2024 the best of dionne warwick cd review
Price: Amazon Music Unlimited
(as of Dec 01, 2024 23:57:08 UTC - Details)
A deluxe 24-song package that comprehensively covers Dionne's seminal Bacharach/David penned-and-produced '60s work.
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
Language : English
Product Dimensions : 4.88 x 5.59 x 0.47 inches; 3.25 ounces
Manufacturer : Rhino Records
Original Release Date : 1989
Date First Available : December 7, 2006
Label : Rhino Records
ASIN : B0000032WJ
Number of discs : 1
Reviewer: The Aeolian
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Classy Collection of a Winning Team
Review: Has any solo act ever been so closely associated with a songwriting team as Dionne Warwick's collaboration with Burt Bacharach and Hal David? The only combination that comes close is Frank Sinatra and Sammy Cahn/James Van Heusen from the 1950s and early 1960s. But Cahn/Van Heusen were one of the sources for Frankie's hit songs; almost all of Dionne Warwick's hits from the 1960s and early 1970s were penned by Bacharach/David. An exception in this excellent collection is the theme from The Valley of the Dolls, by André and Dory Previn, but they pretty much mimic Bacharach/David. Also included here is the obligatory Broadway tune, Who Can I Turn To?, but that was probably dropped in to show Dionne's range, and it wasn't a hit.Burt Bacharach's noticing Dionne Warwick was one of the most fortuitous meetings of talent in the history of pop music. Warwick was singing background vocals for recordings in New York City as the standout member of a group called the Gospelaires when her versatile vocal talent pricked up Bacharach's ears and he asked her to record demonstration recordings for Bacharach/David songs. One demo so impressed the head of Scepter records that she encouraged Bacharach and David to write songs for Warwick, which Scepter would release. The first single, Don't Make Me Over, was a hit and the winning team was off and running. Warwick was, however, unintentionally made over. Born Marie Dionne Warrick, a misspelling on the cover art for her first single made her Dionne Warwick for her career.Bacharach/David found in Warwick the perfect interpreter for the musical direction that they wished to take in the 1960s. Warwick's strong, supple voice could handle the interval leaps and tricky rhythms that Bacharach increasingly employed, and her emotional sensitivity perfectly conveyed the shadings of David's lyrics. Warwick/Bacharach/David became the outstanding American presence on the record charts, along with The Beach Boys and especially The Supremes, during the British Invasion of the 1960s, racking up twenty-two Top Forty singles in six years, eight of those making the Top Ten.This sterling compilation includes just about all of the notable Warwick/Bacharach/David songs, except for the last single to chart, Make It Easy on Yourself, and, mercifully, Warwick's cover of This Guy's in Love With You, the insipid Herb Alpert hit (with appropriate changes in the lyrics).After four decades of popular music that has become ever more densely multitracked, aurally assaultive, and often nasty in its point of view, the Bacharach/David songs come as something of a revelation. The arrangements are mostly relatively spare, providing just enough background to establish a beat, and just enough solo instrumental work to complement the singer. The music became increasingly sophisticated in the middle period of the Warwick/Bacharach/David collaboration, to the point where pop song met art song. Listen to the sinuous opening of Message to Michael (how many notes does Bacharach use in the words Kentucky Bluebird fly?), or the unexpected directions the music takes in (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me as the song builds aria-like to its hook refrain. Most of Bacharach's music sounds fresh after all these years. David staked out his lyric territory in Wistful Land, Missing You state, Lost Loves county. That is, after all, what the charts told them the public wanted from Dionne. David wrung as much variation on this mood as is humanly possible, and managed, at his best, not to lay it on too thick. The poignance of the simple phrase Walk on By, the light sweetness of I Say a Little Prayer, the inescapable yearning of (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me, the jaunty jadedness of Do You Know the Way to San Jose? are all high points of pop music lyric writing. David could get sticky at times, as if he had drunk some dessert wine that day instead of Chardonnay, but we forgive him.This compilation has been superbly produced. The sound is almost startlingly clear, the balances carefully realized. Buy it and listen to some of the most finely done popular music ever recorded.
