Funk Collection [Import]

Track Listings
1. Kool & the Gang
2. Hollywood Swinging
3. Funky Stuff
4. Who's Gonna Take the Weight?, Pts. 1 & 2
5. Rhyme Tyme People
6. Electric Frog, Pt. 1
7. Raw Hamburger
8. Spirit of the Boogie
9. Sunshine and Love
10. Open Sesame
11. Kool It (Here Comes the Fuzz)
12. Penguin
13. Cosmic Energy
14. Summer Madness
15. Winter Sadness
16. Jungle Boogie

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Kool & The Gang was a dirty, funky beast fro over a decade. Their early work has been described as being the central pillars of Funk. This collection covers 1969-78. 16 tracks. Spectrum. 2002.

Funk Collection,Kool & the Gang,Universal Int'l,Funk,Pop,R&B,R&B/Soul,Soul,Soul/R & B,Urban

Funk Collection [Import]

Funk Collection [Import]
20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Commodores
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Excellent
  • THE MILLENNIUM COLLESTION THE BEST OF THE COMMODORES
  • Lady, They Were Brought Up
  • More "Lionel Richie" than "Commodores" but...
  • Nothing But The Hits
 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Commodores
The Commodores
Manufacturer: Motown
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Earth Wind & Fire: Greatest Hits
  2. 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Lionel Richie
  3. The Definitive Collection
  4. The Very Best of Kool & the Gang
  5. The Very Best of the Spinners

ASIN: B00003002J
Release Date: 1999-11-23

Tracks:

  1. Sweet Love
  2. Just To Be Close To You
  3. Easy
  4. Brick House
  5. Three Times A Lady
  6. Sail On
  7. Still
  8. Lady (You Bring Me Up)
  9. Oh No
  10. Nightshift
  11. Machine Gun

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Excellent.......2007-03-29

I remember my father listening to these songs way back in the late 70s. After hearing them over and over, I got to like them too. Whenever I hear them on the radio now, it always brings good memories. My favorites "Easy," "you bring me up" and "Sail On." These songs are classics. Excellent melodies and vocals.

5 out of 5 stars THE MILLENNIUM COLLESTION THE BEST OF THE COMMODORES.......2006-09-01

I WAS LOOKING FOR THE SONG OH NO AND I FINALY FOUND IT ON THIS CD. I CAN`T WAIT TO GET IT.THIS CD BRINGS ME BACK TO WHEN I WAS A KID.

4 out of 5 stars Lady, They Were Brought Up .......2006-03-06

There are just so many times when it comes to making a good hits package, they can be either good or bad, but the cases with the 20th Century Masters Millenium Collection has been either a considered hit or miss when it comes to showcasing a artist definitively. That has been the case with so many acts like Joe Cocker and Rod Stewart and classic Motown legends like Diana Ross and The Temptations. For The Commodores, the group hasn't been around in years, but there is always the possibility of finding a good hits package all theirs, following the R&B legends from Alabama.

The Commodores 20th Century Masters Millenuim Collection is a simple and convient reflection behind one of the most unique R&B groups of the 70's and 80's. The collection does a really good job at highlighting Lionel Richie and company. The songs here are arguably as simple and definitive as you could expect. The compilation includes some great party anthems like Brick House and Machine Gun, as well as classic ballads like their tribute to Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson on Nightshift, Sweet Love to even simple ballads like Three Times A Lady and Easy. While there are a lot of great tracks here, there are a couple of disadvantages to the record. One of them is that the album overhadows tracks like the Funk track Girl, I Think The World About You and Zoom. Not only that, but the tracks on the collection weren't remastered as well as well as other collections like the 1997 Ultimate Collection of The Commodores.

Despite a few flaws, The Commodores 20th Century Masters Millenium Collection is a very simple and straight forward reflection of one of the best 70's groups of all time. This is a very inexpensive, but mostly well-thought out reflection of Lionel Richie & Company. If you are on a budget and really want to get your groove on, I absolutely suggest this great album.

