![Hear My Song: The Collection 1966-1995 [Box Set] by Laura Nyro](https://assets.chorus.reviews/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,quality=85,format=webp,fit=scale-down/images/laura-nyro/hear-my-song-the-collection-1966-1995-box-set/d4323e8f-e460-582d-9c92-adbcde3c4699.jpg)
Laura Nyro Hear My Song: The Collection 1966-1995 [Box Set]
Laura Nyro's Hear My Song: The Collection 1966-1995 [Box Set] assembles a sprawling, lovingly curated portrait that underscores her songwriting genius and vocal versatility. Critics agree the set is essential for reappraising Nyro's influence: with a consensus score of 89/100 across four professional reviews, the box collects hits, demos, live performances and rarities that together make a persuasive case for renewed recognition.
Reviewers consistently point to standout tracks as entry points - “Stoney End”, “And When I Die” and “Wedding Bell Blues” recur as the collection's high points - while also praising lesser-known originals and live takes that reveal her piano-led arrangements and soulful vocals. Across reviews from PopMatters, Record Collector, Americana Highways and Rolling Stone critics highlight the archival breadth, the pristine remastering, and the way demos and live recordings illuminate New York imagery and genre fusion in her work. Professional reviews note that the package works both as a career retrospective and as an argument for Nyro's place among female singer-songwriter innovators.
While enthusiasm is dominant, critics temper praise with acknowledgement of the set's magnitude; some frame the collection as a deep-dive better suited to devoted listeners than casual fans. Even so, the consensus suggests Hear My Song delivers a richly detailed, often revelatory overview of Nyro's craft, making it a must-consider purchase for those asking whether the collection is worth listening to. Below, the full reviews map how these best songs and rarities form a fuller picture of her legacy.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Wedding Bell Blues
2 mentions
"And When I Die, Stoney End and Wedding Bell Blues"— Record Collector
And When I Die
3 mentions
"And When I Die, Stoney End and Wedding Bell Blues"— Record Collector
And When I Die (live/medley context)
1 mention
"Her slowed-down "And When I Die" percolates nicely live with a hot blowing sax solo"— Americana Highways
And When I Die, Stoney End and Wedding Bell Blues
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Wedding Bells Blues
Billy's Blues
California Shoeshine Boys
Blowing Away
Lazy Susan
Goodbye Joe
Flim Flam Man
Stoney End
I Never Meant To Hurt You
He's a Runner
Buy and Sell
And When I Die
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 5 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Laura Nyro is presented here in sweeping detail on Hear My Song: The Collection 1966-1995 [Box Set], and the best songs - notably “Wedding Bell Blues” and “And When I Die” - show why her versions often outshine the hits. Horowitz writes with a fan’s discerning eye, insisting that Nyro’s renditions, from playful harmonica to blaring saxophone, make these tracks the collection’s high points. He emphasizes that the lesser-known cuts and live recordings reveal her vocal range and daring arrangements, which is why these songs are the best tracks on Hear My Song: The Collection 1966-1995 [Box Set]. The box set, he concludes, is massive but worthy of its weight because Nyro’s artistry endures.
Key Points
-
The best song, exemplified by “Wedding Bell Blues”, showcases Nyro’s inventive vocal arrangements and risk-taking performances.
-
The album’s core strengths are Nyro’s songwriting craft, vocal versatility, and the archival completeness that reveals her artistic evolution.
Themes
Re
Critic's Take
In this ecstatic overview the reviewer insists that Laura Nyro remains singular, and that Hear My Song: The Collection 1966-1995 [Box Set] showcases her most towering work. They single out “Wedding Bell Blues” and “And When I Die” as bookends and catalysts, and praise the spellbinding originals like “Stoney End” that first floored industry figures. The voice is reverent and detail-rich, celebrating Nyro's piano-led architecture and New York vignettes while urging rediscovery of these best songs on Hear My Song. The narrative reads like a fan's triumphant defence, making clear why listeners search for the best tracks on this collection.
Key Points
-
The best song is best because it exemplifies Nyro's songwriting that floored industry figures and functions as a defining bookend.
-
The album's core strengths are Nyro's singular songwriting, evocative New York vignettes, and the breadth of demos, live sets and rarities.
Themes
Am
Critic's Take
In his characteristically conversational, slightly scholarly voice John Apice argues that Laura Nyro\'s legacy is best heard across the massive Hear My Song: The Collection 1966-1995 [Box Set], where gems like “And When I Die” and “Stoney End” reveal her songwriting and soulful voice. He praises her vocal range, piano pyrotechnics and the pristine remastering that lets live performances and studio originals alike breathe. The review points listeners to the live highlights and originals as the best songs on the collection, noting how tracks such as “He’s a Runner” and “I Never Meant To Hurt You” showcase her emotive application and vocal gymnastics. Apice writes as a guide for curious listeners, steering them to the standout tracks and the box set\'s archival riches with measured admiration.
Key Points
-
The best song(s) stand out because they are both original classics and sublime live moments, exemplified by "And When I Die" being both recognizable and a live highlight.
-
The album's core strengths are Nyro's songwriting craft, emotive three-octave mezzo-soprano voice, piano virtuosity, and excellent remastering/archival presentation.
Themes
Critic's Take
Laura Nyro has her sprawling legacy laid bare on Hear My Song: The Collection, 1966 - 1995, and the set's best tracks still cut through the decades - chief among them “Stoney End”. Angie Martoccio frames the box as a thorough archival reckoning, singling out the demos, rarities and live takes that make songs like “Stoney End” feel freshly vivid. For listeners searching for the best songs on Hear My Song: The Collection, 1966 - 1995, the combination of deep-catalog hits and unreleased performances delivers the clearest view of Nyro's range. The collection is both a celebration and a correction, arguing why these tracks deserve renewed attention.
Key Points
-
The best song highlighted is "Stoney End" because of its enduring hit status and notable covers, showcasing Nyro's songwriting reach.
-
The album's core strengths are its archival breadth, inclusion of demos and rarities, and compelling live material that reframes Nyro's legacy.