Judy Collins - Forever: An Anthology

Though she's filed as a folk artist, Judy Collins is much, much more. She is a connoisseur of song whose intelligence of selection and grace of execution have been a model for interpretive vocalists for decades. This two-disc retrospective is not arranged chronologically but it hits all the high points of her journey from trad-folk priestess to art-song master. Along the way, she has helped acquaint us with the works of Bob Dylan, Stephen Sondheim, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, and Jacques Brel. And when, with the moving "My Father" in 1968, she began adding her own songs to the mix, there was no drop in quality whatsoever. --Ben Edmonds Amazon.com essential recording

No Sunny Goodge Street?

How can you possibly have the best of the best of Judy Collins and not include Sunny Goodge Street? No Thursday all-nighter in '76 was complete without Sunny Goodge Street and this best of anthology is not complete without it either. January 17, 2008

A Perfect Judy Collins Collection

JUDY COLLINS is one of the very few female folk soloists to not only retain a strong popular following, but who rose to the level of "superstardom". She realized her wish to sing "art songs" with an accompanying achievement of seemingly going from an alto to soprano. Compare her early work (Judy Collins, In My Life, etc.) to the music that followed. Her original material comprises much of her repertoire ever since the transition in the 70's. Calling Leonard Cohen a "mentor," Judy Collins often includes his songs on her CD's. Her latest, Judy Collins Sings Leonard Cohen is testament to that.

Wildflowers
Whales & Nightingales
Judy Collins Sings Leonard Cohen: Democracy
Judith
Who Knows Where the Time Goes
January 21, 2007

A fine collection of some great songs

These are some of Judy Collins' best songs. Collins actually began her professional singing career in 1959 and made her first album in 1961. Over the next few years, she became (in my opinion) the finest interpreter of folk music in the nation.

Many of the songs on this two-disc set are by Collins herself. But as I said, it is her ability to interpret the music of others (and her superb voice) that sets her apart.

Some examples of her interpretations on these discs that I particularly enjoy are:

Someday Soon (by Ian Tyson)
Suzanne (by Leonard Cohen)
City of New Orleans (by Steven Goodman)
In My Life (by John Lennon and Paul McCartney)
Send in the Clowns (by Stephen Sondheim)
Both Sides Now (by Joni Mitchell)
Masters of War (by Bob Dylan)
Hard Lovin' Loser (by Richard Farina)
In the Heat of the Summer (by Phil Ochs)
Pirate Jenny (Brecht-Weill-Blitzstein)
Turn, Turn, Turn (from Ecclesiastes but interpreted more recently by Pete Seeger)
Salt of the Earth (by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards)
Amazing Grace (traditional, but interpreted by Judy Collins)

I highly recommend this lovely two-disc set. October 30, 2005

Graceful and elegant

This superb compilation is a showcase of Collins as folk singer and interpreter of the art song. My personal favorites on disc one include the yearning Someday Soon, her version of Sandy Denny's poignant Who Knows Where The Time Goes and Leonard Cohen's Suzanne, plus the lilting City Of New Orleans (Steve Goodman) and the elegant Send In The Clowns (Sondheim).

Highlights on disc two are her versions of Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now, Cohen's Bird On A Wire and The Byrd's Turn! Turn! Turn! plus the beautiful and sad Spanish Is The Loving Tongue. Oh yes, and the gripping Amazing Grace, one of the biggest hits of her career, a tour de force of a cappella vocals.

Her pristine voice and the beautiful arrangements ensure listening pleasure on every track, including the nostalgic, autobiographical My Father and the gaelic folk song Farewell To Tarwathie. Her graceful and intelligent delivery is a joy to the ears as she makes all these memorable songs her own. Collins emerged as a folk singer in the 1960s but has transcended the genre and created a timeless and austerely beautiful body of work.
December 17, 2004

We dream of better days.....

After years of playing the recordings, I finally bought a CD with many of my favorite Judy Collins' tunes. Judy was a favorite performer for "wacko" feminists like me, as well as plenty of other brave souls who thought they could change the world way back in the enlightened ages. Collins was first and foremost on the front lines with the PEOPLE participating in the movements of the 60s and 70s. Large and small causes caught her attention. Disenfranchised groups including Women, People of Color, Small fishermen fighting the big interests, porters and engineers fighting railroad moguls, and many others could count on Judy. If you want to relive the joyful and hopeful tunes that inspired PROGRESS, this is the CD to buy. I listened to Carly, to Joan, and to Janice, but I wore out my Judy records. Judy's inspirational tunes have a new role during these bleak times, when all we gained seems threatened by the ignorant and greedy who dominate our country. `Bread and Roses' on this CD is as inspiring march tune as anything from `Les Miz'and `The City of New Orleans' is a treasure. August 22, 2004

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