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Brent Spiner's Ol' Yellow Eyes is Back

Posted Feb 1, 2008

I was writing a long, interesting article about the Microsoft and Yahoo! merger, with several interviews from insiders at both companies, but I'm already sick to death of hearing about it. So I quit! Instead, here's Brent "Data" Spiner's rare 1991 album, "Ol' Yellow Eyes Is Back."

Don't miss "It's a Sin (To Tell A Lie)," with background vocals by The Sunspots -- Jonathan "Riker" Frakes, Michael "Worf" Dorn, LeVar "Reading Rainbow" Burton, and Patrick "I've Seen Everything" Stewart.

Brent Spiner - Ol' Yellow Eyes Is Back (1991)


1. Time After Time
2. The Very Thought of You
3. More Than You Know
4. Toot Toot Tootsie
5. Embraceable You
6. It's a Sin (To Tell a Lie)
7. Long, Long Time
8. Carolina in the Morning
9. Marie (Randy Newman cover)
10. Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart
11. When I Fall in Love
12. Goodnight, Sweetheart

This album is extremely rare, and I believe this is the first time the MP3s have ever been publicly available on the Web. (I don't even see it on the torrent trackers.) The cheapest copy of the CD on Amazon is $89.99, but you can generally find it on eBay in the $40-50 range. Since the album's out of print, I hope Brent won't mind that I'm releasing it here.

February 7 Update: Less than a week ago, a couple days before this post, Brent Spiner launched his new personal site and released a video on YouTube about his long-awaited concept album, Dreamland. Inspired by Broadway musicals and old-fashioned radio shows, the album is available for pre-order on Brent's site. Did I mention it features the voice acting of Mark Hamill?

32 Comments (Add Yours)

Feb 1, 2008
3:09 PM  
Ryan wrote:

Holy crap! I never even knew this existed. Thanks for posting this.


Feb 1, 2008
3:12 PM  
Phil Nelson wrote:

Where/when did you pick it up?


Feb 1, 2008
3:20 PM  
Nelson wrote:

Brent Spiner is a pretty accomplished music actor; he was great in Sunday in the Park with George with Bernadette Peters. Shame on him for the "Ol' Yellow Eyes" thing though.


Feb 1, 2008
3:42 PM  
Adam wrote:

Ha! You sent me these mp3s a few years ago, and I just deleted them yesterday (because, while they're neat to have, it's not as if I actually listened to them.) I'm interested in the story of how you found these as well!


Feb 1, 2008
3:44 PM  
Andy Baio wrote:

I found the album in Usenet back in 2002 and posted a brief mention of it and a single MP3. From time to time, I still get a request from an obsessed Spiner Femme looking for a copy. It's weird enough that I figured other people would like to hear it, too.

Brent, if you're out there, get in touch!


Feb 1, 2008
5:34 PM  
Nubs wrote:

[this is good]


Feb 1, 2008
5:35 PM  
Joe D'Andrea wrote:

We'll see how long this lasts on YouTube: Sunday in the Park with George (playlist).


Feb 1, 2008
6:00 PM  
brainsik wrote:

That youtube clip is awesome. Any idea where it is from?


Feb 1, 2008
6:01 PM  
brainsik wrote:

I'm speaking of the "I've seen everything" clip posted in the article above. :)


Feb 1, 2008
8:00 PM  
Anonymous wrote:

brainsik, that clip is from the brilliant Extras by the even more brilliant Ricky Gervais.


Feb 1, 2008
9:58 PM  
Edward wrote:

We are going to settle in with a glass of Duvel and listen to this fine album now. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.


Feb 1, 2008
11:05 PM  
Philipp Lenssen wrote:

[insert fitting Star Trek quote related to file-sharing here]


Feb 2, 2008
6:23 AM  
charlesv wrote:

I picked up a copy of this at a trek convention when iw as about 10. Lost in the meantime, glad to hear again.


Feb 2, 2008
7:31 AM  
Jough Dempsey wrote:

I'm not sure I want to admit something like this about myself on the Internet, but back in the early 90s the specialty Sci-Fi vendors used to sell these at Star Trek conventions, along with other Sci-Fi related items.


