Amazon.com

Waiting to Exhale is the exception that proves the rule about mish-mash '90s soundtrack albums. Even though it features 22 different female voices, the album boasts a rare continuity because Babyface wrote or cowrote 15 of the songs and produced all 16. Moreover, the gifted R&B artist used every song to explore the film's theme of women trying to balance self-respect and romantic desire. Not only has Babyface (nee Kenny Edmonds) created a fascinating song suite, he has produced one of the best middle-of-the-road-pop, adult- contemporary albums of the decade. Mary J. Blige stakes out a claim as the new diva on the block with an astonishing performance on "Not Gon' Cry." Babyface's music and lyrics suggest a woman barely holding back a swelling flood of anger and heartache, and Blige's brilliant vocal captures both the agitation and the restraint. --Geoffrey Himes ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Great Soundtrack...Five Reasons
Waiting To Exhale is such a great soundtrack that men aren't afraid to admit that they have it in their collection. here are five reasons why this soundtrack is a definite must have.

1. Babyface wrote and produced the entire album, and from his history that instantly makes it worth listening to.

2. Mary J. Blige, SWV, Brandy, Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, Cece Winans, TLC, Toni Braxton, Aretha Franklin, Faith Evans all sing on this album. Can You possibly go wrong?

3. Brandy - Sittin Up In My Room is my favorite midtempo track of all time

4. The soundtrack stands alone. In fact I have never seen the movie but own the soundtrack. Usually you buy the soundtrack and then see the movie or vice versa...not so with this one. The songs perfectly tell the story of the movie judging from the reviews of the movie. Every song has a definite theme and feel.

5. The soundtrack is soothing and relaxing but not sleep inducing. Some cd's have a laid back feel but sometimes make you sleepy...that's not evident here though.

Waiting To Exhale - One of the Great Soundtracks of the 90's, right up there with Above The Rim and Murder Was The Case. An Essential album.

Great Soundtrack
The soundtrack for WAITING TO EXHALE is an excellent collection of R&B songs from the divas in R&B. Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Shanice, TLC, Toni Braxton, Brandy, Mary J Blige, Chaka Khan, SWV and many more appear on this soundtrack. Some highlights include the self affirming "Not Gon Cry" by Mary J Blige, the beautiful "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" by Whitney Houston, and also another song by Whitney titled "Why Does It Hurt So Bad", "Let It Flow" by Toni Braxton, "My Funny Valentine" by Chaka Khan, and more. It was a great idea to include so many different female R&B artists, on one collection of great songs, which really do fit the style of the movie. Any fan of R&B music will want this CD, as it represents a different time in R&B, when it meant something completely different, than it does today in R&B. A great soundtrack overall and well worth looking into, and the movie is pretty good too!

A greatest OST album ever!
first, the artists are great!! they are not only famous but awesome. all songs impressed me. i bought this album luckily. it is a rare album in korea. my money deserves this album. songs are impressing. i don't regret this album and i recommend this.

Brandy - Sittin up in my room
Mary J. Blige - Not gon cry
Whitney & CeCe - Count on me
Sonja Marie - and i gave my love to you

a must-have of the 90's
your 90's collection of r&b music is incomplete without this compilation of r&b/soul singles from artists of that time like TLC, Toni Braxton, Mary J Blige, Brandy and musical legends like Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin and Patti Labelle. It would have been even better if female artists like Janet Jackson, Monica, Aaliyah, Mariah Carey and En Vogue were featured too, but still a must have. Standout tracks are Exhale, Sittin Up In My Room, This Is How It Works, Not Gon' Cry, Count On Me

not the best
i love babyface. he is much better than david foster but still i was skeptikal listening to an album full of babyface songs, as it would get kinda boring...and it did. i liked whitneys hit "exhale", Toni braxton's "let it flow" and brandy's "Sittin up in my room" but that's all i pretty much liked. I wasn't feeling TLC (tho i usually do) on "This is how it works." I love all the singers on this soundtrack and i thought with babyface it would be a dream come true but it ended up being a nightmare. Sorry but a WHOLE ALBUM with babyface? I dont think so. ... Read more

Reviews (36)

I'd give it ten stars if I could...
This is one awesome CD. I originally bought it because I saw two songs I liked on the CD case - "Brickhouse" by The Commodores, and "Car Wash" by Rose Royce. Not being too familiar with the funk genre at the time, I figured this would be another of my CDs where I bought it for the two or three songs I liked, and the rest were throwaways. Besides, it was on sale, and looked like a good bargain.

After having played the CD, I was like, WOW! Every song on this CD totally jams! I found myself buying albums from the likes of Issac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield just through the influence of this CD. I now have a much broader musical taste and enjoy the strains of "The Theme from Shaft" while rolling down the highway. This is my favorite CD by far, and is unlikely to be unseated by another in the near future.

Yes!
This CD rocks the house. It's got all the classic funk songs, from Shaft to Superfly to Brickhouse and Car Wash. It is excellent. The tunes just keep bouncing around in my head. It's great dance music as well. This is a classic, buy it today.

luv da funk
volume 1 and 2 of pure funk r the twon best funk cds out there buy them 2day

PURE!
Thank you, oh funk-compilation-geniuses. This CD introduced me to funk and lifted me out of the disco genre. While "Don't Stop the Music" is a low point, and i have developed a pyschological block to "Car Wash" (very like my relationship with fleetwood mac's "Landslide") the rest of the album is funk, at it's purest best. "Brick House" "Shining Star" and "Lady Marmalade" are very, very worth the money. It's a great CD for listening to when you're having a low day (i.e. Mondays), or at a party. Basically rooted out all of the crappy funk that otherwise innocent souls would have had to sift through.

Solid!
Pure Funk is the best compilation CD of funk I've seen. Although there are a couple of misses and boderline songs (Cameo, Yarbrough and Peoples), the disc holds up very well. It would be hard to include more funk hits into one disc, but a glaring missing-in-funk-tion is James Brown's "Get on Up" or "Hot Pants". The first four songs are worth the price of the album. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Whoopi Goldberg has a lot of talents, but singing is not one of them. Hearing her massacre Motown classics like "Dancing in the Street," "Ball of Confusion" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" in her flat, dull voice on this soundtrack album would be harmless if a whole generation weren't being introduced to these songs through her clumsy performances. Several choirs turn in lackluster performances of gospel numbers. The disc's one redeeming moment is Aretha Franklin's overpowering delivery of "A Deeper Love," written and produced by C+C Music Factory. --Geoffrey Himes ... Read more

Reviews (26)

That's Some Powerful Gospel!
I prefer Sister Act 2 Soundtrack over Sister Act because of it content of songs. It has the best selection of songs. Don't get me wrong, Sister Act is good but I think this is better. Consisting you have Lauryn Hill of The Fugees and Grammy Award winner for her album 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.' My question is, why hasn't other talents like Ryan Toby and Tanya Blount been successful? Blount did a great album called 'Natural Thing' but nothing since then. I'm glad they have this album as a momento of some of the best singing talent around.

