Judy Collins - Judy Collins Sings Lennon & McCartney

That the mainstream folk goddess has become quite a formidable torch singer in her golden years should surprise no one. Ms. Collins has always shone brightest as an interpreter of other's songs, from traditional folk tunes to such notable covers as her takes on Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now," Sandy Denny's "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" and Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns." Not far from 70 years of age at the time of this album's release, Ms. Collins lends a gentle irony to her reading of "When I'm 64." But her voice is clear; it's as youthful and plaintive as it's been in years. And on tracks like "Norwegian Wood" and "Blackbird," it's flat-out gorgeous. Ably backed by studio musicians Larry Campbell, Tony Levon, and Zev Katz, these jazzy renditions of your favorite Beatle numbers--though where's "Revolution"?--are simply a delight. Buy it for your mom, but treat yourself to a listen first. --Mike McGonigal Amazon.com

A gem for Judy fans, probably not for every Beatles fan

Whether the listener can appreciate Judy's recent collection or not certainly depends on his or her approach to the music - if he or she comes more from a Beatles background or a Judy Collins background. Having been a longtime Judy Collins fan I can say that this album is very dear to me, though I can understand that not every Beatles fan might be happy with it, as it is neither a reinvention of the songs nor a particularly in-depth approach that would highlight the lesser known gems in their body of work.
So it may not be the most ambitious tribute ever paid to the Beatles, but it is definitely a pleasant one.

From the perspective of a Judy Collins fan I am particularly glad that she no longer seems to favor the glitzy Hollywood sound that has plagued many of her recordings since the mid-seventies. In terms of sound and production this new album is closer to the sound of her great late 70's-albums "Whales & Nightingales" and "Who Knows Where The Time Goes" than anything she has done since "Living" in 1972.
The production is a lot better than on the previous "Portrait Of An American Girl". Now her voice is much more present and clearer in the mix, while on the last album there was sometimes too much reverb and a bit of a muddy sound on some tracks.

While the song choices may not be exactly adventurous, they do highlight Judy's strengths as an interpreter - her voice is more varied than on most of her later recordings, using both her favored soprano but also her very beautiful mid- and lower range, which I have always preferred to the higher tones. "Hey Jude" is an ideal choice for Judy, as she sings these gently flowing melody lines in a way that is both fluent and touching. "Good Day Sunshine" and "Penny Lane" display a more up-beat side of Judy that we didn't get to hear often in her career - both songs work very well for her. I don't really see a misstep on this album, as I enjoy it from start to finish and I really don't think that it does any damage to the songs. It is a beautiful addition to Judy's discography and in terms of sound and production - and also in terms of homogeneity of the presented material - it probably ranks among her very best offerings. June 19, 2008

Where's John????????????

I'm impressed that Judy can take on the L&M catalogue but please give John(the founder of the Beatles, may I add)his due. Where's "All you need is love", "Across the universe", or "A day in the life"???I love Paul's stuff but give John, the equally formidable genius, his day in our life.Would've been great if she also did some George Harrison stuff, as I consider him better than L&M. June 11, 2008

Under Blue Suburban Skies

"Judy Collins Sings Lennon & McCartney" is an excellent disc from one of our most enduring performers. Collins' voice sounds as clear as a Colorado stream. "And I Love Her" is a jewel that Collins casts with a samba beat. In her song selection, she has picked Beatles' songs that emphasize her melodic strengths. "Penny Lane" is a delightful reading of the city snapshot "under blue suburban skies." "I'll Follow the Sun" is frequently not covered -- Chet Atkins being an exception. Collins polishes the lovely melody, "Someday you'll know I was the one, but tomorrow may rain so I'll follow the sun." Other tracks like "Good Day Sunshine," "Blackbird" & "Golden Slumbers" are also excellent. This set shines from fine interpretations of these classic songs. Enjoy!
March 30, 2008

I think she just wanted to put out a CD

I love Judy Collins.
This is not a good CD. Other than her "Yesterday" and "I'll Follow the Sun", the songs are a bit strained and under orchestrated. She picks the keys that she needs to she can hit the ranges of notes, but does not have the power anymore to pull these off. The songs are thin.
I purchased 3 of her CD's at once, and this is by far the least desirable. January 16, 2008

What's the point?

As we all know, most of The Beatles' original songs were not joint efforts of Lennon/McCartney but were the creations of either one or the other.
That being the case, and the reader understanding that I have nothing against McCartney's output, practically every song Ms. Collins has chosen is a McCartney composition, the exception being "Norwegian Wood".
But the real problem is that Collins has put absolutely nothing distinctive into these covers. She's competently singing the melody, the band is competently playing the chords, but so what? Compare any song on this disc with her version of "In My Life" done forty years ago. Not only was that interpretation well performed but it is a haunting piece of music. There was an attitude she was emoting; there was soul.
Why is she singing "Norwegian Wood"? When John Lennon sings it, you can hear the resignation in his voice, the humor as he recounts the story about an absurd extra-marital affair with some bohemian woman. Ms. Collins sings it simply as a pretty little love song. It reminds me of Bob Dylan's complaint on his second album of how various covers of "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" were completely missing the point of the song.
She sings the standard McCartney songbook: "Yesterday", "And I Love Her", "Hey Jude", etc. and she does it without putting anything original or of herself into it.
What a cynical record this is. September 30, 2007

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