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The Complete A&M Recordings

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The Complete A&M Recordings
Compilation album by
Liza Minnelli
ReleasedNovember 25, 2008
Recorded1968–1972
GenreJazz, traditional, country, soul
LabelCollectors' Choice Music, Universal Music Special Markets
Liza Minnelli chronology
The Complete Capitol Collection
(2006) 		The Complete A&M Recordings
(2008) 		Liza's at The Palace....
(2009)

The Complete A&M Recordings is a compilation album by American singer and actress Liza Minnelli, released by the labels Collectors' Choice Music and Universal Music Special Markets..[1] The album came out on November 25, 2008, a week before the singer headlined a short Broadway run titled Liza's at The Palace.....[2]

The compilation includes all four albums Minnelli released between 1968 and 1972 while signed to A&M Records: Liza Minnelli (1968), Come Saturday Morning (1969), New Feelin' (1970), and Live at the Olympia in Paris (1972).[3] Additionally, it features tracks from the recording sessions of these albums that were not included in the final track listings.[4]

On November 23, 2013, Playbill critic Ben Rimalower included The Complete A&M Recordings in his list of the twelve best albums of Liza Minnelli's career.[5]

Content

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The release celebrated the 40th anniversary of Minnelli’s first album with A&M Records and features remastered and digitally restored tracks (in 24-bit resolution) sourced directly from the original master tapes. The album includes a 16-page booklet with an essay by author and historian Scott Schechter, along with credits and rare photos.[4]

The Complete A&M Recordings marked the first time all four of Minnelli’s aforementioned albums were made available on CD. While most tracks had been reissued on other CDs over the years, they had never been compiled as complete albums with their original track listings.[1]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
CTInsiderFavorable[7]
EdgeFavorable[8]
PopMattersUnfavorable[9]

Reviews from music critics were largely positive.

John Bush of AllMusic noted that while the songs came from critically praised albums, they had failed to resonate commercially at the time of their original release. He wrote that Minnelli’s A&M contract "gave her the chance to reinvent herself, and she dove in headfirst," awarding the compilation three out of five stars.[6]

David Wiegand of CTInsider called the release "not only timely but invaluable for those who know her only from her post-Cabaret recordings." He praised Minnelli’s "delicacy and subtlety" during this era, even in unconventional song choices like "Alicinha," which showcased her artistic individuality.[7][10]

Steve Weinstein of Edge dismissed the tracks as "forgettable elevator music," lamenting that Minnelli was recording these songs (or "forced to record them?") at a time when artists like Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, and Laura Nyro were redefining women’s roles in music.[8]

PopMatters critic Steve Horowitz praised the compilation, suggesting it could be titled The Four Sides of Liza Minnelli due to the stylistic diversity of the four albums (two of which he deemed "excellent"). He noted that while the bonus tracks from Disc 1 didn’t fully align with their original albums’ mood, they were still worthwhile, and praised the Disc 2 bonuses for their "more low-key fashion" performances.[9]

Commercial performance

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Commercially, the album failed to chart on the Billboard 200.[11]

