Search - Peggy Lee :: I'm a Woman / Norma Deloris Egstrom From Jamestown

SUBLIME 70'S PEGGY LEE MASTERPIECE~BRAVO!!!

Bradly Briggs | TOLUCA LAKE, CALIFORNIA | 04/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a sixties teen who loved rhythm and blues and the great American classic singers, Peggy Lee always stood out as one of the ultimate greats and this awesome two-fer Import is THE masterpiece all of us baby-boomer fans have been waiting for with "Norma Deloris Egstrom from Jamestown, North Dakota" being the "finally" released on CD treasure...and why it took so long remains a mystery but it is clear that nobody at the Capitol Tower in the US has a clue what went on with Peggy Lee or Nancy Wilson in the musically bankrupt seventies but thank heavens for the Capitol Records EMI Import division or else this release probably would have not happened in our lifetime!!!!

Peggy Lee is at her jazzy and sultry best throughout "I'm A Woman" purring out classic greats such as "Mack The Knife", "A Taste Of Honey" and her standard "I'm A Woman" which is still being sung by young jazz singing hopefuls in clubs across the country but none quite as effective as the definitive and very sensual version found here in this magnificent set. This compelling and engaging collection is truly a lost classic that is now thankfully available for all to savor and enjoy.

Next is the magnificent lost masterpiece "Norma Deloras" and from the great opener "Love Song" composed by Leslie Duncan, it is clear that Peggy Lee is going to take all of these great contemporary standards and make them completely her own...this sultry and engrossing version is amazingly great! "Razor (Love Me As I Am) is a hypnotic Lee masterful vocal that should have been a huge hit such as "Fever" but by the pathetically tired musical seventies this sublime version was far too great for the airwaves but remains one of Peggy's all-time seductive best performances..."When I Found You" was a big success with fans and a stirring highlight in her great seventies concerts...this wonderfully romantic song Peggy belts to great effect becomming a real stunning DIVA turn. Hauntingly brilliant is a gorgeous version of "A Song For You" show Peggy Lee made the transition from classic composers to contemporary with great success while a dramatic unreleased "It Changes" is another sublime story telling song that echo's Peggy's Grammy winning "Is That All There Is?".

A melancholy "It Takes Too Long To Learn To Live Alone" is a tender and deeply soulful song that is a slightly different version from the original release..."Superstar" shows that Peggy went deep inside of contemporary standards and made them her own and this definitive version is a fine example.

"Just For A Thrill" sets the mood for chilled Dom Perigom being another Peggy Lee classic and one of her all time finest...another wonderous performance is contained in the exhuberant and romantic "Someone Who Cares" which has fascinating tempo changes and a strong yet sensitive vocal from Peggy that also shows off her fine technique.

Two golden classics close this priceless set and never has either sounded quite so gorgeous..."The More I See You" is tender and sublime as is the sentimental and incredibly moving "I'll Be Seeing You" which perfectly end one of the very finest collections from one of the greatest singers of the 20th Century who is at her very best throughout this wonderous and sublime collection...BRAVO to Miss Peggy Lee and we love and miss you...for anyone who loves a great singer in peak form do not miss this tremendous Peggy Lee classic that is truly a timeless masterpiece...one of the greatest ever!!!"

Two contrasting albums from 1963 and 1972

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 08/31/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first album here shows Peggy at the peak of her popularity in the early sixties, performing a mix of soft, romantic songs and sultry blues songs, though the dividing line between the two is not always clear-cut. The title track was a major American hit for Peggy but the strength of the album is such that it doesn't really stand out. There are many other fine songs here including The alley cat song, I'm walking, Come rain or come shine and a very impressive interpretation of Mack the knife. You're sick of that song? Listen to Peggy's version - it makes it fresh and exciting. Further classics include I'll get by, I left my heart in San Francisco (another brilliant interpretation) and A taste of honey.



The second album may be an end-of-contract release as it first appeared in 1972, the year in which Peggy left Capitol for the second and last time. Don't let that put you off - while it is not one of Peggy's strongest albums, it is well worth hearing nevertheless. This mellow, romantic album begins with Love song, which was also recorded by Olivia Newton-John. Other contemporary songs include A song for you and Superstar, both written by Leon Russell and recorded by the Carpenters. Older songs are represented by The more I see you and I'll be seeing you. A previously unreleased track, It changes, is added to the album for this release.



This twofer is worth buying for the first album alone, but I suspect that many Peggy Lee fans will (like me) enjoy both albums here."