Amazon.com

Though Jackson Browne's albums are not plentiful--in a career that stretches 32 years, he's released just over a dozen--they're filled with songs that serve as resilient touchstones for millions who passed through those decades. Originally forging a way for himself as a songwriter, his debut, Saturate Before Using, placed him at the forefront of the southern California rock scene. His contemporaries and compatriots, the Eagles, even took his "Take It Easy" to the top of the charts. Even at his most anthemic, his songs resonate with small details that keep the proceedings human-scaled. The sympathetic accompaniment buoys a voice that's remarkable for its lack of idiosyncrasies. His unmannered singing voice is an essential component in making songs like "These Days," "Fountain of Sorrow," and "Running on Empty" flow with a casual ease that belies the high level of craftsmanship throughout. --David Greenberger ... Read more

Reviews (40)

A great compilation for both new and old fans
One of the best singer-songwriters of the rock era finally gets a career-spanning compilation that does justice to his long and influential career in music. It hearkens back to his early days when, along with The Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, he was one of the voices of the "California Sound," effectively blending rock and country-western into a seamless, laid-back style. Also represented are his recent efforts, which are more politcal and populist in tone, but are just as well-written as his early works and show a substantial amount of depth and maturity. This compilation contains 32 songs on 2 discs, all remastered and sounding wonderful. Most of his hits are here, including "Doctor My Eyes," "Somebody's Baby," "The Pretender," "The Load-Out/Stay," "Tender is the Night," and my all-time favorite, "Running on Empty" (also my favorite album). Other notable songs include his version of the Eagles' standard "Take it Easy" and the subtly sexually subversive "Red Neck Friend." (The chorus of that song always gives me a guilty grin). "I am a Patriot"--recorded many years ago--reminds those of us living in the post-9/11 world of what patriotism can mean. He sings of loyalty to neither Democrats or Republicans: "I only know one party/And it is freedom." Other great songs on this set include "Jamaica Say You Will," "Late for the Sky," "Lives in the Balance," the populist anthem "For Everyman" and "I'm Alive" (from the album of the same name, which may rank as his most mature work).

This set does have a couple of drawbacks though: Where's "Lawyers in Love?" Come on. That's one of his best, and best-known, songs. There had better be a very good reason for its exclusion. Though represented, we don't see as many of his more politically/socially conscious songs from recent years, perhaps due to a desire to make this album more accessible to casual fans of his Top 40 hits. This libertarian may disagree with some of his leftist political views, but that's a moot point; Jackson's politics are as much a part of him as anything else and should be better represented. Also missing is the Top 20 song from 1986, "For America," and his duet with Clarence Clemons, "You're a Friend of Mine." (Since that song was from Clemons' solo effort, it may not have been available due to contractual reasons). It also would have been nice to see "The Rebel Jesus," with the Chieftains included, but that's really about all that's missing. This is the perfect way to get to know Jackson and his work, and for people like myself, a chance to get reacquainted with one of my favorite artists. Highly recommended.

Vastly Improved Over Previous "Hits" Collection
First of all, I would give this a 4.5; I am curving it up because I took Browne's previous collection to task for missing songs like "Here Come Those Tears Again" and numerous other classic hit staples. This collection is wonderful as it stands, including such gems as "Redneck Friend," "The Load Out" and "Lawyers in Love".

As other reviewers have noted, "That Girl Could Sing" is missing from this set. The only other song I wish had made it would be "The Crow on the Cradle" which was the B side of the single "Somebody's Baby". Still, these are minor complaints. This is a wonderful career-spanning collection and the sound quality is magnificent.

Better than "The Next Voice You Hear", but....
Jackson Browne's first compilation effort was such a disappointment that this two-disk effort almost had to be better. However, as several other reviewers have noted, "The Very Best Of Jackson Browne" still falls short.

Frankly, Browne's early albums are over-represented here (14 of the 32 songs are from the first 4 albums), causing many wonderful mid-career songs to be omitted (including "Chasing You Into The Light", "For America" [US #30], "That Girl Could Sing" [US #22], and "My Problem Is You").

One and two-disk compilations are meant for the more casual fans. There's really no excuse for such an expansive collection to leave out so many charting singles and oft-played album tracks (particularly when a number of fairly mediocre 70's-era songs are included in the first third of the album). I suggest people keep waiting for Jackson Browne's definitive collection...

Early Stuff Is Well Represented
The early period Jackson Browne is well represented but where is "That Girl Could Sing". "For a Rocker", "World In Motion" and "The Rebel Jesus"? Rhino could've done a much better job mining the post "Runnin' On Empty" period in my opinion

Finally!
I can't speak highly enough about this collection. The selection of songs. The digital remastering. This CD has it all -- or as much as any one can possibly expect from 32 songs.
Besides, after seeing him perform it live, "I Am a Patriot" gives me chills. This collection is worth twice the price.

I hope Browne puts out a concert DVD from his last acoustic tour. ... Read more

Reviews (68)

Awesome Rock Album
Very rarely do I like this kind of music. Yet 3 Doors Down do it so well, it's hard not to like it. They can manage to sound hard with a rock edge, yet manage to maintain a melodic pop quality to their songs. The lead singer may be in a rock band, but he has a great voice and doesn't have to resort to screaming.

"The Better Life" was good, but I think this album manages to top it. "When I'm Gone" has been the massive hit thus far and has become one of the biggest radio hits of the last year. It's been overplayed, but it's still listenable. The title track "Away From the Sun" is a definite stand-out track. It's slow, but I'd love to see it as a single...great chorus. "The Road I'm On" is one of the harder tracks and was the second single. "Ticket To Heaven" is another catchy rock/pop track that would make a good single. The star of this album is "Here Without You" definitely. Already proving to be a huge radio hit, it's a fantastic rock ballad and very relatable. "Changes" and "Dangerous Game" are ok too. "Sarah Yellin" definitely stands out from the other songs with a more serious vibe.

Overall, great album. "Away From the Sun", "When I'm Gone", "Ticket To Heaven", and "Here Without You" are the key tracks that make it wortha 5 star rating. The other songs are good and listenable, but these jump out at you. If you liked "The Better Life" there's a big chance that you'll like "Away From the Sun." Similar content and great music.

History has repeated itself!
Being new to this band, I bought the last album on a whim and never looked back. I was hooked. I wondered how a band could live up to putting out another great album when the first was so phenomenal. Well, history has repeated itself. This second album is ALSO stellar. I can't break it down into detail why exactly it is so good, it just works. Both CD's are ones you just have to listen to in order to understand. It is addicting and intoxicating. As many times as I've played this CD, I find myself anticipating the next great song. And when it's over....I replay it. Hold Me When I'm Gone is, inarguably, a great song. But as you listen to the rest of the album, you find that they are all nothing short of perfection. Song #10 is my personal favorite. The vocals are best demonstrated here. This band is modern in its nature---by that I mean the lyrics are relatable, the tunes are extremely catchy, and the angrier songs are appropriately integrated into this album. And like the first album, no two songs sound the same. This is head-bobbin' driving music and I am now confident that subsequent albums will be in the same calliber as the first two. With such mature songwriting and arrangement, I'll be first in line for the third 3 Doors Down album. No doubt these guys have a future. I am highly impressed.

Perfect album for anyone who likes good rock
This is an album that everyone should have if they like rock. Three Doors Down does this type of music great. "When I'm gone" is a great emotional edgy song, and "Away from the Sun" is without a question the best song on the album. It rocks enough but it also has a nice melodic element to it. "Dangerous game" has a great edge to it and it's alot of fun to listen to. "Sarah Yellin" is the most hardcore song on the album and will impress. The only low point on the album is the song "Changes". It tries too hard to be an anger-rock song and it just ends up being annoying. "This Road I'm on", "Feel You", and "Going down in Flames", took a while to grow on me, but after listening to them a few times, I really began to enjoy them. Three Doors Down always has great lyrics and edgy riffs and all-around good songs. Enjoy this album!

Incredible CD;must buy!!!!!!!!!!
This CD is awesome! Here's a song-by-song rating(1-5):

When I'm Gone:3.5
Away from the Sun:3
The Road I'm On:4
Ticket to Heaven:4
Running out of Days:3
Here Without You:2.5
I Feel You:3
Dangerous Game:4
Changes:4
Going Down In Flames:6(1 of my favorites!)
Sarah Yellin':6(another 1!)
untitled:1(they shoulda left this off)
In short, even though some songs kinda suck, this is still the best CD ever!You want good music,this has it!
BoB Ratt, signing off.

great cd!!
1. WHEN I'M GONE (A)
2. AWAY FROM THE SUN (A)
3. THE ROAD I'M ON (A+)
4. TICKET TO HEAVEN (A)
5. RUNNING OUT OF DAYS (A-)
6. HERE WITHOUT YOU (A)
7. I FEEL YOU (A)
8. DANGEROUS GAME (A-)
9. CHANGES (A)
10. GOING DOWN IN FLAMES (A)
11. SARAH YELLIN' (B)
12. untitled (C+) ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Not very comprehensive
When I first got into Janis Joplin, I bought this CD. I must say it does do a good job of making you want MORE, but when I listened to the rest of the amazing music she had released, I felt connived by this CD. KOZMIC BLUES, her all-time best album, gets ONE TRACK HERE! Come on! It does have two live tracks from the IN CONCERT album, but there is more to like on that album. Personally, I think 18 ESSENTIAL SONGS is way better because it gives a more complete glance at her career, the entire spectrum from her earliest recordings in 1965 to her last recording sessions in 1970. So I would rather that new fans get that instead. Looking at the bonus tracks, I have to laugh and say, "That's it?" "Maybe" is a good song, but what about "Kozmic Blues" or "Little Girl Blue" from the same album, KOZMIC BLUES? I still think the "Ball and Chain" from the Full Tilt Boogie Band should be replaced by any other version by Big Brother. It is too little Janis for a budding fan and does not even come close to giving this great woman's music justice. 18 ESSENTIAL SONGS should do for any seriously curious music fan what this CD doesn't.

The Brightest Stars Burn Out the Fastest
I was totally blown away by this. I have lived in Austin Texas, where Janis Joplin played and sang befoer she went out west and "made it". But I'd never really listened to her music until this CD.

Her vocal range was at least 2 octaves, and judging by the sound and passion in the lyrics, it sounds like even white girls got the blues back in the 1960's.

Listen to the songs here and perhaps you too will understand why, after hearing her sing everything from "acid rock" to Gershwin, Janis Joplin has fan clubs and people still write tribute plays nearly 3 decades after her premature death. She was just that good.

This one's a must for conoisseurs, collctors, and people who want to experience what one of the 1960's great artists left behind.

JOPLINS SMELL SO POTENT IT DROVE ME FROM THE MUSIC
Janis joplin is the most overated thing since Jesus.so she was the first big thing in terms of being a woman. Who cares the music sounds like a big experimental acid trip into folk. who cares?

Janis Joplin's Hits
My two favorite Joplin songs are Piece of my Heart and Summertime (no surprise!). She was a blues rock genius who wooed audiences with a voice so black, it's a wonder that her skin was so white. But, as with many rock gods (or in this case, goddess), the bottle was her best friend. She died at age 27.

David Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"

I love it
this cd cuts straight to the heart. No one wails it like Janis.
great for those rainy days. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of ZZ Top's great gifts is its concision; even in the side-long-jam era of the '70s, the Texans almost always fit 10 cuts on their albums. Surveying two decades of their output, Greatest Hits isn't the perfect overview you might expect, but it's still a pretty darn good driving album. The disc goes easy on the pre-Deguello stuff surveyed on their earlier best-of, and seems to digitally boost the drums on tracks like the 1975 "Tush." Still, later cuts like "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" and "My Head's in Mississippi" are full-on triumphs of this trio's very weird, very blues-drenched sensibility. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Cool cars and fuzzy guitars!!
This Texas trio, comprised of Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard KNOW HOW TO ROCK! This is an absolutely fabulous hits collection. It really should've been a 2 disc set, because these guys have had so many great songs that it is impossible to cram them all into one disc. The 80's rolled around, and ZZ experimented with the new technology, fusing keyboards and synthesizers with their legendary blues rock, and it was a formula that absolutely worked. If you liked the 80's version of ZZ, then you'll love this CD! I love all of their music, 70's, 80's, 90's and beyond. My fav's are the cuts from the Eliminator and Afterburner albums. Absolute fav tracks are 'Sharp Dressed Man', 'Gimme All Your Lovin', 'My Heads In Mississippi, 'Rough Boy' and the 70's hit 'La Grange'. Some of my other favs are missing, songs like 'Velcro Fly', 'TV Dinners', 'Stages' and the original version of 'Legs'. The version of 'Legs' in this collection is the re-mixed version(but is still a great song). This is still a 5-star collection that is worthy to be at the top of your music collection. Another great CD to get is their greatest hits package from the 70's "The Best Of ZZ Top". These guys are just plain cool, and they know how to rock! If you don't have it, my advice to you is get it ASAP! ROCK ON!!

The ZZ Top that I grew up with
I understand that a lot of the long time ZZ Top fans feel that this collection missed a lot of the classic, older tracks. I feel the same way when I listen to something like Def Leppard's best of collection, as I feel that there is not enough focus on the early, hardest rocking stuff. But from my perspective (i.e. growing up listening to '80s music), this ZZ Top collection is just about right, as it has just about all of the songs by this band that I grew up listening to.

My one real complaint about this collection is the remastering/remixing of such classics as "La Grange" and "Legs". Why do the artists and/or record companies believe that we would want anything different from the original versions on a greatest hits collection? I also would like to see the song "Stages" from the "Afterburner" album--as it was a mid-'80s radio favorite of mine. Overall, though, this collection rocks. From the crunching riffs of "Give Me All Your Lovin'" and "Got Me Under Pressure" to the classic '70s rock of "Tush" and "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" to the more recent but still enjoyable "Doubleback" (from "Back To The Future II" sound track originally), this album gives a great taste of this classic blues-based rock band. Also enjoyable is the raunch of "Pearl Necklace" and "Tube Snake Boogie" as well as the rare slow ZZ Top track "Rough Boy"--also a mid-'80s favorite.

In summary, this is a fine collection to get an overall taste of what this band was about in their prime. Definitely a recommended purchase for any '80s fans of the band and '70s fans of the band who still enjoyed them when they became popular later on.

About zz tops 04 Jambo visit not being televised
After growing up with ZZ top,Loving their sound.But never being able to go to a concert because i am disabled,The one time i think i will have may chance to see them,They say they dont want to be televised.I have wanted to see them play since my early teens,But i guess they are to big of stars to think they can be seen on tv.Basicaly,Not buying a ticket for Jamboree,And being disabled means i will never see them because they feel to big to be seen on tv.So much for my favorite band.Thanks alot.Sincerly Ed Schaffer.

Simply ZZ Best , All Hitzz and no mizzes!
ZZ Top- Greatest Hits(1992).

Right around the beginning of MTV, one band in particular, ZZ Top, took advantage of Music Videos, blending humor with a catchy mix of Southern, Blues, and Arena Rock, instantly propelled them into superstardom. The infectious trio was comprised of Billy Gibbon(Vocals and Guitar), Frank Beard(Drums), and Dusty Hill(Bass)who came together bymixeing addictive riffs and gravelly vocals courtesty of Gibbons, Top-Notch drumming from Beard, and catchy basslines from Hill. From the Early 70's to the Early 90's, ZZ Top was a hit machine, so it's understandable that many compilations have been made. So how does ZZ Top- Greatest Hits measure up? Read on to find out...

PROS-
-CONTAINS ALL OF ZZ TOP'S BIGGEST HITS!-When you get ZZ Top-Greatest Hits, you can be expecting such huge hits as "Sharp Dressed Man", "Tush", "Got Me Under Pressure", "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide", "Cheap Sunglasses", and many more! The sheer amount of hits is unbelieveable!
-HAS MANY UNDERRATED MASTERPIECES INCLUDED!-Non-Hits(Or Minor-Hits) such as "Rough Boy", "Pearl Necklace", "Doubleback", "Give It Up", and many more fit in right along with the huge hits!
-CHEAP!-Unlike Amazon's price, most stores carry this compilation for about 11.99$, and for this amount of songs it's a steal!
-18 SONGS, 73 MINUTES!- ZZ Top-Greatest Hits contains a HUGE amount of material, and even the most ardent of fans won't be complaining!
-2 NEW EXTRA TRACKS!- This compilation contains two new tracks "Viva Las Vegas" and "Gun Love", and unlike most Unreleased Tracks these are actually good! Bravo!
-GREAT LINER NOTES!- The CD Booklet contains an overview of ZZ Top's career plus an overview of every song on the compilation! Very Interesting!

CONS-
-REMIXES OF "LEGS" AND "LA GRANGE"!-Unfortuneatly, like so many other artists, ZZ Top decided to remix two of their biggest hits, "Legs" and "La Grange", and as usual, they're nowhere near as good as the originals! DON'T REMIX MATERIAL!
-NO MATERIAL FROM MANY OF ZZ TOP'S ALBUMS!- There's nothing here from the ZZ Top albums Rio Grande Mud, Tejas, Antenna, and ZZ Top's First Album, and that's a shame!

Overall, ZZ Top-Greatest Hits is very good, and would have been great if not for the remixes of "Legs" and "La Grange", and the fact that it doesn't cover many of ZZ Top's albums. I will say that the remix of "La Grange" sound very similar, yet "Legs" is different.You shouldn't change the originals! This set easily contains all of ZZ Top's hits, and this is exactly what casual fans are looking for if the want a taste of the Top!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! ZZ TOP-GREATEST HITS ADEQUATELY COVERS ALL OF ZZ TOP'S HITS WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT, AND IS THE MOST ACCESSIBLE TO CASUAL FANS!

Also Recommended-

Eliminator- ZZ Top
Pronounced Leh-Nerd Ski-Nerd- Lynyrd Skynyrd
Greatest Hits- .38 Special

Thanks For Reading!

Awesome despite the new 'Legs'
Some times an artist's re-recording of one of his/their biggest hits works out quite well, and even improves upon the original tune. Take Sammy Hagar's 'Heavy Metal' for example-- his original version was pretty rockin', but the second one was even more so! Then there's WhiteSnake's 'Here I Go Again', where they made the second effort more rockin', and less pop-ish than the initial version.

Unfortunately, ZZ Top's new 'Legs' here doesn't have the good fortune of being an improvement on the original; the new backing guitar & bass lines didn't sound as cool as the old ones. Otherwise, 'Legs v.2' ain't half-bad. And most of the other tracks, covering the group's most extensively-played from their Spanish-titled-album days up to 'Recycler', make for good drivin' tunes for those days when you're toolin' down some lonely stretch of highway whilst imagining you're drivin' that hot rod on the 'Eliminator' album at top speed. There's also 'I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide' and 'Cheap Sunglasses' for those weekend nights of cruisin' down the somewhat busy streets of the local metroplex. 'Rough Boy' is just the right mood-setter for those quiet moments of relaxed reflection. For the rock-n-roll nostalgia buffs, the group's hard-hittin' cover of 'Viva Las Vegas' makes 'the King's' version seem like elevator music in comparison. And we musn't overlook the subtle naughtiness of 'Tush', 'Tube Snake Boogie' and 'Pearl Necklace' to get one thinking of less-than-pure things.

Needless to say, I highly recommend this for the casual ZZ Top fan that enjoys the trio's most widely-played cuts from their glory days. For the original version of 'Legs', however, you need look no further than the 'Eliminator album (available at www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002KYR/qid%3D1088123460/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/002-6699831-0404821). Otherwise, this platter is more than worth what the Amazon Marketplace sellers are askin' for it...

'Late ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Kicking off A&M's ambitious Cat Stevens reissue program is this 20-song introduction. The set surveys all of Stevens's stages, from the orchestrated late-1960s sides through his early-'70s peak to his more eclectic late-1970s experiments. Following the progression makes for an interesting endeavor as Stevens learns to harness his ambitious ideas with arrangements that don't obscure his rhapsodic messages. Few artists of his generation were more gifted when it came to plucking timeless melodies out of thin air, and his sumptuous voice was always able to movingly convey his bittersweet lyrics. As a career overview (including one previously unreleased cut) this set achieves its goal, hitting all of the chart successes along the way and basically defining his role as a sensitive '70s singer-songwriter, but some fans may opt for the classic early-'70s studio records, which find Stevens at his most consistently touching. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (78)

A Great Collection!
Cat Stevens came out of the U.K. in the early 70's with the very rare talent of writing great and meaningful lyrics with beautiful music. This collection starts off with some of his early work that earned him fans in Britain and includes "The First Cut is the Deepest" an eventual smash hit bt Rod Stewart. It's interesting to follow the evolution of his art as he gains international star status. His U.S. debut album, Tea for the Tillerman, begins to show his ability to put his heart into his lyrics. Songs such as "Where do the Children Play" (questioning what price we pay for progress) and Father and Son (a song about the different paths fathers and sons travel) demonstrate a deep passion for life. As his music progresses through his other albums he continues to explore the world and relationships while searching for his own path. "Morning has Broken" is a hymm he found in a religous section of a bookstore that he arrainged and recorded. Moonshadow is nice and catchy, if not a little morbid. Also his last album really demostrates his final conversion and the sense of awareness and acceptance he found within. If you only buy 1 Cat Stevens CD, this is it!

The 5th Time's The Charm
It is impossible to compile a single-disc greatest-hits compilation for Cat Stevens that will come close to satisfying all of his admirers. The Very Best of Cat Stevens is the fifth major attempt to do so and, like its predecessors, it is challenged by its subject's success.

Stevens was practically a permanent resident of the British and American pop charts from his debut as a teen star in 1966 until the late '70s when his conversion to Islam prompted him to abandon his music career. Add to the hit singles the many enormously popular album tracks and it becomes extremely difficult to identify the "very best" 20 songs.

The first Greatest Hits was released in 1975, too early to include material from the last three albums. It also ignored the early pop albums, excluding catchy hits like "Matthew & Son" and "Lady D'Arbanville." The second volume was dominated by weaker album tracks from the late albums. The Stevens edition of the A&M Classics series suffered from some peculiar song choices ("New York Times"?) and it, too, ignored the early albums. Remember Cat Stevens - The Ultimate Collection is the longest of the five (24 tracks) and may be the most comprehensive.

But The Very Best of Cat Stevens, released just a year later, has several advantages that make it more appealing. To begin with, it is the only compilation to sequence chronologically songs from every one of Stevens' albums, including the experimental Foreigner. It also contains the delightful folk creed "The Wind," which was a glaring omission from the so-called Ultimate Collection.

Most significantly, it contains the previously unreleased "I've Got a Thing About Seeing My Grandson Grow Old." Stevens recorded a demo of the song during the Mona Bone Jakon sessions in 1970, but it never saw the light of day until it was remixed for this collection.

Perhaps this was because it was considered too eccentric for public consumption, straddling the line between the hook-rich pop of Stevens' '60s records and the groundbreaking folk-rock of his '70s efforts. If so, the public was vastly underestimated. The song is a buried treasure that fits in perfectly in the company of Stevens' best work.

