Carol Burnett Albums (2)
'Let Me Entertain You: Carol Burnett Sings'
Release Date 8/29/2000
Tracks 24
Label Decca Broadway
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What The Critics Say
Let Me Entertain You: Carol Burnett Sings collects the comedienne's two early-'60s Decca albums -- Let Me Entertain You and How They Stopped the Show -- onto one CD. Burnett's renditions of classic show tunes and pop standards such as "I Cain't Say No," "Everything's Coming up Roses," "Sweet Georgia Brown," and "Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night of the Week)" are still as fresh and expressive as they were four decades ago. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
'Carol Burnett Featuring If I Could Write a Song'
Release Date 1/1/1972
Tracks 14
Label Columbia
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What The Critics Say
By the time that Carol Burnett Featuring If I Could Write a Song (1972) made its way to record store bins in 1972, her hour-long variety TV series had been on the air for five seasons. Although she more often than not hosted guest vocalists, upon occasion Burnett would sing, drawing primarily from pop standards and recent light rock favorites. She carried that format onto this long-player, adapting selections that had been successful for a fairly eclectic variety of artists. Make no mistake however, the arrangements definitely fall in the realm of early-'70s adult contemporary. One influence was undoubtedly Ted Glasser (producer), whose work with the likes of orchestrated easy listening guru Percy Faith is mirrored on Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield's eternally optimistic title track, "If I Could Write a Song." The same can be said of the flaccid "Rainy Days and Mondays" and "For All We Know" -- both of which were sizable singles for the Carpenters. Burnett also dives into the more familiar show tune milieu on "Sunrise, Sunset" from Fiddler on the Roof (1964), contrasting the oddities "Those Were the Days" and "Saturday Morning Confusion." Regarding the latter, one can't help but wonder whether the fact that Vicki Lawrence's (Burnett's castmate) marriage to the song's author, Robert Russell, had any bearing on it being included here. On the other side of the spectrum are affective interpretations of Carole King's "It's Too Late," as well as the medley of "Guess Who" and "Turn Around, Look at Me." In 2004 when Collectors' Choice Music issued Carol Burnett Featuring If I Could Write a Song on CD, they added the difficult-to-locate holiday offering "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" and a 1972 45-rpm with "Love's the Only Game in Town" and "You're My Reason." ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