Album Cover: B+

Songs: B

Price: A-

Remastering: C+

Overall: B 1/2-

5 out of 5 stars More "Lionel Richie" than "Commodores" but..........2005-12-29

This 20th Century Masters is the best I've heard in the whole "20th century" series, but doesn't do too good a job at spanning the Commodores lifespan. Before Lionel Richie became a household name, The Commodores were mostly funk, as can be seen in "Brick House," the group's biggest hit, but beyond that song, the disc doesn't cover that side of the group very well at all.
But, I still give the compilation a perfect 5 star rating, because even though it covers a pretty narrow portion of the band, it covers the BEST portion. Lionel's ballads aren't nearly at the same level of genius as some of Marvin Gaye's or Stevie Wonder's greatest work, but I think they're just as enjoyable. Songs like "Sail On" and "Just To Be Close To You" will simply never get old.
I absolutely love this CD, it's one of the most played in my collection, but if you're looking for a true Commodores overview, you might want to look elsewhere.

5 out of 5 stars Nothing But The Hits.......2004-04-23

A Good Deal for 5.99 at Costco! Has every major hit of the commodores career!
20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Ohio Players
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Is it funky enough for ya?
  • Memories
  • True Funkmeisters
  • Ohio Playas
  • SERIOUSLY FUNKED UP!
 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Ohio Players
The Ohio Players
Manufacturer: Island / Mercury
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | R&B | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000046PUW
Release Date: 2000-02-01

Tracks:

  1. Love Rollercoaster
  2. I Want To Be Free
  3. Fopp
  4. Let's Do It (Interpolated With 'Let's Love')
  5. Skin Tight
  6. Fire
  7. Sweet Sticky Thing
  8. Jive Turkey
  9. Who'd She Coo
  10. Heaven Must Be Like This
  11. O-H-I-O
  12. Happy Holidays Pt.1

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Is it funky enough for ya?.......2007-07-29

I may be only 24 years old, but the Ohio Players are a great group. My favorite songs on this album are Fire, Skin Tight, and the hottest slow jam ever, Heaven Must be Like This. It is meant to make you jam. A true collector's item.

5 out of 5 stars Memories.......2007-05-16

I moved to Chicago in the late 70's from Connecticut and I was blessed to work for the Ohio Players Personal Manager. I was 21 yrs old and it was my first job in the music industry. When I hear their music it brings back the exciting life that I lived and it brings back wonderful personal memories for me

5 out of 5 stars True Funkmeisters.......2007-04-10


I was lucky enough to see these guys perform at a FREE outdoor concert in Lower Manhattan around 2002, and let me tell you, they were KICKIN' IT. The horn section was real tight, and the lead singer still has all the funk of his earlier years. It was truly a beautiful event!!!!!!!!

How can you NOT feel the funk of Roller Coaster or Skintight??!!

5 out of 5 stars Ohio Playas.......2006-03-07

These are my homeboys from Ohio and they know how to throw a party! They have several CD's but this one does it for me with the two slow tracks I want to be Free and Heaven must be like this. Sugarfoot made a CD on his own which I like but I can't find. Does anyone know where to get it has songs on it like I'm your Sugar etc...

4 out of 5 stars SERIOUSLY FUNKED UP!.......2005-05-21

This is one funked up album! I bought this cd, mainly for
Fire, and Love Rollercoaster. But Skin Tight, is really
great, and Sweet Sticky Thing is too! Almost every song
on here is good! If you have an ounce of soul in your
system, and you love funk, THIS IS A MUST HAVE!
Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Missing disc 4!
  • Great Collection
  • Mike's the Man
  • Great Looking Set!
  • Michael Jackson's "The Ultimate Collection"
 Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection
Michael Jackson
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
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  1. Michael Jackson - Video Greatest Hits - HIStory
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  5. Bad

ASIN: B0002XH9Z4
Release Date: 2004-11-16

Tracks:

  1. Want You Back
  2. ABC
  3. I'll Be There
  4. Got To Be There
  5. I Wanna Be Where You Are
  6. Ben
  7. Dancing Machine- Single Version
  8. Enjoy Yourself- The Jacksons
  9. Ease On Down The Road
  10. You Can't Win
  11. Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)- Single Edit
  12. Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)- Early Demo
  13. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
  14. Rock With You
  15. Off The Wall
  16. She's Out Of My Life
  17. Sunset Driver- Demo
  18. Lovely One- The Jacksons
  19. This Place Hotel- The Jacksons