This is the one your collection needs.
I consider this the most dope collection of Cat Stevens (in a single CD form). It has the most prolific of his songs from "The First Cut is the Deepest" and "Another Saturday Night". But it also has the most Treasured Cat Stevens song ever (by my opinion). If you Don't have "Morning has Broken" do yourself a favor even if you have to bust out an illegal download. This song actually started out as a church hymn, but stands alone as no other song does. Powerful and emotional, you can almost feel the lyrics hit you. Buy this CD.

The Best Cat Stevens Collection...
There are other "best of Cat Stevens" collections out there, but this is the one to buy. It is the only one that I know of which features The First Cut is the Deepest (my primary reason for buying it). It is a fairly comprehensive overview of his career from earliest onwards. All of his "greatest hits" really are included.

A New Fan
I wasn't very familiar with the work of Cat Stevens when I purchased this album. The extent of my exposure to his music was "Wild World" and "Father and Son". Well, since I bought this CD last year, I have become hooked. I have this playing in the background on a regular basis these days. Every song on here is a quality piece of work and the meaning behind the lyrics is more meanful than most of what you hear on the radio today. His voice just makes the songs perfect and they aren't the same if he's not singing them. ... Read more

Album Description

Formed in NYC in the mid-'70s by David Byrne, Chris Franz, Tina Weymouth, and ex-Modern Lover Jerry Harrison, the Talking Heads evolved out of their now-legendary humble beginnings at CBGB's to become one of the most adventurous and influential bands ever. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, the Heads' visionary, polyrhythmic sound daringly combined funk and punk, African beats, avant-garde minimalism, and pure pop. From their 1977 debut through their Brian Eno-produced classics to their '88 farewell, Naked, they both pushed artistic boundaries and delivered indelible radio hits like "Once In A Lifetime" and "Burning Down The House." ... Read more

Album Description

This Super Audio Compact Disc (SACD) recording offers high-resolution sound and is playable on both standard CD players and SACD-compatible devices. ... Read more

Reviews (70)

Get Down
Don't get me wrong-prime Rolling Stones is absolutely some of the best rock music you can buy-but "Beggars Banquet" is not my favorite Stones album. I only bring this up because it seems like this is so many people's favorite and that leaves me a little puzzled. Yeah, this a five star album and a must for any Stones collection-it has "Sympathy For the Devil" and "Street Fighting Man" as the side openers. Yet some of the acoustical material (while still very good) doesn't have enough bite or stand out enough for me. This includes tracks like "Dear Doctor", "Prodigal Son", and "Factory Girl." Not to mention "Jigsaw Puzzle", which, although decent, seems to rip off the rambling verses of a Dylan song. Plus, an inclusion of "Jumping Jack Flash" would have been nice, previous single or not. Still, I hate to complain and be critical of this album, because the material I really like is outstanding. Besides the side-openers, "Stray Cat Blues" is a tumbling rocker about underage groupies that kicks arse and takes names. In addition, "Salt of the Earth" is undeniably an awesome closer (perhaps Keith's finest vocal moment) and it doesn't get enough credit in comparison to "You Can't Always Get What You Want." I think it is just as good. So anyway, pick it up, despite my minor criticisms. You might dig the acoustic songs more than me. Let it be known that I still love the album as a whole and it is still one of the Stones' five best.

Sympathetic
A year after the psychedelic "Their Satanic Majesties Request", the Rolling Stones returned to their blues roots with "Beggars Banquet", the first of an incredible string of five classic rock records ("Beggars Banquet", "Let It Bleed", "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out", "Sticky Fingers" and "Exile On Main Street").

"Beggars Banquet" opens with the Stones' classic aren't-we-evil samba "Sympathy For The Devil", but the bulk of the material is acoustic blues, including the slide guitar-driven pieces "Jigsaw Puzzle", "No Expectations" and "Parachute Woman", and the country-flavoured "Dear Doctor".

The funky "Street Fighting Man" is one of the few genuine rock songs on the album, and one of the best songs as well.
"Prodigal Son" is a traditional country blues (originating with either Robert Wilkins or Josh White), and it is followed by a tough, mid-tempo, three-chord blues-rocker, the raunchy, tounge-in-cheek "Stray Cat Blues", about underaged groupies.

The album winds down with the slightly silly folkish satire "Factory Girl", and the underrated rocker "Salt Of The Earth", with the first verse sung in a raw, smoke-coarsened voice by Keith Richards.

"Beggars Banquet" is one of the classic Rolling Stones records, and it is among the bluesiest albums they have ever recorded.
Definitely recommended.

DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
To the person who wrote the Stones were poking fun at "let it be" (with their masterpiece "Let It Bleed") Only one problem - LET IT BLEED was out BEFORE "let it be"

Raise your glass to the salt of the earth...
This is an incredible album. Other stones fans have complained about some sloppy instrumentals and out-of-tune harmonies, but I think these minor setbacks only add to the laid-back and relaxing feel of the album. It has a lot of stellar tracks, including the beautiful songs "Salt of the Earth" and "Jigsaw Puzzle". I strongly recommend this instead of Forty Licks or any other compilation album as an introduction to the Stones. I bought Forty Licks myself, and don't get me wrong, it has a lot of good music on it, but: it's not in context. They're just a disjointed bunch of songs. Then, I got this album from a library and fell in love. I realized what an idiot I was to buy the best-of album, this is so much better. So, to sum up: future stones fans should buy this album, it's a great introduction, and current stones fans should have this album already, but if you don't, buy it with all speed. Rock on!!

An American Recording
Following a break in recording Mick Jaggar, who had compiled an immense record collection, began sampling his records. His recordings were mostly bluegrass, blues, and country. When the band reached the recording studio they made an American recording that included both blues and country with a Rolling Stone flavor. Beggar's Banquet was the result. It is one of the greatest recordings of all time. The record is great, saving the best for last in a tribute song Salt of the Earth. ... Read more

Album Description

Originally a Goth-flavored post-punk outfit, the Cure evolved into one of the truly seminal bands of the '80s, and ultimately one of modern rock's most celebrated and influential acts. Guided by creative visionary Robert Smith, the Cure's signature sound balances a dreamy pop savvy with a dark, brooding majesty and fuses superbly crafted, literate songs with a feverish emotional intensity. The band's early catalog-newly remastered and expanded wtih a wealth of rarities-is a series of masterpieces that laid the groundwork for their phenomenal and enduring popularity. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Not a good follow up
The perfect minimalism of Seventeen Seconds was a hard act to follow. Robert Smith's answer to that was to write a pretentious about religion. I guess back then one had to deal with the demons of Catholicism. Now England is very secular and this theistic world seems very remote. When I first heard this album I probably only liked the U.K. hit "Primary" which they used to play a lot on KROQ too. I liked the emotion of the songs "The Holy Hour" and "All Cats Are Grey." But now listening to them this stuff seems childish and them just trying to hard. I remember at the time Crass and Public Image Limited tried to make statements about religion, and although they seemed powerful at the time, they are laughable now. While this album is a whole just as all their albums are, it yielded another standout track "Other Voices." The Cure also started wearing more makeup and hairspray at this time. Their new discovery of the funereal had an outward manifestation. Albums used to be short back in those days, so this CD offers the original, eight-song album on the first disc, along with "Carnage Visors," originally the B-side for the cassette version of Faith, on CD for the first time. The 15-song bonus disc includes four previously unreleased songs, and live performances from 1980-1981. Most of this stuff is rough. The live tracks from Faith are worthwhile. One of their best early songs "Charlotte Sometimes" was left off the album. That was a mistake.

Utter Perfection
Sleek. Streamlined. Minimalist. Incredibly beautiful and surprisingly varied. Faith manages to capture the Cure at their creative peak. From start to finish, this album is nothing short of perfection. The words and vocals, the music, the production and engineering - they all fall right into place. Nearly all these songs can be considered Cure classics ( for the fans of the band who prefer the darker, more serious Cure to the upbeat, more pop oriented side). Primary. Other Voices. The Funeral Party. And my personal favourite The Drowning Man. All incredible.This remastered and expanded edition sounds terrific as well, which is icing on the cake. The original cd issue on the Elektra label just didn't sound quite right. There was distortion in many of the basslines, and the keyboards sounded hollow and tinny. This version corrects those mastering mistakes. The synths are warm and rich in tone, and the highs and lows in the mix are much easier on the ear. Granted, the subject matter isn't exactly "upbeat" but the messages areimportant, and certainly open to interpretation. Listen to the final, title track. The last words - "there's nothing left but faith" - can be seen as a sign of defeat or of hope, depending on how it is taken. The extras on the bonus disc are a revelation, tracking the evolution of the songs on Faith, from listening to the demos, the songs in their rawest form,to hearing the live versions, where they are performed with complete conviction, if not total technical proficiency. My favourite here has to be the often bootlegged, 10 minute version of the title cut "Faith" performed in Australia and originally featured on the b-side to the Charlotte Sometimes 12" single. "This is the last song it's called Faith" Robert says. Turn the volume up very loud and you can here one lone female scream, then the count-off "one, two, three, four" and the familiar beat kicks in, the mourful bassline, and Robert's signature guitar playing. This IS the Cure.

VERY GOOD
Excellent Re-master. The first 5 tracks on CD 2 are really for those fans that are the most-obsessed. They give a very raw look at what these songs were to become. Boring for those who just want the ironed-out or live versions. I loved them as you can trace the raw elements to the finished works.

Early Masterpiece
No doubt the Cure is an essantial British band, which was responsible for at least a handful of chart hits everyone remembers like

Headlong dive into grey.
Often considered the middle of a trilogy of albums progressively darker in mood, "Faith" is an album about just that, about faith, or lack thereof.It is a stark, almost minimalist album, with Robert Smith handling keyboard as well as well as guitar duties and joined by bassist Simon Gallup and drummer Lol Tolhurst, the album is hushed, almost minimalist-- stretches where notes ring out over the light percussion background, there's little in the way of the ringing guitars that dominated the previous record, and the album is largely unaggressive in its presentation.This actually works quite to the strengths of Gallup and Tolhurst-- with the guitars and keyboards assuming a passive role, the bass is as aggressively voiced and Tolhurst's somewhat limited and minimalist technique match the music beautifully.

In fact, its a dark, funereal tone that drives the majority of this material, songs like "Holy Hour", "All Cats are Grey" and the bizarrely uplifting "The Funeral Party" don't rise in aggression above a sort of dark hazy swell, and even somewhat more aggressive pieces like the fantastic "Primary" and the title track maintain a despondent tone and a sort of hushed feel.The result is largely an album of delicate, fragile beauty, where the rare extroverted moments (the positively jangly "Doubt" and the much more aggressive "The Drowning Man") are somewhat shocking and almost out of place.

For this reissue, the remastering has, if anything added to the album a great deal-- while the record deals in hushed tones and quiet synths, there's no sense of fuzziness throughout the album courtesy of the crisp remastered sound.Again, the liner notes detail the creation of the album (in rather candid tone at that), and the reissue is filled with extra material-- the dark and bubbling (and seemingly endless at 27+ minutes) "Carnage Visors" and the great single "Charlotte Sometimes" are the gems this time around,with again a number of great live takes on material from the album and a series of demos that are interesting but ultimately unfulfilling on their own.