Reviewer: RestlessBoomer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Original recordings
Review: After years of searching for a collection of Dionne's ORIGINAL hits (not the smarmy and underwhelming re-recordings found on so many of her "Greatest Hits" packages) I found this gem. The sound quality is pretty good. A little on the low end but just crank up the volume a tad and it's fine.The absolute magic of Burt Bacharach's melodies and arrangements coupled with Dionne's heartfelt delivery of Hal David's great lyrics made these songs a staple on transistor radios as I was growing up. Hit after hit her distinctive voice stood out among the other pop songs that were coming out in the '60s. Her first hit "Don't Make Me Over" in 1962 was a precursor to "You Don't Own Me" by Lesley Gore as rare "strong girls" statements. That started a wave of hits like "Anyone Who Had a Heart", "Walk On By", "Reach Out For Me" and so many more. She would generally have at least two hits per year from 1962 through 1969. And they're all here: the original recordings, just the way you remember hearing them back in the day. The only glaring omission (and it's a big one) is Wishin' & Hopin'. Why that wasn't included is beyond me. It was one of her best. Whoever compiled this could have easily dropped any one of the four filler tunes and it would have been a perfect set. However, it's not enough of a reason to miss this CD--and not even a reason to drop the rating to 4 stars. Finding original recordings of songs we boomers grew up on is difficult to find nowadays made especially hard since Amazon won't let us listen to samples anymore. BOO!! HISS!! (I bought a used copy of this as the list price is ridiculous.) It's definitely worth checking out.
Reviewer: H2K
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Dionne was one of the best of the best
Review: I have to level with you - I don't care much for female vocalists. They sound too whiny and country for my taste. I'm sorry. I love women, I just don't care for their singing for the most part. I can listen to a marginal male voice (having a less-than marginal one myself!) much easier than a marginal female voice. I do have a few favorites. Aretha Franklin. What could I say about Aretha? Joni Mitchell is so incredibly creative and had a magical voice. Chrissy Hynde rocks with the best of them. Carol King is not the best vocalist, but her voice and delivery is so honest that it warms my heart.This brings me to Dionne Warwick. Her collaboration with Burt Bacharach was one of those very rare synergistic unions. He and Hal David wrote the songs, and Dionne was one of his go-to vocalists to deliver them. And what a great delivery she has. Dionne has such control and confidence with her voice - that you know that she knows that this is exactly how she wants you to hear her songs. And then the material - Wow. A great example of Dionne's control is the Theme from the Valley of the Dolls. But all of the hits that you know Dionne for are in this mix. One of my favorites is Promises Promises. I grew up in the 60's which I consider the golden era of pop music. The arrangement of Promises Promises is so complex, that compared to the junk coming out of radio today, you wonder how or why that this song could have become mainstream pop music! There's no way to dance to Promises Promises what with the odd time signatures in the song....but I guess we didn't care back then that every song required a personal gyration to enjoy it.This is a great collection. I highly recommend it.
Reviewer: PAOLO CERIOLI
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Sinceramente mi aspettavo una selezione migliore, forse è pretendere troppo .... Non sono un'amante dei greatest hits e questo sicuramente condiziona il mio giudizio.
Reviewer: ('A`)
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: ããã¤ã¯ããï¼
Reviewer: Philisopher
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I have loved Dionne Warwick's smooth romantic and classy style of singing since I was a kid in my teens. I remember necking with my sister's best friend while listening to it. Now I've replaced the vinyl with a CD. Who could forget the way Dionne sings ... if you see me walking down the street ... walk on by ... with its distinct musical accompaniment and melody. The very talented Bacharach/David wrote all of the songs except Previn's Theme from the Valley of the Dolls. I love being reminded that "You'll never get to heaven if you break my heart". Track seven is the beautiful supportive song titled "Reach out for me". I also especially like the tracks "Message to Michael", and "Do you know the way to San Jose". My wife was fortunate enough to see Dionne Warwick live in Newcastle, England several years ago - I'm still envious. This is a solid collection of beautiful tunes. By the way if you see my wife don't mention the necking with my sister's friend. Cheers.
Reviewer: Ãystein Kvamme Skjæveland
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: The magnificent songs of Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David have proved to be the ideal vehicle for songstress Dionne Warwick. In 1989 reissue company extraordinaire Rhino painstakingly put together 16 of her 22 US Top 40 hits for Scepter Records between 1962 and 1970, plus six more obscure gems from the ace tunesmiths. Of the 24 tracks on this outstanding CD only two songs were penned by others: Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse's classic "Who Can I Turn To" and the Previns' title theme from the motion picture "Valley of The Dolls", the latter one of her biggest ever US hits. The sound quality is as one invariably expects from Rhino, pristine, and the accompanying booklet supplies you with informative annotations on all the songs by Bacharach and David. For any lover of popular music this set clearly demonstrates the innovative and exciting songs of the twosome and at the same time showcases the vocal prowess of Dionne Warwick, their favourite singer, whose humble beginnings were as backup singer for then luminaries Bobby Darin, The Drifters and The Shirelles.
Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Excellent.