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An unexpected delight

Jay Dickson | Portland, OR | 09/19/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Few people remember that Carol Burnett got her start as a singer as much as a stand-up comedienne, but she was the original Winifred the Woebegone in ONCE UPON A MATTRESS and of course was the original choice to play Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL. She has a very big, very strident voice (it's the vocal equivalent of a trombone), and it's often used for terrific effect in very bright upbeat songs ("The Trolley Song" has always been one of her best). She often overplays her hand a bit when she goes for pathos, as in "Happiness is Just a thing Called Joe," but surprisingly she can be very effective in quieter numbers--the highlight of the CD might even be the catchy little "Give a Little--Get a Little" by Jule Styne."

Brassy Burnett Delivers

Jay Dickson | 11/30/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If she hadn't become one of the most endearing and beloved comic performers of all time with her landmark TV show, she would have enjoyed a long and successful career doing musicals on stage. Much of my musical comedy sensibilities came from the brilliant medleys and musical numbers presented weekly on The Carol Burnett Show. We all knew she was funny, but she didn't devote a great deal of air time to her singing, inspite of posessing a solid,warm and capable belt. Her musical and comic gifts are very apparant in this wonderful two album compilation. No performer I can think of can ring every drop of comedy out of a musical or spoken line better than CB. She shows off her considerable prowess in the showstopper, "Everythings Coming Up Roses" and brings a smile to the listener when she rips into the comical ode, Adelaide's Lament. FYI: She still has it. I was one of the lucky ones who saw her do Steven Sondheim's "Putting It Together" in the theatre last year. Sadly for Burnett fans, TV seems to have given her and most musical variety performers like her, the go-by. Sigh."

A very talented lady destined for greater things

F. Behrens | Keene, NH USA | 09/15/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Back about 40 years ago, two LPs emerged showcasing Carol Burnett and offering that new talent in Broadway songs. Now both of them have been put onto a single CD under the title on the spine and on the cover of this Decca set (012 159 402-2). So what we have are 24 songs (each of the original LPs had 12 each) of "show stoppers" from "Babes in Arms," "Oklahoma," "Anything Goes," "Gypsy," and even such little known works as "Pardon My English" and "Two on the Aisle." Under the leadership of Irwin Kostal for the first dozen and Harry Zimmerman for the second, few of these songs if any are rendered in the original tempo, orchestration, or key. Burnett's "Adelaide's Lament" is very close to Vivian Blaine's; but the ridiculous march tempo to which "Just in Time" is subjected is beyond belief ill considered. She is at her best in the brassy numbers, although her voice does not quite have that full heft they require; but she is perfectly acceptable in the ballads. Of course, these things are (as always) a matter of taste. It is interesting that the picture of the soloist on the CD cover is a comical one, while the one on the back of the booklet makes her quite attractive. Perhaps it is these two aspects that are being emphasized in the selections. So one will buy this album, not primarily for the selections, but for the personality of this very talented young woman (back in the 60s, of course), who incidentally turned out to be a very fine actress as well as singer and comedienne."