Tracks:

  1. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
  2. The Girl Is Mine- Michael Jackson (With Paul Mccartney)
  3. Thriller
  4. Beat It
  5. Billie Jean
  6. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)- Demo Version
  7. Someone In The Dark
  8. State Of Shock- The Jacksons
  9. Scared Of The Moon
  10. We Are The World
  11. We Are Here To Change The World

Tracks:

  1. Bad
  2. The Way You Make Me Feel
  3. Man In The Mirror
  4. I Just Can't Stop Loving You- Michael Jackson,Siedah Garrett
  5. Dirty Diana
  6. Smooth Criminal
  7. Cheater
  8. Dangerous- Early Version
  9. Monkey Business
  10. Jam
  11. Remember The Time
  12. Black Or White
  13. Who Is It
  14. Someone Put Your Hand Out

Tracks:

  1. You Are Not Alone
  2. Stranger In Moscow
  3. Childhood (Theme From "Free Willy 2")
  4. On The Line
  5. Blood On The Dance Floor
  6. Fall Again
  7. In The Back
  8. Unbreakable
  9. You Rock My World with intro
  10. Butterflies
  11. Beautiful Girl
  12. The Way You Love Me
  13. We've Had Enough

Tracks:

  1. Jam- Live Video
  2. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'- Live Video
  3. Human Nature- Live Video
  4. Smooth Criminal- Live Video
  5. I Just Can't Stop Loving You- Live Video
  6. She's Out Of My Life- Live Video
  7. I Want You Back- Live Video
  8. I'll Be There- Live Video
  9. Thriller- Live Video
  10. Billie Jean- Live Video
  11. Working Day And Night- Live Video
  12. Beat It- Live Video
  13. Will You Be There- Live Video
  14. Black Or White- Live Video
  15. Heal The World- Live Video
  16. Man In The Mirror- Live Video

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Missing disc 4!.......2007-06-27

I am not thrilled. I received this box set today. It was wrapped in plastic, but it was missing CD number 4! It has a plethora of M.J.'s music, and originally I thought it was a bargain...until I found the missing CD. I plan to return it.

4 out of 5 stars Great Collection.......2007-02-03

I know that you can't put every single thing this great artist did. It's almost complete. Great box set.

5 out of 5 stars Mike's the Man .......2006-12-28

This is the one you want to get if you want to listen to a good singer sing songs you can listen to over and over it a truly great collection of michael jackson from beginning to end this gives you all the really good songs that michael has been involved with and the dvd is also good too. There are so many good songs on here from "billyjean" to "i want you back" all of them.

5 out of 5 stars Great Looking Set!.......2006-08-30

First, before I get into this set, let me say that the previous reviewer has a right to his opinion. That being said, THIS IS A REVIEW OF A PRODUCT, NOT A PERSONAL ATTACK FORUM!

Now, to the product itself! While I haven't purchased it yet, it looks like a great collection! There have been several so-called greatest hits collections for Michael Jackson over the years but this is probably THE BEST I've ever seen for this artist! It has stuff from even his days with The Jacksons!

Regardless of what you think of the man personally, this is a review of the art and music, not the man himself! I have my views on MJ but this isn't the place for it!

As a fan of music, I would highly recommend this piece even at its high price because it looks like it would be worth it!

5 out of 5 stars Michael Jackson's "The Ultimate Collection".......2006-07-06

This is a dazzling collection of Michael's work from the early years to recent times. It has many famous songs as well as a few songs less widely known but nevertheless wonderful. The variety of the songs keeps you wanting to hear each track after the other. These songs are definitely catchy and usually have a tendency to get stuck in your head. There are songs of all types from the sweet "Rock With You" to the ever classic "Thriller".

