Listen to the Warm (Deluxe Edition)

Despite his popular appeal, McKuen's work was never taken seriously by critics or academics. Frank W. Hoffmann described McKuen's poetry as "tailor-made for the 1960s, poetry with a verse that drawled in country cadences from one shapeless line to the next, carrying the rusticated innocence of a Carl Sandburg thickened by the treacle of a man who preferred to prettify the world before he described it".Robert C. Solomon described McKuen's poetry as "sweet kitsch,"Nora Ephron said, "For the most part, McKuen's poems are superficial and platitudinous and frequently silly."Karl Shapiro said, "It is irrelevant to speak of McKuen as a poet."Julia Keller said "Millions more have loathed him, finding his work so schmaltzy and smarmy..." and that his work "drives many people crazy. They find it silly and mawkish, the kind of gooey schmaltz that wouldn't pass muster in a freshman creative-writing class" while stating that "The masses ate him up with a spoon, while highbrow literary critics roasted him on a spit."So much for those highbrow literary critics and academics. It is true that his poetry isn' particularly deep. Rather it is his personal reflections and reminiscences on the world around us. Unlike those high brow critics and academicians, his work is short and easily understandable by the general public. There are none of those long words you need to look up in the dictionary to determine what he means or complex linguistic structures that you need to untangle to understand what he is saying. Much of his poetry is simply descriptive, providing a word picture of his observations or events.This is easy listening at its' best. If your nose isn't stuck too far into the air, you'll probably find this a great album to listen to during those reflective times in the quiet and comfort of your home, perhaps with someone who's special to you.The sound quality of this album is top notch. The producers have add a dozen tracks to the original album, giving you much more than you got from the original LP version or from earlier CDs that were digitized versions of the LP.

One of my favorite High School memories, discovering the poetry of Rod McKuen.

When Rod McKuen died, it occurred to me that all I had were 33 RPM LPs. I searched and searched and finally found this Deluxe Edition of Listen to the Warm. I was thrilled when I received it in "like new" condition, complete with extra bonus material. Get yours while they're still around. As Will Rogers said, "They ain't gonna make no more!"

I love this. I have been listening to Rod McKuen for over 40 years and I appreciate it more now than ever.. I feel quite strongly this is the finest of all of his albums. It covers so much emotion and is perfect for a nice quiet evening when you want to remember your past and think of what is to come. It is perfect.

I had thought for the longest time that I wanted a cd of Rod McKuen's old songs and then I read where he had died and immediately sent for the Listen to the Warm album. I love it and it brings back such great memories. There really is not another performer that recites poetry to music as beautifully. That voice is unique.

It was everything I remembered from the vinyl. I'm so glad it came out on CD!!! I've listened to it almost exclusively since I got it - have to take turns with The Sea series. When is "The Earth" and "The Sky" coming out in CD? Can't wait.

Just keep adding to my old Vinyl collection in CD's. I wish someone would complete the Trilogy of the Sea (available), Earth and Sky (both unavailable). Although I bought the Vinyl individually they eventually came as a boxed set. Would love to see the CD's in a boxed set.

I had this 'record' in high school and listened to it endlessly. I recently found it on Amazon in the CD version, and I am back to listening to it almost every night as I go to sleep. Quite simply, I love the words and Rod McKuen's voice. I recommend it highly!

If you're a fan of Rod, you can't get enough of Rod. This disc satisfies.A great find.

Rod McKuen,muss man hören,ich komme aus Holland, von dort habe ich viele LPsmit nach Deutschland genommen.Das war 1973.Leider sind die meisten zerkratzt.Zum Glück kann man die CDs kaufen.

The poetry of Rod McKuen has been dismissed by the appointed arbiters of literary taste as kitsch, superficial, irrelevant and pretentious. But there is a reason why he has sold more than 65 million books of poetry and that is because his thoughts engage with those of the man in the street in a way that the poets endorsed by the literati never will. Sloopy was Rod's cat that went missing one night in New York City when he had stayed out late: "I was a madman to have stayed away One minute more than the appointed hour. I'd like to think a golden cowboy Snatched her from the window sill And, safely saddlebagged, she rode to Arizona. She's stalking lizards in the cactus now perhaps, Bitter but free. I'm bitter too And not a free man anymore.With Rod's soft, husky, brown voice and Arthur Greenslade's string laden orchestration the piece has always had a special resonance for me and I find it utterly irresistible. But Rod is also a gifted songwriter and composer and setting his poetry to his own music with inspired arrangements by Arthur Greenslade has made "Listen To The Warm" a sublime album that has endured for more than forty five years.Of course the poems are sentimental but without sentiment there is no romance and without romance there is no love...................."And one day one will forget, later on the other. In time no one will ever know or remember A weekend in early April shared by two Old enough to know not to expect too much Not to want this time for more than what it is. The final weekend when everything is almost right And both of us are old enough to know And be thankful for the little time we have left".I have been listening to those words for more than half of my life and as the Gregorian chant and the church bells bring the piece to a close I never fail to be moved by the beauty of the words and music.And now the fifteen original tracks have been supplemented by another seventeen pieces that were recorded at the same time but which never made the final cut. (They were released on the Bear Family boxed CD set "If You Go Away" released in 2006). So now I can begin my love affair with the words and music of Rod McKuen all over again with such gems as "I Have Loved you In So Many Ways" and "Be Gentle Please". His work has often been a source of comfort, solace and inspiration to me but the epilogue to the original album says as much about grief and the search for consolation than anything that has affected me: "There are some wounds I never speak about And things that words have done to me that no one will ever know. And one grey day I'll follow a funeral out of town On the heels of the birds disappearing into the rain Or running in the snow calling, 'Sloopy, Sloopy' ".These are inspired words and music from a simpler age where its values, sensibilities and charms have long since disappeared. The world is a poorer place without them.

It was just as enjoyable to listen to as it was when I first owned the LP in the 60's.

I actually bought this for my dad. He said he wanted to replace an album he had given away and could only remember "warm" from the title. It turns out this wasn't it at all (he has just turned 80! bless him) but he was so thrilled with this he wasn't at all bothered. He waffled on excitedly when I phoned to check it was OK, I can't remember what he said but he was very impressed so buy it if you like Rod McKuen and you won't be disappointed.