Feb 3, 2008
10:11 AM  
gordon dodd wrote:

Ive grabbed this,so thank you very much for that..it is very much appreciated.


Feb 5, 2008
3:00 PM  
Marcelo wrote:

wow, this is incredibly freak! positronic songs!


Feb 13, 2008
7:52 AM  
Mitch-Southern CA wrote:

I got the cassette version the day it was released. Still got it, but I don't have a cassette player. I've searched for the songs that I can download dozens of times over the past 5 years. I finally found this page.

Thankz! He's got a wonderful voice.


Feb 22, 2008
8:00 AM  
MetalMatze wrote:

Thx so much for the mp3s. I spent months in searching for a cheaper way of getting the songs!


Feb 22, 2008
2:40 PM  
anti-cosmo wrote:

This is awesome!! I love these songs! I'm sending this site to my friends! Thanks for posting them!!


Feb 22, 2008
8:33 PM  
Angela wrote:

I bought this years ago. I had no idea it was so rare. I saw it in Barnes & Noble in the last year for under $20. Wish I'd picked up another copy.


Feb 23, 2008
5:33 PM  
windy wrote:

I followed Brent's career for many years untill I attended a convention. What is he up too now?


Mar 30, 2008
10:46 PM  
Emilie wrote:

thank you thank you thank you! you rock!


Apr 2, 2008
11:49 AM  
celticsaga wrote:

oooow,
you're so kind!
i'm not familiar with most of the song,
but brent's voice made me feel at home listening to them.


Apr 27, 2008
12:26 PM  
Richard Carr wrote:

Help, I would like to download Brent Spiner's songs, but have NO idea of how to go about it. I do have a mp3 player. Any help would be much appreciated.


Apr 28, 2008
11:07 AM  
Frankensplean wrote:

It's as if you read my mind, as i've been wanting to track down the Sunspots' version of "It's A Sin" for several months now. (no luck on file sharing sites)
Thanks! :)


Jun 7, 2008
7:35 PM  
Gurkha wrote:

I remember when this album was first released. It caught only minor attention but it was around for a long time until it became out of print. Prices in the secondary market skyrocketed to an unaffordable range for most. It has not been available anywhere on-line unitl this "release". I am so grateful as I kicked myself many times for not having bought this, not because of making a profit but for the music. Spiner is a very accomplished theatrical singer. The connection to Star Trek is also endearing, especially the number that Spiner featured his Star Trek friends. All the songs are familiar classic show tunes or jazz vocal numbers. Spiner's style is not far from Nat King Cole's but the characteristics of his voice is younger and brighter than Cole's. Spiner's recent CD issue also received good reviews. Thanks so much for this offering on-line.


Jul 29, 2008
3:47 PM  
Raven wrote:

Oh my God!! I just LOVED it!!!!! What a voice! What a style! I'm in love!!!
Thank you for sharing this songs! I'm a great fan of Brent Spiner but I'm from Brazil and rare albuns like this are hard to find here...
Thanks, thanks, thanks sooooooooooo much!!!


Aug 13, 2008
3:50 AM  
Mo wrote:

Thank you very much!!!
I was searching for it for a long time!!!


Sep 15, 2008
7:12 AM  
Kitten wrote:

Raven, I agree with you. I'm in love too! I'm sure I can't find it in my country, so I'm glad now. : ))) Thank you!!!
I love his voice.. ^^ : D


Sep 16, 2008
8:00 PM  
Raven wrote:

Kitten, it's impossible not to fall in love with Mr. Spiner... :D
I love his voice and all of him! :D


Sep 22, 2008
8:16 PM  
Angela wrote:

Thank you! A million times... thank you.


Nov 16, 2008
8:43 PM  
Holly wrote:

^^ Thanks so much for these!

I'm actually new to the Star Trek fandom, and Spiner's characters (Data especially, of course) are fast becoming my favorite. It's very cool to have this for those that never got the chance to buy it.


 

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