"Faith" is in many ways the musical equivalent of its cover-- a sort of grey album.It has a number of powerful moments, and while it can be a bit overwhelming due to its endlessly dark quality, it is a fine album.Recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

An appreciable leap forward in almost every fashion from the group's first trio of albums, The Unforgettable Fire is its first with the production team of Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. And while they take a strong hand in wrestling U2's music out of the mainstream and into a more individualistic area, it's the songs themselves that demand a more subtle approach. Moody gems such as "A Sort of Homecoming" and the entrancing "Bad" set the table for more explosive fare such as "Pride," "Wire," and the title track. This is the album that made U2 a career act, showing that their music could grow by leaps and bounds, even at the hand of another, without sacrificing its soul. --Daniel Durchholz ... Read more

Reviews (138)

U2's new sounds here lifted them to new heights
U2 in the 1980's evolved in a way that many bands don't , or won't - they matured in a questing, yearning sort of way and progressed from adolescent ingenues in 1979-80 (Boy era) to highly-skilled artisans and richly-experienced globetrotters before the decade was out. 1984's The Unforgettable Fire album was the midpoint of this process, where the band tried more experimental soundscapes and semi-obscure imagery than before. True, they had often included half-realised ideas on previous LP's, but here they mixed "ambient sounds" in with unusual , passionate rockers that did not conform to the usual hit single style of many of their 80's chart rivals. The obvious high point of this set is Pride. I will never forget seeing the B&W video of this on a TV pop countdown in October 1984 when I was fourteen- my first knowledge of U2 - and being struck by the burning intensity of this song. It remains one of my top 20 all-time favourite songs. The other fantastic song is Bad, which evokes struggle, adversity and pain , but which is a song of rare beauty. A Sort Of Homecoming is a song I also love- it has taken many listens to fully appreciate this passionate tune. I believe MLK , though more a quiet, elegiac chorus than a "song" as such, is a restful companion piece to Pride (they both pay respect to the late Dr. Martin Luther King jr).The title tune is also very fine indeed. The remaining tracks are more experimental pieces. Wire is more uptempo and interesting.

The Unforgettable Fire still sounds excellent today, and I do not believe this music will date. Highly Recommended!!

Setting the Stage from the Broken Castles in Ireland
i was five or six when i heard this album from my father's vinyl collection. at that age, you are easily drawn into anything that makes sounds (usually). for me, the unforgettable fire is an album that built on sounds as well as songs. but more than that... it has atmosphere.

there is of course the trademark songs: "pride (in the name of love)" is great (except i personally find it too overplayed) and the title track is heart wrenching (especially when i found out later that it was inspired by an art exhibit of paintings from survivors of hiroshima). "bad" is also great as well. not there's the issue of the so-called "filler" songs.

the rest of the songs provide a buttress for the major songs. "a sort of homecoming" is atmospheric and poetic (like early Joyce... chamber music i'm thinking). "wire" is intense, angry and probably an early precursor to "until the end of the world" thematically. "promenade" is airy and idyllic. "4th of july" is airy and bleak (reminds me a lot of godspeed you black emperor in terms of atmospherics and a connection of apocalyptic ends). "indian summer sky" is similar to "a sort of homecoming." "elvis presley and america" - even if the lyrics are difficult to depicher (bono was under stress and strain becoming up with lyrics) - is an ambient piece that uses effectively a drum set (it's "a sort of homecoming" played at half-speed). then "mlk" is a great closer and one of the best tributary songs i've heard (non-cliché, simple, haunting and appropriate).

it is not an album for everyone. it is an album that enjoys creating atmosphere and whole complex universes upon listening as oppose to have something passively to listen to or to sing to every song. i like this album both then and now. and yes i really believe this sets the stage for their future endeavours.

Their Best Album
I just want to concur with the reviewer below. This is their best period and best album. The Amazon.com reviewer that said 4th of July and Elvis Presley and America were bad songs obviously did not listen to those songs to completion. The thing about Presley's melody is that it is understated. The beauty of the melody is brought out by Edge's guitar work at times. It's far from a bad song and maybe my favorite on "Fire". U2 never sounded better. Enjoy the whole album!

Most unique and easy to listen to U2 CD.
Most of the songs on this recording still have passion and deep meaning, yet the signature U2 sound of early days is left behind. I enjoy the departure from the anthems and marches we have gotten used to in the past. The Eno influence is noticeable and provides a new direction for the band. Different melodies are experimented with and work very well.

Unforgettable Indeed
In their offtime between the 'War Tour' and the recording of "The Unforgettable Fire", U2 saw an exhibit in Japan about Hiroshima, which subsequently led to many of the ideas and images throughout this album. For this album, U2 let go of producer Steve Lillywhite, who had been at the helm of the group's first three records, and hired duo Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois(pronounced Len-Wa), a move that would pay off in more ways than U2 ever could have imagined when they made it. Eno and Lanios created a much more polished, atmospheric sound for and with the band, and it was quite apparent right from the opening chords of the record. To quote bassist Adam Clayton, on the transition between the end of the previous tour and this record, "It was either the end of something, or the beginning of something else...and The Unforgettable Fire was that new beginning".

The castle on the record's cover(NOT, contrary to popular belief, Slane Castle) is very indicitive of the relaxed and wintry feel of this record. It's very quiet yet very loud at the same time. Highlights include anthem classic "Pride(In The Name Of Love)", the title track(which also happens to be one of the more orchestral tracks in U2's catalog), "The Unforgettable Fire", live classic "Bad", the opener, "A Sort Of Homecoming", "Indian Summer Sky", and the closer, "MLK", which is a rather comforting yet heartbreaking song about death(MLK's in particular). This is a great and even magical record in its own right, it went perhaps deeper musically, it was perhaps more sophisticated, than anything U2 had done before it, U2's second masterpiece if you ask me, yet it is still only a prelude, by most standards, to what comes next. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

There has never been a better showcase for improvisational rock than this 1971 concert recording, and few (if any) live rock albums are in its rank. With only two studio albums (and plenty of touring) under their belt, the Georgia sextet tore into the Fillmore East with road-tested buoyancy. Titanic guitarist Duane Allman was at the peak of his powers, pushing his foil, Dickey Betts, to unsurpassed peaks. Vocalist-keyboardist Gregg Allman would have been a star in any other setting; here he's merely one more component in a brilliant ensemble. Duane Allman died shortly after At Fillmore East shipped, and the Brothers haven't scaled such heights since. But, then, neither has anyone else. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (129)

The greatest live jams ever recorded.
The Allman Brothers Band blended jazz, blues, and southern rock to create some of the finest rock ever recorded, and Live At The Filmore East is a testament of their powers.

The concert at Filmore East, NY in July '71 shows the Allmans playing tighter than any band before or since. There are three long improvisational pieces on here, all exceeding 10 minutes--You Don't Love Me, In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed, and an incredible 23-minute rendition of Whipping Post. None of them drag or feel overly long, and this is coming from a person that was raised on a steady diet of three-minute punk and radio rawk. So by that estimation, I can say that this album is VERY good. The rest of the album consists of blues jams (Statesboro Blues, Done Somebody Wrong) and blistering instrumentals (Stormy Monday, Hot 'Lanta). Duane and Dickey Betts lay down some of the best guitar performances ever, Gregg's vocals and piano work are great, and the two (!) drummers never let up for a second.

While this recording is great throughout, my favorite moment is toward the end of You Don't Love Me, where the band suddenly drops a few bars of "Joy To The World." It's another spark of brilliance in an album full of them.

Live At The Filmore East has few equals in the live album category. This one ranks up there with The Who's Live At Leeds, Jimi Hendrix's Band Of Gypsys, and The MC5's Kick Out The Jams as far as I'm concerned. If you love live classic rock, Live At The Filmore East is essential listening.

A Standard in Live Music in Rock
As cliche as the statement gets.. this album is one of the greatest live albums ever released in rock. By the time this album went gold, Duane Allman would pass away on the highway at 24. But there is no doubt, the ABB set new standards on what "live" music was about in rock.

The album begins as a showcase for Duane's slide playing, which was a new revelation in rock guitar. The rest of the band follow, laying a groove behind Gregg Allman's singing. It's amazing he had this growl as a twenty something kid, & the chemistry he had with his brother is uncanny.

The second feature on this album is the obvious interplay between all the members of the band. The interplay between Duane & Dickey Betts is well known, but the ABB were literally a "five man band". They play as tight as a fist, while never escaping from the philosophy of improvised music. It'll take a few listens to figure out who is playing what & when... but you'll realize how beautifully arranged their songs were. On one disc alone, it becomes a gumbo of rock, blues, jazz, country.... of American music in general, but with a groove. An absolute phenomenon by a bunch of twenty somethings in the American South.

It's safe to say that the majority of people never saw the original Brothers play at a show. But some of the magic is captured, right here on this compact disc.

Perfect
This is the only piece of music that I would recommend, without any qualification, to anyone and every one. I will not belabor points already made on here, but consider that the album, depending on the version, has songs as long as 12, 17, and over 30 minutes in length that you will regret coming to an end, but for the fact that the endings are so exhilarating. Duane Allman may or may not have been rock's greatest guitarist (I am inclined to think that he was), but his guitar work on "You Don't Love Me" is so sublime that it causes even a hard-over cynic to believe that there is something to words like transcendence and beauty.

This is really good....
...but you should get the new double-disc Deluxe Edition instead. Better sound, better annotation, better mixes, better everything.
[In Homer's voice:] Get iiiit....!

The single best live album of all time
Two brothers, two drummers, a master bass player and some harmonica too. The kids were from Georgia and the blues ran through their blood. Duane and Dickey knew how to make their guitars sing in unison. Gregg's voice and organ playing was perfect. Everything that was ever 'right' about the ABB is captured on this release. Its all been said, but I'll say it again.....there is no better live album on the planet that this one.....its the best of the best ... Read more

Album Details

24bit Digtally Remastered Double Disc Comprehensive Set of their Best from the 60's to the 80's. This Collection Offers the Most Varied Set Ever Offered by the Acknowledged True Originators of What Has Evolved Today as Heavy Metal Rock and Roll. Tracks Are Culled from the Early Pye/Warner Bros. Recordings and the RCA/ARISTA Years. The Package Includes Sleevenotes by Ray Davies and Many Photos and Many Previously Unseen Shots. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Beatles, Stones & the Kinks
Pete Townshend said he never understood why the Big 3 bands of British rock were always listed as the Beatles, Stones, and Who. He said he always thought they were the Beatles, Stones, and Kinks. He admitted that the early Who used to blatantly rip off the early Kinks. And it's common knowledge that the opening riff of 1964's "You Really Got Me" created the template for heavy metal, which emerged about 4 - 6 years later with Blue Cheer (1968), Led Zeppelin (1969), and Black Sabbath (1970). Anyway, after ripping themselves off with their next single, 1965's "All Day & All the Night," Ray Davies evolved into a songwriter of greater depth with "A Well Respected Man," "Sunny Afternoon," "Waterloo Sunset," "Days," and "Victoria." They're all here, as well as the "Lola"/"Apeman" period tracks. A good album with most (but not all) of the best tracks from the unappreciated Kinks. Get it.

Great big chunk of Kinks!
Lots of great Kinks tunes...no clinkers.Can't beat the price if you shop on Amazon marketplace.CD#1 has the better known tunes while CD#2 the lesser.Each CD is arranged chronologically from the earliest times to the latter...making each representative of their whole output rather than splitting up the material and risking the atypical 2cd "strong/weak" anthology common when music groups cover a large span of years.

Everybody's Gonna Be Happy With This Collection!!!
What a great idea!!! Collect ALL the Kinks great songs in one place on one album! How fabulous is it? Well, pretty fabulous, but let's talk reality for a moment. In order to have a complete set of ALL the Kinks great songs, a minimum of six discs would be necessary, and Ultimate Collection only has two. Disappointed? Yes, but only a little. Because these two discs are chock-full of more Kinks classics than you can shake a stick at, and most of the collection centers on their most creative period, the sixties and early seventies. Trendsetters? How about "You Really Got Me," which drew the blueprint for every hard rock/heavy metal band for the next 30 years? What about "See My Friends," which was one of the first "Eastern" songs in rock, predating the Yardbirds by six months and George Harrison by three years? What about "Lola," probably the first hit ever about an encounter with a transvestite? What about " Victoria", one of the first and only hit songs written about an English monarch? Or, how about such great songs as "All Day and All Night," "Autumn Almanac," the music hall treatment of "Dead End Street," the shimmering poetry of "Waterloo Sunset," "Celluloid Heroes," the best song about Hollywood ever written? Or "Superman," and "Come Dancing," two songs which proved conclusively that the Kinks could and did change with the times? Or what about a body of work so staggering that the Kinks were one of the first British Invasion bands voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame WITHOUT a number one single? What about.......well, I could go on and on. Yes, there are a few clunkers here, yes, there are some great songs missing ("Destroyer," "Catch Me Now I'm Falling," "Gallon of Gas," and most of the good songs from The Village Green Preservation Society), but there are so many tasty tunes here that this collection must be obtained without hesitation. So, get the Kinks Ultimate Collection today! Short of a few frenzied diehard fans, everybody's gonna be happy with this one!!!

