Tracey Ullman - Takes on the Hits (18 tracks) +Album Reviews

Fine collection

R. Riis | NY | 09/18/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This compilation overlaps on 12 tracks with the Rhino "Best Of", and on 10 tracks with the Stiff "Best Of". Still, there are four tracks ("Little By Little", "Dancing in the Dark", "Where the Boys Are", "Alone") on this CD not on either of those collections that may or may not influence your decision as to whether to spring for this disk. If you're only interested in one CD, I'd recommend the Rhino CD for its slightly better song selection. The Stiff CD comes in second, followed by this fine but redundant CD. Track listing for this CD :
1. They Don't Know
2. Little By Little
3. Long Live Love
4. Sunglasses
5. Dancing In The Dark
6. You Caught Me Out
7. Break-A-Way
8. Bad Motorcycle
9. Bobby's Girl
10. Give Him A Great Big Kiss
11. My Guy
12. Move Over Darling
13. Where The Boys Are
14. Baby I Lied
15. You Broke My Heart In 17 Places
16. I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten
17. I Don't Want Our Loving To Die
18. Alone"

Vastly improved sound quality

Ben Glenn | The nation's capital | 08/06/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"While I like the fact that the Rhino release reproduces the hilarious cover art of YOU BROKE MY HEART IN 17 PLACES, I always found the sound quality a bit "ragged." This package from Varese sports *vastly* improved sound quality and therefore I would recommend it over the Rhino version."

'60s girlgroup meets '80s pop

hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 11/03/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Ullman's canny mix of coy '60s girlgroup pop and moderne rock-of-the-80s production led to a singing career that was more of a detour (from her comedic acting) than a planned trip. Even more unusually, her early work found its home on one of the UK's most unusual indies (and the original home of Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe's solo work), Stiff Records. The results, as documented on this compilation, included a string of UK hits, a top-10 in the U.S., a pair of albums and some fine B-sides.Ullman's songlist includes a few originals penned for her by Kirsty MacColl (including the title tracks for both of Ullman's LPs, "You Broke My Heart in 17 Places" and "You Caught Me Out") and producers Peter Collins and Phil Chapman (the "Iko-Iko"-like "Dancing in the Dark"). She also remade several songs from her label's catalog, including MacColl's "They Don't Know" (which gave Ullman a #8 in the U.S.) and Madness' ska-fueled "My Girl" (retitled "My Guy" for Ullman).The bulk of Ullman's catalog, however, consisted of 60s girlgroup and girl-singer songs such as Sandy Shaw's "Long Live Love," Dusty Springfield's "I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten" and "Little By Little," Doris Day's "Move Over Darling," Marcie Blaine's "Bobby's Girl," Connie Francis' "Where the Boys Are," and The Shangri-Las "Give Him a Great Big Kiss." All were produced with a big studio sound that nodded to Phil Spector (and the drama of Shadow Morton), but kept its feet planted firmly in the aural conventions of '80s radio.Varese's seventeen track collection joins a pair of earlier Ullman compilations, both titled "The Best of Tracey Ullman." Rhino's 20-track collection was originally issued in 1992, and Metro Music's 21-track disc dropped earlier this year; both are still in print. All three collections include the well-known hits and album sides, leading to significant overlap. This disc includes three tracks ("Little By Little," "Where the Boys Are" and "Alone") not anthologized on the other releases."

A comedienne who also sings brilliantly

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 08/31/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tracey first achieved fame in her native Britain as a comedienne, then had a brief career as a pop singer before moving to America, where she resumed her career as a comedienne. The public are always suspicious of established celebrities becoming pop singers, but make no mistake, Tracey can sing, as this and other collections of her music show. She knew her limitations and worked within them effectively and well.

Tracey recorded two original albums on LP. The first, You broke my heart in 17 places, was pure magic. The second, You caught me out, was quite a good effort with some magic moments. A compilation album was released containing the best tracks from the first two plus some other songs, including My guy, that didn't appear on either.

Tracey's biggest hit, They don't know, was a cover of a song by the brilliant Kirsty MacColl, whose own version of the song had mysteriously flopped. Tracey took the song to number two in the UK and number eight in the USA. It went to number one in Norway and several other countries. After that Kirsty supplied Tracey with other songs including You broke my heart in 17 places and You caught me out

Tracey had other hits in the UK, all covers. Breakaway (Jackie De Shannon) peaked at four. Move over darling peaked at eight in Britain just as Doris Day's original had done although neither made the USA charts. Sunglasses was first recorded by Skeeter Davis but was quickly covered by Sandy Posey. My guy was originally written and recorded by Madness as My girl.

Tracey recorded many other covers of songs from the late fifties to the early eighties including Long live love (Sandie Shaw). Shattered (Sandy Posey), Bobby's girl (Marcie Blaine in the USA, Susan Maughan in the UK), I close my eyes and count to ten, Little by little (both Dusty Springfield), Baby I lied (Deborah Allen), Where they boys (a song from the twenties that Connie Francis made her own in the fifties), Give him a great big kiss (Shangri-Las) and I don't want our loving to die (the Herd).

As befitting a comedienne, Tracey's music is upbeat, fun, music not to be taken too seriously but Tracey is no mere novelty singer. This is great party music but can be enjoyed in any setting."

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