| 15 | California Promises |
| 16 | Bobby Don't Stop |
| 17 | My Old Man |
| 18 | This Hotel Room |
| 19 | Where's the Party |
| 20 | I Just Keep Falling in Love |
| 21 | Watchin' Joey Glow |
| 22 | The Dutchman |
| 23 | In Real Life |
Disc: 2
| 1 | Chicken Cordon Bleus |
| 2 | The I Don't Know Where I'm Goin', But I'm Goin' |
| 3 | Is It True What They Say About Dixie? |
| 4 | Turnpike Tom |
| 5 | Elvis Imitators |
| 6 | Lincoln Park Pirates |
| 7 | Wonderful World of Sex |
| 8 | Vegematic |
| 9 | A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request |
| 10 | Men Who Love Women Who Love Men |
| 11 | The Auctioneer |
| 12 | The Broken String Song |
| 13 | Just Lucky I Guess |
| 14 | I'll Fly Away |
| 15 | It's a Sin to Tell a Lie |
| 16 | Medley: Born to Be Wild/Teen Angel/Tell |
| 17 | You Never Even Call Me By My Name |
| 18 | Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes |
| 19 | As Time Goes By |
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Still best remembered for his evocative "City Of New Orleans," which brought Arlo Guthrie his long single hit, the late Steve Goodman was a gifted songwriter, affecting singer, and spirited acoustic guitarist who forged a link between the urban troubadors of the '60s and the "sensitive" singer-songwriters of the '70s. The elfin Chicagoan could tug heart strings as well as the latter camp (try his version of "The Dutchman," or fine originals like "Banana Republics" and "Yellow Coat"), but Goodman was never content to brood over mere heartbreak. His recordings and solo live performances were ripe with humor, from lively updates of old rags and Tin Pan Alley tunes ("It's A Sin To Tell A Lie") to topical parodies ("Lincoln Park Pirates," "Chicken Cordon Bleus," and the ultimate country song, "You Never Even Call Me By My Name," written with John Prine), and this generous two CD anthology captures it all, culling studio and stage tracks from throughout his career. --Sam Sutherland
Product details
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Language : English
- Product Dimensions : 5.82 x 0.73 x 4.91 inches; 7.2 Ounces
- Manufacturer : Red Pajamas
- Original Release Date : 1994
- Date First Available : December 7, 2006
- Label : Red Pajamas
- ASIN : B000000DM7
- Number of discs : 2
- Best Sellers Rank: #76,169 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- #888 in Traditional Folk (CDs & Vinyl)
- #1,023 in Contemporary Folk (CDs & Vinyl)
- #2,243 in Pop Singer-Songwriters
- Customer Reviews:
Important information
To report an issue with this product, click here.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon-
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
I'm not prejudiced against live recordings: many are excellent, such as "The Weavers at Carnegie Hall" or "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison". This live disc sounds like it was recorded in a small bar with a small circle of yahoos whose whoops and hollers get really annoying after a while. Now if you were one of those yahoos present, you'd like this CD as a souvenir; for the rest of us, it's fairly tedious. It also shows Goodman singing some of his stuff in a fairly bored I-gotta-finish-this fashion or in a cynical style ("As Time Goes By" is almost unlistenable). Several of of his more popular songs are on the live disc: "Chicken Cordon Bleus", "Turnpike Tom", "You Never Even Called Me by My Name" (another indifferent performance), "Men who Love Women Who Love Men"--they just aren't up to the standards of his studio recordings. I can't believe his estate approved this release.
I was fortunate to see Goodman twice in the seventies. At one huge outdoor Country Music festival that had big names like Willie Nelson, he got up on stage in front of 20,000 people with just his guitar--that takes guts--and wowed 'em. Then he sang a song about a Vietnam War widow ("The Ballad of Penny Evans")--sang it a capella, no less--and brought those 20,000 people to a standing ovation. Steve Goodman live was an incredible experience--an experience which this disc (sadly) does not capture at all.
The one saving grace of this compilation is the notes in the booklet, which has a bunch of his old pals reminiscing about him. Interesting stuff, but doesn't make up for the fact that if you want a good introduction to his music you really ought to look elsewhere. Try the original Buddah recording, "Steve Goodman" and then maybe move on to "Words we Can Dance To" and "Jessie's Jig and other Favorites". His pals got together some years back and made "A Tribute to Steve Goodman", which is excellent.
Pet Peeves department: How could any decent compilation leave out the aforementioned "Ballad of Penny Evans"? Not to mention his fine cover of Big Bill Broonzy's "The Glory of Love". And how about the one he wrote with Jimmy Buffett, "Door Number Three"?
I've enjoyed the notes on this album far more than the album itself. If it's the only introduction to Steve Goodman available to you, enjoy it with the understanding that there's a lot more to Steve and his music than this sloppy compilation delivers.
Of course, coming from Chicago, the Cubs songs have always been favorites. But, listening to this double album brought back so many memories. Goodman's talent was incredible. The second disc is live recordings, and though they vary some in quality, the energy is amazing. His Broken String song shows his humor and ability to punt on the spot.
I'd forgotten just how good a musician Steve was; the guitar is outstanding. I always loved his variety, ranging to the lovely and gravelly The Old Man, a tribute to his deceased dad, to the Auctioneer song.
The City of New Orleans is the first but certainly not the last song of Goodman's to endear him in my memory. I've been singing his stuff for days now. I'm sure he is entertaining up in Heaven right now!
The music - I have not previously heard many songs on this collection, but am glad I bought it. I'm only disappointed at the live version of "Lincoln Park Pirates" as the lyrics were changed (c'mon Steve, why mess with the classic line "... The stores are all closin', and Daley is dozin', and the fat man is counting his cars."
Overall, however, this is a great addition to any music collection.
Gone too soon!!
Open Web Player