Definitely the Ultimate Collection
This is definitely the Kinks collection to get. It's the most comprehensive collection yet, with all of their early and later hits, including You Really Got Me, All Day And All Of The Night, Tired Of Waiting, Sunny Afternoon, Waterloo Sunset (in stereo), Days, Stop Your Sobbing (in stereo), A Well Respected Man, Come Dancing, Better Things, Celluloid Heroes, and much more (a total of 44 songs). And the songs have never sounded better, especially the remastered selections from the 60s (including Lola in stereo). My only regret is that they left off Catch Me Now I'm Falling. Even so, this is the best collection out there. You won't regret buying it.

Tons of Fun
After all this time, it is amazing the number of sublime songs that were put out by the Kinks. This is not a "greatest hits" collection, as there are a few b-side clinkers in the bunch, but even these display the splendid combination of melody and chaos that made this band so interesting. The audio quality is wonderful (yes, you can listen to the quality of the studio recordings improve over time), and it is a revelation to re-listen to songs only known through 45's decades ago. OK, I'm reliving my childhood. It's great.

The texture of both the words and music displayed by this band at its best is remarkable. And they only got better. The last recordings, songs like "Better Days," "Superman" and "Come Dancing" are superb. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The closest the Beatles came to a greatest hits package, this document of the early part of their career features hit singles (in chronological order) and selected album tracks, running from "Love Me Do" through the groundbreaking Rubber Soul and Revolveralbums. While this may be an excellent intro for beginners, real fans will never be content with only selections, especially when you're dealing with those aforementioned albums. Capitol packages the collection on two discs, copying the original vinyl version--but, of course, CDs hold more music than records did. Still, you do get 26 bona fide classics, so there's no real need to complain. --Bill Holdship ... Read more

Reviews (160)

A great collection of singles, but missing quite a bit
A fine collection that manages to capture the essence of the Beatles' songwriting craft in their singles, but short changes on the album tracks from their best album REVOLVER. This collection, not surprisingly, veers towards the commerical side of the band. Surprisingly, Capitol didn't take advantage of the extended time found on cds to include additional key album tracks(both discs clock in at less than 70 minutes combined).

The packaging is quite good(in fact better than most of the Beatles cd's issued) with lyrics and photos. The packaging could have been more complete with insights from the surviving band members about the overall mood this collection evokes(everything else about these songs seems to have been discussed, but the feeling the band has now listening to these tracks in retrospect).

George, although he didn't have any a or b side singles during this time, is not well represented. While John and Paul were the driving force of the band early on, some of George's compositions("Don't bother me", "If I needed someone", "Taxman")are some of the finest album tracks on their respective albums.

Emi if you're listening when you reissue this, I'd suggest the additon of the previously mentioned tracks by George, "And your bird can sing", "She said, she said", "For no one"(one of Paul's finest songs)and "Tomorrow never knows". Additionally, a better selection from one of the band's finest albums, A HARD DAY"S NIGHT, would be appreciated.

Overall, not a bad collection but not the best representation of the band(a similiar flaw exists with The Blue album--The White album isn't represented as well as it should be).

Hits and Classics from the Beatles early period
The Beatles 1962-1966, also known as the "red" album, along with its counterpart, 1967-1970, the "blue" album, make a great starter combination for new fans.
1962-1966 is packed with great music, from the early hits "Love Me Do" and "She Loves You" to the beginning of the experimental era with "Eleanor Rigby" and "Yellow Submarine." You get all the key A-side singles not found on the regular releases, such as "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "I Feel Fine" plus essential album tracks like "Yesterday" and "Nowhere Man."
Yes there are plenty of omissions, but the 26 tracks are all classics. I also agree that Rubber Soul is weighted over Revolver, and that there should have been a couple George Harrison tunes. And here's a final quirk. A cassette version I listened to a lot in college had the original soundtrack intro to Help!, a James Bond-like bit that gave the disk a bit of humor. That has been deleted here. I don't know why. There is plenty of time on the disks.
Oh well, you still can't go wrong with this collection, plus you get the lyrics in the liner notes and some fun shots of the Beatles as the mature through the 1960s.

Fanstastic Music But Horrible "Bang for the Buck"
Music: 5 stars; Economic Value: 1 Star

Not counting the Anthology albums in the 90's (which are not hit compilations anyway), the Beatles have in the last 30 years been compiled only once, on 2000's "1", an excellent overview for what it is, their best known and biggest hits. The 1973 "Red" and "Blue" compilations remain in print, and I guess are still selling. While the "Blue" 1967-1970 compilation justifies its continued availibility on 2 CDs, one really has to question why the "Red" 1962-1966 compilation does.

"The Beatles 1962-1966" (26 tracks) clocks in at 62 min., way below the capacity of a single CD, yet remains on the shelf as 2 CDs (along with a heftly $31 retail price). This is nothing short of ripping off the buying public, in my opinion. The reason given by the label management is "to keep the integruity of the original vinyl issue", but is anyone really buying this? Shame on them!

The music on the "Red" album is of course stellar, that's not the point. Maybe it's too soon yet after the "1" compilation, but hasn't the time come for a definitve 2CD compilation of the Beatles, along the lines of, say, "The Essential Bob Dylan", maximising the capability of 80 min. of a CD?

A Great Start Towards Your Beatles Collection
If you've been a Beatles Fanatic for a while, then you will probably own all of the material on this CD already, but for someone just begining their Beatles Collection, or for the casual fan, this is a great place to start! The Beatles have far too many classic hits to include on any one album, but this set has a great selection of some of the best. It makes a great choice if you're introducing your kids to The Beatles as well. Selections range from up-beat poppy songs to sentimental heart-felt balads. All of the songs are well known so it's very easy to sing along with, and a lot of fun!

John, Paul, George, And Ringo
Most people know how great The Beatles are. Therefore, I should only have to say, "it's The Beatles; need I say more?". Since I'm a nice guy, I'll detail it anyway...

"1962-1966" is a great compilation two-disc album for any Beatles fan. This is the set that shows how this musical phenomenon started. It was released three years after their break-up, a time that society still awaited anxiously for their reunion. Fans had never seen a greatest hits compilation from them before this. Still devoted to them, many rushed for this album. These songs continue to inspire a generation of musicians that have come after them, including The Bangles, Sheryl Crow, Def Leppard, and many more. Therefore, it was more than just their good looks and their bopping heads that made them a wonderful band.

This set explores John, Paul, George, and Ringo through their first two years of fame in the US. When the British Invasion began in 1964, a new musical revolution began. Their long-lasting impact was the least expected. The Beatles were the first of many British acts (The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Dusty Springfield, etc.) to conquer the US during this time with their first smash it single "I Want To Hold Your Hand". Then, their performance on "The Ed Sullavin Show" that year made music history again. Over 70 million people watched them perform five songs that night. All five of those became smash hits. Their impact, aside the screaming fans, proved that they came to stay.

Before their debut, only doo-wop and rock & roll captured the airways, namely by Elvis Presley. It seemed like society was looking for something new. No other act performed in that style of rock before 1964, including the more accented guitar and the absense of a piano/ keyboard. This gave new meaning to rock music. Their great vocal harmonies gave an added spice for listening pleasure. The lyrics gave these love songs the extra catchiness. Most of these songs were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. They later became one of the greatest songwriting duos. Through the years, The Beatles's style wonderfully evolved while continuing to make music history.

Those wanting to observe more of their evolution should also buy "1967-1970", which explores lyrics about peace, love, drugs, and anti-war. "1962-1966" is a great album for any Beatles fan to own as it'll continue pleasing listeners for a long time. ... Read more

Amazon.com

More prolific than D'Angelo and Terence Trent D'Arby combined, one-man rock & soul revivalist Lenny Kravitz kept traditional pop values alive through much of the '90s. From the Motown-perfect "It Ain't Over Til It's Over" to the Beatlesesque "Let Love Rule," Kravitz has always inhabited his influences with a genuine spirit that transcends imitation. The 15 tracks found here provide a surprisingly coherent reminder of just how much the artist has accomplished in a relatively short time. And even if his biggest hit, "Are You Gonna Go My Way," falls short of its Hendrix target, Kravitz's cover of the Guess Who's "American Woman" still rocks in a pleasingly Neanderthal way. An infectious new cut, "Again," fits neatly alongside sturdy Kravitz originals such as "Fly Away," "Mr. Cab Driver," and "Black Velveteen," showcasing a talent whose postmodern pop should play well into the new century. --Bill Forman ... Read more

Reviews (162)

I'm a Fan now
I was never huge fan of Lenny Kravitz. Not so say that I didn't like him, but I never waited at the record store to pick up any of his CD's. This is the only one of his disks that I own. This is the only one you need to own. All of the songs of his you hear on the radio are here, and all of them are excellent. The reason I bought this CD was the new song Again included on the disk that is getting alot of air time. After listening to the disk in it's entirety, I'm glad I didn't just buy the single.

There are songs on here that I've heard before, but after hearing them now, I can't seem to think why I didn't buy any of the other CD's he's put out. Fly away, last years big hit, Beleive, Let love rule, Are you gonna go my way, all of them are here. But my favorites are Again, and the beatiful Heaven Help. I think Heaven Help is the best track here, but you will make your own mind up there.

No matter what, you will at least find 2 or 3 favorites on this disk. I have decided to go out and by the rest of his catalogue too, I may have just found what I have been missing. I'm a Fan now.

Very solid collection of a good artist's best songs
Most other reviewers have hit this cd dead-on. It is a collection of very good songs from Lenny that show a broad range of styles that he has adopted over the years. The harder rocking songs - Are You Going to Go My Way, Fly Away, American Woman, Rock and Roll is Dead - are the better of the mid level songs in this collection. The two best songs, Let Love Rule and Mr. Cab Driver, are simply awesome. Let Love Rule has one of the best sax solos to ever be featured on a rock album and Kravitz really belts out the tunes. Mr. Cab Driver does have, as several others have criticized, a very primitive sound to the first 3/4 of the song, but that is intentional; there is something great about making a really poignant social statement that really packs a wallup and has a good beat on equipment that sounds like it was picked up at Wal-Mart for under $100.

The rest of the slower songs vary quite a bit. It Ain't Over Till It's Over is pretty heartfelt. Again, is about as deep as and sounds like, a made for vh-1 heavy metal ballad, without significant guitars.

Several others have remarked on Kravitz's major weakness: his lyrics. I liked them on Mr. Cab Driver, but on nothing else. They are sophomoric and incredibly repetitive on some songs (esp. Fly Away and Black Velveteen). I'd like to ask Lenny why he doesn't try writing a few different lyrics rather than just repeating the chorus 15-20 times (literally).

Finally, I would just like to comment a bit tangentially on one point. I have not seen Kravitz live, but I bet he would be excellent. This is based on his performance of Are You Going To Go My Way on Saturday Night Live a few years back. I have seen at least 150 SNL episodes over the years, and the acoustics and sound system are just awful. I have seen only four acts that actually sounded decent on that show, and Kravitz was one of them. The other three were James Brown, Neill Young, and surprisingly, the Bangles.