Each song seems to have it's own special quality and rhythm and uniquness and rarity. How can you compare "Bad" to "Man in the Mirror"? It's like apples and oranges. This collection is a 5 disc set. It includes some songs from "The Wiz" along with all the other songs on the various cd's. Disc 5 is a DVD of a "Dangerous" tour with the following songs: "Jam," "Billie Jean," "Man in the Mirror," "Thriler," '"Wanna be Starting Something," "Just Can't Stop Loving You," "She's Outta my Life," "Human Nature," "Smooth Criminal" and probably a couple I've forgotten.

If you're a Michael Jackson fan or just love a good beat, then this is the collection for you. -- Sophie Milkowski, age 11
The Collection
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Must-have.
  • So much great material, but not quite as complete as it could be.
  • 4.5 stars: Could even be the box set of the year...
  • Sorry, its not the full collection
  • Great overview
 The Collection
Sly & the Family Stone
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000N69PD4
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Tracks:

  1. Small Talk
  2. Say You Will
  3. Mother Beautiful
  4. Time for Livin'
  5. Can't Strain My Brain
  6. Loose Booty
  7. Holdin' On
  8. Wishful Thinkin'
  9. Better Thee Than Me
  10. Livin' While I'm Livin'
  11. This Is Love
  12. Crossword Puzzle [Early Version][*]
  13. Time for Livin' [Alternate Version][*]
  14. Loose Booty [Alternate Version][*]
  15. Positive [*][Instrumental]

Tracks:

  1. Luv N' Haight
  2. Just Like a Baby
  3. Poet
  4. Family Affair
  5. Africa Talks to You "The Asphalt Jungle"
  6. There's a Riot Goin' On
  7. Brave & Strong
  8. (You Caught Me) Smilin'
  9. Time
  10. Spaced Cowboy
  11. Runnin' Away
  12. Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa
  13. Runnin' Away [Single Version][*]
  14. My Gorilla Is My Butler [#][*][Instrumental]
  15. Do You Know What? [*][Instrumental]
  16. That's Pretty Clean [#][*][Instrumental]

Tracks:

  1. Stand!
  2. Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey
  3. I Want to Take You Higher
  4. Somebody's Watching You
  5. Sing a Simple Song
  6. Everday People
  7. Sex Machine
  8. You Can Make It If You Try
  9. Stand! [Simple Version]
  10. I Want to Take You Higher [Single Version]
  11. You Can Make It If You Try [Unissued Single Version][#]
  12. Soul Clappin' II [#]
  13. My Brain (Zig-Zag) [#][Instrumental]

Tracks:

  1. Underdog
  2. If This Room Could Talk
  3. Run, Run, Run
  4. Turn Me Loose
  5. Let Me Hear It from You
  6. Advice
  7. I Cannot Make It
  8. Trip to Your Heart
  9. I Hate to Love Her
  10. Bad Risk
  11. That Kind of Person
  12. Dog
  13. Underdog [Single Version][*]
  14. Let Me Hear It from You [Single Version][*]
  15. Only One Way out of This Mess [*]
  16. What Would I Do [*]
  17. You Better Help Yourself [#][*][Instrumental]

Tracks:

  1. Dynamite!
  2. Chicken
  3. Plastic Tim
  4. Fun
  5. Into My Own Thing
  6. Harmony
  7. Life
  8. Love City
  9. I'm an Animal
  10. M'Lady
  11. Jane Is a Groupee
  12. Dynamite! [Single Version][*]
  13. Seven More Days [#][*]
  14. Pressure [#][*]
  15. Sorrow [#][*][Instrumental]

Tracks:

  1. In Time
  2. If You Want Me to Stay
  3. Let Me Have It All
  4. Frisky
  5. Thankful N' Thoughtful
  6. Skin I'm In
  7. I Don't Know (Satisfcation)
  8. Keep on Dancin'
  9. Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)
  10. If It Were Left Up to Me
  11. Babies Makin' Babies
  12. Let Me Have It All [Alternate Mix][#][*]
  13. Frisky [Alternate Mix][#][*]
  14. Skin I'm In [Alternate Mix][#][*]
  15. Keep on Dancin' [Alternate Mix][#][*]
  16. Babies Makin' Babies [Alternate Mix][#][*]

