A reprise of "Soul Searching," one of the strong "Monsoon" numbers, also was ill-conceived: having sung the yearning ballad just fine in his own voice, Shorrock repeated it while imitating Joe Cocker's singing and mannerisms.
This fine ballad includes the lines, "Out in the woods, you're cuffed to a tree/The end of my gun is the last thing you'll see".
Catherine of Aragon's tomb in Peterborough cathedral gave him the subject for a fine ballad (published in the collection Union Street, 1957), written while he was at teacher training college in the city.
The result is a varied set of American and English songs that range from an amplified treatment of Sacred Harp hymns to a gutsy banjo- and violin-backed arrangement of the tragic ballad Whitby Lad, and fine unaccompanied harmony singing on Love Farewell.
In truth, it's Mick Ronson's arrangement and exquisite piano work that takes a fine ballad and offers it a chair at the top table of classic rock; that, and the ambiguous lyric that could either be tenderly addressing a love interest, or perhaps a pile of brown powdery diamorphine.
The collective took a more liberal approach to Mr. Silver's finest ballad, "Lonely Woman".
Stewart Mason from Allmusic shared Holden's opinion, and described "Oh Father" as "[Madonna's] finest ballad performance ever".
Then there's moody guitar instrumental work and a fine, sturdy ballad (in English) from Cooder.
He did a song on the Winter's Bone soundtrack, and we get a fine eerie ballad from him in Martha Marcy May Marlene.
With Portuondo and other members of the Club, he went on to enjoy a successful solo career, recording two solo albums both produced by Cooder: Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer (1999, with a classic duet with Portuendo, Silencio) and Buenos Hermanos (2003, with a fine slow ballad, Mil Congojas).
