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The Transformed Man

Remastered

William Shatner Format: Audio CD

4.6 100 ratings

£33.10

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Audio CD, 30 Nov. 1992

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Audio CD, Original recording remastered, 7 Dec. 2004

£33.10

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Vinyl, 21 Oct. 2014

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Track Listings

1	King Henry The Fifth / Elegy For The Brave
2	Theme From Cyrano / Mr. Tambourine Man
3	Hamlet / It Was A Very Good Year
4	Romeo And Juliet / How Insensitive
5	Spleen / Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
6	The Transformed Man

Product details

Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.4 x 14.3 x 1.19 cm; 94.12 Grams
Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Universal Music
Item model number ‏ : ‎ 2072807
Original Release Date ‏ : ‎ 2004
Label ‏ : ‎ Universal Music
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0006J2G9I
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1

Best Sellers Rank: 237,831 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- 2,916 in Traditional & Vocal Pop
- 26,784 in Hard Rock & Metal
- 81,045 in Rock

Customer reviews:
4.6 100 ratings

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

100 global ratings

1 star

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robbocoope

Astonishing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 July 2011

Verified Purchase

I have read reviews of this defining moment in the history of music. All say that this album is possibly the worst ever record. As many readers of this review may recall, Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds featured on Kenny Everett's Worst Record Show/Record. This CD is I think without doubt the worst ever recorded on the grounds that the captain of the Enterprise takes it seriously. Brilliant stuff. I recently presented the CD to a friend for his 57th birthday. On opening it I told him it was unplayable, I made it to track 3 and gave up and I defied him to listen to it non stop. I have just received an e mail confirming this.I can thoroughly recommend this CD to any chap feeling a little 'down' it will motivate you like nothing else. Happy listening.It would be good to make it a Christmas No.1! By the way I am a committed Trekkie. Perhaps I should be committed.

5 people found this helpful

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Mark Collins

shambolic and poor... everything you'd expect

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 February 2006

Verified Purchase

The Shatner is up there with the Hasselhof in the seventh circle of self-deluding naffness. Talents like these are mercifully rare.
If you have a friend who likes Shakespear, buy this for them, the damage done by Shatner to Henry's speech brings laughter and tears to my eyes, but watching someone else suffer it is even funnier.
Just dont take the fool seriously... you'll have a brain haemorage.

10 people found this helpful

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Topper

Brill.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 August 2016

Verified Purchase

A replacement for an LP so I know it'll be good. This man can do no wrong.

One person found this helpful

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DaveyLounge

No one does it like The Shatner

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 January 2015

Verified Purchase

A classic!!! No one does it like The Shatner, and on Red Vinyl to boot!!! Roll on a Christmas Album :-)

3 people found this helpful

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Mister D

Set listening experience on stun

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 September 2019

Verified Purchase

This review is for the CD version.

There are 2 ways to look at Shatners "The transformed Man"
- If it's a parody of rock/pop opera then it is one of the greatest albums of its type.
- If it's supposed to be a serious artistic endeavour; the lack of self awareness, the over the top vocal delivery and high quality musical direction make it a work of pure unhinged genius.

Shatner has never confirmed or denied either.

In the background is a fairly lavish, well produced musical accompaniment.
Over the top of this, with all the subtlety of a photon torpedo hitting a de-cloaked Klingon bird of prey is Shatners vocal performance.

There is no restraint in either the lyrics or delivery as the words are spoken over the top of the music like a hammy version of Shakespeare at a local play.

The infamous offender is "Lucy in the sky with diamonds" but the other tracks are equally as impressive.

Make no mistake, this is a truly woeful album, however a lot of care has been taken during its production and Shatner never gives less than one hundred percent.

Like many terrible works of art (e.g. "reefer madness") its the flaws that make the album.

Since it is so over the top, it is unintentionally hilarious although you have to be in the right mindset to appreciate its charms.

If you are a hard-core trekie then you should really beam a copy of the album on board your CD collection.

For the casual listener its worth listening to at least once just to see what all the fuss is about.

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arabesque

wow!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 April 2013

Verified Purchase

great fun, and such a change from his star trek persona - though one should expect it from such an accomplished actor.

2 people found this helpful

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Mr C J Hempstead

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 July 2014

Verified Purchase

Great

2 people found this helpful

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Mr S J Hook

Got it out of curiosity

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 March 2014

Verified Purchase

I love William Shatner's voice but this is not his finest hour! Purchase at your own peril, you have been warned!