Just about every song here are some of the best classics put together. Whoopi does an OK job on Motown's classics, 'Dancing in the Street,' 'Ball of Confusion' (with the St. Francis Sisters) and closing song 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough.' The best comes from Lauryn Hill and Tanya Blount singing the old gospel hymn 'His Eye Is On the Sparrow.' There's excitement in 'Oh Happy Day' sung by Ryan Toby and the St. Francis Choir. Their shining moment at the competition with the new version of 'Joyful, Joyful.' They bring down the house with their kicked up performance. So if you haven't seen the film yet, don't miss out on some fun, some powerful voices and beautiful gospel.

Fun, Fun, Fun
This is simply a fun album to play. We hear it a lot because my wife loves it and she loves to sing. She has a good voice and often uses this album as a warm-up before singing.

The opening medley is lively and constantly changing (medleys tend to do that, but not as fun as this one). "Oh Happy Day" is fun to sing-along to, especially if you have seen the movie. They dynamics and voice control on "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" are awesome. The "Ode to Joy" is like "Boston Public" meets Saint Olaf's Choir. Followed by "Joyful, Joyful" will get you off your feet, clapping your hands and stomping your feet. Even Whoopi Goldberg does a decent job in "Ain't No Mountain High Enough".

If you love to sing, you must get this album (and should watch the movie, too). If you like upbeat songs or gospel songs, certainly give this album a try.

One of The Great Soundtracks...
Back in the day Sister Act 2 was one of my favorites because it represented the struggle to rise up and overcome adversity and doubt and excel...something we needed coming out the ghetto. Hope. The soundtrack was definitely a fun 'sing - along' type of thing since I already knew all the songs from watching the movie so much anyway. Notable singers that were on the album include Ryan Toby of City High fame, Tanya Blount, and the great Lauryn Hill. Granted that outside the movie I would rarely listen to these songs but that's exactly why this is a soundtrack. When I feel like reminiscing about a movie or something I just pop in the soundtrack. Still a great soundtrack with very memorable songs. 5 Stars.

Soulful
Do not listen to Amazon.com's review of this CD. You will be deprived of a great collection of soulful songs from the cast, especially their version of Oh Happy Day. And this contains one of the first available recordings of Lauryn Hill, who was also in the movie as an angsty teenager. Buy the CD and the DVD and enjoy.

GREAT!
This shows why soundtracks are good in the first place. This CD is so much fun, just like the original! I can'tdescribe it any other way. It lifts your spirits, every soulfull and uplifting tune! It has great Dance songs too! If you have a chance to listen to this CD, take it! ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Soulful relaxing music
This was a pretty laid back, jazz kinda, funky hip-hop collection of artist/music. My favorite cuts are Melky & Day's "I got a love jones for you", "Hopeless" (I love this song), and "The sweetest thing" by Lauryn Hill. Larenz Tate's The brother of the night poem is also included in this cd. I have listened to this CD for the past couple of years and I'm not that big on it. I actually was hoping the soundtrack would be as good as the movie.

I didn't even see the movie (yet)...
...and this CD is still played very often! My mom got this one around when the movie was released and we still listen to it. It's what got me into less commericial R&B (Ie: Jesse Powell, etc). The better part of the CD however occurs in the first half, and after that it kinda sounds the same throught it...just long slowish predictable R&B Numbers (Good background music for partys or dinner). Dionne Farris opens up after a wierd poem thingy with a song Called "Hopeless" which is cool and mellow, with catchy refrain ("They say you're hopeless like a penny with a hole in it"). The standout track has got to be "The Sweetest Thing" by Lauryn Hill and the Refugee Camp (Fugee's). It has to be her best single solo-wise since "Killing Me Softly." It's also a nice and mellow dance jam. "I've Got A Love Jones For You" is also another cool number and could also be called the Movie's theme. The other one's I like are "Sumthin' Sumthin': Mellowsmothe [Cut]" by male R&B Sensation Maxwell as well as XScape's "In The Rain." The rest I could take or leave but as I said earlier are good for using background party music. Definatly Reccomended to any Lauryn Hill/Fugee's and lite R&B Fan.

Great Collaboration of Talent
I think it's a great collaboration of talent on one CD. I saw the movie and enjoyed the love story, which provoked me to go out and buy the CD. I'm truly a no doubt die-hard old school junky and jazz fan. I find myself reaching for this CD quite often when I'm kicked back chilling. I had a cocktail party a couple weeks ago and most of my friends love the way I can mix Jazz and Old School so smoothly but were asking about a couple of the songs they heard off the CD and because I'm not a selfish person I shared with them the name of the CD and each one of them went out and purchase and said that they like the entire CD. It's definitely a great piece to add to your collection of music.

Love Jones for This CD
This disc, is an extremely entertaining winner. The price was the sheer factor for me. I could have been my usual self and burned a copy. At 11.99 it won me. All I had to do was hear the track by Cassandra Wilson to make me want to seek this disc out. I love all of the songs except "Hopeless" by Dionne Ferris. It was never a good song, but I could probably get used to it. In A Sentimental Mood, got me excited...I remember watching a classic episode of Cosby and he had been feeding her some fruit. He put this on his trusty record player and i had been looking hard for this song. I couldn't get over how awesome it was then and to hear it now, gave me chills all over. This disc is something to be treasured for a long long time. Get it before it's gone...Now all i have to do is see the movie!!

The Best Movie & Soundtrack
This is my favorite soundtrack. All of the songs are great. And the movie is great too. This is a must have in your collection. Nice mellow music. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Motown did so many things well in the '60s and early '70s that this overview of the label's smashes (and some lesser-known classics) practically demands four CDs. It gets them, too, filling them with single mixes of more than 100 tracks. That the running order begins with Barrett Strong's statement of purpose "Money (That's What I Want)" and ends with Marvin Gaye's statement of concern "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" says a lot about how far the company moved in its golden decade--but no more so than what the same two cuts' differences in sound get across. The company was able to blend the smooth and the harsh in ways that few other pop entities have ever mastered, thereby getting over not only to the feet and the wallet, but to the heart. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (36)

A great cornerstone to any classic pop/rock collection
When this box set was originally released, it was something of a godsend. Each CD is packed with over 74 minutes of great Motown tracks, digitally remastered from the original master tapes used for the original mono single mixes (just as they came out of the radio back then). I don't really need to tell you how great this music is; everyone who isn't cut off from American music has enjoyed this stuff through some form of the media. What's especially nice about this set is the number of minor, obscure hits presented, which is just as good as the classic material.

This is a great place to start a classic pop/rock collection, and I stress that this set is a great PRIMER. There are plenty of essential Motown classics that were left out due to space constraints, particularly hits by the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and the Supremes ("Where Did Our Love Go," "Stop! In The Name Of Love," and "Back In My Arms Again" are missing among many others). Luckily, these songs are widely available in various single CD, double CD, and box set anthologies, and any of these, depending on your tastes, will fill the gaps just fine.

