Home > Music > Spoken Word

Spoken Word

you're in Spoken Word

Advertisement
Advertisement
sort by:
add tax & shipping for
 
 
The Woody Guthrie Story by Woody Guthrie (CD - 07/11/2000)
 

The Woody Guthrie Story by Woody Guthrie...

starting at

$5
  • product
The Woody Guthrie Story by Woody Guthrie (CD - 07/11/2000)
"The Woody Guthrie Story" (07/11/2000) Spoken Word Guthrie, Woody, Buddha RecordsSolo performer: Woody Guthrie (vocals, guitar, harmonica). Reissue producers: Rob Santos, Nora Guthrie, Glenn Korman. Recorded in New York, New York on April 26 & May 3, 1940. Includes liner notes by Dave Marsh & Woody Guthrie. Digitally remastered by Doug Pomeroy (Pomeroy Audio). American folk music has produced few artists as gifted and complex as Woody Guthrie. Guthrie's talents as a singer, harmonica player, and guitar player were merely ordinary, but as a songwriter, storyteller, and provocateur Guthrie had few equals. Guthrie's genius lay in his gift for seamlessly integrating his leftist political principles into his tales of common folks. Nowhere is this gift more evident than on DUST BOWL BALLADS. The fourteen-song set, originally released in 1940 on two albums of 78s, contains some of Woody Guthrie's most immediate and vibrant compositions, not surprising given that Guthrie had lived through the horrific Oklahoma dust storms of the early '30s. DUST BOWL BALLADS benefits from its thematic cohesion, which allows it to play as a travelogue through the hard lives of Okie refugees. A number of tunes here will be instantly familiar: "I Ain't Got No Home," "Vigilante Man," "Pretty Boy Floyd," "Do Re Mi," and "So Long, It's Been Good to Know Yuh" are all campfire standards. The less well-known tunes here, however, are no less great. Particularly memorable are "Tom Joad" (a seven-minute Cliff Notes version of "The Grapes of Wrath"), and "Talking Dust Bowl Blues." A classic album.

starting at

$5
Poetry On Record: 98 Poets Read Their... [4/30]
 

Poetry On Record: 98 Poets Read Their......

starting at

$32
  • product
Poetry On Record: 98 Poets Read Their... [4/30]
"Poetry on Record: 98 Poets Read Their Work 1888-2006" (04/30/2006) Spoken Word Various Artists, Shout! FactoryPersonnel: Mark Daterman (guitar). Audio Remasterer: Randy Perry . Liner Note Authors: Rebekah Presson Mosby; Al Young. Poetry on Record: 98 Poets Read Their Work 1888-2006, the deluxe, artfully presented box set from Shout Factory, is essentially (though not related to commercially) a new, updated version of In Their Own Voices: A Century of Recorded Poetry released in 1996 by Rhino. Perhaps it's because they were assembled by the same person, Rebekah Presson Mosby, who compiled not only the Rhino anthology, but also Our Souls Have Grown Deep Like the Rivers: Black Poets Read Their Work and, with Elise Paschen, Poetry Speaks, and she writes the extended liner essay here entitled "Our Lives Distilled." This set was introduced -- as was the Rhino anthology -- with a different essay, by poet, educator, and author Al Young. Much of the material on the Rhino set is replicated here. In the case of writers from the 19th century through the early '50s, this is understandable. After all, how many tapes of Walt Whitman, Alfred Lord Tennyson (there has been some deabte as tothe authenticity of these two recordings), and W.B. Yeats can there be? What isn't here is other poets -- poets who haven't had the same work duplicated over and over -- and why, when there is so much else available? Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, Charles Bukowski, Lawrence Ferlenghetti, e.e. cummings, Etheridge Knight, Charles Simic, Sharon Olds, Rita Dove, and many others included here have plenty of recorded material available, some of it arguably as good as what's here. But, licensing being what it is, who knows. In any case, there are some very important updates here: the inclusion of poets such as Carl Hancock Rux, Suji Kwock Kim, Elizabeth Alexander, Elise Paschen, Deborah Garrison, D.A. Powell, Kevin Prufer, Jonathan Lamfers, and more. Many of the greats remain, but it hurts to see Jimmy Santiago Baca and Tess Gallagher left off of this set (they were included on the Rhino package), while it does a heart proud to see some academic stuffed shirts like John Ciardi and Edward Hirsch absent to leave room for some far more vibrant, younger voices, as well as inestimably important historical ones, like the great, dramatic poet James Weldon Johnson (this collection gets points just for including his The Creation in the mix), H.D. (aka Hilda Doolittle), Sterling Brown, Robert Browning, Edgar Lee Masters, and Tennyson (who reads Charge of the Light Brigade). Somebody has to explain why Kenneth Patchen, one of the last links to the traditions of the 19th century yet remaining a thoroughly modern poet and visual artist (of the San Francisco Renaissance school) gets dissed from both collections! There is something included -- or not -- to piss everyone off, but far more pressing is what a wealth there is in this collection. Its book is gorgeously illustrated with biographies, photos, and impeccable design work by Jeff Palo. Highly recommended if you don't have the Rhino collection; but there is too much duplication if you do. ~ Thom Jurek