If you probably don't want to buy all of Kravitz's albums, get this one. If you might want to start a collection, get this one (it's handy to have all of the songs together) and get his first and best cd, Let Love Rule.

Cool dude Lenny
I just love Lenny's music and find him a very intriguing and somewhat spiritual human being. His songs can be very soothing, intense, emotional and some are quite sexy, like Lenny himself. The two songs on this one that press my buttons, and which happen to be very different from one another are "It Ain't Over Till It's Over" and "Let Love Rule". This is one of my chill out cds. Enjoy!

A Collection Of Exciting Work.
Lenny Kravitz is one of those rockers who has something in common with Frank Sinatra, he does things his way. In the early nineties when grunge was the ruling trend Kravitz wanted to express rock n' roll full of hope and questions, much like his heroes from the 1960's. Yet his work doesn't sound like hippie statements or retreads, eventhough he is a perfect hybrid of Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon. At the end of the day Lenny Kravitz is simply a really good songwriter able to kick out the jams, giving us songs that are never boring even in their moments of passive reflection. This "Greatest Hits" collection is a summation of some of Kravitz's best work, it's an equal dose of his driven rockers and his dreamy ballads. The set opens with the exciting "Are You Gonna Go My Way," a dizzying jam with a catchy guitar lick and snappy drums. The hit "Fly Away" is here with it's enrapturing sounds and images, it literally embodies the work "escape." The feeling you get from the set is that these songs are about playing good music the right way. The production in almost every track is flawless. Take "Again" for example, at first it may seem like a typical "i miss you" song, but it's really a beautifully-produced track in every area of the vocals, instrumentals, melody and lyrics. With "American Woman" Kravitz proves he's also great at covering other people's material, his version totally rocks with it's crunching guitars and in-your face vocals. If "American Woman" is a modern update of a 60's song, then "Let Love Rule" is a throwback to that decade. With it's hopeful message on love and brotherhood and that organ it sounds like a modern take on the Beatles. But it works. The only week moments in the collection are songs that don't seem to have the same amount of effort put into the best tracks. "Black Velveteen" is some kind of robotic futuristic trip that never goes anywhere musically or otherwise. Lenny Kravitz is a great musician backed by a first rate band and anyone who wants a taste of what the guy has to offer should check this CD out.

our modern-day Hendrix
I've been a fan of Kravitz since the early 90s when he broke big. His best tunes are really groovy and cool in a 1970's funky sort of way. This is one of my favorite of his albums.

Dvaid Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes" ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Sensing that the Beatles, Stones, and Who were radically transforming rock music by turning it literate and conceptual, Ray Davies decided the Kinks should be his vehicle to explore his unusual longing for a simpler time when the English empire was not in decline. A reliance on English music hall tradition and sentiments indicated in titles such as "Last of the Steam-Powered Trains," "Picture Book," and "Village Green" clearly show Davies's nostalgia streak. Davies's singing has always been rough and non-Kinks fans may have trouble getting past his sloppy pitch. But for those listening closely, the tales are one of a kind. --Rob O'Connor ... Read more

Reviews (50)

One of the greatest rock albums of all time.
But why does everyone miss the point of this LP? To me - and ok, I could be wrong - Village Green is about childhood, loss of innocence, about being in that transitional phase between childhood and adulthood. I think the 'old England' setting is largely just a metaphor for that. "How I love things as they used to be" comes immediately afterthe line "Picture of me when I was just three"

Secondly, this is NOT an altogether folky, subdued album. 'Big Sky', 'Johnny Thunder' and 'Steam Powered Trains' rock as hard as anything on 'Something Else'. And it's not altogether a sweet, whimsical album. It's wistful, and often very sad. 'Do You Remember, Walter' and 'People Take Pictures of Each Other' are almost painfully so.

For my money this the Kinks best album. I would give it a dead heat with 'Astral Weeks' as the album of 1968. Any other year, either of those would have won it alone. It also comes close to the beginning of The Kinks purple patch - a 4 to 5 year period from circa 1967 to 1971, when everything Ray Davies wrote was magic. That this corresponded to the period of their least commercial success (up until that time) is criminal. In the late 60's, Davies arguably put more runs on the board than any other songwriter in rock.

Masterpiece
Ray Davies creates a bucolic small-town paradise--or so it would seem--on this (unfortunately) little known Kinks album. For certain, songs such as "Animal Farm," "Sitting by the Riverside," "Picture Book," and the title track muse on the traditional thoughts of the simple, quiet and pleasantries of small town life. But there are some snakes in this Garden of Eden: a witch, "Wicked Annabella," an aloof God, "Big Sky," childhod dreams that meet sad adult reality, "Do You Remember Walter?"

Davies, one rock's greatest lyricists, is in championship form here.

From the title track:

"We are the skycraper codemnation affiliate/God save Tudor houses, antique tables and billiards."

The arrangements and the musicianship--in sharp contrast to many of the better known classics of the late 1960s--are lean and bare. The melodies are first rate, enhancing the direct and effective little-old-man-sounding vocals of Ray Davies.

Easily the greatest 1960s album no one (almost) has ever heard of. Village Green Preservation Society never cracked Billboard's top 200 chart. A shame.

The last line from the title track: "God Save the Village Green."

Best Band Ever?
Are they? This album is a strong argument; sound exploding with full awareness of which page in history they are sitting on, The Kinks step into "the whole west coast long name thing" you know "Fred's Incredible Shrinking Grapell Aeroplane",
"The Peanut Butter Conspiracy", "Chicago Transit Authority", "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "The Notorious Byrd Brothers", right into Village Green Preservation Society, a perfect name impervious to all erosion with ingrained thematics and then a tour of life around you, the pictures we take to document our experience, the sky above us, animals, different people who have wandered in and vanished out from our life like Walter and Monica, Wicked Annabella, songs like "All of my Friends Were There" that leave you stupefied, intimate storytelling interweaved with a gripping band that just stepped out of a garden circus party. Maypoles and smiling Brits are abound give it a spin and you'll be sucked into the Village Green

Minstrels in your Garden
Ray Davies wrote this album with his creative processes flowing totally against the prevailing musical climate in 1968. At that time most bands were dropping acid,letting their hair grow longer and turning up the volume. Yet Ray seemed to promise himself that he would write songs from his soul; songs that provide indelible images of an England gone more than a little off-track.He looks unhappy on the CD cover and was probably wondering why his good music was not selling better. Anyway, let me say this is one of the BEST musical experiences of my life. The songs are at turns nostalgic,witty,literate and expansive. If you are unfamiliar with this music as I was until several months ago,this is the apex, but Face to Face, Something Else or Arthur will treat you wonderfully as well.

Incomparable
Born and raised a Beatles fan, I stumbled into Kinkdom only after High School graduation (1978) with the newly released "Misfits". I suddenly realized what a deprived childhood I had.
I worked backwards from "Misfits", stopping along the way to be initially disappointed by "Something Else" (which I outgrew) and blown away by "Arthur". But nothing prepared me for.....this.
"The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society" (VGPS from here on in) is quite simply the best disc I have ever heard. Period.
Better than Rubber Soul, Revolver, and the vastly overrated Sgt Pepper. Better than anything by the Who, Stones, Zeppelin, yada, yada, yada.
And yet, it sold along the lines of 40,000 copies in the LP years (1968-1980 or so) and never cracked the TOP 200. Incredible; it's as if somebody built Disney World on the moon.
The songs? From rock to pure pop to folksy stuff to calypso. All songs run only about 3 minutes or so each (except for 'Last of the Steam Powered Trains', and that weighs in at about 4:11), but almost all are overflowing alternately with wit, charm, brilliance, warmth, regret, longing, loving.
If there are better songs than 'Animal Farm' and 'Big Sky', please show them to me (outside of the Kinks catalogue, of course). 'Johnny Thunder', 'Picture Book', and one of the sweetest pieces of ear candy you'll ever hear, 'People Take Pictures of Each Other', which can best be described as a 2 minute, 15-odd second audio smile.
If there is a "weak" song on this album, I would have to nominate 'Sitting by the Riverside', but that's like criticizing Joe Louis for being slow on his feet.
Recommendation: Get the version of the CD with the 28 tracks, which includes 'Days' and a song that it is hard to believe was written by the same man who gave us "All Day and All of the Night": 'Mr. Songbird'.
I give this CD a rating of a constellation of stars. ... Read more

Album Details

Another Tull Remaster Replete with Original and Restored Sonic Detail and featuring Eight Brilliant Bonus Tracks Recorded at the Same Time as the Original Album Release, but Left Out Due to the Limitations of Vinyl. The Broadsword Tour in 1982 Saw Tull Out on a Full Production Tour for the Final Time, Although Smaller Tours have Since Taken Place, They have Not Featured the Elaborate Stage Set that Went with this One! this Album Featured the Usual Tull Sounds of Drums, Bass, and Guitar and of Course Flute, Mandolin and Other Acoustic Instruments Complete with Vocoder and Sequencer on the Clasp, and Others. Broadsword Saw Former Cat Stevens Drummer Gerry Conway Join Tull for a Couple of Years and Dave Pegg (Ex-fairport Convention) Join them for a Second Time. Much of the Songs were Written Using the New-fangled Electronic Instruments which Gives an Interesting Twist to the Woodsy and Folksy Elements in the Songs. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

OTRA VEZ BRAVO!!!
Como devoto fan de Jethro Tull, he estado atento a los re-lanzamientos con bonus tracks de sus álbumes y en particular para Broadsword and the Beast he puesto especial atención, pues considero que es uno de los mejores álbumes de Jethro Tull, que en esta edición se hace acompañar de verdaderos diamantes musicales como Overhang, Mayhem Maybe y Jack A Lynn, canción que escucho no menos de 4 veces cada vez que toco este disco.BRAVO!!!

Tull's Mighty Broadsword
After their controversial "A" album from 1980, Jethro Tull charged into the year 1982 with their outstanding release, "The Broadsword And The Beast." Truly one of the group's very best works, "Broadsword" saw Jethro Tull acquire two new band members in the forms of keyboardist Peter John Vettese and drummer Gerry Conway. Vettese added a more keyboard-heavy, synthesised gloss to Tull's trademark folk-rock, and the combination works amazingly well. "Broadsword" also features some of the best material Tull frontman Ian Anderson had written since 1977's "Songs From The Wood." Lots of Tull goodies on this one, such as the marching rock of "Beastie," the catchy "Fallen On Hard Times" (which the band appropriately released as a single), the anthemic "Broadsword," the fun of "Watching Me Watching You," and the atmospheric punch of "The Clasp" and "Seal Driver." Also, this new remaster of "Broadsword" comes with a very generous helping of *eight* bonus songs all recorded during the sessions for the album, including the Christmas-themed "Jack Frost And The Hooded Crow," the part-ballad/part-rocker "Jack A Lynn," and the excellent "Overhang" and "I Am Your Gun." The album's early-80's production is top-notch, and Jethro Tull themselves sound truly inspired on this set. All the way around, "The Broadsword And The Beast" is a great Tull classic.

I Can't Put It Down - Finally Available Remastered!
This was one of my favorites back when it came out and I still find it to be one of the better later releases.
I got mine for the remaster and the 8 previously "unreleased" bonus tracks that have already been released before.
How are these unreleased when I have them all??

either way
it is a great album and the bonus tracks just add to its luster.
I'd put it on the level of "Crest Of A Knave" which is a huge compliment considering where they went right after this album.

a general statement on all the recent remasters -
I have found that the recent remasters have a good bit of high end to them. Maybe my stereo is out of touch with the new millenium standards. They obviously sound more open than the original cd releases, but the originals have that analog warmth to them that I am used to. Like I said maybe I'm out of date here.

