Janis Ian - Souvenirs: Best of Janis Ian 1972-1981

A singer/songwriter both celebrated & decried for her pointed handling of taboo topics, Janis Ian enjoyed one of the more remarkable second acts in music history; after first finding success as a teenager (in the mid-60s), her career slumped, only to ente Album Description

Best of Janis Ian

I recently heard Janis on a Saturday Night Live Show from 1976 and I bought this CD and have since purchased a second CD of her's. Her lyrics are profound and this lady can sing! I would recommend this CD to everyone. May 12, 2007

Souvenirs

The title says it all.This is a great Cd of an Artist and time mostly forgotten. January 3, 2007

great but we need more

tough to give more stars to this collection when it includes only two songs from her finest album: Between the Lines (two great songs but there are at least another three songs that shouldve been included) bottom line this shouldve been a two disc set, whats there is great though October 12, 2006

Brilliant but sometimes controversial folk-rock singer

Janis Ian began her recording career with a song (Society's child) about an inter-racial relationship and followed up with an album of protest songs. Those recordings are not included on this compilation covering her later recordings, but they can be found separately.

Between 1974 and 1979, Janis recorded four classic albums (Stars, Between the lines, Aftertones, Night rains) from which most of the tracks here are taken. Those albums featured many of the great songs we remember her for including Jesse (a top ten American hit via a Roberta Flack cover), At seventeen (a top five American hit for Janis), Love is blind (a Japanese number one hit), Will you dance (another big Japanese hit), Fly too high (featured on the soundtrack of Foxes and a minor UK hit) and The other side of the sun (another minor UK hit).

Following those albums, Janis diversified into acting and writing but continued to record great music. When Canada legalized single-sex marriages, Janis seized on the opportunity to marry her lesbian partner there in 2003.

Forget all the controversy and just listen to a brilliant folk-rock singer who never achieved the same level of success as Joan Baez, Judy Collins or Joni Mitchell but who certainly deserves to be considered alongside those outstanding singers. If you enjoy their music, give Janis a listen. This compilation provides a great introduction to her music. August 25, 2005

Souvenirs - Best of the "Best ofs"

This really is an excellent "Greatest Hits" collection! It includes the very best from each album and even "Mechanical Telephone" an excellent song from Janis' quirky "Uncle Wonderful" '80's album. I am so glad Janis included "Will You Dance" and "Love is Blind" in this collection. They were huge chart toppers in Japan. The "Up 'til Now" 17 Greatest hits album had to be tailored twice with alternate cuts to cater to Japanese audiences. The only suggestion I could make to improve this album was to add "Restless Eyes", not instead of, but in addition to "Passion Play" which is also an excellent song from that album! Time constraints probably had something to do with that decision. The pictures of Janis are gorgeous too! Buy this CD and you will probably start building a Janis Ian collection! February 10, 2005

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