At the time of its release, this box set sounded better than every previous Motown CD, but in recent years, Motown has reissued much of this material in anthologies that feature clearer sounding stereo mixes as well as slightly better sounding mono mixes. Audiophiles may prefer the definition and higher fidelity of the stereo mixes, but there's something about the punchiness of these mixes that make them preferable to me, particularly on the percussion sound.

A taste of honey is just as sweet......
Don't get me wrong, this set of CD's is unbelievable. After you know the story of the infamous Funk Brothers, its hard to keep a dry eye listening to the infallable funky beat of the Motown sound. Unfortunately, while this collection picks up some of my all time favorites (like the Originals, "Baby, I'm for Real"), there are others that didn't make the cut (Marvin Gaye's "Hitchhike", amoung others). So what this collection really serves as is a whetting of the appetite, a reminder of what music used to be, a taste of honey if you will....when music kept your foot tapping and your soul full of hope. What today's generation has done to music is absolutely criminal. Thin, vapid and useless. Do yourself a favor. Even though this is just enough to get the taste in your mouth, dab your finger in the honey jar and get this CD collection. You'll come to realized that despite all the flaws behind the scenes, Motown produced the groove that carried the world through the heartache of the Vietnam War, JFK's assassination and the end of our innocence.

Every track on this box set is in mono sound!
Boy, what a disappointment!

Every single one of these 104 songs are presented in their original mono sound, just as they were all those years ago. However, nowhere on the package does it mention this important fact.

This would normally be a 5 STAR box, but because of the unadvertised mono sound, I give it only 3 stars!

A little dishonesty there, Motown.

Very Fine Compilation
This is a very good compilation showing the glorious history of this classic label between 59-71. Be warned these are all MONO mixes, if you want the modernised stereo versions get the 3 CD set entitled 'Capital Gold - Motown Classics'. However if you want the real thing this compilation is the one, although I do agree that they should go for it and issue a mammoth box set in the vein of the Stax-Volt 28 CD issue that would cover every base.

Fascinating look at sixties Motown
This boxed set of Motown's early years leaves out a lot of obvious songs, which leaves room for a lot of wonderful songs that you don't normally hear, but which are well worth a listen.

My favorite of the four CD's here is the first, containing many of the early classics that were huge hits in America but not in Britain, where Motown was slow to catch on. Only My guy, Dancing in the street and Baby love, near the end of this CD, were major hits in the UK for the original Motown artists, though other songs became UK hits via cover versions. This CD is particularly notable for several classic songs by the Marvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas, the Miracles and Mary Wells, though Stevie Wonder, the Four Tops, the Temptations and Marvin Gaye are also represented here by early examples of their greatness.

The second and third CD's show Motown at the peak of their power with many classic songs included, although Diana Ross and the Supremes are poorly represented and plenty of other classics are also omitted. However, the absence of these songs leaves room to include songs by Chris Clark, Kim Weston, Brenda Holloway, the Contours, the Monitors, the Elgins, Shorty Long, Rita Wright (better known as Syreeta) and Bobby Taylor.

The final CD contains more high quality music but it was around this time that Motown started to slip as some of their stars departed to other labels and the replacements were not always of the same standard. So the final CD is great, but the first three are even better.

A companion boxed set covering the years from 1972 is also available. There are great songs on there too but not as many as can be found here.

This box is well presented with a superb booklet, but if you want a sixties hits collection, there are many other collections that will suit you better. For the ultimate Motown sixties hits collection, I recommend the British triple CD, Motown gold, which contains over eighty songs digitally re-mastered, almost all of them classics, though a few were hits in Britain but not America. ... Read more

Amazon.com

No one can lay claim to the development of urban music like Motown can.From Marvin Gaye to Diana Ross and the Supremes to the Jackson 5, Berry Gordy and crew sifted through the finest singers, hooked them up with the slickest songwriters, and ushered them into the studio--while simultaneously bringing in a new era in music. On Motown: The Classic Years, that foresight and talent is showcased in 40 lovingly selected all-time hits from 1960 to 1972. Whether you're looking for an introduction to R&B or just a flawless mix of great songs, pick up this double disc. Not only will you find classics such as the Supremes' "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "The Tears of a Clown" by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, but there are also some interesting juxtapositions, such as "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Gladys Knight and the Pips in succession with the same song sung (even more famously) by Gaye. Best of all are the liner notes: in a few sentences, the story behind each song is given, as well as its date of release and its peak position on the charts. Urban Music 101, indeed. --Heidi Sherman ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Motor City Soul Bonanza
Berry Gordy Jr. and Motown changed the face of the pop music landscape. And over the course of the 40 tracks on this two-disc set (1960-73) you can hear for yourself the impact his stable of artists had. It's worth noting that the Beatles' Capitol debut contained no fewer than three Motown songs, two of which ("Money" and "Please Mr. Postman") are included here.

The only problem with a Motown anthology is that for every great song you include, there are a dozen that had to be left off. Essentially what this set amounts to is a condensed version of 1992's Hitsville USA box set. Only nine of these songs did not appear on the Hitsville Box: "Where Did Our Love Go," "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Someday We'll Be Together" by the Supremes, "I Can't Help Myself" by the Four Tops, "Going to a Go-Go" by the Miracles, "Your Precious Love" by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, "I Heard Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" by the Temptations and "Neither One of Us" by Gladys Knight & The Pips. [The last two were on Hitsville, vol. 2.]

This is a terrific collection of songs and if you don't already have these in your music library, this is a great way to add these classic Motown tracks to your collection. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

"Classic Years" Sound of Young America for New Millenium
After the plethora of box sets, one and 2CD artist anthologies, movie soundtracks and TV compilations (not to mention the original artist albums and "16 Greatest Hits" compilations from the 1960s), you had to wonder if any other (let alone correct) way existed to compile Motown's fundamental song/textbook of popular music.

The 2CD set "The Classic Years," from the Universal Music TV department that provided a series of bestselling "Pure" CD reissues ("Pure Ella," "Pure 80s," "Pure Tenors") , represents the most successful attempt yet to capture priceless Motown magic in an affordable bottle. Of course too many songs are missing; even the casual music fan will miss seminal tracks like "Love Child," "Get Ready," "I Second That Emotion," and dozens of others. Meanwhile, "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" and "Someday We'll Be Together, " (the Temptations and Supremes last #1 hits, respectively) are weightier productions than actual songs, best left off the next anthology.

Credit goes to Harry Wenger's liner notes, which do not yet again attempt to chart the road in and out of "Hitsville USA" or contemporize it (a fault of Nelson George's essay in 1998's "Motown 40 Forever" ). Instead, you get interesting background stories and ironic commentary within songs. For example, the notes on Gladys Knight and Marvin Gaye's respective versions of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" bridge their drastically different, magnificent renditions. The annotation on David Ruffin's still-powerful solo hit "My Whole World Ended" (a rarity on compilations like this) point out that the song originally was for his former group, the Temptations.