Great Remaster Essential but Could've Been Better!!!
BAtB is a great blend of classic Tull and early 80's arcade keyboard rock.Stunned it wasn't big in America. Contained in what I think is one of the best sleeves of all time (I own 2 pristine vinyl copies) BatB has it all: Rockers, ballads, flute, no flute, something for everyone.The arrangements are more straightforward than previous classic Tull records.

I do have one minor gripe however...There were tons of songs recorded in the '81 Maison Rouge sessions for BatB..8 are included as bonus tracks and 7 left off. Why? I have no idea these 7 tracks are just as good or better than the album tracks....no kidding! To have these remastered would have made this release INSANE! Ian A. could've taken advantage of cd technology and included these songs for a 2 cd set along with the 7 tracks released on the 20 and 25 Anniversary box sets of '82 Hamburg BatB Tour. Well I made my own cdr and call it BatB Part II. For those completists out there:
Studio tracks are:
1. Crew Nights
2. The Curse
3. Commons Brawl
4. No Step
5. Drive on the Young Side of Life
6. Lights Out (not the UFO song)
1-6from the Nightcap cd set.

7. Motoreyes (from 20 Ann. Box.)

Live tracks
8. Sweet Dreams
9. The Clasp
10. Pibroch/Black Satin Dancer
11. Fallen on Hard Times
12. Aqualung
13. Locomotive Breath
8-13 from 20 Ann. Box Set

14. Seal Driver (from 25 Ann. set).

BatB will now always be a 2 cd set but if you're not into the extra stuff this is still a wonderful Jethro Tull remaster....arguably their best of the 80's.

At long last, a clean copy!
Finally, after many years of waiting, my favorite band has released the remastered B&B and I can complete my Jethro Tull collection! Now you might say "wait a tick, Broadsword and the Beast has been out on CD for years." That's true, but the original CD release was nearly unlistenable, and certainly the weakest disc in the collection. It sounded a bit like it was recorded with a hand held microphone inside a wet felt sack - muddy and of inconsistent quality.

This release is much superior to the original! Broadsword & the Beast was a moderate success in the United States, but in Germany and other European countries - this was "THE" Jethro Tull album to have, eclipsing Aqualung, Thick as a Brick and all the rest in sales and chart ranking. With perhaps the best artwork on any album cover, ever - this disc became quite popular and the menacing pixie like image of Ian still adorns concert tee shirts.

While the tone of the album took the guise of Scandinavian or Celtic themes, this album was definitely a stinging commentary of contemporary times. Among the several notable songs on this collection, THE CLASP and FALLEN 0N HARD TIMES both got a respectable amount of radio play in 1982. Both songs referred to the troubled times in which we were living, both economically and politically. An ailing Leonid Brezhnev was the General Secretary of the still thriving Soviet Union, only to be replaced by an equally threatening Yuri Andropov later that year. Reagan and Thatcher had formed a powerful, yet decidedly unsettling alliance in the west. These were scary times folks, and Ian's lyrics reflected the uncertainty we were all feeling!

Other great songs on the disc include BROADSWORD, a song that harkens back to ancient times, and speaks of protecting home and family from external threats. PUSSYWILLOW became a favorite on the touring scene for a while, though I haven't seen it performed in years. The last song on the original release was the peaceful, almost comforting CHEERIO, in which Ian and the lads wished us all "the best of luck till we meet again, mate." This song has been used as the closer for almost every concert appearance since.

I would be remiss not to mention the wonderful stage set used on this concert tour. This was the final bombastic, over the top stage presentation Tull would ever mount, and it was wonderful! The stage was a full blown Viking ship with the dragon masthead shown on the cover painting - complete with smoking nostrils and glowing eyes. Other memorable moments from the show included an actual "BEASTIE" sitting on Ian's shoulders as he sang that song, and a huge BROADSWORD he flailed about that had to be as tall as Ian himself. During WATCHING ME WATCHING YOU, the stage was completely dark while Ian scanned the audience, pointing a powerful hand held spotlight out to look at us watching him! It was a great show!

I will wrap up with a mention of the bonus tracks, all of which have been available on other releases. These are a nice collection of songs all recorded around the time of this album. The most notable of these are JACK FROST AND THE HOODED CROW, a tune that most recently reappeared on the Christmas Album, and JACK A LYNN, a touching and lovely song Ian wrote in tribute to his wife Shona (it's her middle name.) MAYHEM MAYBE is a fun little ditty, and OVERHANG is a riffy, enjoyable piece as well. Enjoy this disc, it is a treasure!
... Read more

Amazon.com

Though one of rock's most influential figures, David Bowie's accomplishments are pocked by some distinct ironies. His willful efforts at being a musical and visual chameleon spurred triumphs in genres as diverse as folk, glam, new wave, and electronica. Given the dizzying range and success of his '70s incarnations--from Ziggy to the Thin White Duke to the gaunt, goth-cypher of Low and Heroes--he seemed the artist most well-equipped to weather the changing tides of taste and trend, yet saw his career essentially shrink to cult status after scoring his biggest triumphs when he reshaped the soulless, dance-oriented club music of the early '80s into his own image. This 20-track compilation does little to address the Chinese puzzle that has been Bowie's post-'85 career, but it does deliver an artistically dizzying slate of hits as it skips from one early peak to the next, from evocative cabaret ("Space Oddity," "Changes") through muscular glam-rock ("Suffragette City," "The Jean Genie") to R&B ("Young Americans," "Fame") and post-punk flirtations ("Ashes to Ashes," "Fashion") to the dance-club hits ("Let's Dance," "China Girl," "Modern Love") and '80s one-off duets ("Under Pressure" with Queen, "Dancing in the Streets" with Mick Jagger) that essentially marked the end of his superstar reign. Whole eras and at least one classic '70s album (Low) go completely unaddressed, but all of Bowie's signature hits are here, as well as Earthling's powerful, underappreciated "I'm Afraid of Americans." --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Excellent compilation for an excellent musical artist
For over three decades now, David Bowie has been releasing music. And his music is nothing short of excellent. A number of popular artists have named him as one of their major influences, and with good reason. Classic/Alternative rock artists don't get a whole lot better than this. In late 2002, a retrospective of Bowie's career was released, in both one disc and two disc form. Read on for more information.

First of all, here's the tracklist for the two disc version:

Disc: 1
1. Space Oddity
2. The Man Who Sold The World
3. Changes
4. Life On Mars?
5. Moonage Daydream
6. Suffragette City
7. Ziggy Stardust
8. All The Young Dudes
9. The Jean Genie
10. Panic In Detroit
11. Rebel, Rebel
12. Diamond Dogs
13. Young Americans
14. Fame
15. Golden Years
16. TVC15
17. Sound and Vision
18. Heroes
19. D.J.

Disc: 2
1. Ashes To Ashes
2. Fashion
3. Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
4. Under Pressure
5. Cat People (Putting Out Fire)
6. Let's Dance
7. China Girl
8. Modern Love
9. Blue Jean
10. This is Not America
11. Dancing In The Streets
12. Absolute Beginners
13. Time Will Crawl
14. Under The God
15. Jump They Say
16. The Heart's Filthy Lesson
17. I'm Afraid Of Americans
18. Thursday's Child
19. Slow Burn

As you can see, you'll get all of Bowie's biggest hits on here. (Space Oddity, Changes, Under Pressure, Let's Dance, China Girl, Fame, and the fairly recent hit I'm Afraid Of Americans.) Perhaps one of the finest things about these songs is the musicians who co-wrote or made guest appearances on them. Under Pressure was a collaboration with Queen, Let's Dance and China Girl feature the late Stevie Ray Vaughan on guitar, Fame was co-written by the late John Lennon, and the cover of Dancing In The Street is a duet with Rolling Stones vocalist Mick Jagger. Twenty tracks of pure excellence. Just about every excellent track that was omitted from the one disc version of this compilation can be found here. These include Cat People, The Man Who Sold The World (later covered by Nirvana) and All The Young Dudes (later covered by Bruce Dickinson.) But even though this is many times better than its one disc counterpart, I have a major complaint - NO TRACKS FROM PINUPS! Bowie's covers of the Who's I Can't Explain and the Easy Beats Friday On My Mind must be heard to be appreciated, and sadly, they aren't here. This makes me mad, because I Can't Explain WILL fit on the first disc.

David Bowie is an excellent musician, but as I stressed above, make extra sure you are buying this two disc version so you can get everything the one disc version omits. The two versions have identical covers, so be sure to check the tracklist on the back to be sure you're getting this one.

Bowie for Absolute Beginners? And everyone else!
I find it very depressing that Amazon still hasn't put up the tracklisting for this album (the double CD version "Best Of Bowie" for America) so I guess I'm gonna have to do it.

Disc 1
1. Space Oddity 2. The Man Who Sold The World 3. Changes 4. Life On Mars? 5. Moonage Daydream 6. Suffragette City 7. Ziggy Stardust 8. All The Young Dudes 9, The Jean Genie 10. Panic In Detroit 11. Rebel, Rebel 12. Diamond Dogs 13. Young Americans 14. Fame 15. Golden Years 16. TVC15 17. Sound and Vision 18. "Heroes" 19. D.J.
Disc 2
1.Ashes To Ashes 2. Fashion 3. Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) 4. Under Pressure 5. Cat People (Putting Out Fire) 6. Let's Dance 7. China Girl 8. Modern Love 9. Blue Jean 10. This is Not America 11. Dancing In The Streets 12. Absolute Beginners 13. Time Will Crawl 14. Under The God 15. Jump They Say 16. The Heart's Filthy Lesson 17. I'm Afraid Of Americans 18. Thursday's Child 19. Slow Burn

This listing is very unique because it includes the big pop hits (the poppy R&B meets rock guitar "Let's Dance"), culturally significant songs (revolutionary singer-songwriter moments like "Changes" and "All The Young Dudes") and excellent singles that didn't get the attention they deserved the first time (the industrial rocker "Heart's Filthy Lesson"). The fact that "Best Of Bowie" takes songs form nearly every Bowie studio album (except for the cover packed "Pin Ups" and "Buddha Of Suburbia", which in all fairness was a soundtrack) shows all the levels that the man works on musically. The seventies are where Bowie shines with everything from the edgy alien hard rock of "Ziggy Stardust" to the glam rock perfection of "Rebel, Rebel". "Diamond Dogs" (only live track and the longest in length at over 6 minutes) should have been a shorter track, especially since they cut down the stellar cynical lyric with an R&B beat of "Young Americans" to a single edit. The Berlin tracks are a great way to end the first disc. "Low" is represented well by the dancy "Sound And Vision" while "Heroes" is tragic and wonderful. Then there is the eighties heyday from disco flavored new wave of "Fashion" to horn blasting "Modern Love" (which I viewed as a sardonic joke about yuppie culture, right?) to that poppy Motown cover "Dancing In The Streets" (with Mick Jagger adding his swagger). Then there was the nineties peak of creativity of the bleeping drum machine pop "Jump They Say" to the moody introspective AC of "Thursday's Child" to the techno rock dance of "I'm Afraid Of Americans" (the Trent mix) and closing with the passionate soul rock of "Soul Burn".

The unfortunate thing is that it misses with some track placement. I don't understand why "Time Will Crawl" represents "Never Let Me Down" and the obvious not "Day In, Day Out". Also, some tracks take getting used to like the collaboration with the Pat Methany Group with the world music with a dance groove "This is Not America". And now I understand why people dislike Tin Machine with the c-rocker blah bombast of "Under The God", but it shows an interesting side of Bowie. These very few questionable tracks (which I can live with) don't change my overall impression of the set being very strong. Slight omissions (why not "Rock And Roll Suicide" from "Ziggy Stardust..."?) and edits (or non-edits in some cases) doesn't change the fact that this album is filled with some of the greatest transformations from the rock chameleon that Bowie is. He has rocked us in a variety of ways and this album is needed for those who have adored him for years and is superb for those just starting out. Keep in mind that there are about 22 verisons of this CD, most single discs. This is the American double CD verison.