Track listing

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Disc one
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."The Debutante's Ball"Randy NewmanLiza Minnelli2:55
2."Happyland"NewmanLiza Minnelli2:26
3."The Look of Love"Hal David, Burt BacharachLiza Minnelli3:30
4."(The Tragedy Of) Butterfly McHeart"Peter Allen, Chris AllenLiza Minnelli2:19
5."Waiting For My Friend"John Addison, George MellyLiza Minnelli2:49
6."Married / You Better Sit Down Kids"Fred Ebb, John Kander / Sonny BonoLiza Minnelli4:56
7."So Long Dad"NewmanLiza Minnelli2:07
8."For No One"John Lennon, Paul McCartneyLiza Minnelli2:28
9."My Mammy"Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young, Walter DonaldsonLiza Minnelli3:03
10."The Happy Time"Ebb, KanderLiza Minnelli2:46
11."Snow"Randy Newman 2:30
12."Alcinha"Luiz Henrique, Oscar Brown Jr 3:20
13."Once in a Lifetime"Luiz Henrique, Walter Wanderley 3:55
14."Listen to Me"Luiz Henrique 4:26
15."I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover"Mort Dixon, Harry Woods 2:17
16."Come Saturday Morning"Fred Karlin, Dory PrevinCome Saturday Morning1:45
17."Raggedy Ann & Raggedy Andy"Larry Marks, Marilyn & Alan BergmanCome Saturday Morning3:30
18."Leavin' On A Jet Plane"John DenverCome Saturday Morning3:14
19."Wailing Of The Willow"Harry NilssonCome Saturday Morning2:01
20."Nevertheless"Bert Kalmar, Harry RubyCome Saturday Morning2:55
21."Wherefore And Why"Gordon LightfootCome Saturday Morning2:32
22."Love Story"Randy NewmanCome Saturday Morning2:21
23."On A Slow Boat To China"Frank LoesserCome Saturday Morning3:19
24."Don't Let Me Lose This Dream"Aretha Franklin, Ted WhiteCome Saturday Morning2:59
25."Simon"Peter AllenCome Saturday Morning3:09
26."MacArthur Park / Didn't We?"Jimmy WebbCome Saturday Morning4:03
Disc two
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Love for Sale" (From the musical The New Yorkers)Cole PorterNew Feelin'2:36
2."Stormy Weather"Harold Arlen, Ted KoehlerNew Feelin'2:42
3."Come Rain Or Come Shine" (From the film St. Louis Woman)Harold Arlen, Johnny MercerNew Feelin3:10
4."Lazy Bones"Johnny Mercer, Hoagy CarmichaelNew Feelin2:32
5."Can't Help Lovin' That Man Of Mine"Oscar Hammerstein, Jerome KernNew Feelin2:37
6."I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone"Shelton BrooksNew Feelin2:59
7."The Man I Love" (From the musical Strike Up the Band)George Gershwin, Ira GershwinNew Feelin2:47
8."How Long Has This Been Going On?" (From Funny Face and Rosalie)George Gershwin, Ira GershwinNew Feelin3:02
9."God Bless The Child"Billie Holiday, Arthur HerzogNew Feelin3:31
10."Maybe This Time"Fred Ebb, John KanderNew Feelin3:16
11."Frank Mills" (From the musical Hair)Galt MacDermot, Gerome Ragni, James Rado 2:59
12."I'll Never Fall in Love Again" (From the musical Promises, Promises)Burt Bacharach, Hal David 2:19
13."This Girl's in Love with You"Burt Bacharach, Hal David 4:21
14."Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon"Peter Allen 3:16
15."Consider Yourself / Hello, I Love You / I Gotta Be Me / Consider Yourself (Reprise)"Lionel Bart / John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, Jim Morrison / Walter Marks / BartLive at the Olympia in Paris3:06
16."Everybody's Talkin' / Good Morning Starshine"Fred Neil / James Rado, Gerome Ragni, Galt MacDermotLive at the Olympia in Paris3:29
17."God Bless The Child"Billie Holiday, Arthur HerzogLive at the Olympia in Paris3:20
18."Liza With A 'Z'"Fred Ebb, John KanderLive at the Olympia in Paris3:46
19."Married / You Better Sit Down Kids"Fred Ebb, John Kander / Sonny BonoLive at the Olympia in Paris4:57
20."Nous On S'Aimera"Frank Gerald, Claude BollingLive at the Olympia in Paris2:15
21."I Will Wait For You"Norman Gimbel, Michel LegrandLive at the Olympia in Paris3:40
22."There Is A Time (Les Temps)"Charles Aznavour, Jeff Davis, Gene LeesLive at the Olympia in Paris2:31
23."My Mammy"Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young, Walter DonaldsonLive at the Olympia in Paris3:18
24."Everybody Loves My Baby"Jack Palmer, Spencer WilliamsLive at the Olympia in Paris2:23
25."Cabaret" (From the Broadway musical Cabaret)Fred Ebb, John KanderLive at the Olympia in Paris4:29

Personnel

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Credits adapted from The Complete A&M Recordings CD.[12]

  • Producer: Scott Schachter
  • Executive Producer: Gordon Anderson
  • Project Design: Claire Morales
  • Priority supplied by: Nancy Barr-Brandon, Avi Duvdevani, Scott Schachter, Rayburn Sparks, and Steve Warren
  • Original Remastered in 24-bit by: Ellen Fitton at Universal Maximum Studios East, NYC

References

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  1. ^ a b "Spotlight on "The Complete A&M Recordings"". The Official Liza Minnelli Website. Archived from the original on December 24, 2008. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  2. ^ "Liza Minnelli Back On Broadway - CBS News". CBS News. November 25, 2008. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  3. ^ "Liza Minnelli: The Complete A&M Recordings to Be Released on November 25 - TheaterMania.com". Theater Mania. October 31, 2008. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Gans, Andrew (October 31, 2008). ""Liza Minnelli: The Complete A&M Recordings" Due in Stores in November". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 1, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  5. ^ Rimalower, Ben (November 23, 2013). "Life is a Cabaret: The Top 12 Liza Minnelli Albums". Playbill. Archived from the original on May 16, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Bush, John. "Liza Minnelli - The Complete A&M Recordings Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 19, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Wiegand, David (December 21, 2008). "CD review: Liza Minnelli, 'A&M Recordings'". CT Insider. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Weinstein, Steve (December 18, 2008). "Liza Minnelli: The Complete A&M Recordings | EDGE United States". EDGE Media Network. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Horowitz, Steve (January 15, 2009). "Liza Minnelli: The Complete A&M Recordings, PopMatters". PopMatters. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  10. ^ Wiegand, David (December 21, 2008). "CD review: Liza Minnelli, 'A&M Recordings'". SFGATE. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  11. ^ "Liza Minnelli | Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. December 23, 2015. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  12. ^ Scott Schechter (2008). The Complete A&M Recordings (Media notes). United States: Universal Music Special Markets; Collectors' Choice Music. CCM-976.
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