It is grossly over simplified to call the "Great American Songbook" just these cocktail lounge, stage and screen romantic show tunes crafted by a small clutch of creators. I had enough of them after a few decades of variety television guest spots. "And now..on the Carol Burnett Comedy Hour it's Steve Lawrence and Edie Gorme with their rendition of the wonderful...." Blah blah woof woof Time for some Guy Clark.
I haven't bought either of the previous releases....not sure I'll buy this one either...but I like this track a lot.
I think the first 'Sinatra' record was enough ( which was in fact surprisingly good) but 3 CDs of this (which means 6 sides of vinyl at least) is too much. I've yet to listen to my bootleg vol 1-3 which will be a far better. Only positive is Bob's voice has improved - so if he could transfer actually trying to sing to his original material that would be fine.
I kinda agree. The first Sinatra CD was incredible, the second one was just OK. So I am on the fence about this three CD set.
"Croak Gets In My Eyes" These albums aren't quite retirement but they're definitely coasting. I don't mind them and I don't begrudge the great man kicking back, but they get stacked way off to the side, away from the true Dylan canon. I mostly enjoy them for pointing me back to the Sinatra et. al originals, which are usually a hundred times better.
Well, Bob never fails to surprise, does he? I have to admit that I didn't give much time to the first two Sinatra albums; they didn't grab me right away, I'm not a Sinatra fan -- or a fan of 1950s crooners in general -- but I respected Bob's right to do whatever the hell he wants with his twilight years. I'll admit that I'm a little sad that his voice sounds better on these albums than he has in the studio in quite awhile, and he's not using this voice for his own songs. But whatever -- now he's releasing 3 more albums worth of these covers, and they must be reckoned with! I thought this was a phase that Bob was going through -- a "bucket list" project -- but five albums is inarguably an "era" of his career now, and I can't just let five albums just sit there, unappreciated. I'll get this when it comes out, and I'll put all 5 CDs into a playlist and play them till I "get" them. More than anything else, I'm overjoyed that -- unlike, say, the good folks on the Board of Directors at Apple -- Bob and Sony have decided that there's no better time than the present, and that together they will produce and release anything that strikes their fancy. When you think of what has been released in the past few years, I wouldn't be surprised if we get Triplicate, a new album of Dylan originals, AND a new Bootleg Series release this year! (And dare I still pray for a Copyright Extension release of the JWH sessions?)
Can't wait. Terrible cover art, but I can't wait. "I Could Have Told You So" sounds lovely, and his performance of "Once Upon a Time" for the Tony Bennett tribute was breathtaking. I'll be very pleased to have a studio version to go with that live performance.
I definitely prefer a new set of songs to more standards, but this is what Bob is delivering and I'm pretty excited nonetheless.
If this wasn't the world famous legend Bob Dylan croaking out these tunes, but an unknown singer then the fans of this stuff could have a completely different reaction ..
Likewise, Rob. I thought Fallen Angels was twice the listening experience that Shadows was. And Bob's "Once Upon a Time" tops anything found on either of those albums, so it's not like there's diminishing returns on this standards project, as far as I'm concerned.
Definitely out. Have got most of his stuff and have had my allegiance severely tested at times over the years. I'm going to be brutal here...I have no desire to hear classic songs ruined by a fourth rate crooner. I know it's "his Bobness" and all that, but no!
I love Bob but this is boring.. I don't get the point.. I'd rather listen to Frank sing...Bob is wasting valuable time with these... I'm happy for those that enjoy these but I will not pick this up.. unless it is really really cheap used... i might fork over $7.99 for this set..but that is about it.. I mean Bob doesn't have to prove anything to me.. I know the cat can sing with the best of them... I'm just not into hearing these tunes yet again.. i have hundreds of records with people singing most of these....and i am sort of overdosed on it at the moment
I get the feeling that this is Bob's way of closing the book on this era. It's been a good run (really, it has!) but perhaps he's ready to move on, maybe he's writing again. And maybe rather than carve out one last album, he's give us it all (or nothing at all) instead of saving the rest for the Bootleg Series Vol 43. I'm quoting this from an old Shadows In The Night thread, a list of Shadows outtakes. You'll notice the vast majority became Fallen Angels. (Assuming Melancholy Baby is a mislisting of Melancholy Mood) We are left with two unreleased titles. Stormy Weather is slated for this new set, so that just leaves Didn't He Ramble. I'm looking forward to it!
I was totally thumbs down initially on the other two covers albums. Now, they make a nice late night listen to something very different from Bob yet very familiar and comfortable. I have the last two and enjoy them from time to time. Ill get this one also. If these had stretched out to a decade and a half or so of waiting and wondering what the next "new" Dylan would be only to have covers albums then Id be frustrated/disappointed. But since he (hopefully) got these out of his system fairly quickly over 3 yrs, I can go with that as a fan. Now Bob, please give us that Rock n Roll album that Ive been yearning for.
Yeah, this seems like self "you know what" to me. Create a new band, release and tour with this material that is obviously dear to your heart, but after 2 records and how many years? It is time to let it go. I am not upset that he isn't releasing new material, I get that. What I don't like is avoiding seeing him in his twilight because I don't want to sit through and hour of 40s and 50s b-sides. Oh well, you can't win them all.
As far as Bob using this voice on his other albums, I dont think it would fit. His other albums are dark stories and bluesy. A lilting romance they aint.
An example of his 2016 set list doesnt show an overwhelming amount of crooner cover songs: Things Have Changed Play Video Don't Think Twice, It's All Right Play Video Highway 61 Revisited Play Video Beyond Here Lies Nothin' Play Video Full Moon and Empty Arms (Frank Sinatra cover) Play Video Pay in Blood Play Video Melancholy Mood (Frank Sinatra cover) Play Video Early Roman Kings Play Video Love Sick Play Video Tangled Up in Blue Play Video Lonesome Day Blues Play Video I Could Have Told You (Frank Sinatra cover) Play Video High Water (For Charley Patton) Play Video Spirit on the Water Play Video Scarlet Town Play Video All or Nothing at All (Frank Sinatra cover) Play Video Long and Wasted Years Play Video Autumn Leaves (Yves Montand cover) Play Video Encore: Blowin' in the Wind Play Video Stay With Me (Frank Sinatra cover) Play Video Six out of 21. Sounds fair.
How about a triplicate of "Good As I Been To You/World Gone Wrong?" Those songs suit him much better.
