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29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding collection of Mary's finest music, 23 Nov 2002
This review is from: Those Were the Days (Audio CD)
First, let's clear up the confusion about Mary's discovery. She appeared on British TV singing Turn turn turn. Among the viewers was Twiggy, who let Paul McCartney know that she might be a bit special. Paul eventually signed her to Apple records. However, even if he hadn't signed her, Mary would probably have got a record deal anyway because of the TV exposure. The CD itself contains all Mary's hits, both British and American, but the one song which stands out is Those were the days, which was number one in Britain and number two in America. Mary's first love was folk music and that is the basis of her music, although there are pop influences. These had faded by the end of her short career with Apple. The Earth songs album, represented here by the last three songs, was all folk music. Think about your children is an interesting song which ought to make parents everywhere do just that. Jefferson is a country-flavored song with some banjo. Knock knock who's there was Mary's entry in the Eurovision song contest - it didn't win but I think it came second. This is a fascinating collection of music by a singer who's career was all too brief.
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51 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mary's voice is a treat for the ears and the soul., 9 Jan 2000
This review is from: Those Were the Days (Audio CD)
I recently bought this CD as a replacement for my very worn out LP that I bought in 1972. It took me awhile to find the CD so when it finally arrived I was ecstatic. Mary's voice and her style of singing captured my heart all those years ago. I never tire of her. As for the CD, six songs have been added to the original eleven heard on the LP. If I have only one complaint it is that the order of the original songs have been jumbled up. I don't see why this was done. Obviously, it would not upset a new listener's ear. It is only a niggle after all. All her songs are sung with that crystal clear voice of hers. All are evocative in their own way, bittersweet and haunting. She has been catagorised as being "twee" but I beg to differ. Of the orginal eleven songs on the CD, 'The Fields of St.Etienne' is a tale of a lover lamenting her lover going to war. I would hardly class that as being twee. There is something very sad about 'Knock knock Who's There'. It has a joyful tempo but it's about loneliness. Mary is very good at expressing the human condition through her lovely voice. Maybe the angelic quality of her voice takes away some of the seriousness of the subject matter but only people listening to her superficially would think that. I take her work and her artistic ability very seriously. I did not know what to expect of the newer songs. I certainly was plesantly surprised to find them just as enjoyable as the older ones. I think she sings 'Streets of London' with more conviction that Ralph McTell. There is one little treasure called 'When I am Old One Day'. It has never been released until now. It is bittersweet without being morbid and in keeping with Mary's style. I love it. Songs like 'Silver birch and weeping willow' and 'Water,paper & clay' appeal to the pagan inside of me, however, as always, Mary is at her best singing about what makes us human - the frailities of love, life and death. I don't hear much about her these days. I have the greatest respect for her as a musician and artist and hope that more recent albums and songs will appear by her in the future.
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26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
BREEZY FOLKY POP, 18 May 2003
This review is from: Those Were the Days (Audio CD)
Mary Hopkin was one of those 1960s UK pop singers influenced by folk music, like the early Marianne Faithfull. She made breezy melodic pop music with flair and had huge hits with Those Were The Days, Temma Harbour and Knock Knock Who’s There. There is a special wistful quality in her voice that makes these songs still resonate in my mind after all these years. The album also includes pop standards like Que Sera Sera and the folk classic Streets Of London which she interprets gracefully. If you like melodic pop from the 60s and early 70s, you’ll love this album. I also recommend it to fans of Marianne Faithfull’s early work and of Francoise Hardy.
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