But these 40 songs, covering 1962-71 (considered the "classic years," when the label was headquartered in Detroit), form as good (and good-sounding, thanks to Suha Gur's exceptional remastering) a time capsule of a music and era as we may get in the still-new millenium. No Motown collection (or pop music collection) is complete without "My Girl," "I Can't Help Myself," "I Want You Back," "Do You Love Me," and almost all the other songs here. This is a value-added, intelligent way to acquire them, and "The Classic Years" delightfully introduces "The Sound of Young America" to yet another generation.

The Best of the Best of Motown
As a former native Detroiter who grew up with this music (and has a considerable vinyl Motown collection), I was looking for a good classic collection to take along with me to listen to in the car, in the office, etc. This is one of the best brief (2 CD -40 song) Motown collection that I've seen.

True, it is primarily a condesation of the more comprehensive Hitsville 1959-1971 collection. But in one respect it is definitely better, and that is regarding the Supremes. The Hitsville collection inexplicably omits their signature hits Where Did Our Love Go and Stop! In the Name of Love, as well as their swan song Someday We'll Be Together, all of which are on this collection. This collection also keeps the maximum number of songs per act to five, which enables it to include great hit songs by lesser known groups such as the Undisputed Truth and the Contours.

Above all, this is the Best of the Best of Motown (16 of these songs were No. 1 Pop Hits, only one song - Money - did not make the Top 20), and that is very good indeed.

Perfect! Motown will forever stand!
To me, Motown is the greatest record company ever. I have never seen a record label produce so many hits in history. This is feel-good music that will keep you dancing, make you sing along, and make you want to crank the sound up. The sound is not bad at all, it is excellent. If the Hitsville U.S.A. box sets are too complex and you're just going for the basics, this is perfect for you. I love every song on here. I might have substituted Gladys Knight and the Pips' "Neither One Of Us" with their other hit "Midnight Train to Georgia." "Motown-The Classic Years" is a definitive collection of Motown hits you can't do without.

BAD SOUND
STAY WITH MOTOWN'S BOX SET HITSVILLE EARLY YEARS. YOU GET SAME SONGS AND MANY MORE PLUS PERFECT SOUND FROM THE ORIGINAL MASTER
TAPES. NICE SELECTION HERE, BUT IT IS MYSTIFYING WHY THEY DIDN'T
USE HITSVILLE'S TRACKS. SO STAY AWAY AND SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY FOR THE BOX SET
FOR A PURE MOTOWN SOUND YOU NEVER HEARD BEFORE. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Nice mix from funk
A lot of good tracks here. Sounds like an hour from commerical free radio on the night your favorite DJ is spinning the records. Put it on and close your eyes. You'll think you've traveled back in time.

I know what I like
A lot of the other reviewers have blasted this CD because it is not a true funk compilation. Well, maybe so. I don't know. I'm not a connoisseur of the art form. All I know is that I enjoyed the hell out of these songs (with the exception of Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust," which I could happily live the rest of my life without hearing again). I was exclusively into metal when these songs came around the first time, so it's a pleasure to be exposed to so many great pop songs that I was only dimly aware of, if I had heard them at all.

Soft and commercial
Seems like they sold too many of the first volume, and have produced a second just to try to rake in a little more. Hardly any of the tracks on this album are funk, and as for Queen being the opener... it speaks for itself. To me, funk is typified by an active bass line, compelling beat and sharp guitar or brass; any or all of these are lacking on most of the tracks here. What you get instead is a collection of slothful, disparate songs, hardly conducive to dancing. Save your money.

Not FUNK!!!
This is, in no way, shape or form, funk!!! I mean,how the hell is "Another One Bites The Dust" funk?! My God!!! This is sure as hell not "Pure Funk", this is soft, white funk!!! (...)

pure non funk 2
funk is that kinda vibe you eat hotwings and groove at fish fries funk is when you come out of church's chicken jamming, sorry but half this cd is not funk, d train is bubblegum pop, gap band outstanding is not funky enough, but hits, why is queen on here they was not a funk group, the whispers no way hose, carl carlton's she's a bad mama jama is not a funk classic, i always said these funk compilations does the artists injustice, if you wanna learn what funk is check out the original recordings well i'll list a few, the entire catalog, and entourage of james brown, parliament-funkadelic, sly stone, larry graham, bootsy collins, barkays, ohio players, chaka khan and rufus, cameo,curtis mayfield, mandrill, earth, wind fire, war, the list is endless. ... Read more

Album Description

2 CDs featuring original extended mixes by New Edition,Cameo, Doug E. Fresh, Gap Band, Kool & The Gang, Blondie,Jermaine Sweet, The Whispers Rick James and more. 24tracks. 2002. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good Solid Set
I think this is a Cool overall set&covers alot of 80's Jams!! but I don't think that every Act here should have a Long Version.but the Jams that stood out truly only get stronger here.you will enjoy the Bumps&Grooves here.

If you were in high school during the 80's....
My younger brother bought this one. I took a listen and while many of the tracks I relish from the 80's, a good number of the remaining ones suffered from the "extended" versions featured on this compilation.

The longer/remixed versions of Blondie's "Rapture", Rick James's "Super Freak", "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" (The Gap Band) and "Rock Steady" by The Whispers are welcome jams that are timeless.

However, cuts like "Last Night a DJ Saved My Life" (Indee), "Ain't Nothing Going on But the Rent" (Gwen Guthrie), "The Show" by Doug E. Fresh and a few others had their "moment in the sun" in that decade and were more appreciated by my sibling's 30-something-year-old ears than my slightly more "mature and refined" late 40's-year-old ones.

What a difference a decade and a half makes! Sheesh! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Among the originators of the Philly soul sound of the late '60s and pre-disco '70s, the Delfonics fashioned hit after hit with the same basic formula of ultra-romantic crooning, three-part harmonies, and a supremely mellow accompaniment that came with a pillow of lush string orchestrations. The 20 Delfonics hits collected on La-La Means I Love You--including their best-known songs, "La-La Means I Love You" and "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)"--amount to R&B easy-listening, often soothing to the degree they become aural wallpaper. At times, though, this stuff can transcend its own schmaltz. --Roni Sarig ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Recommended introduction to the Delfonics
The Delfonics were a Philadelphia soul group that formed in 1965 and disbanded in 1974. Their big hits included "La-La Means I Love You" and "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)." Of course this collection includes them and also contains 18 other great songs. Their catalog of tunes is notable for the ethereal mood of the music, the sleek harmonies, and the overall polished smoothness. All of these qualities are well conveyed by this CD. It is a recommended introduction to the swell soulful sound of the Delfonics.