Tracks:

  1. Dance to the Music
  2. Higher
  3. I Ain't Got Nobody (For Real)
  4. Dance to the Medley: Music Is Alive/Dance In/Music Lover
  5. Ride the Rhythm
  6. Color Me True
  7. Are You Ready
  8. Don't Burn Baby
  9. I'll Never Fall in Love Again
  10. Dance to the Music [Single Version][*]
  11. Higher [Unissued Single Version][#][*]
  12. Soul Clappin' [*]
  13. We Love All [#][*]
  14. I Can't Turn You Loose [#][*]
  15. Never Do Your Woman Wrong [#][*][Instrumental]

Amazon.com

First, a sigh of exasperated relief--exasperation because it's taken a needlessly long time to get Sly and the Family Stone's catalog remastered and properly reissued. From the band's 1967 debut, A Whole New Thing through their 1974 swan song, Small Talk, the shifting band indulged everything from the long horn lines, fast rhythms, and quickly unmistakable urgent delivery of "Turn Me Loose," with its rapid, jerking funk rhythms and quick, sharp horn blasts, to the chilled groove, string backing, and slinky guitar on "Say You Will."

In between there's an embarrassment of riches: The 1968 one-two punch of Dance to the Music's title track and "Higher" introduces a gleaming exuberance; everyone wants to get higher and dance, but slowly the tune titles and funky whimsy of tunes like "Chicken," "Love City," "Fun," and the sheer musical cheer of "Harmony," show that Sly's bridge from hard-hitting funk riffage to more rock, more pop got mixed up with significantly new commercial heights (and larger narcotic appetites) and, simultaneously, more instability and simmering fury. By 1969, Sly's newness was transformed, with Stand!'s "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey" snarl and droning organ and wah-wah guitar aplenty. The full-on blast of harmonica, fuzz guitars, and horns that opens "I Want to Take You Higher" just cemented the claim: Music would unite and fight and kick and get you high. The mega-hit "Everyday People" almost seems an anomaly in this company, a breezy harmony vocal backing, simple piano framing, reaching horn lines, and a churchy chorus. It's the biggest hit here, a true pop gem. Then there's "Sing a Simple Song" and its scouring, wordless shouts, a heavy beat backed by multiple voices half-atop each other, horn riffs jetting across guitar riffs, and an abrupt, scrambling end. It's a tight and tough embrace, an open door. It's 1969.

Then a dystopian haze turns full-force for There's a Riot Goin' On. By 1971, Sly had his Hollywood mansion and legions of droppers-by laying down parts of Riot. The result is entrancing, backed often by an austere, early drum machine and featuring dope-glazed vocals, paranoid shadows and, of course, a stewing funk groove. Horns are here, thinned out so they jab harder, and the keyboards gleam and shimmer and icily coat the beats, which sound in today's parlance simply lo-fi. And the beats, they've slowed menacingly, with voices dropping in, dropping out. Drugs were flowing freely by this point, complicating Sly's sound, inadvertently making an album that matches its maker's psyche-in-time indelibly. Once 1973's Fresh emerges, the austere, haunted glaze happens beneath slow-stewing grooves, as on the seemingly frivolous "Frisky," where the drums and keys and horns are enmeshed tightly, showing barely any sonic separation. The great bassist Larry Graham had left the Family by now, replaced by Rusty Allen, whose bass pops up as framing, while the vocals go lean and languid, turning to moans and melismatic blurs as the groove stirs. "If You Want Me to Stay" is a highlight, and the album is deeply funky even while reaching across the divide toward pop (rather than the '60s albums bridges to psychedelic rock, which proved itself pragmatically limited for the more intensely rebellious public as the Vietnam War and Watergate sent long social shadows).

As for Small Talk, it's the least ambitious, most settled session. The sounds are gorgeous in the new remastered form, making a new case for Small as a worthy bookend on your Sly shelf. Yes, he burned brighter and hotter and more furiously. It's still the same nervy mix, dramatic and intense. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Must-have........2007-05-25

If you want to have a respectable music collection, certainly you already own this. If not, get it now before you embarrass yourself.

