Search - Marlo Thomas :: Free To Be ... You And Me (1972 Television Cast)

Get it while you can, in a plain brown wrapper.

Frederic M. Biddle | Wilmington, DE USA | 01/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Free to be...." should be a yard-sale trifle, too corny for consideration as anything other than baby-boomer nostalgia.



If only...



We live in a time when the word "free" is subject to daily, fanciful redefinition, and even a cartoon sponge arouses suspicion.



The gentle lessons of "Free to Be..." are more relevant than ever. And they're political dynamite, as proved by the nasty reviews seen occasionally below.



Get this disc to remember. Get it for your kids, none of whom may ever have the luxury of taking tolerance for granted, as some of us did in an abbreviated era when cultural moments like "Free to Be..." helped heal the past, and made the future seem infinitely bright.



Belated cheers to Marlo and all participating artists. At this point in our decline and fall, I've begun to take down names..."

No wonder I expect men to do housework

adamcaldow | 10/29/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As so many others have said, this album was just so cool when I was a child (yes, I had an LP too!) and it is still as cool today. I was listening to it last night for the first time in many years, and I almost had to pull off the road, I was laughing so hard. That "Housework" track was never my favorite as a child, but now that I am older and have my own place with my fiance, I know why I always expect him to help out when the house needs cleaning up.And I like one of the messages in "When I Grow Up;" that "I don't care if I'm pretty at all/.../I like what I look like/..." That more women would recite these lines while being confronted with those magazines like Cosmo and Ladies' Home Journal--where you're never *quite* pretty or thin enough. That song is great self-esteem for girls and women.Truly awesome--and I thank the album's creators for giving me this view of life at a young age!"

My first record ever; revived again and sounding awesome!!

adamcaldow | Coventry, RI USA | 12/18/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the first record I remember ever owning, sometime around 1983 or 4. I played it almost daily on my tan and orange Fisher Price record player...and enjoyed all of it, except maybe the Housework and Girl Land tracks. Most of the messages went right over my head; yes I understood what most of the songs were about but I was too young to grasp the real meanings. But even as a five or something year old, I loved the music. I dont remember how old I was when I put the record away for good though.
About two weeks ago, I was going through my vinyl (being a huge fan of Classic Rock, I own stacks and stacks of vinyl LPs from flea markets and used record stores) and I found my old Free To Be...You and Me record, complete with taped-up jacket and sticker on the record label indicating which was the A side. I immediately popped it on my 4 year old Kenwood turntable, plugged in the headphones, and started smiling as soon as I heard the banjo-like intro to the title track. I sat on my bed and listened to the album all the way through...and it sounded ten times better than I ever remembered. At age 24, I can now correctly interpret all those messages in every track, and I now appreciate Housework, and actually LIKE Girl Land.
Standout Tracks:
Free To Be You And Me....this song is just inspiring..the best. Awesome awesome singing by The New Seekers, and the music just grooves all the way through
Its Alright To Cry....beautiful piano track
Williams Doll...great singing by Alan Alda and Marlo Thomas
Girl Land...come on, its Shirley Jones! Yes the track does sound a bit scary and cynical, but listen to it again and note Jack Cassidy as the carnival barker sounds incredibly silly. Also note the last verse...and soon in a park that was girl land before, youll do what you like and youll be who you are....people who are giving the song a bad rap should listen again. Great carnival music track too!
Glad To Have A Friend Like You....The lovely Marlo Thomas at her best. She conveys the warmth and excitement the song needs. Upbeat and catchy, the music also grooves. I especially like the little vibraphone and Wurlitzer piano parts that are tastefully tossed in the mix.
Also to the reviewers who say Housework conveys negativity..listen again. The writer is simply being honest, thats all. Saying, OK, this is how it is, but heres how to make it better. Somebody further back said that all the songs sound whiny. Which ones? Even the tracks that sound negative Always end with a positive message or even happy ending. This is done for a reason, folks. Life is not all fun and games all the time; we deal with many negative issues on a regular basis. Marlos record is addressing some of these issues that mostly kids face (or will be facing in the future) and giving us an idea on how to improve them. And ya know what? They are so true. At 24 years old, I am actually getting more meaning out of the record now than I was when I was five. I cant wait to share this with my nieces and nephews. Theyll get the CDs; I am keeping my old record hee hee.
I actually taught myself to play some of those songs on the piano over the course of the last couple weeks.
You can also buy the CD and the Book at Borders bookstores. This record is something every kid needs to hear. It stresses independence, individuality, and teaches you to just be you. It seems these elements are sadly lacking in most kids today..being cool and following the crowd are more important than these things listed above. Id like to see this CD remastered with a few extra bonus tracks. This is not outdated music...good tunes are still good tunes 31 years later. A much nicer alternative to those silly Barney videos...and Id love to write to Ms. Thomas and tell her how much I appreciate her record!!!"