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Portrait of an American Girl | 
| Artist: Judy Collins
Label: Wildflower
Category: Music
Buy New: $16.98
Rating:  23 reviews
Sales Rank: 94198
Format: Cd
ESRB: Mature
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Operating System: XBOX
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 1305
UPC: 687348130523
EAN: 0687348130523
ASIN: B0007VF264
Release Date: April 19, 2005
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Tracks:
| • | Singing Lessons - Judy Collins, Collins, Judy | | • | That Song About the Midway - Judy Collins, Mitchell, Joni | | • | I Can't Cry Hard Enough - Judy Collins, Williams, David | | • | You Can't Buy Love - Judy Collins, Collins, Judy | | • | Pacing the Cage - Judy Collins, Cockburn, Bruce | | • | Sally Go 'Round the Roses - Judy Collins, Spector, Abner | | • | Voyager - Judy Collins, Collins, Judy | | • | Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) - Judy Collins, Monihan, Pat | | • | Wedding Song (Song for Louis) - Judy Collins, Collins, Judy | | • | Checkmate - Judy Collins, Collins, Judy | | • | Liberte - Judy Collins, Dorff, Steve | | • | Lincoln Portrait - Judy Collins, Copland, Aaron | | • | How Can I Keep from Singing - Judy Collins, Lowry, Robert |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
With her song selection, stately piano accompaniment, and even the soft-focus cover photo, Judy Collins channels the spirit of her 1960s artistry on her first studio album in eight years. Over the decades, her alto vocals have neither lost any of their warmth nor gained much in the way of expressive range. Much of what results is predictably pretty, as Collins's reading of Joni Mitchell's "That Song About the Midway" could pass as a follow-up to her signature rendition of "Both Sides Now," while her revival of "Sally Go 'Round the Roses" evokes similar feelings of folk-era nostalgia. On her own "Singing Lessons" and the a cappella "Wedding Song (Song for Louis)," she delves into New Age spirituality ("I thanked the gods and goddesses for bringing you to me," she sings on the latter) before building to the seven-minute, orchestrated, spoken-word recitation of Aaron Copland's "Lincoln Portrait." For those who loved Collins's albums at her popular peak, this release represents a return to form. --Don McLeese
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| Customer Reviews: Read 18 more reviews...
 This one is really great. December 24, 2007
Jeff Neuman Lee (IA United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
OK, so artists change, mature, take detours and sometimes I will follow an artist around all these meanderings and see how things are happening, cheer them on, and then find that some of their changes which were unexpected actually revealed a truth to me. Somehow this didn't happen for me and Judy Collins. It may just be me, but I started to lose her after the great album "Judith". Before that I loved everything and I was in love with her. But I just didn't understand what she was trying to say. By the time "Hard Time for Lovers" came out I was done. I listened to her singing Dylan, and it was decent, but I didn't feel her. I suppose I should try the Cohen and the Lennon and McCartney, she was always great on them, but a whole album? Can she make it something?
I checked this album out on Amazon because it contains one of the greatest Bruce Cockburn songs: Pacing the Cage. And after reading many of the comments I thought I would give Portrait of an American Girl a try. This album ranks with the greatest of her work. Yes, there are some similarities, when I hear a few of the songs begin and it sounds like 1967 or 1968 and that is amazing. And the voice, there it is, so rich as always. But mainly it demonstrates the work of a mature artist sharing her heart. It is most vulnerable and great a gift.
Thanks again, Judy.
She goes deep inside the heart's core, to embrace the wonder and magic and preciousness of love, and the searing anguish of loss August 13, 2007
Secular Humanist Survivor
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
If you have ever lost someone before their time, someone that you deeply loved, and if it was long ago and so you have repressed the aching sadness or if you have never adequately grieved, then this work will pull up those feelings and you will hold them in your hand, and her songs will turn them into a rainbow of colors reflected in the sunlight. And when you are finished listening to her songs, perhaps a few times, you will know those feelings and you will feel those feelings as you never thought you could.
I have to mention, in particular, "Checkmate" - when she sings that her son is "calling Mother", and in response, she sings "I would save you if I could" in such a beautiful melody with that sweet voice -- I don't know about you, but I cannot hear those lines without (as she sings) dissolving in tears, a sea of tears.
I am not gong to speak of the other songs on the CD -- other reviewers have discussed them and I agree. But for me, "Checkmate" is everything.
This old athiest says, "God Bless you, Judy." How beautifully you are able to use your art to help us all confront and cope with our grief, and to be able to move forward.
A Magical Experince April 14, 2007
Stanley Marcus Allison (Birmingham, AL United States)
I bought this album at Judy's concert in Baton Rogue, LA in October 2006, sorry Amazon. I didn't expect to like it this much I am a huge fan of Ms. Collins, and by the way the concert was amazing! Not since her jewel of an album called, "Fires of Eden" have I devoured a Judy studio album this much. Songs on Portrait that really get to me are Singing Lessons, a song clearly about her beloved son who took his own life. Then there is I Can't Cry Hard Enough, You Can't Buy Love, and the treasure on this collection for me is the song Checkmate then again seems to be an autobiographical account of her son. There is a lyric in Checkmate that touches my own soul so deeply and that is when Judy sings, "I would have saved you if I could..." wow! I really adore this work by Judy. I disagree with the Amazon review because Judy, now at 65 years of age, is a better singer than 20 years ago! Buy this album and for God Sake's if one gets the chance, go see Judy in concert! Her performing like this studio album is a magical experience!
Her voice is one of angels. June 15, 2006
Richard P. Mondor (Portland, Maine USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I bought this c.d. yesterday and was quite impressed with Judy's still fantastic vocals. The one song that touched me was Liberte. Beautiful and stunning is all I can say about it. Thanks Judy for giving all of us your songs through the ages. 4 decades have passed and you still shine.
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