4 out of 5 stars So much great material, but not quite as complete as it could be........2007-05-18

This boxed set makes progress towards rectifying the sad state of the Sly & the Family Stone catalog-- a band that's pretty much fallen off the radar, the enormous influence that Sly Stone and his musicians had on music can't be underestimated. From their peers coming out of San Francisco to the fusion movement that kicked off a few years after their first records (Miles Davis was a huge fan) to pretty much all funk, soul, r&b and hip-hop music since these records, Sly Stone laid out the blueprint for much of modern music.

"Collection" draws together the band's first seven albums, all remastered with bonus tracks, reprinting of the original liner notes and a new liner notes essay, with each CD packaged in a digipack and housed in a sturdy slipcase style box. There's nothing in here that's not on the individually reissued CDs that followed this release by a couple weeks, so if you're wanting all of these, price should be your gating factor as to whether or not to go with the box or the individual CDs (unless you really want the slipcase...). The remastering done here is top notch-- everything sounds crisp and clear and the depth of the music really gets a chance to shine. The bonus tracks by and large alternate versions, different mixes, a couple early recordings, and a seemingly endless array of instrumental pieces. Some of them are fantastic ("Fresh" seems to have the best), for the most part they're more interesting than essential.

The music itself... if you're not familiar, this is the blueprint. As I've started listening to Sly & the Family Stone only recently, I'm amazed how oddly familiar and yet how unique this material can be. Sly Stone was definitely the mastermind here, writing, producing and singing most the leads as well as contributing primarily on organ (among other instruments), with the first integrated band, featuring women in instrumental roles rather than simply as backing vocalists and both white and black musicians. Brother Freddie Stone (guitar and vocals), sister Rose Stone (keyboards and vocals), Cynthia Robinson (trumpet) and Jerry Martini (saxophones) and vocal group Little Sister (including Vet Stone) contribute throughout. Initially, the band had one of the best rhythm sections ever essembled in bassist/vocalist Larry Graham (inventer of the slap bass technique) and drummer Gregg Errico, both left over the years, the former replaced by Rustee Allen the latter by a series of drummers (Andy Newmark being the most significant).

The early records leveraged this great musicianship and these endless array of vocalists in an aggressive funk sound. Although a brief detour into a pop/dance funk driven by the record company would get in the way of the band's progress (sophomore effort "Dance to the Music"), Sly's songwriting and arranging quickly evovled into something with a real sense of timelessness-- his two masterworks, the positive funk of "Stand!" and the dark, claustrophobic "There's a Riot Goin' On" (and to a slightly lesser extent, its followup "Fresh", nearly as great). Along the way, there's an endless series of fantastic cuts-- "Underdog", the aformentioned "Dance to the Music", "I Want to Take You Higher", "Everyday People", "Just Like a Baby", "Family Affair", "(You Caught Me) Smilin'", "If You Want Me to Stay" (the song that turned me onto Sly...), the list goes on and on. There's so much great material here.

But curiously among all these riches, some of the best material was left out. Between "Stand!" and "There's a Riot Goin' On", Sly and the Family Stone released two superb singles-- "Hot Fun in the Summertime" and double A side "Thank You (Falettinme be Mice Elf Agin)"/"Everybody is a Star" intended for an album that was eventually shelved and stuck on a "Greatest Hits" album. There's certainly room on the CDs to have fit these, they could have been tacked into the bonus material on either of the albums they were released between. Also left out of the set were the last two records Sly Stone did for Epic-- admittedly "High On You" was credited to Sly Stone and "Heard You Missed Me, Well I'm Back" was a Family Stone record in name only, I'd've liked to have had these anyway. While the contributions of a great band and great musicians can't ever be underestimated (I've often suspected Larry Graham's departure had something to do with the serious sound change between "Stand!" and "There's a Riot Goin' On", either that or Graham left because of the sound change), this was Sly Stone's show. Admittedly, it's the singles that I'm irritated about being missing and are the reason I'm dinging the rating a star (for anyone interested, they can be found on the remastered 2CD "The Essential Sly and the Family Stone").