starting at

$32
This American Life: Crimebusters and Crossed Wires by Various Artists (CD - 11/11/2003)
 

This American Life: Crimebusters and Cro...

starting at

$8
  • product
This American Life: Crimebusters and Crossed Wires by Various Artists (CD - 11/11/2003)
"This American Life: Crimebusters and Crossed Wires" (11/11/2003) Spoken Word Various Artists, Shout! FactoryCompilation producers: Diane Cook, Ira Glass.

starting at

$8
Cowboy Poetry Classics by Various Artists (CD - 09/13/2005)
 

Cowboy Poetry Classics by Various Artist...

starting at

$10
  • product
Cowboy Poetry Classics by Various Artists (CD - 09/13/2005)
"Cowboy Poetry Classics" (09/13/2005) Spoken Word Various Artists, Smithsonian Folkways RecordingsRecording information: Baxter Black Home Studio; Chase Home Museum Of Utah Folk Art, Salt Lake City; Gail Steiger Home Studio; KLGT, Buffalo, Wy; Makoche Recording Co., Bismark, ND; Red Stegall Home Studio; Rocky Mountain Recording Studio, Calgary, Alberta, Cana.

starting at

$10
Farkle and Friends by John Lithgow (CD - 06/18/2002)
 

Farkle and Friends by John Lithgow (CD -...

starting at

$9
  • product
Farkle and Friends by John Lithgow (CD - 06/18/2002)
"Farkle and Friends" (06/18/2002) Spoken Word Lithgow, John, RhinoPersonnel includes: John Lithgow, Bebe Neuwirth (vocals); Bill Elliott (arranger, conductor, piano); Barry Zweig, Grant Geissman (guitar); Peter Kent, Susan Jenson, Gina Kronstadt (violin); Bob Becker, David Stenske, Alice Wrate (viola); Erica Duke, Rudy Stein, Stephanie Fife (cello); Amy Shulman (harp); Geri Rotella, Lisa Edelstein, Sara Weisz (flute); Jeff Driskill, Jay Mason (clarinet); Jon Clarke, Phil Feather (oboe); John Mitchell, Alan Savedof (bassoon); Wayne Bergeron, Marisa Benedict (trumpet); Joe Meyer, Brad Kintscher (French horn); Bruce Otto (trombone); Doug Tornquist (tuba); Bryan Pezzone (piano); Mike Englander (xylophone); Dave Stone, Domenic Genova (bass); Gordon Peeke (drums); Richard Garci (percussion). Producers: John Lithgow, Jai Winding, Bill Elliott. Recorded at The Newman Scoring Stage, Los Angeles, California; O'Henry, Burbank, California; Sound On Sound, New York, New York; Sound Chamber, North Hollywood, California; Your Place Or Mine Studios, Glendale, California. Adapter: Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra. Personnel: Grant Geissman, Barry Zweig (guitar); Cameron Patrick, Shari Zippert, Darlene Alfuso, Eric Gorfain, Adriana Zoppo, Andrea Byers, Gina Kronstadt, Constance Meyer, Alice Wrate, Peter Kent, Rob Lorentz, Margaret Wooten, Jim Sitterly, Susan Chatman (violin); Lynn Grants, Andrew Picken, Karie Prescott, Miriam Mayer, David Stenske, Bob Becker (viola); Paula Hochhalter, Maurice Grants, Rudy Stein, Peggy Baldwin, Stefanie Fife (cello); Jay Mason, Jeff Driskill (clarinet, woodwinds, saxophone); Phil Feather (oboe, woodwinds, saxophone); Jon Clarke (oboe); John Mitchell J. (bassoon, woodwinds, saxophone); Allen Savedoff (bassoon); Bill Liston (woodwinds, saxophone); Marissa Benedict, Donald Clarke, Wayne Bergeron (trumpet); Kristy Morrell, Nathan Campbell, Joe Meyer (French horn); Charlie Morillas, Andy Martin, Bruce Otto (trombone); Bob Sanders (bass trombone); Doug Tornquist (tuba); Jai Winding, Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra, Brian Pezzone (piano); Gordon Peeke (drums, percussion); Mike Englander, Tom Raney, Scott Higgins (percussion). Audio Mixer: Mark Linett. Recording information: O'Henry Studios, Burbank, CA; Sound Chamber Recorders, North Hollywood, CA; Sound On Sound Recording, New York, NY; The NEwman Scoring Stage, 20th Century Fox, Los Angeles; Your Place Or Mine Studio, Glendale, CA. Photographer: Bonnie Schiffman. Unknown Contributor Roles: Michael Lescault; Cassie Miller; Diane Reynolds; John OCampo. Arrangers: Johnny Green; Leonard Bernstein; Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra. The musical companion to his book, The Remarkable Farkle McBride, which tells the story of a young musical genius, John Lithgow's Farkle and Friends features the vocal talents of Lithgow and Bebe Neuwirth backed by the Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra. Music and animals dominate the album, whether it's on classics like "Animal Crackers in My Soup" and "I'd Rather Lead a Band" or on originals such as "The Bandshell Right Next to the Zoo" or "The Remarkable Farkle McBride." "Marsupial Sue," a character from another of Lithgow's books, shows up in a song here, and Neuwirth duets with Lithgow on a charming version of "The Wrong Note Rag." A playful album with just the right amount of silliness, Farkle and Friends will appeal not only to fans of the book and Lithgow's other work, but to anyone partial to witty children's music. ~ Heather Phares

