© 2002 Lawrence Tuczynski

Title Everyone Has A Story:
The Songs Of Adryan Russ
CD Label LML Music
CD Number LML CD-133
Music written by: Adryan Russ
Music performed by: Various
Number of tracks 15
Running time 58:41
Number of discs 1
Year of release/manufacture 2001

REVIEW

February 23, 2002 (updated April 15, 2007)

This CD is included here because it contains the original English version of "Save The Earth" from the movie "Godzilla vs The Smog Monster" (Godzilla vs Hedorah) as a hidden track. Ms. Russ co-wrote the lyrics to this song which leads me to believe that while the music is the same as the Japanese release, the words are not an English translation but rather an interpretation for the U.S. version of the movie.

Ms. Russ wrote or co-wrote the lyrics to all the songs on this CD and wrote the music to most of the tracks. The CD itself is a mixed bag but pleasant listening. I enjoyed some tracks more than others but there weren't any I didn't like. If you enjoy music as done in Broadway plays or lounge type music, then you would probably enjoy this. If you're into hard rock or action/adventure music, then this isn't for you. The only REAL disappointment I had with this disc is the track I really bought this CD for. I don't know what was used as source material for the hidden track of "Save The Earth" but it is really poor quality with a lot of static and hiss. "Save The Earth" is not a separate track but actually part of track #15. Several seconds after "The Gift" ends, "Save The Earth" begins. One other thing I was disappointed about was that the CD booklet contains the lyrics to all the songs but one. Yup, you guessed it. No lyrics for "Save The Earth" are provided. Other than those nits, I did enjoy the CD.

There used to be the following link about Adryan Russ, the composer of the English version of "Save The Earth" at : http://www.svhamstra.com/NewsRussLML.shtml but the link no longer works.

Here is an excerpt from what was on that link:

LML Music has announced a new CD release, EVERYONE HAS A STORY: THE SONGS OF ADRYAN RUSS, which offers Broadway, pop, cabaret (even a holiday song) by this lyricist and composer. Miss Russ was creator of "Inside Out," the award-winning off-Broadway musical about five women in group therapy that played New York's Cherry Lane Theatre and many other theaters across the country.

With film composers, Adryan has worked as lyricist only, on such title songs as "White Lies" for "The Check Is In The Mail," with Brian Dennehy and Ann Archer; and "Save The Earth," for the English-version cult classic, "Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster" (which she admits with great trepidation). She's also written music and lyrics for several animated features and theme park special presentations.

Everyone Has A Story: The Songs Of Adryan Russ

  1. EVERYONE HAS A STORY performed by Joan Ryan
  2. GREAT THINGS performed by Juliana Ashley Hansen
  3. OUT OF TIME performed by Jason Graae
  4. MATTERS OF THE HEART performed by Tami Tappan
  5. THEM performed by Barbara Deutsch
  6. I SLIP INTO THIS PLACE performed by Sharon McNight
  7. FRIENDS performed by Michelle Nicastro , Kirby Tepper & Susanne Blakeslee
  8. I HATE TO SEE YOU GO performed by Susan Egan
  9. THE BETTER LOVE IS, THE WORSE IT IS WHEN IT'S OVER performed by David Burnham
  10. WHAT HE CAN DO WITH WORDS performed by Lisa Richard
  11. HOPSCOTCH performed by Karen Benjamin
  12. I DON'T SAY ANYTHING performed by Cindy Benson
  13. NUMBER performed by Adryan Russ
  14. I WANT TO LIVE THIS LOVE performed by David Burnham & Tami Tappan
  15. THE GIFT performed by Guy Haines
  16. *SAVE THE EARTH performed by Adryan Russ

*This is actually part of track 15 and is a hidden track. After "The Gift" there are several seconds of silence and the "Save The Earth" starts.