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The Way/Solitaire

Aiken, Clay (Artist) Format: Audio CD
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 335 ratings
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MP3 Download, Mar 11 2004
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— —
Audio CD, Single, Import, March 23 2004
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$6.99 $1.85

Track Listings

1 The Way
2 Solitaire

Product description

Clay Aiken ~ The Way / Solitaire

Product details

  • Is discontinued by manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.7 x 0.79 x 13.97 cm; 104.33 g
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ RCA
  • Manufacturer reference ‏ : ‎ MFR828766019926#VG
  • Label ‏ : ‎ RCA
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0001MBG0U
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 335 ratings

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
335 global ratings

Top reviews from Canada

L. Quido
5.0 out of 5 stars At last !!
Reviewed in Canada on April 3, 2004
Much better match of voice to song than in his full CD. Gorgeous arrangements....
Someone at American Idol looks at the weekly practice performances and decides who has the two best songs of the night - and schedules them for the two last performances. That way the audience goes away thinking that the whole show was good, whereas some performers are clearly amateurish. Being billed last happened to Clay in the last American Idol TV saga, a lot. The three really big covers that they featured him on were "Bridge Over Troubled Water", "Unchained Melody", and "Solitaire". All three were marvelous, with that clear and powerful voice - and persona so wrong for teen pop music - turning the covers into the highlight vocal performance of any show that week.
"Bridge" was on Clay's first singles release, and fueled an unprecedented number of sales for him. "Unchained Melody" couldn't be included anywhere because Justin Guarini's handlers had already commissioned the use of the song for him. A small tragedy. "Solitaire", actually the best of the three by Clay was missing in action from every recording, but was planned to be utilized for his tour, based on unprecedented fan response, wondering "where it was???" "Solitaire" is the result of someone getting wise to the complaints from fans about "Measure of a Man". Trying to meet the pop market of the 18-34 year old demographics, Clive Davis chose a number of homogeneous songs for"Measure" and overproduced them, resulting in a less than 5 star effort.
Clay's ability to let his voice grow and grow, the purity and power of his singing, accompanied by the same type of streamlined background music and well-played percussion bring "Solitaire" to life again. It's a long version of the song that makes you forget Karen Carpenter (who was singing a man's song off-gender, after all!) Sedaka's song of heartbreak is lyrically lovely, unlike many of his silly songs, and Clay makes you believe he's lost love and can't find it again.
"...and every road that takes him
takes him down.
...while life goes on around him everywhere
he's playing solitaire."
The "A" side of the disc is the sound, slightly latin-tinged "The Way" that I covered in my prior review as one of my personal favorite tracks on "Measure". Aiken is all over the airwaves with this song, but it is "Solitaire" that is selling the disc, and probably out of demographic...for more aging boomers like me!
Bravo!
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Kiri Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars THUD with a capital "T"
Reviewed in Canada on March 19, 2004
Clay Aiken continues to amaze me...I fell in love with him on the second season of American Idol the first time I saw him. He continued to grow each week. Now, on the big scene, in the REAL world, he has risen to the top of his game.