starting at

$9
Harem [Limited] by Sarah Brightman (CD - 06/10/2003)
 

Harem [Limited] by Sarah Brightman (CD -...

starting at

$17
  • product
Harem [Limited] by Sarah Brightman (CD - 06/10/2003)
"Harem [Limited]" (06/10/2003) Spoken Word Brightman, Sarah, Angel RecordsPersonnel: Sarah Brightman (vocals, keyboards); Adam Klemens, Adrian Partington (conductor); Peter Weihe (guitar, sitar); Jin Burda (mandolin); Lukas Hilbert (sitar); Nigel Kennedy (violin); Amir Abdel Magid (kanoun); Reda Bdir (nay); Michael Soltau (piano, keyboards, programming); Stephan Moccio (piano); Frank Peterson (keyboards, percussion, programming, background vocals); Matthias Meissner (keyboards); Trevor Barry (bass); Frosty Beedle (drums); Kuljid Bhamra (tabla); Rony Barrak (percussion); Christian Draude (programming); The Bach Choir, Jaz Coleman, Violet (background vocals); The Prague Symphony Orchestra, The London Symphony Orchestra. Listening to HAREM, it's hard to believe that multifarious pop diva Sarah Brightman first came to fame as a proponent of musical theater (not counting her early stint with dance-pop group Hot Gossip). After going through a number of stylistic shifts over the years, she has arrived at an unusual point where her sound evokes a strange confluence of Charlotte Church, Enya, and Madonna. Given the "Arabian Nights" sub-theme of the album, you might even throw in a little "Desert Rose"-era Sting as well. HAREM veers between ethereal, almost New Age-like moments, operatic flurries, percolating dance beats, and some accessible Eastern-flavored exoticism. Through it all, Brightman's Broadway past occasionally pops up, as on her orchestra-accompanied version of the standard "Stranger in Paradise," which is itself based on a classical theme. In fact, the orchestra pops up throughout the album, playing arrangements by former Killing Joke member Jaz Coleman, who's surely ventured as far afield from his origins by this point as Ms. Brightman.

starting at

$17
Maximum Rammstein [5/16]
 

Maximum Rammstein [5/16]

starting at

$10
  • product
Maximum Rammstein [5/16]
"Maximum Rammstein" (05/16/2006) Rock & Pop Rammstein, United States Of Distribution LTD.

starting at

$10
The Best of Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight! by Hal Holbrook (CD - 01/08/2002)
 

The Best of Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain T...

