Track Listing

1. For Once In My Life - Vonda Shepard
2. Home Again - Vonda Shepard
3. Don't Think Twice It's Alright - Vonda Shepard
4. Chances Are - Vonda Shepard and Robert Downey Jr.
5. Every Breath You Take - Robert Downey Jr. and Sting
6. You And Me - Vonda Shepard
7. Snakes - Robert Downey Jr.
8. Reason To Believe - Vonda Shepard
9. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart - Al Green
10. When The Heartache Is Over - Tina Turner
11. You're the First, The Last, My Everything - Barry White
12. Love Is Alive - Anastacia and Vonda Shepard
13. Alone Again (Naturally) - Vonda Shepard
14. Can We Still Be Friends - Vonda Shepard

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31257 in Music
• Released on: 2001-04-24
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Original language: English

Album Details
Australian Version Includes Bonus Tracks of Chayanne and Tom Jones. The Ultimate Ally Mcbeal Collection also Includes Nine Vonda Solo Tracks, Barry White, Al Green, Tina Turner, plus Vonda Duets with Robert Downey Jr, Sting and Anastasia.

Amazon.com
On this third installment of the Ally McBeal soundtracks series, featured performer Vonda Shepard delivers another solid collection of emotive blues- and country-inflected power ballads. The surprises here are the three tracks sung by the TV show's guest thespian Robert Downey Jr. If this soundtrack was intended to be a star vehicle, it's a jalopy. Downey's contrived rasp, hardened vocals, and awkward phrasing fail to impress (proving that the elongating line of talented actors with musical aspirations should confine their singing fantasies to the shower). On his dumbed-down duet with Sting on the Police classic "Every Breath You Take," Downey sounds like he's straining to emulate Sting, and Sting approaches the song as a walk-through. Fortunately, Barry White's mirror-ball hit "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" and Tina Turner's anthemic "When the Heartache Is Over" provide some much-needed uptempo relief from the album's sluggish middle section. The collection heads home with Shepard and label newbie Anastacia covering Gary Wright's "Love Is Alive" in dance-floor-lite funk (although it suffers the unfortunate coincidence of being released in proximity to Joan Osborne's superior rendition from One Night at McCool's). The CD closes with Shepard's well-orchestrated interpretation of Todd Rundgren's "Can We Still Be Friends," and Ally McBeal fans, despite the Downey debacle, should be able to answer affirmatively with little hesitation. --Beth Massa

Customer Reviews

Great Listening
I have enjoyed this CD so many times in the week since I bought it--it is so evocative of the overall feeling of "Ally McBeal". Robert Downey Jr's contributions make it very nostalgic in light of his subsequent problems.

I really like Vonda Shepard's soothing and polished voice, but have no problem with the addition of other singers - Al Green, Tina Turner, Anastacia, Barry White, and Downey - they only enhance her contributions.

I also liked the wide selection of songs on this CD---a nice variety of music and voices, well-balanced choices.

Shepard's duet "Chances Are" with Downey is so natural and unforced.....it is as if he just walked up to a mike and started singing with her. The Downey-Sting duet of "Every Breath You Take" is so well-blended that it is hard to tell where one voice leaves off and the other begins.

Good listening that will not disappoint.

another CD with ally mcbeal greatest hits!
This is the fourth CD of ally mcbeal, and it surely brings the best songs of the show, so far. Keeping the tradition of 3 excellent CDs previously released, "For once in my life" is a celebration of good songs and covers, from various artists. The great surprise in this CD is the collaboration of Robert Downey Jr, who has revelead himself as a good singer since the ally's christmas album. In this CD, he performs "Snake", written by him, "Chances are", in an emotional duet with vonda shepard and a very cool version of "every breath you take" featuring sting, who was a guest in the TV show. Besides that, you can find the wonderful vonda shepard in different tracks. In this collection, the producers finally included 2 of the most significant tunes from ally mc beal: "my first, my last, my everything" (Barry white)--for those "sexy" moments in richard fish's life-- and "how can you mend a broken heart" (Al green)- for those times when ally feels down and lonely. At last, this CD brings "when the heartache is over", a dance and melodic song performed by tina turner (also a guest in ally mcbeal).Despite the fact that I'm a huge fan of the show, I recommend this CD for those who appreciate good vocals and soft listening.

For Once In My Life Superbly Done!
What a great collection of great talent. Vonda Shepard-wonderful voice as always. Robert Downey Jr.-Ahhh! What can I say? He is amazingly talented in so many avenues. His song "Snakes" written and performed by Downey is just breathtaking. His beautiful voice resonates soulfully. What a wonderful bonus to this CD. Sting with Robert Downey Jr. on "Every Breath You Take" is a refreshing reminder of a great song. Vonda and Robert on "Chances Are"-What a lovely combination of two extremely talented vocalists. Vonda Shepard singing "Reason To Believe" takes me back to my Rod Stewart era, superbly done. Barry White, Tina Turner, and Al Green-The talent behind their names says it all! Over all I would say this is one great collection. "Chances Are" this will be a huge hit!