Delfonics Forever
This is an incredible collection that will make you sing, weep, smile, and fall in love all over again. I grew up in DC in the late 60's and 70's where Delfonics music was a part of life...we loved the Philly sound. The romantic ballads of the Delfonics were truly original and unmatched then and now. Never ever will anyone sing "La La Means I Love You" (played at my wedding reception) or "Didn't I Blow Your Mind..." they way they did...classic, emotional...masterpieces here. And ending the CD with "Lying to Myself"--"Ohhhh...how bad I feel..." (y'all know what I'm talkin' about)...perfect ending. Delfonics rule.

oooh baby ooh!!!
william harts voice sounded like he was from another world. my older sister would play these records long after their releas(about 1978) when i was a kid. what impresed me about the music from that era was the quality of the songs and the sincerity in the music. i can never listen to "im sorry" once, especially that last note. i was fortunate to see four delfonics on stage in the mid 80's william and wilbert hart , randy cain and cains replacement major "love wont let me wait" harris . it's too bad that william and wilbert have broken up as a group. wilbert performs under the name "wil hart and the delfonics" while william has his own group that does not include cain or harris.

Perfection!!!
This is truly a collection of all of their greatest songs this is a great cd and it includes all of my favorites by them. My favorites are: Lala means I love you, ready or not, your'e making a fool of me, didn't I blow your mind this time, and many more goodies this is really a great cd I would reccommend anyone
who likes doo-wop to purchase this cd it is a cd with some fellas who know how to really sing and you can understand every word that they are saying this is really a great cd!!!

The ultimate in sweet 70s soul-all the good stuff
This is truly all killer and no filler. This is truly the best of the Delphonics (except for 1968's "Can You Remember" from their first Lp that is better known for the J5's version, but that's a minor complaint). The instrumentals that back these tunes are as spellbinding as the singing (particularly in "Hey Love," "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time," "When You Get Right Down To It," "Ready Or Not,"), etc. The intros to these songs catch your attention right away and the vocals keep your interest so well that you can't listen to most of these tunes less than twice. These lovely ballads show perfect construction from start to finish, GOOD music no matter your age and taste! ... Read more

Reviews (17)

The first major LaFace project...
The production duo of L.A. and Babyface, alongside Daryl Simmons continued to storm the airwaves throughout the early '90s thanks to projects like this one. They manage to bring such successful pop-like tunes like "Give U My Heart," which features Babyface and the introduction of Toni Braxton. The LaFace Cartel's "Reversal of a Dog," and A Tribe Called Quest's "Hot Sex," continue the dance floor surge on this album. However, the heartfelt ballads take the cake, with the highlight being Boyz II Men's record-breaking hit, "End of The Road." P.M. Dawn's "I'd Die Without You," and Toni Braxton's "Love Shoulda Brought You Home," are also notable tracks. Featuring the production of LaFace on 7 of the 12 songs, this is sure to be one of the best soundtracks of the early '90s...

Good Soundtrack
This soundtrack is good. I didn't really care for a couple of songs on the soundtrack though. My favorite song on the album is "Give U My Heart" by Babyface featuring Toni Braxton. This song is a great duet and its nice to jam to. Some of the other songs I enjoyed are Boys II Men's "End Of The Road" and Toni Braxton's "Love Should Have Brought You Home". I give this Soundtrack 3 stars.

The other songs
are good too! I love "Its gonna be alright," that track is the bomb.

The grace jones track is hillarious, sorry.

Exceptional!!!!!
This is an exceptional album one of the best soundtracks ever made this is vintage Toni when she had first came on the scene I love this soundtrack it is very good I wish that I could give it 100 stars because this album is so good I love just about every song on this album it is so good and this album is done by some great artists so therefore I think that the music is wonderful and the artists are real artists nothing like the ones that we have today!!!!!

Excellent
What a great soundtrack to a good movie. The most effective song on this album to me was "I'd Die Without You" by PM Dawn. I find it to be a great ballad and touching song and "End Of The Road" by Boyz II Men is pretty good too. Toni Braxton and Shanice provide somewhat good songs on here but nothing rememerable. All in all a great soundtrack and is worth the money. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Happy Happy, Fun Fun
This CD is so great. When you pop it in at a party the whole room starts to dance! The songs on it are ones we'll all recognize, if not from the originals then from the rap songs that sampled heavily from them. This is a fun CD and everyone I play it for runs out and buys it. We want the funk.

A must-have disc for anyone who's having a party soon
Rhino records has justifiably made its name with compilation CDs. "Millenium Funk Party" rates about the highest groove-per-dollar you could ask for. With scorchers like the Ohio Players' "Love Rollercoaster" and the apocalyptically danceable "Atomic Dog" from Parliament/Funkadelic frontman George Clinton, even the most staid wallflowers will find themselves grinding their hips to a quality of funk which, sadly, is lost on the screechy R & B dance disasters of the present day. Rhino's liner notes, while excellent, suffer slightly by Rhino's own high standards with a somewhat affected style. But this is a very minor criticism for a very important CD.

Bring on the funk
Every song on this CD had me singing along with the songs that I remember from so long ago. This is one of the best various artist CDs on the market. Every last one of these songs is vintage funk. There is no filler on this CD, its all great music that will have toes tapping, feet stomping and butts shaking.

Source of many a rap rip-off or sample
This CD is definitely one of the best party and driving CDs in my collection. It's kinda like going back in time and finding a long-lost soul station somewhere down south. Every track here is a classic - it's fun to play this CD for someone who just heard a great 'original' rap song and play the funk song it was swiped from! The music here shows lack of originality in some of today's R&B; it also shows the creativity of many of the 70's and 80's funksters, even if some of them only had a couple of hits. This CD is guaranteed to liven up your next party or get together - so much better than many of the tired, safe as skim milk, moldy oldies compilations found at too many baby boomer parties today.

CLASSIC MUSIC
Nowadays When You See what's out now you can't imagine Listening to Most Of The Stuff that's Out Now in 20 years.but Here is Music that you can Groove To for the Next Many,Many,Many Years&it will never Lose it's Groove.it is a Fantastic VOyage had by all that Bop on this. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

"THE BEST OF THE 1980'S"
THIS IS A NICE COMPILATION CD FROM THE 1980'S. I LOVE THIS CD IT CONTAINS: THE SIGNATURE HIT FROM "ORAN JUICE JONES"- THE RAIN, YOUR SMILE, DO ME BABY , TASTY LOVE-FREDDIE JACKSON, I CAN'T WAIT-NU SHOOZ,AND RUMORS-THE TIMEX EL SOCIAL CLUB. I ENJOY THIS ALBUM I LIKE COMPILATION CDS AND THIS IS A VERY NICE ONE I WOULD RECCOMEND THIS ALBUM TO ANYONE WHO LIKES CLASSIC R&B TO PURCHASE THIS ALBUM!!!!

Ol' School party!!!
Yes, I'll admit, I was just a young pup when these songs were out, but still, they are the jams. "Shake You Down" by Gregory Abbott, who had to be the only man who ran out of words and sang..."Eeny, meeny, miney, mo...Come on girl, Let's rock the show."!!!! Melissa Morgan does a nice cover of Prince's "Do Me, Baby". Who could forget Nu Shooz's, "I Can't Wait"? Anndddd the best dis, this-relationship-is-over-so you-better-kick-rocks-song, would have to be "The Rain," by the Juice himself. Everyone remembers him telling that girl that his "first impulse was to run up on you and do a Rambo..." and "this is my world, you're just a squirrel trying to get a nut." This album has all the ol' school classics. This album is perfect if you want to just chill and reminisce on all the fun times of the good ole days.

