MY TOP MUSIC OF THE WEEK (11-23)

All titles issued in the US except where noted.

1.  The Very Best Of FRIDA 1967-1996 **1 week #1**
     (Home compilation, final draft)
     * NEW *

2.  The Lion And The Cobra - SINEAD O'CONNOR
     (Ensign/Chrysalis - 1987)

3.  THE GROOP
     (Sundazed - 2007) Expanded edition of 1969 album

4.  Spoiled Girl - CARLY SIMON
     (Sony Music Special Products - 1985) Includes one bonus track

5.  (Moving) - PETER, PAUL & MARY
     (Warner Bros. - 1989) Recorded in 1962
     * NEW *

6.  The Very Best Of FRIDA 1967-1996
     (Home compilation, first draft)
     * NEW *

7.  Best Of THE PRIMITIVES
     (Camden - 1996) UK

8.  Ultimate Collection: The Complete Hits - CAPTAIN & TENNILLE
     (Hip-O - 2001)

9.  Panic Of Girls - BLONDIE
     (EMI/Eleven Seven - 2011) UK

10.  Making A Good Thing Better - OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN
       (Festival - 1998) Australia; Recorded in 1977

11.  AM Gold: #1 Hits Of The 70's 1970-1974 - VARIOUS ARTISTS
       (Time-Life - 2000)

12.  AM Gold: Mellow Hits Of The 70's - VARIOUS ARTISTS
       (Time-Life - 2000)

13.  AM Gold: Early 70's Classics - VARIOUS ARTISTS
       (Time-Life - 1992)

14.  4xCD 1xDVD - FRIDA
       (Polar - 2005) Sweden

15.  Peace - EURYTHMICS
       (Arista - 1999)

16.  ABBA: A Tribute--The 25th Anniversary Celebration - VARIOUS ARTISTS
       (Relativity - 1999)

17.  The Hits - FAITH HILL
       (Warner Bros. - 2007)

***********************************************************************************

Notes: 

In order to fit all tracks desired, I replaced one for another on #1.

#5 is my second Peter, Paul & Mary purchase in three weeks.  After receiving "A Holiday Celebration," I found out that my favorite song of theirs, "A Soalin," was first recorded for "(Moving)" in 1962.  Having two live versions, of course I had to hear the original.  "(Moving)" (#2 in the US, 1963, Billboard) generated one top 10 hit for the trio, "Puff, The Magic Dragon" and includes the folk standard, "This Land Is Your Land."

FRIDA

ABBA has been my favorite group since I was in second grade.  By the same turn, member Frida has been my favorite female singer for just as long.  A few years ago, I put together a two-disc collection with all of her songs with the group.  This past week, I brainstormed a single-disc retrospective representing her entire career and compiled it.  Following is the complete track listing with details on each.

"The Very Best Of FRIDA 1967-1996"

1. I Know There's Something Going On
2. Du Ar Sa Underbart Rar (Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You)
3. Knowing Me, Knowing You
4. Der Du Gar Lemnar Karleken Spar (Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes)
5. Shine
6. Jag Blir Galen Nar Jag Tanker Pa De (Going Out Of My Head)
7. Money, Money, Money
8. En Gang Ar Ingen Gang (There Goes My Everything)
9. I Have A Dream

10. Here We'll Stay (with Phil Collins)
11. En Tar Av Tystnad (The Sound Of Silence)
12 Super Trouper
13. Man Vill Ju Leva Lite Dessemellan
14. When All Is Said And Done
15. Twist In The Dark
16. Fernando (Swedish Solo Version)
17. The Visitors

18. Aven En Blomma

19. Dancing Queen (with The Real Group)

1 & 10 from the album "Something's Going On" (1982), produced by Phil Collins.

2 recorded in 1967.

3 & 7 from the album "Arrival" by ABBA (1976).

4, 6, 8 and 11 recorded in 1971.

5 & 15 from the album "Shine" (1984).

9 from the album "Voulez-Vous" by ABBA (1979).

12 from the album "Super Trouper" by ABBA (1980).

13 recorded in 1972, A-side single.

14 & 17 from the album "The Visitors" by ABBA (1981).

16 from the album "Ensam" (1975).

18 from the album "Djupa Andetag" (1996).

19 from the album "ABBA: The 25th Anniversary Celebration" by various artists (1999).


#1 is Frida's most successful single reaching #13 in the US and being the only ABBA-related song to make the Album Rock chart.


#16 was originally written for Frida.  The song was re-written in English and recorded by ABBA in 1976.

Except from #18, all of the Swedish recordings were either produced or co-produced by ABBA's Benny Andersson.

The ABBA songs included were all A-side singles with Frida on lead vocal.

#19 was recorded with a Swedish a cappella group with Frida on lead vocal in 1994.

