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List Price: $37.49 | | Label: Sony
Salesrank: 968357
Released: May 30, 2005 |
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| Used Price: $39.99 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Has Been Track Listing:
1. Common People
2. It Hasn't Happened Yet
3. You'll Have Time
4. That's Me Trying
5. What Have You Done
6. Together
7. Familiar Love
8. Ideal Woman
9. Has Been
10. I Can't Get Behind That
11. Real
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:
Funny, self-aware, at times insightful - great rainy day album 
2009-10-22 - First off, for all the people who are complaining that Shatner can't/doesn't sing, I think you are missing the point. An album does not necessarily have to be singing. Since when is spoken word not a viable option? This album doesn't pretend to be something it's not - it is, plain and simple, a spoken word album.
Beyond that, I think many of the arrangements are beautiful, I think Shatner's delivery is classic and often powerful, and I think there are a wide range of emotions to be had here - from out-and-out funny to soulful to jaded to hopeful.
In the end, it's just a man trying to express himself. And I can get behind that.
A Visionary Look at Pure Wisdom 
2009-09-22 - Bravo! William Shatner for shattering the myth that everyone over 50 is teetering on the edge of uselessness and senility. Contrary to the popular belief put forward in the philosophy of Bart Simpson and every child's breakfast cereal commercial put out in the last ten years, Grown-ups have more that a clue. Thank you for your visionary look at the pure wisdom that comes with having lived long enough to know a few things. "Has Been" reveals that true artistry comes from the hand of a master and mastery is not handed out with birth certificates. It is the product of years, experience, and tireless work at polishing the gem of one's chosen craft. Loved Gonzo Ballet too. Put it out on DVD.
So good that it's GREAT!
2009-09-05 - My predecessors in this review-line have said it all quite well. Suffice it for me to add that I was expecting "so bad that it's good," a la Shatner's "Rocket Man," "Mr. Tambourine Man," & "Lucy in the Sky"...but found this new record to be beautifully conceived, written, performed, and produced. It's moving; it's funny; it's insightful -- & it makes me feel as if I know Bill, & as if he's more "Real" than most NON-celebs I know. Dare I say it? Yes, I do: masterpiece.
Label me astounded 
2009-07-22 - The fact that this piece of garbage can average 4.5 stars proves everything that is wrong with the Amazon rating system.
Not as Shat-Tastic 
2009-07-12 - I'm probably in the vast majority, but I actually enjoyed this album less than Shatner's previous "The Transformed Man." I think what was so endearing about the earlier album was that Shatner was so darned earnest and passionate in his delivery that it was hard not to like even the most ridiculous moments like "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds." "Has Been" by contrast seems more ironic on most of the tracks, a byproduct of Ben Folds' production. The tracks are still good, though some like "You're Going to Die" and the one about his wife are kind of depressing. Listening to "common People" it makes me wish Bill could do some more covers; that would be endlessly amusing.