starting at

$6
  • product
The Best of Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight! by Hal Holbrook (CD - 01/08/2002)
"The Best of Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight!" (01/08/2002) Spoken Word Holbrook, Hal, Columbia (USA)This compilation is made up of selections from the original LPs HAL HOLBROOK IN MARK TWAIN TONIGHT! (1959), MORE OF HAL HOLBROOK IN MARK TWAIN TONIGHT! (1960) and HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE CBS-TV SPECIAL, MARK TWAIN TONIGHT! (1967). Producers: Godard Lieberson, Thomas Frost, Edward Kleban. Compilation producers: Steve Berkowitz, Didier C. Deutsch. Recorded in 1959, 1960 & 1967. Includes liner notes by Godard Lieberson and Jeffrey Peisch. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Liner Note Authors: Goddard Lieberson; Jeffrey Peisch. Recording information: 07/30/1959-01/29/1967. Editor: Darcy Proper. Since the mid-'50s, actor Hal Holbrook has been known more for his onstage portrayals of Mark Twain than for anything else. This compilation is taken from three albums that Columbia released of excerpts from his one-man show in which he plays a storytelling Mark Twain, Mark Twain Tonight! All of those LPs were released between 1959 and 1967, the point at which that show was at its most popular. So this likely captures Holbrook and his characterizations at their freshest. Although the running time is a generous 73 minutes, it actually only represents a small portion of his total Twain repertoire, which included more than a dozen hours of material. The loss of visuals does dilute from these rambling narratives' impact, and some may prefer to read Twain on the page than hear Holbrook express the man's thoughts in the guise of a 70-year-old. Also, though it's not too important in a spoken word dramatic recording in which all of the dialogue is easily audible, there are minor sonic imperfections in which the voice levels occasionally vary. It's still an effective distillation of Holbrook's channeling of Twain's persona as a crusty but voluble raconteur, ranging over a wide field of subjects like smoking, reaching 70 years of age, slavery, war, and nationalism. ~ Richie Unterberger

starting at

$6
Maximum Pink [5/16]
 

Maximum Pink [5/16]

starting at

$10
  • product
Maximum Pink [5/16]
"Maximum Pink [Slipcase]" (05/16/2006) Rock & Pop P!nk, United States Of Distribution LTD.Personnel: Pink; Nancy McClean (spoken vocals).

starting at

$10
War Of The Worlds [6/21] *
 

War Of The Worlds [6/21] *

starting at

$1
  • product
War Of The Worlds [6/21] *
"War of the Worlds [Collectables]" (03/14/2006) Soundtracks Welles, Orson, Collectables RecordsAdapters: Howard Koch; John Houseman; Paul Stewart. Director: Orson Welles.

starting at

$1
Great Carl Sandburg: Songs of America by Carl Sandburg (CD) [IMPORT - (not USA)]
 

Great Carl Sandburg: Songs of America by...

starting at

$11
  • product
Great Carl Sandburg: Songs of America by Carl Sandburg (CD) [IMPORT - (not USA)]
"Great Carl Sandburg: Songs of America" (04/20/1999) Spoken Word Sandburg, Carl, LyrichordFeatures the poet Carl Sandburg playing guitar & singing some of his favorite songs. This is not a collection of spoken word recordings. Digitally remastered by Doug Pomeroy. Audio Remixer: Doug Pomeroy. Recording information: 1950. Lyrichord's 1999 release The Great Carl Sandburg reissues much of the label's original Sandburg album, New Songs from the American Songbag, and has the distinction of being one of the few recordings made of the poet/troubadour singing. Sandburg sings 17 of his favorite traditional folk songs, including "Cigarettes Will Spoil Yer Life," "Moanish Lady," "Foggy Foggy Dew," and "I Wish I Was a Little Bird." The mid-'50s era recordings of The Great Carl Sandburg showcase the earthy American spirit of the songs and the singer alike in a historically important and musically entertaining release. ~ Heather Phares

starting at

$11
Become the Media by Jello Biafra (CD - 10/17/2000)
 

Become the Media by Jello Biafra (CD - 1...

starting at

$8
  • product
Become the Media by Jello Biafra (CD - 10/17/2000)
"Become the Media" (10/17/2000) Spoken Word Biafra, Jello, Alternative TentaclesSolo performer: Jello Biafra (spoken vocals). Engineers include: Marlin Saraiva, Kevin Dowd, Christopher Petro. Recorded in Boulder, Colorado, Denver, Colorado and New York, New York between June & August 2000. Recording information: Boulder, Theater, Boulder, CO (01/27/2000-09/23/2000); Denver, CO (01/27/2000-09/23/2000); Kansas City, MO (01/27/2000-09/23/2000); New York, NY (01/27/2000-09/23/2000); Philadelphia, PA (01/27/2000-09/23/2000); S.F., CA (01/27/2000-09/23/2000); Toronto, ONT, Canada (01/27/2000-09/23/2000). Editor: Mark Kellye. As the little pin on the cover proudly proclaims, this is the sixth collection of rants and pondering from your favorite spoken word artist. The album was mainly recorded around summer 2000, with such topics as the Green Party and the American Election of 2000, the World Trade Organization "riots" of 1999, the International Monetary Fund, an address to the H2K conference, and hellish life in suburbia. Jello Biafra's overriding message this time is that the traditional media outlets have been too influenced and controlled by private interests, thus limiting what people find out about. He goes on, in different segments, to describe a more grassroots way to circumvent this by people "becoming the media." There are problems, though, since a lot of what Jello does sounds like mere preaching to the choir, and he doesn't always back up his claims or state his sources. The album is some interesting listening, though, and Jello can be quite entertaining for a prolonged period of time. His enthusiasm and humor can take you through even his longest pieces in one setting; it's a joy to hear his sing-songy, giggling opening proclamation on one of the tracks of how he "crashed the Democratic convention" in the summer of 2000. However, prolonged listening can become a problem. Mr. Biafra is also know for his long-windedness, with speaking appearances that can run over four hours in length. The best way to undertake this material is to go one disc at a time, or even one track at a time (some tracks run up to 55 minutes in length) to allow the subject matter to sink in. These discs pack a lot of knowledge (and allegations), so it's best not to shotgun all three CDs at once. The collection does provide an entertaining and singular viewpoint to the problems of our times. ~ Jeremy Salmon

