Thursday, January 6, 2011
You Tube from: jonathanseagull28. Check the posting below for write-up. Buy only original CD.
Showing posts with label Neil Diamond. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Neil Diamond. Show all posts
Jonathan Livingston Seagull - 'Be'
You Tube from: jonathanseagull28. Check the posting below for write-up. Buy only original CD.
Bach Creates, Diamond Sings Jonathan L. Seagull
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
SONGS I LOVE:
In 1973 Neil Diamond composed, wrote and recorded on Columbia the soundtrack to the movie, Jonathan Livingston Seagull (image 2). It is from a book by Richard Bach (image 1) and I honestly cannot remember how many times I played the songs from the album. Commercially, the music was more successful than the movie. It was Diamond's first album after an earlier hit, Hot August Night, released in 1972.
Album Review:
I would like to quote a review by Shawn M. Haney that I edited. It sums up the album adequately. He commented that in the recording Neil Diamond put himself into the shoes of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, writing and singing music, compelling and rich in texture and melody to fit the portrait perfectly for the movie.
I would like to quote a review by Shawn M. Haney that I edited. It sums up the album adequately. He commented that in the recording Neil Diamond put himself into the shoes of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, writing and singing music, compelling and rich in texture and melody to fit the portrait perfectly for the movie.
"Be
As a page that aches for words
Which speaks on a theme that's timeless
While the Sun God will make for your day
Sing
As a song in search of a voice that is silent
And the one God will make for your way..."
Orchestra:
Recorded in 1973 for CBS under the pop/rock style genre, Diamond had much help from those around him to make the album a reality. Tom Catalano must be commended for the production and musical direction, Lee Holdridge for conducting and splendid, string arrangements, Armin Steiner for sound engineering and the hundred-plus musicians who rallied to record the soundtrack for overall performance.
Singer/Songs:
Though Diamond only sings on a few tracks, he does it so with much grace, smooth flair and enchantment. "Romantic, fresh and lively, this album fits the piece of the puzzle the motion picture needed so perfectly." Tracks include: 1. Prologue 2. Be 3. Flight of the Gull 4. Dear Father 5. Sky Bird 6. Lonely Looking Sky 7. Be* 8. Lonely Looking Sky* 9. Dear Father* 10. Anthem 11. Be 12. Skybird 13. Dear Father 14. Be (*These three songs appear as "The Odyssey".)
Movie Comment :
"I saw the movie when it came out, not a human being in it, as I recall. Fascinating, with the wonderful soundtrack composed and largely performed by Diamond with full rich sound, his arrangement is pure pleasure and his voice thundering during the score. This is music to listen to anytime, to sing with, to love. Own it forever." Submitted by a reviewer (Connecticut, U.S.A.)
"I saw the movie when it came out, not a human being in it, as I recall. Fascinating, with the wonderful soundtrack composed and largely performed by Diamond with full rich sound, his arrangement is pure pleasure and his voice thundering during the score. This is music to listen to anytime, to sing with, to love. Own it forever." Submitted by a reviewer (Connecticut, U.S.A.)
Book Comment:
Jonathan the seagull learns to fly beyond his highest expectations when he left his friends and becomes an outcast. As a non-conformist he enjoys his freedom with other gulls that believe as he does. The theme, to listen to our hearts even when it goes the unaccepted ways, is clear. The book was a best seller in the 70s and remains popular today. The author, Richard Bach, is a descendent of composer Johan Sebastian Bach.
Quotes/Personal:
1. "Keep working on love."
2. "The gull sees farthest who flies highest."
3. "If our friendship depends on things like space and time, then when we finally overcome space and time, we've destroyed our own brotherhood..."
Best is to read the book. Won't take 20 minutes, unless you're not much into self-improvement books. I am not but I enjoy this one. Book is 40 years old, and last count sold more than 40 million copies. My!
Original article/Image/Album Info from CD: Andy Lim Collection.
Choice of quotations are my own.
Article extracts: http://www.cduniverse.com/
Copyright: Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Neil Diamond Hot August Night - Greek Theatre
Sunday, June 7, 2009
According to Lester Bangs from Music Track, who wrote the review on Hot August Night, the set begins with a gigantic "orchestral flourish fit to put both Elvis and David Bowie to shame" and Diamond is one of the few who can actually outclass Elvis, as in the introduction to the song Morningside: 'This is a dream ... a dream about an old man who dies alone ... and leaves a gift behind...'Like a hymn in church, the feeling reaches a peak on record two, "what with such celebrations of the common man's innate nobility as Canta Libre and I Am ... I Said", and by the time Brother Love is sung in the grand finale, it becomes hysterical. He is like Eric Burdon and the melodrama is incomparable.
As of 2007 Diamond has 120 million records sales worldwide, including 50 million records in the U.S. With his Billboard chart success, he is the third most successful adult contemporary artist, ranking Barbra Streisand and Elton John. He is also called the Jewish Elvis.
1. From: http://www.musictrack.com/
2. Image from record cover MCA 2-8000-1971: Andy Lim Collection.
1. From: http://www.musictrack.com/
2. Image from record cover MCA 2-8000-1971: Andy Lim Collection.
Neil Diamond - The Rarest Of Gems - 60s Music
It's a personal opinion; NEIL DIAMOND is the greatest pop male singer next to Elvis Presley. But he is a songwriter too and wrote so many hits since 1962 when he first wrote, Solitary Man.Some 38 songs of Neil Diamond are on the top 40 hits. Name them and they are on the list. Cherry, Cherry, Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon, Kentucky Woman, Red, Red Wine, Shilo, the Jonathan Livingstone Seagull album and the classics, Sweet Caroline and Song Sung Blue.
Personal choice is the Hot August Night album, where he performed at the Greek Theatre and produced by Tom Catalano (MCA 2-8000 produced in 1971 at Universal City, California USA.)
Watched him live in concert when he performed in Winnipeg, Canada in 1985. The best seats cost $30.00 and he sang for 2 hours.
"The human voice is the most important instrument at our disposal, yet it is one of the most difficult to understand or define... it is more than just a sound... it is the soul itself. Neil Diamond - 1974." Neil Diamond is still performing today. And he twitters.
Image shows Neil Diamond performing on stage, during the Toyota Concert Series on the Today Show, May 6th, 2005 in New York City.
There are more than 20 official websites about this great man. Check out: http://www.neildiamondhomepage.com/
Image from: http://www.vh1.com/
(Original article: Andy Lim).
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