Audio CD review:
Carole King - Carole King - Her Greatest Hits: Songs Of Long Ago

Carole King - Carole King - Her Greatest Hits: Songs Of Long Ago

Band: Carole King Title: Carole King - Her Greatest Hits: Songs Of Long Ago Rating: Release Date: 1990-10-25 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Jazzman 2: So Far Away 3: Sweet Seasons 4: Brother, Brother 5: Only Love Is Real 6: I Feel the Earth Move 7: It's Too Late 8: Nightingale 9: Been to Canaan 10: Smackwater Jack 11: Corazón 12: Believe in Humanity 13: Eventually 14: (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

In A Class Of Her Own The Beatles, The Monkees, Dusty Springfield, and many others have given voice to her compositions. Carole King has been writing songs since the 1950s. In this compilation we hear the best of songs she authored for herself. The characteristic of her singing is shy charm, and it shows even when double-tracked for power effect, as in the stellar Jazzman. The double-tracking of her voice creates a nice resemblence to the singing of Lesley Gore. I Feel The Earth Move's rhythm was used to far greater effect by Supertramp on Take The Long Way Home, but the shy charm of Carole's singing still comes through. It's Too Late finds Carole with heaviest heart and most effective subtle piano - the song's subtlety is lost in Gloria Estefan's bombastic cover in 1994. Nightingale is a mezmerizing number with a good, quick flow. Corazon is Carole imitating Herb Alpert, and succeeding. Been To Canaan is Carole's trip down the memory lane of nostalgia, its wistfulness engaging from start to finish. Soft rock rules with Carole King. She live for 25 years in her fans' heart;she will never die They make me remenber those beautifull years. I listened Carole's music in my college years, and still can pass hours whit hers album and cd. I also recorded the Tapestry show by TV some weeks ago, and was facinated listening artist like Rod Steward singin "so far away". I am glad and want to thank God to have lived my young years in the 70' and have known Carole King. I will always love you Carole . Buy Tapestry, but buy this CD as well! That's unfair. Reviewer Douglas Wolk is right on the money when he says above, "Carole King's solo output tends to get divided into Tapestry and everything else. " And this Greatest Hits package is wonderful proof! Grant it, Tapestry is represented often (not to mention well) with So Far Away, I Feel The Earth Move, It's Too Late and Smackwater Jack. Most of the record's eight other tracks, however, shine just as brightly. The recording kicks off with a touch of class on Jazzman. Though the song is more (perfect) pop than jazz, the tenor sax solo and fills are quite convincing. Sweet Seasons might just be King's most popular non-Tapestry single, but it really does not hold up well here. Sure, it's catchy, but not very interesting otherwise. Speaking of interesting, Brother Brother and Only Love Is Real are the gems that follow. Brother Brother is a gospel hymn-like tune that proves some critics wrong about King's vocal style. She wails with a soulful emotion that would do Aretha Franklin proud (but not out-do her). On Only Love Is Real, King sings almost with a sense of urgency making an otherwise bland lyric stunning. There is some pretty hot guitar on this great number as well. The final non-Tapestry standout is Corazon. This is a nifty Latino ditty complete with timbales and Mexicali horn section that will leave you smiling and snapping your fingers. I used to believe that Tapestry was the only Carol King album that anyone needed to own. After one listen to this record, I realized that I had proved myself wrong. -fpr. Where are the hits? I am a big Carol King fan, but where is Natural Woman and why is it mostly songs from Tapestry? What about Fantasy? If you really want to hear Carol King to her finest buy the cds, not this wanna be greatest hits album. If this is a greatest hits album I would like to see the hits. The best of early Carole King She is pure joy to listen to whatever your mood. Carole King will always be known as the artistis artist. Her lyrics and melodies convey both the soul and magic of her music. This is a must buy album for all Carole King fans!. You can see a complete list of all Carole King discography, or go back to the Carole King tabs