Nanci Griffith Album: “20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: T”

This is a very nice "best of Nanci Griffith" Collection. Griffith is one of the finest singer-songwriters of our time, and anyone unfamiliar with her career will find this album is a solid introduction. Among the eleven tracks are three Griffith compositions that I find completely unforgettable: "Love at the Five and Dime," "There's a Light Beyond These Woods," and "It's a Hard Live Wherever You Go." Also included is the vigorous "Outbound Plane," the haunting "Late Night Grande Hotel," and Griffith's famed cover of Julie Gold's "From A Distance."

While this is, as I said, a good album, there's a better "best of Nanci" collection in existence. You can get virtually all of "The Millenium Collection"--8 out of 11 tracks, including all six listed above--in the collection "The MCA Years." The latter album, with 18 songs total, offers a broader overview of Griffith's career. Unfortunately, it's apparently becoming harder to find; Amazon has it listed in "limited availability." So for now, this album will probably have to do for those wanting a sampling of Griffith's considerable talents.

I was given a gift certificate for our local book/music store and was just browsing when I picked up a set of ear phones connected to Nanci Griffith's CD "The Best of Nanci Griffith - the Millenium Collection". The first song was "Once in a Blue Moon" and I was immediately struck by the beautiful clarity of her voice and the lovely harmony.

I am not a big country/folk music fan, but purchasing this CD has given me the insight to a new side of my music preferences. The simple lyrics and beautiful instrumentals make me just want to sit back and imagine myself on my back porch with no worries or cares. A must have!

An exquisite collection for anyone who wants to know and feel the music of Nanci Griffith.

Though the music of Nanci Griffith is in no way as popular and well known as much that comes to us today;nobody comes close to her in writing and singing the music that comes from the heart and soul of America.

There are a lot of comments in the reviews about tha songs on this CD having been published before;but aside from that,this is still a very good selection of Nanci's music.

Nansc's life has resolved around music ever since she was a child.She has an uncanny ability of feeling and writing and singing about things that we all have felt,but don't have the heart and soul to appreciate them.

She is a masterful poet and writes lines that can only be described as haunting.The thing about Nanci's music is that there is never the least inkling that she anything but believes totally in what she writes and sings about.

Just a few examples of the meaning encompassed in her songs are:

"It's a hard life,

It's a hard life,

It's a very hard life,

It's a very hard life wherever you go."

"There ain't o place,

In Belfast (Chicago)for that kid to go."

"There's no reason for a human being to ever be complacent."

Then there's her reminiscent song "Love At The Five And Dime". We all grew up with Woolworth's, but only Nanci can bring back the memories that they have for us.The passing of what America was,has been replaced by the WalMarts,Cosco's,Target's etc .The Lunch counters,the candy counters,record bins,elevators, etc.,are all a thing of the past;until Nanci brings it all back.Her guitar skills are super on this song.And how about her words;

"It's closing time,

And loves on sale,

Tonight at the Five And Dime."

Then there's line after line expressing thoughts like these;

"I knew love when it as more than just a word.

or,

"No one really knows the heart of anyone else."

Nanci Griffith's girlish voice and sometimes quirky delivery used to drive me nuts, but she is such an intricate songwriter that it's hard not to be won over eventually. I bought this CD a couple of months ago, and enjoy it quite a bit. "Trouble In The Fields" is my favorite Griffith song; it's so perfect. I had never heard "Late Night Grande Hotel" before I bought this disc; while many of her songs reflect on sadder themes ("And here you were thinking that you thought you knew me well/But no one ever knows the heart of anyone else/I feel like Garbo in this late night grande hotel/'Cause living alone is all I've ever done well."), it's almost impossible not to listen.

Great retrospective, but some things are missing, most notably for me, "Southbound Train" from Flyer.