starting at

$8
Weapon of Mass Instruction by Greg Palast (CD - 01/13/2004)
 

Weapon of Mass Instruction by Greg Palas...

starting at

$7
  • product
Weapon of Mass Instruction by Greg Palast (CD - 01/13/2004)
"Weapon of Mass Instruction" (01/13/2004) Spoken Word Palast, Greg, Alternative TentaclesRecorded live at Flatirons Theater, Boulder, Colorado in 2003. This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. Recording information: Free Speech Television, KGNU, Boulder, CO (04/29/2003); The Flatiron Theater, Boulder, CO (04/29/2003). Photographer: Mary Lee Bussard. Part of Alternative Tentacles' ongoing series of politically inclined spoken word releases, Weapon of Mass Instruction was recorded live at a lecture in label head Jello Biafra's hometown of Boulder, CO. The material is mostly taken from Greg Palast's 2003 best-seller The Best Democracy Money Can Buy, a pointed attack on the cynicism and hypocrisy of the second Bush administration. As a polemicist, Palast is somewhere between Biafra and Noam Chomsky, neither as bitterly funny and sarcastic as the former nor as occasionally difficult to parse as the latter. The 21 pieces here mostly cover the Iraq war, with a few asides relating to the merchandising of 9/11 and the contested 2000 election. Provocative, sometimes amusing, and occasionally infuriating (for different reasons depending on one's political stance, of course), Weapon of Mass Instruction is a fine addition to the Alternative Tentacles canon. ~ Stewart Mason

starting at

$7
Life of Jesus by Orson Welles (CD - 06/22/2004)
 

Life of Jesus by Orson Welles (CD - 06/2...

starting at

$15
  • product
Life of Jesus by Orson Welles (CD - 06/22/2004)
"Life of Jesus" (06/22/2004) Spoken Word Welles, Orson, Jerden

starting at

$15
The Erotic Edge: Erotica for Couples by Various Artists (CD - 01/11/2000)
 

The Erotic Edge: Erotica for Couples by ...

starting at

$18
  • product
The Erotic Edge: Erotica for Couples by Various Artists (CD - 01/11/2000)
"The Erotic Edge: Erotica for Couples" (01/11/2000) Spoken Word Various Artists, Passion PressPerformers include: Carol Jordan Stewart, Gino Scandur.

starting at

$18
Right to Fly by Timothy Leary (CD - 07/16/1996)
 

Right to Fly by Timothy Leary (CD - 07/1...

starting at

$1
  • product
Right to Fly by Timothy Leary (CD - 07/16/1996)
"Right to Fly" (07/16/1996) Spoken Word Leary, Timothy, Petrock MusicPersonnel: Timothy Leary, Simon Stokes (vocals); Steve Kara (guitar, electric sitar, bass); Tom Thomas (guitar, keyboards, bass, drums); Randall Keith, Matthew Keith (guitar, bass); Chris Pinnick (guitar); David McKelvy (harmonica); Will MacGregor (bass); Liam Jason (drums); Lynn Fanelli, Janelle Sadler, Sandy Rhodes (background vocals). Producers: Simon Stokes, Bayard Johnson, Randall Keith.

starting at

$1
Spoken Word calling your name? Find all of the top Music gear that you want at BizRate. Compare prices from top brands like as well as . Browse ratings from merchants that sell Spoken Word and other Music. Narrow your choices down by price range, brand, merchant, and more. Find the product that's right for you: The Woody Guthrie Story by Woody Guthrie (CD - 07/11/2000) - Poetry On Record: 98 Poets Read Their... [4/30].