Born For You

A wonderful album from a wonderful singer:
Kathie is a complete unknown in Britain. I only came across her music when I learned that Dolly Parton contributed backing vocals to one of the songs on this album. I knew that Dolly would only have done this if Kathie were a good singer - and I was right although this was not the first of Kathie's albums that I bought. I actually started with Sentimental and the Christmas album, both albums filled with covers of classic songs, mainly romantic ballads. I loved them both so I immediately bought this album, which also contains several covers but contains some original material too. While this is not quite as exciting as those other two albums, it is still an album of a very high quality. Kathie's voice has a tender, dreamy quality ideally suited to the romantic ballads that dominate this album, just as they dominated the other two albums that I mentioned. Kathie is less suited to dramatic up-tempo songs like Don't rain on my parade, but some of you will appreciate its inclusion as it provides a change of tempo. The covers include Circle game (Joni Mitchell), It goes like it goes (from Norma Rae), Moondance (Van Morrison), Here's that rainy day (from the songbook of Jimmy Van Huesen), Before the parade passes by (from Hello Dolly), Don't rain on my parade (from Funny girl), I got lost in his arms (from Annie get your gun), On my way to you (co-written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman with Michel LeGrand), Sunrise sunset (from Fiddler on the roof) and Try to remember (from The Fantastiks). Some of the other songs are originals but it may be that some are covers. Note that Sweet dreams is NOT a cover of the song made famous by Patsy Cline although I'm sure that Kathie could sing that song superbly. The album is built around the concept of Kathie's life story. In that respect, it falls short - it sounds to me like a series of songs that relate to particular events in Kathie's life but no more than that. I don't mind that as Kathie is among my favorite singers and doesn't need to worry about clever concepts. The album includes a 24 page booklet containing full lyrics and plenty of family photographs. It is always hard for me to pick out highlights from an album so full of quality but here I'll nominate Born for you (which opens and closes the album), Circle game, Sweet dreams, Moondancing (with Collin Raye on backing vocals) and Only my pillow knows (with Dolly Parton on backing vocals). If you are new to Kathie's music, I'd recommend starting with Sentimental or the Christmas album both of which I reviewed a long time ago - or the more recent gospel album, which I've yet to hear. If you enjoy those, you'll enjoy this too.

Pleasant Surprise:
Ok so its Kathie Lee, but this cd is not as bad as you think. BORN FOR YOU is a collection of adult contemporary standards as well as some new songs. Yes its Kathie Lee but just listen to the music. She does have a nice voice, I don't think she would be singing this material if she couldn't handle it. While I think this is a nice cd, her pop effort HEART OF A WOMAN was slightly disapointing, as a understatement, but this has Gifford in control of her vocals and singing songs she actually sounds good singing. BORN FOR YOU is filled with love songs which will take you back to the time they were popular, some will make you smile, make you laugh, make you cry or just think, but its a good collection for the most part. The one misstep I believe was "Before the Parade Passes by/Don't Rain on My Parade", this one is not very well suited for her voice. Some highlights though include the touching title track, "Help Is On The Way", "Only My Pillow Knows" (with Dolly Parton), "It Goes Like It Goes/Sweet Dreams", "First Time/Not Exactly Paris". Its a pleasant cd to listen to to relax to and just enjoy.

Beware of posters with an axe to grind.:
Many of these 1-star postings are laughable and many are obviously from punks who never listened to the record and have sore need of a life. One's opinion of her as a person or a talk show host is not the issue here, but well how she performs this intriguing variety of songs. While her voice certainly does not evoke Streisand (a woman far easier to dislike!), it is smooth, tender and soulful throughout, more than compensating for her limited range. This was meant not only as a portrait of her life, but as a love letter to her husband and children, and that alone makes it worthwhile. Take advantage of these bargain prices and give it a chance.

Born for You:
I was lucky enough to find this CD at Big Lots! I bought it because I like Kathie Lee - I didn't even know that she could sing. I LOVE THE CD. -- every song except the Parade one! But every other song I LOVE! Her voice is wonderful and the selection of songs is great. I plan on buying one for a friend. The arrangements are beautiful. I am so happy that I found it! Thanks to Kathie Lee!! Love, Marilyn Ryan

If you don't buy this, then you are an idiot.:
Any third world child laborer could bang a stick on a very empty can, while screeching out barbaric and unmelodious jibber jabber, and it could properly be called music. But what should we call a more glorious, though baroquely bloated, and very jolly sonic emanation; one that sounds as revolting and sublimely insipid as the album, "Born for You \o!\c" by the newly "slutted out" Kathie Lee Gifford? When does odiousness become a form of knowing? If you don't know the answer to this question, you need to crank up the Kathy Lee. Right now. Just as some silly Jesuit might proclaim: That is My dog, That dog is a father, Therefore that dog is my father-no one could deny the claim that because Gifford was born, it is therefore established that she was Born for You. Just as the name of her album implies. So, I conclude that you really need to hear this album. It doesn't matter if you're a rum-jhumbi banging coconuts against your chest, or a transgendered methadone bride...Kathy Lee Gifford was Born for you! When one imagines the dialectical relationship between musical standards, such as those on Gifford's album, and the negative whirling bacchanalian swirl of the transgenerational continuum of prog-rock sexuality, one can sometimes become frozen in formal quagmire of a corroded yet sonorous hyper-consciousness. That is why it is very important to remember that Kathy Lee Gifford is a very bad woman, who serves the devil 24 hours a day. Buy a copy for yourself, and that lady you like from church!