OK, this wore out the moment it started, I know, so I can only hope that this album won't have such poor arrangements as the previous one did. And that kind of music wasn't my kind of thing, anyway, the Madonna cover needed to be a much schlockier, bombast orchestral horror.

<span style="font-size:120%;">Although Susan Boyle announced the Nov. 9 release of her second album "The Gift" only three days ago, the set has already shot to No. 1 on Amazon's Bestsellers chart based on pre-order sales. The singer's sophomore effort reached the top spot on Wednesday (Sept. 22) in its second day as a pre-order, officially kicking off what Amazon director of music Craig Pape describes as "the season of Susan" for the online retailer.

"It's pretty significantly No. 1," says Pape, who would not reveal specific sales figures but says that the volume of pre-orders has exceeded his expectations. "The Gift" has leapfrogged fourth-quarter efforts by Taylor Swift, Eric Clapton and Neil Young on the Bestsellers tally, with only pre-orders of Bob Dylan's "The Witmark Demos" coming close to Boyle's sales, according to Pape.

"It's a relative ranking, and a lot of it depends on the release schedule and what else is in the market," says Pape. "But looking at this list, you can see that it's a pretty strong slate of releases, so it's a non-trivial position to take the top slot during this release period."

Boyle is no stranger to Amazon's Bestsellers chart: her 2009 debut "I Dreamed a Dream" broke records as Amazon Music's largest CD pre-order ever before it moved 3.8 million U.S. copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It is still unclear whether or not "The Gift" will rival the pre-order figures of "Dream," as "the pre-order window for this record is shorter from the last," says Pape.

Set for release on SYCO/Columbia Records, "The Gift" will include Boyle's take on Christmas classics "O Holy Night" and "The First Noel" as well as performances of Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" and Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." The album is displayed at the top of Amazon Music's main page with a link to the pre-order as well as a Susan Boyle artist page. Apple's iTunes store also prominently features "The Gift," and the album currently sits at No. 2 on Barnes & Noble's music bestsellers list.

"I personally expect to see it in that top slot for quite a while," says Pape. "Through street date and beyond, through Christmas, sales should stay very strong."

Billboard</span>

Here is Lou Reed's Perfect Day, for those who haven't heard it already:

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<span style="font-size:120%;">In August 2010, British tabloid, News of the World, reported that Boyle was experiencing financial woes as Boyle was unable to access her fortune, which was being controlled by her management team - consisting of Andy Stephens, Ossie Killkenny, and Susan's lawyer niece Kirsty Foy. Boyle's brother Gerry said his sister was fearful of losing her contract and of returning to her previous financial situation, and that she has been unable to move into her £300,000 five-bedroom house in Blackburn because she does not have the cash to furnish it. He said "[susan's] millions are ring-fenced but Susan has no concept of money," and was "extremely distressed" at having to live off £300 a week, after being banned from withdrawing money from the bank or owning a credit card. This story was contradicted the following day though by the news that she had bought two houses. It was also reported that she had recently been on a spending spree, where she had bought a grand piano, iPhone, and five dresses made by Stewart Parvin, the Queen's dressmaker. The press had previously stated that Susan Boyle was suing her brother Gerry for other stories he'd sold to the newspapers.

Wikipedia</span>

http://www.newsofthe...r-finances.html

http://www.dailyreco...86908-22457826/

http://www.thesun.co...ash-splash.html

http://www.irishcent...--93226529.html

Edited November 5, 201015 yr by Sylph

My favorite version:

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The Fab One: Susan Boyle now as successful as the Beatles

I listened to her version of Perfect Day on some awards show and I thought it was beautiful. She has such a pure voice -- I'm glad that, even with all the controversies that surround her, she is still keeping her voice going. I hope it lasts.

She does have a clear, sustained tone. Too bad the arrangements are so horrid and both albums end up being obnoxious, sedate Muzak.