For What It's Worth - Holly Beth Vincent, Stills, Stephen
Only Boy
Revenge - Holly Beth Vincent, Ginn, Greg
Samurai and Courtesan
Cool Love (Is Spreading Around)
Uptown
We Danced
Unoriginal Sin
Just Like Me - Holly Beth Vincent, Dey, Richard
Dangerously [*]
One More Dance [*]
I Got You Babe [*] - Holly Beth Vincent, Bono, Sonny
For What It's Worth [Extended Remix][*] - Holly Beth Vincent, Stills, Stephen
Chapel of Love [*] - Holly Beth Vincent, Barry, Jeff
Tell That Girl to Shut Up [7" Version][*]
In 1981 Holly Beth Vincent formed Holly & The Italians, a high-energy new wave/punk rock band. Their album, Holly Beth Vincent features six rare bonus tracks, including a duet with Joey Ramone on 'I Got You Babe', p... more »lus their extended version of the Buffalo Springfield classic 'For What It's Worth'. These albums are making their worldwide CD debuts. Bonus Tracks - 'I Got You Babe', 'For What It's Worth' (extended remix), 'Dangerously', 'Chapel Of Love', 'One More Dance'& 'Tell That Girl To Shut Up' (7 inch version). Wounded Bird Records.« less
In 1981 Holly Beth Vincent formed Holly & The Italians, a high-energy new wave/punk rock band. Their album, Holly Beth Vincent features six rare bonus tracks, including a duet with Joey Ramone on 'I Got You Babe', plus their extended version of the Buffalo Springfield classic 'For What It's Worth'. These albums are making their worldwide CD debuts. Bonus Tracks - 'I Got You Babe', 'For What It's Worth' (extended remix), 'Dangerously', 'Chapel Of Love', 'One More Dance'& 'Tell That Girl To Shut Up' (7 inch version). Wounded Bird Records.
CD Reviews
A wonderful, neglected gem
rivette | Edinburgh, Scotland | 01/24/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For many years, this has been one of my favourite records, but I thought it might never make it onto CD and so would be unfairly lost and then forgotten. Fortunately, I was wrong - because here it is!Holly Beth Vincent released an earlier record as Holly and the Italians, entitled "The Right to be Italian", which was an excellent example of New Wave guitar pop; this record is even better, but very different, and much harder to classify. It's still within the pop / rock realm, but the instrumentation is more dense, complex and varied (Holly contributes vocals, synthesizer, guitar, and drums; there are other keyboards and violin, with mandolin and trumpet highlights); the songs remain melodic but are softer, darker, further from New Wave's punk influence; the subject matter ranges well beyond her home territory of urban romance and rebellion; and there's often a longing, almost melancholy beauty to the lyrics and the sound."
The Greatest Unknown Woman in Rock History
D. Coben | East Brunswick, NJ USA | 11/01/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you really love rock music, you have to buy this CD. This is probably the best rock band of the 70's that didn't get a major record deal. Anyone who hears Holly Beth Vincent will realize she was one of the Greatest female Rock vocalists of all time. I think it's so ironic that it took 20 years for Holly and the Italians to finally get the recognition they deserved. I'll never forget seeing them open for the Ramones in the 70's, a thankless task for most bands who got booed off the stage by ardent, impatient Ramones fans. This was the only time I ever saw The Ramones get blown right off the stage by their opening act! Years before there were compact discs, I cherished my 45's of Holly and the Italians. How wonderful to have their delicious music immortalized on CD's."
Incredible!
Liza Radley | 07/02/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I only discovered Holly and this album last year. I'm embarrassed to say that I ordered it just because I'm a huge Ramones fan and I'd heard that Joey did a duet with her. I had no idea what the rest of the album would be like; when I got it, I was stunned. How did I manage to miss Holly Beth Vincent? I love her voice, which has none of the annoying show-off vocal gymnastics of so many current female singers. And she's a great songwriter, in addition to playing many of the instruments on the album. Fer cryin' out loud....Why wasn't she a major music star? Well, maybe she just didn't want to play the games.
I've since ordered everything I can find from her (which granted, isn't much) and I haven't been disappointed. But this album is still my favorite.
I read that the Trouser Press guide to records said of this album: "If Joni Mitchell and Ronnie Spector made it with Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen, the offspring of their offspring might have conceived something like this." That's a pretty good description, I guess. For me, it's just wonderful, unique, and unforgettable music. Thank you Holly!"
Masterpiece
Anthony D. | Albuquerque, NM USA | 01/17/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I had never heard of Holly Beth Vincent until some genius friend of mine bought this album for my birthday back when it came out. Two decades later, this is still one of the five recordings I'd take to the proverbial desert island. This album is lush, atmospheric, rocking, soulful, melancholy, erotic, dynamic, melodic and lyrically interesting. It sounds like nothing else I've ever heard and rewards repeated listenings. Many things make this a wonderful album. The choice, for example, to use trumpets and violins in some songs, blended into the standard rock instrumentation is inspired and lends a texture that helps push this from good and interesting to brilliant. There is not a weak cut on the recording. While the trippy "For What It's Worth" got most of the ink, the final chorus on "Unoriginal Sin" is breathtakingly beautiful, and in my opinion, the highlight of an album filled with great moments. Although it sounds nothing like "Exile on Main Street," it possesses the same kind of murky complexity. Virgin should be ashamed for dropping the ball on this one.
One note, the Wounded Bird release is not the same as the original US release. The order of the songs from the original makes a difference. I would suggest, just for comparison sake, to listen to this CD in this order: Honalu, Dangerously, Uptown, Cool Love, Just Like Me, For What It's Worth, We Danced, Revenge, Unoriginal Sin and Samurai and Courtesan, dropping Only Boy."
Simply wonderful
Liza Radley | NYC | 02/05/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album is one of my all-time favorites. It is the one reason I purchased equipment for transfering LPs to CD. Thank GOD someone who knows what they're doing has beaten me to it.Holly's voice is lovely, smooth but with an edge that prevents her from sounding generic. Her songs feel intimate. I advise you to stop reading and click "Add to Cart" NOW."
Track Listings (16) - Disc #1