His debut album, Measure of a Man, was excellent and I felt every song was a hit on that one. I have always loved "The Way" and I love his music video. I saw "Solitaire" on American Idol 2 and that performance was truly breathtaking.
I knew I would like the recording, but I was not prepared for what was coming when I put it in the CD player and hit "play." The touching words and beautiful music, not to mention that breathtaking voice in "The Way" got me prepared for "Solitaire"...or so I thought.
The accompaniment was beautiful, soft, and serene. Then that gorgeous voice sang. Taking his time, Clay gave meaning to every word. I just had to lay back and feel the music surround me. Then, just as you thought the song was sadly ending, WOW-SOLITAAAAIIII-AAAAIIIIIRE!!!! It was exciting, the epitome of a "glory note"!!! And it came with surprise the first time you hear it!!!! WOW is all you can say...then he goes back to that tenderness you felt at the beginning and fades away.
I just layed there motionless, thinking about the masterpiece I just heard...for an hour!! This CD Single leaves the listener with all these emotions from happiness and joy to sadness because of the words, to excitement to complete awe... There are no words to describe it..."It's in the way that [Clay] moves me...when I can't find the right words to say [I] feel it in the way...So don't ask me to describe I get all choked up inside just thinking 'bout the way..." Seeing him perform that on American Idol 3 was wonderful...definitely a THUDDER...W-O-W!!!
He did it with "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and he did it again with "Solitaire". Saying Clay can make a classic his own is an understatement!!!!
If you haven't bought The Way/Solitaire, you truly haven't lived!!!
Clay, Thank you SO MUCH for being a "real" pop superstar who has morals and such love for his fans. I support you all the way. I cannot thank you enough for the gift you have provided the music world with. THANX...
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A. Newlin
5.0 out of 5 stars Emotional Rollercoaster, here I come!
Reviewed in Canada on April 8, 2004
If you were to have asked me a year ago if I could ever love an artist as much as Matchbox Twenty or would have told me that I would become a fan of the non-songwriting popstar, I would have laughed at you and called you crazy. Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas has such a way of writing and conveying his emotions into heartfelt music. However, as I stand before all of you today, I am admitting I was wrong and will gladly eat crow by shouting "I LOVE Clay Aiken's music". Now, before you wonder if I've lost my love of Matchbox Twenty, I emphatically say "NO", however, there is something about Clay Aiken's voice. There is something about the way he emotes that brings me to joy and tears in the same song. Besides a few people such as Celine Dion, there are few popstars out there than emote someone else's words as well as Clay Aiken. Solitaire is no exception to the rule either. Clay Aiken takes a classic song and makes it his own. He takes those beautiful words written by Neil Sedaka and breathes life into every beautiful word. Solitaire is no longer a song but a living breathing piece of art that resonates through the ears and strikes chords in the soul. He sings as if he is the man he is singing about, a longing in his voice of lost love, even though the song outdates Mr. Aiken. They Way is another beautifully emoted song by Clay Aiken. Co-written by Enrique Eglesias, you hear another long standing pop ballad. You don't always know why you love someone and this song describes my love affair with Clay Aiken. How I fell for such a voice is indescribable and all I can say is I do "feel it in the way". This is a must have for anyone who appreciates true music.
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Top reviews from other countries