This CD is great!
This CD makes you think back to the good ole days. These were the jams, and still are great to play at parties! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Awesome collection
This CD is awesome! I just got it a few days ago and cannot stop playing it. There are so many early freestyle and hip-hop hits on here. Of course, you could not have an electric funk compilation without the classic Planet Rock by Afrika Bambaataa, which was one of the earliest (And best) hip-hop songs. Play At Your Own Risk by Planet Patrol is very catchy and easily danceable. The two megamixes are unbelievably good, and I think they should have made a CD with one long megamix. Another classic on here is Herbie Hancock's Rockit, which is infectious and awesome to dance too. If you like good, danceable, catchy music, and you are interested in listening to some early dance music, pick up this awesome CD. You will not be disapointed.

The First Of Four Series
Rhino Records went to great lenths of preserving the roots of both Hip Hop and Techno music. In my honest opinion, Electric Funk gave Hip Hop more life and added more texture to the genre. Early Hip Hop music from 1979 to 1981 had a more stripped down sound, with a simple 808 beat, one synth/bass line with a couple of scatches. But Electric Funk, gave you something to both dance too and groove too. In the first series of Electric Funk : Part 1, we see the orgins of Electric Funk take it's place. Kicking off the set is "Planet Rock" (1982) by Afrika Bambaataa, which the second most important piece of Hip Hop history, right along side of "Rapper's Delight" (1979) by The Sugarhill Gang. To make this review more short, the CD showcases early Electric Funk from 1982 to 1983, mainly East Coast sounds, were Part 2 shows the beginning of the West Coast Era. Only thing i wished Rhino would have done with Part 1, was that should have added the Man Parrish classics "Hip Hop Bee Bop" and "Boogie Down Bronx", both songs played a big part in the Electric Funk genre. But overall, the four part series are one big history lesson in both the world of Hip Hop and Techno music. Another great thing, "Great liner notes, very detailed".

Original MEGAMIX by D.ST.
This CD is awesome. I just wish I had the first MEGAMIX 12" by D.ST. It is a version of ROCKIT with other Herbie Hancock songs mixed up scratching over top of the song. If anyone knows where or has a copy please e-mail me at agr1170@cs.com

Great back-in-the-day music!
This CD (part 1 of 4) is a great collection of the classic 80's jam rap/funk music. The only problem is that there's not a 5th CD! A must have for any lover of 80's 'funky fresh freaky Friday' music!

Excellent sample of the early 80's street music!
Actually this cd is part of a box wich contain 4 cd's all filled with good elektrofunk music starting from the early 80's to late 80's! i think this could be a revival of this typical street sound,maybe it will bring up some memories as well.Nice to have and to listen to. I prefer this sound before house,trance,etc. Good work! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Stupid CD Great Seller
I bought this CD because I needed a few songs on it, but over all it is silly and stupid. But the Seller was wonderful. The package was proper and secured the CD and the service was fast.

no title
...i got this cd and i just want to tell you that it's a great cdif you like your oldies but if you want some music that will get you totally [psyched] then i sugest that you get Jock jams Volume 3 (cotten eyed Joe is my fav)i had that but i lost it and right now i'm missing it it's a great cd also if you want to try something new get pure disco 2 of pure funk

Butt-kickin
This Cd is one of those ones that gets you pumped up and ready for anything especially sporting events if you are a contestant

it was awesome
it was jocking and rockin

GOOD FOR SOME BAD FOR OTHERS
THIS CD IS GOOD IF YOU LIKE HEARING LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE OVER AND OVER. I BOUGHT THIS CD BECAUSE OG THE GOOD OLDIES IT HAS ON IT. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you've never seen kids harmonizing on a street corner you didn't grow up in any major city in the 1950s. The music was pure, the lyrics understandable, and the theme was love--unrequited, lost, and found. Where classic doo-wop is concerned, the leader usually boasted the best voice, but his or her supporting cast was of equal importance when it came to vocalizing the likes of "Blue Moon," "I Wonder Why," "Barbara-Ann" and "Get a Job," performed here by the Marcels, the Regents, and Dion & the Belmonts, respectively. Also included among the 20 artists featured on this hit-laden 22-song primer are Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers ("Why Do Fools Fall in Love?"), the Monotones ("Get a Job"), and the Flamingos ("I Only Have Eyes for You"). Decades after these songs filled the airwaves, they still elicit memories and a desire to sing along--in the background, of course. --Cal Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Kinder, Gentler Urban Sound
My first exposure to pop music was the Beatles and Motown, and anytime the radio played any doo-wop, I changed the station, sneering "Ewww, oldies!" Times sure have changed, and this is very, very special music to me now. Doo-wop was truly born on America's urban street corners in the 1950s, invented and perfected by teenagers without any serious help from the adult world. The music wears its teenage heart on its sleeve, with a purity and innocence that only a child or teen could conceive. The instrumentation is bare - scarcely noticeable, while vocals provide the bass, the percussion, the counterpoint and the harmony as well as the melodious leads. Propelling the music are the most creative baby-talk syllables ever invented, such as sha-la-la, dip-dip-dip, mum-mum-mum, bom-bada-bom, ding-a-dong-ding, wop-wop-wop, rata-tata-too and many, many more.

As with many American musical inventions, blacks took the lead, but were quickly followed by white and interracial groups from adjacent urban neighborhoods, and all made major, innovative contributions to the "genre". Valuable detail on many of these groups is provided in the CD cover notes. They exemplify vocal teamwork as well as any church choir, all the way from falsetto to bass, and that is what makes them so much fun to listen and sing along to. Unlike other musical styles prevalent in the fifties and early sixties, doo-wop evolved virtually in isolation, having little in common with blues, jump, jazz, swing or rock 'n roll, and its influence on the subsequent evolution of rock or pop was limited. Still, you can hear the influence of barbershop quartets in doo-wop, and echoes of doo-wop in the harmonies of the early Beatles or Temptations. Doo-wop is like one of those evolutionary anomalies, such as the Koala - cute, cuddly, funny-looking, well-loved, but nothing like a dog, or a cat, or a horse. And yet, doo-wop was a critical part of the soundtrack of the decade 1954-1963 (roughly from "Earth Angel" to "So in Love"), and was actually close to being dominant from 1958-1961.

Doo-wop exudes joy and yearning, both in the songs themselves, and in their performance, and you can be sure that these studio creations, although masterful enough to draw tears from your eyes, fall far short of the magic of the actual street corner serenade. And so, this CD is only the tip of the iceberg - but what a treasure. And to make an obvious comparison to what is today marketed as the "urban sound", this was from a far kinder, gentler, more inclusive urban culture.

