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List Price: $18.97 | | Label: Shout! Factory
Salesrank: 2959
Released: January 8, 2007 |
| Our Price: $8.51 |
| Used Price: $5.29 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Has Been Track Listing:
1. Common People (featuring Joe Jackson)
2. It Hasn’t Happened Yet
3. You’ll Have Time
4. That’s Me Trying (featuring Aimee Mann and Ben Folds)
5. What Have You Done
6. Together (featuring Lemon Jelly)
7. Familiar Love
8. Ideal Woman
9. Has Been
10. I Can’t Get Behind That (featuring Henry Rollins)
11. Real (featuring Brad Paisley)
Editorial Review:
From pop-culture icon William Shatner comes Has Been, an album unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. Produced and arranged by Ben Folds and featuring numerous notable guest appearances, Has Been is the result of the collision of two great creative forces — a surprisingly pop-driven, lyrically potent collection of songs to enlighten and entertain.
Throughout Has Been, Shatner’s own insightful lyrics are masterfully woven into perfect pop melodies written and arranged by Ben Folds. Giving Shatner and Folds a hand on the project is an incredible lineup of singers and musicians, including Jon Auer, Adrian Belew, Matt Chamberlain, Joe Jackson, Lemon Jelly, Aimee Mann, Brad Paisley, Henry Rollins and Sebastian Steinberg.
Highlights include the poignant "That’s Me Trying," penned by Ben Folds with High Fidelity author Nick Hornby, a brilliant version of the Pulp Britpop classic "Common People," featuring vocals by Joe Jackson and closing track, "Real," a duet with country star Brad Paisley, written exclusively for this project.
Description of Has Been:
After his rendition of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" on the infamous Golden Throats album (though it first appeared on the Transformed Man LP), one could argue that the world needed a new William Shatner album about as much as it needed a big-screen remake of TJ Hooker. But Shatner's back all the same with an intriguing, introspective collection of mostly spoken-word tracks that are all the more compelling when it becomes clear that Has Been is, in fact, no joke. Ben Folds played on and produced the record, creating rich, melodic, and varied pop musical backgrounds to Shatner's world-weary, boozy-suave yet thoroughly impassioned delivery. Joe Jackson, Aimee Mann, Henry Rollins, Brad Paisley, and Adrian Belew also stop by to lend their divergent talents. Highlights include the Rollins/Shatner rant "I Can't Get Behind That" and the Folds/Mann/Shatner collaboration "That's Me Trying", which tells the painful story of an attempted family reconciliation. Shatner mixes a healthy amount of self-awareness with a just a dollop of self-mockery and then combines it all with plenty of raw vulnerability to create an effect that is surprisingly touching, highly entertaining, and unlike any music you've ever heard. --John Moe
Amazon.com Exclusive Footage
William Shatner was recently caught on tape by paparazzi responding to reports that some people hadn’t yet heard his new album. See him read Amazon.com customer reviews of Has Been as he makes his case: high bandwidth, low bandwidth.Has Been Reviews:
captain kirk gets real 
2008-05-04 - ok, admittedly, when i was young i loved the shatner star trek. but never would i have even considered listening to, let alone buying, a shatner musical album. to be honest with you, i have forced a couple of my friends to listen to this album. they hated the idea of the cd, but loved the cd once they'd heard it. if you are a fan of ben folds, you will love this album. if you are a fan of an artist who is not afraid to explore deep, and at times painful subjects, you will love this album. if you are a fan of honesty in music, you will love this album.
21st Century Transformed Man
2008-01-29 - Out of the CDs that have come out in the past 10 years, this one keeps being played more than most of them.
When it comes to actors trying their hand at recording music, most fail miserably. This was put together by Ben Folds and has a stellar list of musicians and collaborators from across the board, and can be considered a "concept album" because they co-wrote most of the songs.
It is mostly lighthearted but when he goes into the piece about how his wife died,a lot of this is some of the most self-depreciating and personal material you'll ever hear.
Highly recommended.
Those who appreciate William Shatner and Ben Folds will totally dig this CD. 
2008-01-17 - I expect things from Ben Folds & William Shatner to be bent in some way...so this didn't let me down. The high point of the album of course is the cover of the tune "Common People" with Joe Jackson adding vocal help. That's Me Trying (featuring Aimee Mann and Ben Folds) is another surprise tune that I found quite appealing. The other tunes on the CD are good too but these two along with "Real" and "Has Been" are the primary tunes I keep coming back to to hear in my MP3 player.
HAS BEEN MAXIMIZING HIS POTENTIAL
2007-10-14 - Overshadowed and informed by WILLIAM SHATNER's 1968 release, the much maligned TRANSFORMED MAN, this record is quite a suprise to every one. I am impressed... this album is very good, very,very good... funny, touching, stunning, frightening, inspiring, what a pleasant and wonderful surprise... Since having been roasted on Comedy Central, I have started to admire WILLIAM SHATNER, including his stint on "Boston Legal." But this record surprisingly gives a peek at the "Real" man (the last track is so titled) and it is sometimes hurtful. SHATNER does not shrink from exposure on tracks like "It Hasn't Happened Yet" and "What Have You Done?" and the results are heartbreaking; I am surprised to report that I'm moved. I have to give this album a very high recommendation. "We're not alone... together..." Including two covers (one written by BRAD PAISLEY for SHATNER) and owing much to producer BEN FOLDS, SHATNER shares the spotlight with guest artists JOE JACKSON, PAISLEY, LEMON JELLY, AIMEE MANN, and HENRY ROLLINS. WILLIAM SHATNER wrote most of these songs with BEN FOLDS, and one each with ROLLINS (!) and LEMON JELLY... The result is a remarkable, beautiful record.
really nice voice - well set - it's a fun club, welcome !
2007-10-05 - 215 reviews have been posted, so mine is not needed ! Mr. Shatner's voice sounds great! This recording reminds me of Ken Nordine, but probably funnier in spots and more honest in other spots! Reminds me of Laurence Olivier's voice a little !! There's lots of love and truth in this recording, that's why 99 percent of the reviews say it's a great five star album ! The settings for the voice are so well done, that I join the call for a sequel ! Come on with it already ! Time's a wastin' !!