L. Quido
5.0 out of 5 stars At last !!
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2004
Verified Purchase
Much better match of voice to song than in his full CD. Gorgeous arrangements....
Someone at American Idol looks at the weekly practice performances and decides who has the two best songs of the night - and schedules them for the two last performances. That way the audience goes away thinking that the whole show was good, whereas some performers are clearly amateurish. Being billed last happened to Clay in the last American Idol TV saga, a lot. The three really big covers that they featured him on were "Bridge Over Troubled Water", "Unchained Melody", and "Solitaire". All three were marvelous, with that clear and powerful voice - and persona so wrong for teen pop music - turning the covers into the highlight vocal performance of any show that week.
"Bridge" was on Clay's first singles release, and fueled an unprecedented number of sales for him. "Unchained Melody" couldn't be included anywhere because Justin Guarini's handlers had already commissioned the use of the song for him. A small tragedy. "Solitaire", actually the best of the three by Clay was missing in action from every recording, but was planned to be utilized for his tour, based on unprecedented fan response, wondering "where it was???" "Solitaire" is the result of someone getting wise to the complaints from fans about "Measure of a Man". Trying to meet the pop market of the 18-34 year old demographics, Clive Davis chose a number of homogeneous songs for"Measure" and overproduced them, resulting in a less than 5 star effort.
Clay's ability to let his voice grow and grow, the purity and power of his singing, accompanied by the same type of streamlined background music and well-played percussion bring "Solitaire" to life again. It's a long version of the song that makes you forget Karen Carpenter (who was singing a man's song off-gender, after all!) Sedaka's song of heartbreak is lyrically lovely, unlike many of his silly songs, and Clay makes you believe he's lost love and can't find it again.
"...and every road that takes him
takes him down.
...while life goes on around him everywhere
he's playing solitaire."
The "A" side of the disc is the sound, slightly latin-tinged "The Way" that I covered in my prior review as one of my personal favorite tracks on "Measure". Aiken is all over the airwaves with this song, but it is "Solitaire" that is selling the disc, and probably out of demographic...for more aging boomers like me!
Bravo!
13 people found this helpful
 Report
Kacy
5.0 out of 5 stars Another smash-out-of-the-park from Clay
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2004
Verified Purchase
Clay's new single is a treasure!! I agree with the reviewer who said it will become a classic...
The Way, a single from his album Measure of a Man, is a delightful, lilting song about the inexplicability of love that Clay flutes along using his high, clear, sweet voice. A happy song beautifully sung, it makes me smile every time, and I can't help dancing to it even when I'm sitting down. I never tire of hearing it, and every woman I know who's single wants Clay to sing it at her wedding!
Solitaire, on the other hand, is full of drama, one of Neil Sedaka's best, and Clay makes you feel all its passion and pathos. He uses the huge range, richness, and power of his phenominal voice to take you deeply down and dizzingly high on a journey that leaves you stunned and covered in chills from head to foot. I've played it over and over, but his performance is so incredible it hits me just as hard every time.
18 people found this helpful
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Bridgett Kelly Rode
5.0 out of 5 stars Tears started to flow
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2004
Verified Purchase
My excitement was building as I place the cd in my player. I knew it would be good. I knew how well he sang it on the AI show last year. That performance was incredible. I knew I wanted to hear more. We hoped for it on MOAM, but sadly that was not be. Life goes on. Then the word comes out that he's releasing it as the b-side single to The Way. Truely happy to hear this, I order my copy from Amazon and wait. Well the wait is over. And was this worth the wait. As I listen to every word, every nusance, every note, tears start flowing down my cheeks as this is the most beautiful song I've ever heard. He puts so much emotion into what he's singing. And that glory note at about 4 minutes into the song is to die for. It actually took my breath away. If you love Clay's voice you will devour this.
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BARBARA
5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2004
Verified Purchase
I admit I love MOAM Clay's album,so I was familiar with THE WAY
and I love the romance and his voice on that song, but was not
prepared for Solitaire.
This song blew me away. THIS IS A VOICE. Love how the song
buildS to a climax. His passion in this song is what you see
when you see Clay in concert. This young man has a bright
future and I am happy that he is finally getting recognized for
his talent.
If you have not discovered Clay yet get this single. It is
wonderful.
7 people found this helpful
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Becky Lee Looney
5.0 out of 5 stars A STUNNING MASTERPIECE!
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2004
Verified Purchase
THE WAY IS MY FAVORITE ON MOAM, TOUCHING YOUR HEART, AND PIERCING YOUR SOUL! IT'S THE A SIDE OF THIS REMARKABLE CD. SOLITAIRE WILL LEAVE YOU GASPING FOR AIR, IT'S THAT DEEP!!!! CLAY STARTS SLOW SINGING WITH DEEP EMOTION,EVERY WORD YOU CLING TO. CLAY MAKES YOU FEEL THE SONG, THEN WHAM HE HITS THE GLORY NOTE,SENDS YOU REELING INTO SPACE, YOUR NOW IN A DAZE BECAUSE YOU HAVE SUCCUMBED TO BEAUTY BEYOND WORDS. THIS SONG IS CLAYS BEST! AND NOW MY PERSONAL FAVORITE! THIS SONG SHOWCASES CLAY'S VOCALS TO PERFECTION, SHEER BEAUTY...... RUN, AND I MEAN RUN AND GRAB THIS C.D......
3 people found this helpful
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