Street Corner Serenade
This is a fantastic CD for anyone that loves harmony and 50's and 60's music. The quaility is superb and the selection of tunes is very appealing. It a most entertaining collection of music.

Excellent Sampler of Fifties Doo Wop
If you are like me, a fan of the great harmonies of the 1950s doo wop groups, but don't have the money for the big boxed sets, I heartily recommend this CD. It is an excellent introduction to that great sound and some of the tunes popular on oldies radio are included in this set, such as "Teenager in Love," "Little Star," "Hushabye," and that timeless classic, "In the Still of the Nite."

Since there were so many great songs from that era, Rhino could not include every great doo wop song ever made. One major omission is "At the Hop," by Danny and the Juniors. Still, these recordings are an obvious testament to the superiority of the music forty to fifty years ago, when people could actually sing and when listeners could actually make out a melody. We may never have that era back, but thank goodness we have these recordings for posterity.

when songs had tunes
How pleasant and yet oddly weird to be transported back to the days of drive-ins, a-line skirts (first-time around) and chivalry when you were never actually there. These songs will make you want to karaoke along in a Top-Gun-esque way, even if loitering on street corners doesn't have quite the same meaning these days. 'Blue Moon' just makes me think of the small mice with the high voices from the film 'Babe' but that's not a bad thing. Another plus is more songs for your money than other similar collections. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Atlantic Records has ridden musical trends since the late '40s; these seven CDs chronicle the first 28 years of the label's work in black pop, during which artists such as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Otis Redding oversaw the creation and flowering of soul music. Also included are classic tracks by the Drifters, Wilson Pickett, Ruth Brown, the Coasters, Sam & Dave, and many others who walk through the dreams of R&B and rock & roll fans. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (26)

more artists
ps. just like to include more great r n b artists that should be on this great box set from atlantic records like levert & the system. put other divine hits out so more people are aware of other great talent,just plain wholesome good music.do you like good music,that sweet soul music!give us more hits by roberta flack, wilson pickett,ben e. king, arthur conley, otis redding, sam&dave aretha,rb greaves,drifters,spinners,esther phillips,les mccan,eddie harris, herbie mann, yusef lateef, the kingpins, percy sledge,major harris,chuck willis, clyde mcphatter,coasters,jimmy castor,ace spectrum,peggy scott&jojo benson,shirley scott,clifford brown,billy cobham,cornell dupree,blue eyed soul from lulu,delaney&bonnie&friends,awb,bette midler,the manhattan transfer,billy vera,the late,great ms.dusty spingfield,buffalo springfield,derek&the dominos,plus many more!keep up the great work!keep on soulin'on!thank you!jhh52757!

Incredible Collection Needs Updated REMASTERING
This 8 cd box set of historical R&B and early rock and roll classics is an incredible collection that documents some of the greatest recordings by a handful of the greatest R&B/Rock artists who created some of the most captivating and amazingly wonderful, R&B/Soul/Rock standards, from the pre-birth rock era and well beyond,in music history. JOE TURNER, LAVERNE BAKER, RAY CHARLES, RUTH BROWN, CHUCK WILLIS, THE COASTERS AND DRIFTERS to name a few! Rock and roll was alive well before Elvis absorbed and reinterpreted it. Unfortunately, the remastering is circa the 1980's and these recordings[at times]fall flat and sound a bit dull and weak. I bought three of the individual compact discs(they were also issued individually)in the 80's and noticed no difference in the sound quality, in comparison to this "updated" version of the Lp Box to Cd. While this is a "cream of the crop" box of classic R&B, it unashamedly borrows heavily from the STAX RECORDS SINGLES COLLECTION BOX SETS Volumes 1, 2, & 3 to a flaw...You'd think that with ATLANTIC RECORDS' long history, they wouldn't need to duplicate the cream of the crop from STAX, regardless of the fact that Atlantic was the "mother" company of STAX's distribution. I'm a "Collector" and I treasure and cherish every track of my STAX BOX SETS(all three and 28 discs!)- chart hits or non-hits - with their supreme and stellar high tech remastering. I'm a huge fan of "REMASTERING" technology and will buy and "rebuy" reissues depending on what artist is honored! Regardless, the recordings in this Box Set are essential to your ears, heart and soul, as Atlantic made history from 1947 to 1974 and well beyond...and they continue into the 21st century! I waited forever to purchase this Box, hoping the remastering would be redefined - but bought it to avoid missing out, and still, I'm almost satisfied, as you will also be. I highly recommend the Joe Turner Box, Aretha Franklin("Queen Of Soul"), Spinners, Esther Phillips, and Ray Charles(all) Boxed Sets, which are genuinely detailed and supremely remastered to the ultimate sound. You can thank Rhino Records for the finest "reissues" on many of those!

Great Box Set!
This is an amazing and extensive collection. Tied for best box set ever! (The other would be Jackie Wilson)

Really great stuff! Totally worth it!

In the beginning....
This most wonderful CD set highlights the roots of all popular music, be it soul, blues, pop. There is no doubt that the great songwriters of the 60's and 70's, not only grew up with this music but did their best to replicate it. As music, it is excellent, as educational material, it is fantastic. If there is a problem, it is with it's length. So much great music that fill a multitude of disks. The difficulty is in selecting just the right CD to satisfy your current mood. This set has the ability to transport to any sound, any age.

ATTENTION KIDS - R & B STANDS FOR RHYTHM & BLUES!!
This is where rock'n'roll's roots are at. I bought the original 7 (double) LP set. Their original CD equivalents replicated them but for a few track omissions on various volumes. This box includes ALL of the origial LP series plus some 20+ extra tracks not previously included covering the fertile period between 1947-1974. It's an education in itself. This is what boxed sets are about. The raw stuff from the 40's & 50's are a pointer to Elvis & Jerry Lee. This is the some of the original music those artists cut their teeth on. Hearing Big Joe Turner for the first time was a revelation for myself particularly "Corrina, Corrine" and "Honey Hush". I further investigated Ray Charles' recorded output based on this set. The hits are here and things that you may vaguely rememnber as well. Legends such as the Professor Longhair, Big Joe Turner, Lavern Baker, Ray Charles, The Drifters, The Coasters, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave and many others are more than amply represented here. I had heard some of these songs for the first time as cover versions by later artists such as Foghat, Elvis and even Paul McCartney whose "Run Devil Run" CD was a tribute to the 50's and a couple of tracks on this set get a nod there. Atlantic have done a wonderful job with this release. This is what R & B really is...before it was just a couple of initials representing what passes for today's music. I doubt a kid listening to that stuff would know what those letters stood for in today's context. My own preferences are to the 60's period during which Atlantic,Stax & Volt really came into their own as great Soul labels. Where Motown was probably more "showbizzy", which is not meant as a criticism, Atlantic revealed real grit and toughness in it's music. I thoroughly recommend this box set if only as a more than ample education of the rich legacy of American Rhythm & Blues music. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Where so many duet projects seem like shotgun marriages, this one sounds like a labor of love, celebrating Southern music as a common denominator that transcends racial and categorical divides. Among the highlights, the pairing of Lyle Lovett and Al Green finds revelation within the funky groove of "Funny How Time Slips Away," while the album-closing "Patches"--with George Jones playing father to B.B. King's son--achieves a spine-tingling majesty. Though Natalie Cole and Reba McEntire misconnect on "Since I Fell for You," Sam Moore (of Sam & Dave) and the late Conway Twitty are at their soulful best on "Rainy Night in Georgia." --Don McLeese ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Unique collaborations performing great songs
Wonderful songs performed by artists from across racial and musical genre lines, reminds us how creativity can be enhanced when musicians make a conscious effort to break away from successful formulas and try something different. Lyle Lovett and Al Green's slow burn on "Funny How Time Slips Away" is the stand-out, but almost every track (exception -- Reba and Natalie Cole duet on "Since I Fell for You") is fun. Some, like Conway Twitty and Sam Moore's version of "Rainy Night in Georgia", underscore the common roots of country and r&b. This CD gets repeat listening at my house. n.b.--When this CD was released, the program director of Chicago's biggest country radio station was quoted in the Tribune as saying that he wouldn't give it airtime because too many people were trying to jump on the country bandwagon. This type of narrow thinking seems typical of the mainstream country music industry, and may explain why I've just about stopped listening to country radio.