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Simon E.

Beeindruckende Sammlung von Gedichten, hinterlegt mit Musik

Reviewed in Germany on 14 September 2017

Verified Purchase

Mr. Shatner nur als "Kirk" abzustempeln, greift zu kurz. Dass er auch Theater beherrscht und Charaktere darstellen kann, beweist er unter anderem auf dieser ungewöhnlichen Sammlung von Auszügen aus Reden, Gedichten, Schauspielstücken, Liedern, die durch Mr. Shatner interpretiert werden. Er spricht den Text, er singt nicht. Die Musik passt zum Text. Was als "Zufallsprodukt" entstanden ist, ist so gut gelungen, dass noch weitere Alben dieses Typs folgen sollten.

Zur Vinyl: Top Pressung, top Tonqualität - ich habe sogar eine rote Ausgabe erwischt und bin super glücklich!

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basque

Yes. It's. That. Great.

Reviewed in Canada on 22 November 2016

Verified Purchase

I love this album. It's a quirky mix of monologues and poems (in Classical style) and spoken-verse versions of contemporary (for the 60's) songs. It's grotesque, it's funny, it's poignant. It runs all the gamuts of emotion. This may not be for everyone but you should listen to it anyway. Rest assured, Bill is not only an International Treasure but he knows what he's doing.

One person found this helpful

Amazon Customer

Good Memories

Reviewed in Australia on 8 May 2019

Verified Purchase

Very novel and entertaining.

Michael King

The Transforming Troubadour

Reviewed in the United States on 14 May 2014

Verified Purchase

This is the greatest album ever recorded by a human being in the history of mankind. William Shatner's inimitable voice recites some of the most famous speeches and poems ever written, then segues into speak/singing some of the best songs ever composed. I shall try to convey the joy and satisfaction of what it's like, listening to the limitless talent of William Shatner in this, his first album.

The album opens with a stirring speech. King Henry The Fifth: "Once more into the breach!" That speech segues into "Elegy For The Brave," which is a thinly veiled recounting of the many adventures Captain Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise have experienced.

Next up is the Theme From Cyrano. "What would you have me do? Become a master of hypocrisy and opportunism, never letting my right hand know what my left is doing? No thank you!" That recitation segues into the song "Mr. Tambourine Man" (written by Bob Dylan). Backed by a female chorus, banjo, brass and drums, William Shatner delivers a pleading vocal performance that would send shivers up and down the spine of the most stoic Vulcan. Even Bob Dylan himself could not have sung the song any better.

That is followed by more quotes from William Shakespeare. Hamlet: "To be or not to be, that is the question." That famous passage segues into the song "It Was A Very Good Year." Even though the song is more spoken than sung, William Shatner wrings emotion from the lyrics that the great Frank Sinatra could only hint at. Frankly, William Shatner turns in the definitive version of that song.

Once more, William Shatner speaks the words of William Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet: "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun. Arise fair sun, and kill the envious moon..." That recitation segues into the song "How Insensitive." William Shatner's emotional performance would bring a tear to the eye of the cruelest Klingon who ever lived.

Next up is a stirring recitation of an ominous poem. Spleen: "When the low sky presses like a lid on my spirit heavy with pain, and all the wide horizon is curtained by a dark day, oh sad the night..." That dark intonation segues into the light "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" (written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney). George Martin, who produced many Beatles' albums, never used echo effects and backing female vocals as well as this version does. Even Elton John's excellent version of this Beatles' classic cannot rival William Shatner's version.

Finally, William Shatner recites the title track. The Transformed Man: "As a leaf drops from a tree, I quietly walked out of the life they had planned for me. Not once did regret clutch my hand...I knew that I had been awakened. I had touched the face of God!" This is the way the album ends; not with a whimper, but with a bang.

10 people found this helpful

Thomas Rubow

Sprechgesang

Reviewed in Germany on 4 February 2019

Verified Purchase

Sprechgesang vom feinsten. Theatralisch, mit Shakespeare, dem Song "Tampourine man" im Bereich Popmusik, sowie einer tollen Version von " Lucy in the sky with diamonds". Sehr abwechslungsreich und typisch 60 Jahre. Ich finde das Album großartig.

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