Judy Collins - Fifth Album

A Maid Of Constant Sorrow

This CD has some of my favorite Judy Collins. The three Dylan songs are beautiful beyond words. She is the only performer who can match Bob Dylan's version of "Mr. Tamborine Man." I have heard Judy sing that one and "Tomorrow Is A Long Time" and "Daddy You've Been On My Mind" countless times. They never grow old. She also sings "Pack Up Your Sorrows" by Richard Farina and Pauline Marden. (Also included with the CD is a Farina poem that honors Collins: "Nor could she close her eyes/against the night,/or cease to curse the sour rain/her leaders hands had caused/to fall.")

I also like Gordon Lightfoot's "Early Morning Rain" and the traditional "Lord Gregory" although there are no mediocre cuts on this CD. July 15, 2007

One of the best from her early period...

and her early period, in my opinion, was her best period. I've been a fan since her second LP was released way back when, and I saw her in concert at least three times over her first 12 years in the business. This is not much music for the price, perhaps, but what is here is extremely well-done. September 21, 2006

So beautiful.

I have treasured this recording since it was first released and remember her performing many of these songs live, espeically Lord Gregory with a cellist in the background. This is unbelievably gorgeous and a must for anyone who wants to know what Judy was all about. Though Baez was my personal favorite, Judy was close behind (right after Judy Roderick).

Get this one! May 12, 2006

A should-be classic

This is one of those folk albums that are best heard as nature intended, on the original vinyl, pops and all. But I'm delighted to see it available on CD all the same so that new fans will discover it.

Judy Collins began her career recording almost exclusively traditional folk songs, then turned to contemporary writers and eventually became something of a pop chanteuse. This album comes as close as any to finding her at a balance between those two worlds. From the opening strains of Richard Farina's beautiful "Pack Up Your Sorrows" (featuring Farina himself on dulcimer) to the thunderous live delivery of the civil-rights anthem "It Isn't Nice," the production is rootsy and unpretentious, but the songs were contemporary in 1964 and still sound fresh and relevant today. (One traditional ballad, "Lord Gregory," is included in the mix, but it doesn't sound the least bit out of place.)

It's too bad Collins hadn't begun writing her own songs yet at this stage in her career, since she later proved to be a formidable writer. But she obviously did have a good ear for up and coming talent, as this collection features sides from such then-new writers as Gordon Lightfoot ("Early Morning Rain," still among the best paeans to homesickness ever penned), Phil Ochs ("In the Heat of the Summer," a biting response to the Harlem riots of 1964 and the failure of the powers that were to lay the blame where it really belonged), Eric Andersen ("Thirsty Boots," a beautiful tribute to that era's freedom marchers from the perspective of a friend who hadn't joined them), and, of course, Bob Dylan. Her treatment of "Mr. Tambourine Man" is as good as any, but for me the two more obscure Dylan songs, "Daddy You've Been On My Mind" and "Tomorrow is a Long Time," are the real showcases. Amid some of the most political material Collins ever performed, these two lovesongs provide a much-needed break. Then there's "The Coming of the Roads," which mourns equally the loss of a lover and of an unspoiled forest. Heavy stuff, but it's among the earliest environmentally-conscious songs and still one of the best. Likewise, this album as a whole is one of Collins' best efforts ever. November 20, 2001

Pure Folk, Pure Collins

I have owned this album since it first came out. I wore it out on LP and have played the CD more than just about any other in my 2000+ collection.

The famous Collins voice was never better, never clearer, and never allowed to dominate more than in this set of recordings. Her voice was still in a lower octave than now, and it conveys a sense of intimacy rare for any album.

There's not a bad recording on here. Over the years, my favorite song has sort of rotated. Collins's music has always been able to transport me emotionally, and she covers a full range of emotions here. "Coming of the Roads" is a heartbreaker from early on the ecology movement. "Thirsty Boots" rivals "Cook with Honey" for transcendent welcoming, evoking memories of warm kitchens on cold nights, the caress of affection by those one loves. "Mr. Tambourine Man" has always been my favorite cut of this song, without the harshness of Dylan or the spaciness of the Byrds. "It Isn't Right" is the perfect finish for a near-perfect album.

I have wished so many times over the years that Ms. Collins would release a continuation of this path in her career, but it hasn't happened; it's basically a dead end. We shall be grateful that we have this to listen to, and enjoy.

The CD transfer is great, sounds so much better than the LP ever did. A 'must buy' disc for any 60's folk fan. November 4, 2001

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