The best of Memphis meet the best of Nashville
I never paid much attention to country music until I heard this collection of duets. The best voices of R&B with the best of country. What stands out? Conway Twitty and Sam (Sam and Dave) Moore doing "Rainy Night in Georgia," and Aaron Neville with Trisha Yearwood on "I Fall to Pieces." Many other fine collaborations, but these are memorable.

For anyone who loves country and r&b standards, who wants to hear talented voices in new territory, or who wants a well-rounded musical education, this MAY be the best album you can find.

On Its Way To Becoming A Classic
This 1994 MCA melding of some of Country and R&B's biggest stars and legends, produced by Don Was, is fast becoming a classic, highlighted by 25 pages of liner notes written by James Hunter. These provide not only detailed comments on each pairing, but also a complete list of the musicians on each track, and are augmented by some great photographs of the stars as they recorded their particular segments.

The music, of course, is priceless, from the Vince Gill/Gladys Knight treatment of the Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell 1968 hit, Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing, down to the George Jones/B.B. King coupling on Patches - and everything in between.

It's hard to pick out a favourite, but if pressed I would say the pounding rendition of the Eddie Cochran 1959 hit, Somethin' Else, by R&R Hall of Famer Little Richard and Country queen Tanya Tucker, followed closely by the Brook Benton 1970 hit Rainy Night In Georgia, rendered beautifully by Sam Moore [of Sam & Dave fame - also in the R&R Hall of Fame] and the inimitable Conway Twitty, a Country Music Hall of Famer who was, sadly, dead by the time this hit the shelves.

I don't know if this album was the recipient of any awards - but if it wasn't that has to be the biggest miscarriage of justice in the annals of music. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Had to have another copy!!!
When I first heard this excellent cd back in 94-95, I was stunned. I never thought the mixing of these genres would work. Boy, was I wrong !
And, I started to think lately about "When something is wrong with my baby", and figured, let me see if they have It...
THANK YOU, AMAZON!!!
I am ordering a few extra, for friedns. If you like raw, heart rendering music, Then this is the CD is for you...

Happy again !!!
I also had this album when it came out. I loaned it, (I know...), and never got it back.
So today I picked it up again. I also watched the Was Special, Great video, artists, and music.
I like how the arrangements were kept original for the most part.
Alot of depth and expression by extraordinary performers.

I get a kick out of Patches with B.B. every time I hear it.
Rainy Night? I can hear the rain,feel the chill, and sense the dispair.
I will continue to play this collection over and over........
But it and enjoy it.
Dez ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I Know I wanna be this, Gucci heels give me cleavage!
Boy, Girl, or boy-girl . . . this soundtrack, is, work it baby, own it, one of the best pre-hello my minions, Sat night red carpet anthems.
The movie isn't the best . . i mean if your a drag queen . . you wouldn't travel & live as a woman . . . but that's hollywood . . they killed Thelma & Lousie for heaven sake!
But yeah Buy it!

Fabulous!
Style vs Substance - this movie AND cd have both.

HIGHLY recommend it ESPECIALLY to Salt N Pepa fans!

Body Beautiful Baby, WORK that BODY!

haha!

GET IT! NOW! Nice spot with Rupaul at Webster Hall, which if you grew up in NYC is good enough of a reason to get the movie...

"Sometimes it just takes a fairy" (from the film)
This film and its soundtrack are gay camp at their best!! Cyndi Lauper's remix of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" is stellar. In fact, there's not a bad track on this disc! I'd say this soundtrack will one day be up there with its campy predecessor, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." ^_^ Great!

Fab Baby, Fab!
This cd is the top of the line. If you just broke off a relationship, or just feel like a night to your self. This has more girl power than the Spice Girls. You'll fall in love with this drag music spectacular! Enjoy Baby, Enjoy!

Yes, oh yes!
This is great - fun chick music at its best. Especially good for getting yourself glammed up for a big night out - forget your nervousness as you put on your lipstick to "I Am the Body Beautiful", then groove to the excellent tracks like "Do What You Wanna Do" and "Who Taught You How". I'm especially glad they included "She's a Lady" and "Brick House". And the remix of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" is one of the few remixes that isn't annoying - it's as much fun as the original. The only reason I give it a 9 instead of a 10 - it was really strange to have that tiny little bit of score included at the end (and I don't think Rachel Portman's the greatest movie music writer who's ever lived), and the "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" cover is not the most enjoyable thing to listen to. Leave that one to Judy Garland. ... Read more

Album Description

Subtitled The History Lesson, this 2 CD set features 28tracks from various artists including Cutie Pie, GeorgeClinton, Grand Master Flash & The Furious Five, KurtisBlow, Slave, Lakeside, Chaka Khan and more. SPG music.2002. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

CeeTee
This CD takes me back to my high school and college days in the 1980's. I love this CD and it has helped me get off the couch and start moving. A must have for anyone who wants to hold on to the 80's sound.

Solid Mix
this double Set is Right on Time.you can't Lose with these Grooves.solid Backyard Grooving&Skating down to the street.Right on Time Jams!

da bomb
this cd is a must have for all old schoolers i bought this cd and let me tell you every song on the cds i knew. just an illuison is not only a jam but a hit you cant find anywhere today. this cd brought back so many memories of when music was really music so if you are a true old schooler like myself you need this one in your collection trust me you wont be disappointed.

ABSOLUTELY NO "CLUNKERS" HERE
The best compilation CD's I've ever had the pleasure of owning. Unlike others with a bunch of overplayed, overworked songs, this one's great! Wish I could find more like it!

AM ORDERING MY SECOND JUST IN CASE
POSSIBLY THE BEST SKATING CD MADE. CAN'T GO WRONG WITH THIS ONE ... Read more