Two Words, One Answer.
Don McLean
 Classics $7.98 Add the reviewer from Phoenix to a growing list of collectors who have learned to avoid just about anything associated with Curb. As they did with their Sammy Davis, Jr., Bobby Darin, and Vikki Carr cheapo CDs they not only leave off some bona fide hits, but provide alternate takes on three others - Vincent, Castles In The Air, And I Love You So. The last, incidentally, was the B-side to his first version of Castles In The Air which, as his first hit, reached # 40 on the Adult Contemporary charts in 1971 for the Mediarts label. As the flipside to the original Vincent in 1972, the same version of Castles In The Air this time was a follow-along pop hit. What we do not get here are: Dreidel [# 7 AC/# 21 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in early 1973]; If We Try [# 12 AC/# 58 Hot 100 in April 1973]; Fool's Paradise [the Buddy Holly 1958 hit which, for McLean, topped out at # 25 AC/# 107 Hot 100 "bubble under" in March 1974]; and Wonderful Baby [his tribute to Fred Astaire which reached # 1 AC and # 93 Hot 100 in June 1975]. Just one more in a long list of Curb products to avoid like the plague.  American Pie $8.94 I'm sorry, I know this is a "Classic" rock song and many people love it, but the song, musically, is f'ing BORING. You can blow your brains out if you make your way to the end. Yes, McLean is a good guitarist, and the hook is great, but NOTHING changes in the whole song. Nostalgia is not a good reason to call a song great. I liken this song to Piano Man from Billy Joel. Both songs are very famous, played WAY too often on classic rock stations, and both are intermediately repetitive and boring! Even Billy Joel hates Piano Man. You don't believe me, try singing or playing this song and you will want to kill yourself. |
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