MY TOP MUSIC OF THE WEEK (11-17)

1.  The Essential Collection 1965-1997 - CARPENTERS **2 weeks #1**

2.  Jackpot!: The Best Bette - BETTE MIDLER

3.  Credo - THE HUMAN LEAGUE

4.  THE GROOP

5.  The Definitive Collection - ABBA

6.  A Holiday Celebration - PETER, PAUL & MARY with The New York Choral Society (NEW)

7.  Knock On Wood (Home compilation) - AMII STEWART

8.  Penguin - FLEETWOOD MAC

9.  Panic Of Girls - BLONDIE

10.  'Round Midnight - LINDA RONSTADT with Nelson Riddle & His Orcherstra

11.  AM Gold: The Early 70's - VARIOUS ARTISTS

12.  AM Gold: 1979 - VARIOUS ARTISTS

13.  The Swinging Soul Of MAC & KATIE KISSOON...Plus

14.  GHV2: Greatest Hits Volume 2 - MADONNA

15.  The Hits - FAITH HILL

16.  Good Stuff - THE B-52'S

17.  The Very Best Of PETER, PAUL & MARY

18.  The Lion And The Cobra - SINEAD O'CONNOR

19.  Reality Effect (US issue) - THE TOURISTS

20.  The DONNA SUMMER Anthology

21.  4xCD 1xDVD - FRIDA

22.  You Can't Stop The Bum Rush - LEN

23.  ABBA Live

24.  Nighflight To Venus - BONEY M.


Notes:  My list is abnormally long this week because I was experiencing withdrawals and waiting on a new prescription while changing doctors.  I can't explain why, but when this occurs my mind requires extensive music.  It may be to help fill the void.  With such a long list, I've omitted labels and release dates for space.

Number 7 is a compilation I put together based on the original tracklisting of Amii's 1979 debut album.  The songs were taken from the European collection "The Hits & The Remixes."

Number 10 is a two-disc set packaging together Linda's albums "What's New," "Lush Life," and "For Sentimental Reasons."

PETER, PAUL & MARY

I received the CD, "A Holiday Celebration," by Peter, Paul & Mary in the mail today.  This officially kicks off my Christmas at home this year.  It was recorded live in 1988 at Lehman Center in New York City with The New York Choral Society.

What initially prompted me to get this disc is my love of the Paul Stookey original, "A Soalin'."  The song introduced to me to the trio in 1979 when I saw them perform it on "A Solid Gold Christmas."  It's been a sentimental favorite ever since.

Being boosted by the chorale and an orchestra the group present a festive program of favorites as well as traditional folk gems from around the world, with the birth of Christ being the focus throughout most of the disc.  "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" is given the trademark folk harmonies while the late Mary Travers delivers a heartfelt solo on "I Wonder As I Wander."  Paul and Peter Yarrow are humorous with their imitations on "The Friendly Beasts" which tells the story of Christ's birth from the perspective of the animals in the manger.

One song I didn't recognize by title was "Children Go Where I Send Thee" but knew it when hearing.  The trio and chorale give a rousing performance here.

Paul flies solo on a musical rendition of "'Twas The Night Before Christmas," giving it a colorful presence.

The disc concludes with two of the trio's staples of worldwide peace, "Light One Candle" and a version of their 1963 hit, "Blowin' In The Wind," the latter is slowed down at the end allowing the chorale and audience to feel unified.

I've always had an affection for folk but admit to not playing enough of it.  With this purchase, I hope to work on that.

MY TOP MUSIC OF THE WEEK (11-10)

All titles issued in the US unless where noted.

1.  Panic Of Girls - BLONDIE **4 weeks #1**
     (EMI/Eleven Seven - 2011) UK

2.  The Definitive Collection - ABBA
     (Polar/UTV - 2001)

3.  Reality Effect (US Issue) - THE TOURISTS
     (American Beat - 2007) Recorded in 1979

4.  THE GROOP
     (Sundazed - 2007) Expanded edition of 1969 album

5.  Playing Possum - CARLY SIMON
     (Elektra - 1975)

6.  AM Gold: 1978 - VARIOUS ARTISTS
     (Time-Life - 1997)

7.  AM Gold: 1977 - VARIOUS ARTISTS
     (Time-Life - 1997)

8.  AM Gold: 1976 - VARIOUS ARTISTS
     (Time-Life - 1996)

9.  AM Gold: 1975 - VARIOUS ARTISTS
     (Time-Life - 1996)

10.  The Collection - PETER, PAUL & MARY
       (Reader's Digest Music - 1998)


Note:  Number 3 by The Tourists has a different tracklisting from the original UK issue including three songs from the group's self-titled debut album, 1979.

MY TOP MUSIC OF THE WEEK (11-3)

All titles issued in the US except where noted.

1.  Love For Sale - BONEY M. **1 week #1**
     (Sony/BMG - 2007) Europe; Expanded edition of 1977 album

2.  The Best Of FREE DESIGN
     (Cherry Red - 2001) UK

3.  King Of The Mountain - KATE BUSH
     (EMI - 2005) UK; CD single
     * NEW *

4.  1983-1991 (Blood) - THIS MORTAL COIL
     (4AD - 1993) 1991 album selected from a set of three

5.  Up-Up And Away: The Definitive Collection - THE 5TH DIMENSION
     (Arista - 1997)

6.  Greatest Hits - THE TOURISTS
     (Camden/BMG - 1997)

7.  Women & Song - FLEETWOOD MAC
     (Home compilation - 2003)

8.  The Definitive Collection - ABBA
     (Polar/UTV - 2001)

9.  Panic Of Girls - BLONDIE
     (EMI/Eleven Seven - 2011) UK

10.  BORDERLANDS
       (Unison - 1995)
       * NEW *

11.  AM Gold: 1973 - VARIOUS ARTISTS
       (Time-Life - 1992)

12.  4xCD 1xDVD - FRIDA
       (Polar - 2005) Sweden


Notes:  Number 7 is a disc I put together using Fleetwood Mac hits and album tracks by Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, and Bekka Bramlett.

Number 10 is a collection of folk instrumentals by session musicians.