Skip this one... and go to the good records instead...
Bowie probably just had three our four phases in his carrer. The first was up to Stardust and Diamond Dogs (Hunky, The Man Who Sold Space Oddity, can be included into that phase), made up of nice songs and catchy ballads, interspersed with some elegantyl rocking tunes. Then what?... some kind of re-orientation release, Young Americans, doesn't sound or taste like anything in particular, and you wouldn't be worse off if you just forgot all about this record.

And then came an interesting phases in his career, in my view the most interesting one, where he consecutively released a stack of good records, starting with Station To Station, followed by Low and Heroes. Lodger is patchy at most, and doesn't taste like anything peculiar. He then somehow finishes off this great phase of his career with Scary Monsters, a nice reverence and look-back at his past years and early career. And what of Let's Dance, you may ask? Mhh... trendy but a bit in-between... you could well place it in this phase, although it already has a definitively different look-out on things. Let's Dance is definitively already an eighties album, but offers a rather good transition to the preceding decade's collection of works.

What then came, the third and last phase, is altogether different, some good things, and some things not that good. David definitively became an artistic Lodger, but who cares, he had already delivered his best (the first or second phases of his career, depending on your taste.)

All in all, if you want to know the man, I'd recommend you just skip this Best of collection and just get the Station, Low, Heroes albums, and maybe also the Monsters and Let's Dance releases. These were definitely his best and most mature albums. The rest is at times interesting but, in the end, just fills up space...

Mesmerizing Bowie
This is a great album. David Bowie himself might be a little odd. However, I've all ways liked his taste of music.
From Space Oddity to Ziggy Stardust. You'll get allot of good use from this set.
I have several of his CD's. However, this is one of my favorites. It has allot of his good songs on it.
There are just a tun of great choices hear.

Disc: 1

1. Space Oddity
2. The Man Who Sold The World
3. Changes
4. Life On Mars?
5. Moonage Daydream
6. Suffragette City    

7. Ziggy Stardust    
8. All The Young Dudes    
9. The Jean Genie    

10. Panic In Detroit    
11. Rebel, Rebel    
12. Diamond Dogs    
13. Young Americans    
14. Fame    
15. Golden Years    
16. TVC15    
17. Sound and Vision    
18. Heroes    
19. D.J.    
Disc: 2

1. Ashes To Ashes    
2. Fashion    
3. Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)    
4. Under Pressure    
5. Cat People (Putting Out Fire)    
6. Let's Dance    
7. China Girl    
8. Modern Love    

great!
i bought this cd not know many songs from bowie, just wantin a cd that had some good songs. i never knew he did t hat "lets dance" song, which is now constantly stuck in my head. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

A fresh, uncompromising attempt to incorporate 1978 pop techniques into the band's familiar sound, Some Girls opens with the disco sass of "Miss You" and closes with the self-destructive punk of "Shattered." (Both songs, especially "Miss You," with its distinctive Mel Collins sax solo, remain live showstoppers.) So the Stones declared credibility in the dance circuit without sacrificing their hard-rock reputation. Though the anti-love "Beast of Burden" and the stylishly slow "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" continue to rack up the most airplay, the obscurities stand up surprisingly well. Worth replaying: Keith Richards's rickety rocker "Before They Make Me Run." --Steve Knopper ... Read more

Reviews (118)

The last great Stones album
The Stones have always been adept at putting their own touch on different musical styles. When they first started out, they played their version of Chicago R&B and they went on to explore the sounds of country, blues & reggae among others. When Some Girls was released in 1978, disco and punk were the new musical stylings and the album contains the band's attempts at those genres. As usual, the Stones were able to employ musical elements from those styles and make it sound all their own. From the opening of the discoized number hit of "Miss You" to the closing of the frenzied punk of "Shattered", the Stones bounce around the musical map. You get strong punk influenced rockers like "When The Whip Comes Down", "Respectable" & "Lies" to the goofy country of "Faraway Eyes" to the midtempo of "Beast Of Burden" & "Some Girls". They transform the Temptations' "Just My Imagination" from the original ballad to a ripping rocker. Some Girls is the last album by the Stones that goes from beginning to end without a throwaway track. They went on to release some very good albums after this one, but this was their last truly great one.

Cool stuff
This is probably their biggest selling album. 10 songs, a Temptations cover and 9 originals: 2 non-descript punk-based tunes, the disco-esque "Miss You", classic rock standards "Beast Of Burden" and "Shattered", the beautifully offensive country tune "Far Away Eyes", Keith singing lead on the hard rocking "Before They Make Me Run", and generally a sloppy feel as Ron Wood and Mick Jagger play more of the guitar than normal. Few if any studio musicians make an appearance. "Some Girls" is a sort of laid back tune, more offensive lyrics here, and basically you have the Stones being themselves, and that is one cool sound. When they follow a trend, they always do it well, whether it's psychedelia ("2000 Light Years from Home") or grunge ("Love is Strong"), and that remains true on this one. Here they absorb Punk, Disco, and 70's Rock influences, and do them better than just about anyone. Irresistable.

Thank You Jesus, Thank You Lord
This is one of those albums that I can't help but like. I am by no means a die-hard Stones fan, though I do enjoy their music from time to time. With the exception of "Shattered", which I have always found to be annoying, the rest of the songs are great. The title track is one of my all-time favorite songs and other stand out tracks include "When the Whip Comes Down", the mega-hit "Beast of Burden" and, of course "Far Away Eyes", which is a great country songs that breaks all of the rules. Even Keith's vocal contribution, "Before They Make Me Run" isn't half bad...for Keith.

Hey Mick - Welcome back!
What is it about 'Some Girls' that's so special? It's easy enough to understand - after what critics and casual fans refer to as a "slump" from 1973-1977, this album revitalized general interest in the Stones. 'Some Girls' mixed disco, rock and country together to create a tough new sound.

The songs transition into each other very easily, thus picking a few favorites or high points is extremely difficult. 'Beast of Burden' is a shining example of Mick's mastery of the ballad. 'Miss You' captures the energy of disco music, but resists sounding dated.

'Some Girls' fused the experimental spirit of 'Black & Blue' with the classic rock fundamentals of 'It's Only Rock & Roll' and charged it with the energy from their 'Love You Live' 1977 release. After exploring different styles, the Stones were ready to focus and refine their sound. 'Some Girls' will please both casual and die-hard fans alike.

Finally Found!
Unbeknownst to me, "Some Girls" was my mother's favorite song, of all time! She'd never been able to find it, in stores, and only had a dying 80s cassette tape thereof. Imagine my pleasure at finally finding this album! What a great Mother's Day gift! ... Read more

Amazon.com

For Our Children launched in 1990 and in many ways inspired the bounty of celebrity-philanthropy records for kids in its wake. From Bob Dylan and Sting to Barbra Streisand, Paul McCartney, and Elton John, the roster on this cornucopia of great kid songs--and even greater interpretations--has donated all proceeds to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Although tilted toward baby-boomer parents, the tracks have a timeless, ageless appeal. You'll be hard-pressed to find another five-star children's recording this satisfying, including the follow-up effort, For Our Children, Too. Little Richard rocks "Itsy Bitsy Spider," McCartney turns his sweet, melodic gifts toward "Mary Had a Little Lamb," and Bruce Springsteen makes a lively stew of "Chicken Lips and Lizard Hips." Other noteworthy moments include Jackson Browne and Jennifer Warnes doing the Beatles' "Golden Slumbers" and Carole King reprising the Disney Dumbo love theme, "Child of Mine." But surely the crowning touch is Dylan's unforgettable version of "This Old Man," phrased and delivered as only Dylan can with his mercurial invention and powerful character. This belongs in your children's collection. --Martin Keller ... Read more

Reviews (38)

A perfect children's cd
I always tuck this cd in the bag as part of a baby shower gift. I loved rocking my babies to these tracks in the middle of the night and can't believe it's been ten years that I've owned it but still love to listen and smile thinking about their nursery years. There are a number of different charity pop compilations that were released after but none can compare to this original. All of them have just enough stylized arrangements to make them as endearing to adults who know these artists as to kids.

If you need another reason to convince you to buy it - the profits go to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

My favorite tracks are:
"Gartan Mother's Lullaby" - Meryl Streep; "Child of Mine" - Carole King; "Child Is Born" - Barbra Streisand; and "Tell Me Why" - Pat Benatar - soft sweet soothing songs. Got my kids to sleep every time.
"Getting to Know You" - James Taylor - perfect song for his style. I remember this song being sung to me!

"Itsy Bitsy Spider" - Little Richard; "Blueberry Pie" - Bette Midler; and "Chicken Lips and Lizard Hips" - Bruce Springsteen - hilariously adorable.
"Golden Slumbers" - Jackson Browne - just a great song well done.
"This Old Man" - Bob Dylan - is so cute, so Bob Dylan - you'll have to hum along.

The Gartan Mother's Lullaby
I am both surprised and disappointed that nobody has mentioned the Gartan Mother's Lullaby. What is the Gartan Mother's Lullaby? Why, it's an absolutely lovely Donegal traditional lullaby. However, the most beautiful version I ever heard of it was sung-- surprise surprise, by Merryl Streep. Who knew she could sing? It's an absolutely beautiful rendition, perhaps the most beautiful you'll ever heard of this song. Magical.

The liner notes don't explain much about the song, so here it goes:

Sleep O babe, for the red bee hums the silent twilight's fall,
Aoibheall from the grey rock comes, to wrap the world in thrall.
A leanbhan O, my child, my joy, my love my heart's desire,
The crickets sing you lullaby, beside the dying fire.

Dusk is drawn and the Green Man's thorn is wreathed in rings of fog,
Siabhra sails his boat till morn, upon the Starry Bog.
A leanbhan O, the paly moon hath brimmed her cusp in dew,
And weeps to hear the sad sleep-tune, I sing O love to you.

Aoibheall - (EE-val) Meaning: the name of the queen of the northern fairies
leanbhan - (LYAN-uh-van) Meaning: little child, baby
Tearmann - (CHAR-uh-muhn) Meaning: tearmann = sanctuary, refuge, or church land, name of village near Lough Gartan
Siabra - (SHEE-vra) a prankster class of trooping fairies, also spelled Shefro or Siofra.

This song alone is worth the entire Album. But "Autumn To May" is also a beautiful rendition.

This CD is just the BEST!
Like so many other reviewers, I had this CD 20 years ago. I was a nanny at the time, and shared this music with so many different children and without exception, they all LOVED it! As fate would have it, the CD was lost, and I was devastated. When I saw that it was available again, I was beyond thirlled and ordered it immediately! This CD is an excellent way to fight childhood obesity - my own children (ages 5 and 6-1/2) just cannot sit still when they hear this music - they dance and sing throughout!

Awesome comeback with this album!
I bought this for my daughter in 1991 when she was a baby... She is now 13 yrs old. She new all the songs by heart by the time she was 1 1/2. My mom's favorite is Itsy Bitsy Spider. Unfortunately it was lost in a move and like many folks, who looked for it for years,I found it no longer in print. I had my 2nd child 5 yrs ago and by the time I tried to find a used one out in cyberspace I found, to my surprise, it was in print again(YAY!). Now my son enjoys this and still, so does my daughter. I am so glad they brought this back onto the market!!

In Harmony is better
I got this CD for my grandson. I was disappointed when I heard it. It was nice but surprisingly bland. In Harmony, while older, is a much better children's "album." ... Read more