Can't Take Love For Granted (from "The Late Show With David Letterman") - (live, London, England, May 1995)
Wherever You Are
Down At The Twist And Shout - (with Beausoleil, live, Super Bowl XXXI, January 1997, The Super Dome, New Orleans, Louisiana)
I Feel Lucky
Dreamland
Passionate Kisses - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Williams, Lucinda
Quittin' Time - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Linn, Roger
This Shirt
Grow Old With Me - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lennon, John
He Thinks He'll Keep Her
I Take My Chances
The Hard Way
The Hard Way (from "In The Spotlight") - (live)
10,000 Miles - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Traditional
Stones in the Road
Almost Home
Party Doll - Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jagger, Mick
In addition to subverting the conventions of greatest-hits discs--only 5 of these 17 tracks appear in the hit versions from Carpenter's studio albums--Party Doll does a better job of balancing the singer/songwriter's moods... more » than any of her releases since 1992's Come On Come On. Here, upbeat celebrations such as "Down at the Twist and Shout" (included in a live Super Bowl take) and "I Feel Lucky" comfortably rub shoulders with the quietly sweet ("Dreamland," originally on an early-'90s various-artists set of lullabies) and brooding ("Stones in the Road") sides of Carpenter's work. Finally, her rendition of Mick Jagger's title tune hints that she has vital work yet to do. --Rickey Wright« less
In addition to subverting the conventions of greatest-hits discs--only 5 of these 17 tracks appear in the hit versions from Carpenter's studio albums--Party Doll does a better job of balancing the singer/songwriter's moods than any of her releases since 1992's Come On Come On. Here, upbeat celebrations such as "Down at the Twist and Shout" (included in a live Super Bowl take) and "I Feel Lucky" comfortably rub shoulders with the quietly sweet ("Dreamland," originally on an early-'90s various-artists set of lullabies) and brooding ("Stones in the Road") sides of Carpenter's work. Finally, her rendition of Mick Jagger's title tune hints that she has vital work yet to do. --Rickey Wright
Toni B. (twintoni) from ORANGE PARK, FL Reviewed on 10/22/2006...
Has the hard to Find song 10,000 Miles, my favorite Mary Chapin Carpenter song, from the movie Fly Away Home.
Toni G. (ToniG) from WATERFORD, CT Reviewed on 9/29/2006...
One of her best...one of her earlier
Kathleen L. (katlupe) from OXFORD, NY Reviewed on 9/25/2006...
Wonderful cd! You'll love it!
CD Reviews
Party Doll, music for the the heart, mind and spirit
Martin Gerster | United States | 06/07/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Mary Chapin Carpenter is an extraordinary artist, one of the few capable of accurately reflecting the nature of being in your 20's and 30's and living in modern America. The selection of tracks on this CD proves over and over again that her singing comes from both the heart and the soul. Anyone interested in her musical career would find their money well-spent by buying this "greatest hits" colection. The mix of live performances and studio recordings is a rare treat to listeners, showing Carpenter's full range of talents. Although she is recognizably a throwback to Folk Music of the old school, Carpenter's songs comprise such crossover Pop, Blues and Country hits like "Passionate Kisses", "Down at The Twist and Shout", "You Can't Take Love for Granted", "I Feel Lucky", and "I'll Take my Chances". Thus, making her a peer of other such great performers as Willie Nelson, Linda Ronstadt, Trisha Yearwood, and the Mavericks. While this is a "greatest hits" CD, her career is still young and her listeners still have many more years of hearing more excellent music from her to look forward to! It was almost dissapointing, however, with all of this great music, much of it never having been released before, it was almost disapointing to see that the always moving "I am a Town" wasn't included on this CD."
Carpenter does it again
Martin Gerster | 05/29/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Leave it to Mary Chapin Carpenter, one of the most innovative and uncompromising singer-songwriters of her generation, to reinvent the concept of greatest hits packages and turn it into a near-brilliant retrospective of her career. While other country artists are content to spit out uninspired, carbon-copy greatest hits albums, Carpenter has used the occasion to present "Party Doll and Other Favorites," an inspired blending of her many musical moods of the past dozen-or-so years. In part a compilation of eight of her biggest hits, the album also includes some rare tracks she recorded for other projects, three new songs and three album favorites that have never found their way to formulaic radio formats. The album's true genius lies in the inclusion of live versions of several of Carpenter's biggest hits, with a slow, beautiful rendition of "Quittin' Time" and wonderful acoustic versions of "I Take My Chances" and "Stones in the Road" the obvious standouts. The only quibble is that all of her hits aren't presented this way, since the album versions of "I Feel Lucky," "Shut Up and Kiss Me," "Passionate Kisses," and "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" pale in comparison to the live versions she has presented in concert over the years. Other inspired touches include the rare tracks presented within, including her cover of Mick Jagger's "Party Doll," which closes the album on a bittersweet note, the lovely lullaby "Dreamland," and her rendition of John Lennon's "Grow Old With Me," which is already a wedding favorite. The absolute highlight of the album, however, is her soaring ballad "10,000 Miles" from the movie "Fly Away Home," which may very well take your breath away. The new songs "Wherever You Are" and "Almost Home" provide evidence that Carpenter's remarkable songwriting prowess has endured. "Party Doll and Other Favorites" is an album that fans can cherish and will provide a fine introduction to the talents of a one-of-a-kind artist."
Absolutely the best!
Mary G. Longorio | Eagle Mountain, UT | 06/16/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD can be classified as a greatest hits/ live collection. Many of MCC all time best are here. The added dimension of hearing them while she is in a performing venue only adds to the appeal. I love to hear the little asides MCC makes as she is introduced and as she begins to sing. They are priceless. It must have been hard to choose what went on the CD. The highlight is the hauntingly beautiful 10,000 Miles, first heard in the movie "Fly Away Home". I have searched high and low for a recording of that song. There is a good mix of old and new, an outstanding "I'll Take My Chances' and a breathtaking acoustic version of "Dreamland". This is a great CD and a must have for any MCC fan"
An interesting twist on the mid-career summary
hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 06/07/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Given a single disc's limitations, Carpenter has built an ingenious greatest-hits package that simultaneously provides an overview of her decade-long career and a treasure-trove for ardent fans. All four of her #1s are here (including two live versions substituted for studio takes), as well as four of her twelve Top-10s. The rest of this generous 17-song collection includes two new titles, a Mick Jagger cover, the highly sought-after "10,000 Miles" (from the film "Fly Away Home"), and several tracks from non-MCC projects.Despite the excitement of new material and live tracks, the heart of this collection is Carpenter's determined, empowered anthems. Whether it's the desire of Lucinda Williams' "Passionate Kisses" or the call-to-self-fulfillment of her own "He Thinks He'll Keep Her," Carpenter sings her mind with an empathic clarity and force. Her poetic, autobiographical tale "This Shirt" reveals the extraordinary, interlocking nature of everyone's everyday things.Given her literate, folky bent, one might be surprised at just how much fun Carpenter can be. She pulls out the stops with Beausoleil for a live take of "Down at the Twist and Shout"; "Shut Up and Kiss Me" and "I Feel Lucky" both exhibit a humorous directness. Though a full retrospective awaits, this collection serves as a well-crafted map of the journey so far taken."