Even with these weakness, this is a great set-- there's so much great music here that really needs to be heard. Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars 4.5 stars: Could even be the box set of the year..........2007-05-06

IF ONLY the head folks at Sony didn't take their sweet time in reissuing this legendary groundbreaking group's catalog! What you have here is a nicely-packaged collection of all their key INDIVIDUAL albums (save for their original greatest hits release which had those three excellent singles added to it; otherwise this would've been a runaway 5-star collection IMHO). All of them come digi-paked in their original album covers with newly written liner notes, outstanding sound restoration, and a slew of bonus tracks further documenting the tremendous musical growth of the band as well as their ever-lingering influence on today's music scene. Whether you're new to the group's music or not, this box set is about as indispensable as they come (especially since it's only available for a limited time; what's up with THAT!?!?!?). Besides, you'll end up saving far less than actually going out and buying the albums separately.

P.S. To those who may be wondering why Sly's 'High On You' album wasn't included in the mix, keep in mind that that was the first one credited solely to HIM rather than the group. Still, I wouldn't mind seeing it get the same treatment as well...

3 out of 5 stars Sorry, its not the full collection.......2007-05-05

Unbelievable. Sony came close but they blundered again. Being a hardcore fan of this group for 40 years (yes, 40!), I can't call this a "collection". 3 KEY SONGS ARE MISSING!!

1. Hot Fun In The Summertime - MISSING!
2. Everybody Is A Star - MISSING
3. Thank You Fallentine Me Be Mice Elf Again - MISSING!

The missing songs are landmark songs in the history of R&B. Also the original 45 single mix of Everyday People is missing. How could Sony do this??! So all the fluff of unreleased tracks and alternate mixes can't excuse the key tracks missing. The Japan 8 CD version of this box set contains the missing tracks but do you wanna pay $200 for it??

5 out of 5 stars Great overview.......2007-04-30

among Musicians that have truly made a Lasting impact Sly Stone is right there,but because he pretty much cooled off and other factors he isn't given the Proper due that his Musical Pioneering Hybrid of R&B,Pop,Gospel,Blues,Jazz and everything else in between that he helped create. sly and the Family Stone are on that same Bridge of Musical Trend-setters that broke Racial barriers and created Songs that are timeless. this collection captures the most important Music created by Sly Stone in it's full zenith. His Influence is felt decade upon decade. now i personally feel that this whole collection best captures his Importance. I wouldn't recommend anything else beyond this aside from the Live at the fillmore which is due soon. Sly Stone hit his Peak and Prime all at the same time. His Songwriting,Arranging and Production are still some of the most important standards in Music History. Funk Artists,rock,Pop,Rappers,Blues,Jazz,etc.... have all incorperated Sly Stone's Work and his work should be fully embraced. he is long overdue. the Band was Ground-Breaking and Sly Stone truly had his own Musical Bag.
50th Anniversary Collection
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • They all started here
  • MR. JAMES BROWN !
  • pure blues
  • Great CD
  • JB at his Best!
 50th Anniversary Collection
James Brown
Manufacturer: Utv Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Classic R&BClassic R&B | R&B | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0000C3IDQ
Release Date: 2003-09-16

Tracks:

  1. Please, Please, Please
  2. Try Me
  3. Good Good Lovin'
  4. I'll Go Crazy
  5. Think
  6. Bewildered
  7. Lost Someone
  8. Night Train
  9. Prisoner Of Love
  10. Out Of Sight
  11. Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, Pt.1
  12. I Got You (I Feel Good)
  13. It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World
  14. Bring It Up
  15. Let Yourself Go
  16. Cold Sweat, Pt.1
  17. Get It Together, Pt.1
  18. There Was A Time
  19. I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me), Pt.1
  20. I Got The Feelin'
  21. Licking Stick - Licking Stick, Pt.1
  22. Say It Loud - I'm Black And I'm Proud, Pt.1
  23. Give It Up Or Turnit Loose
  24. I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door, I'll Get It Myself), Pt.1
  25. The Popcorn
  26. Mother Popcorn, Pt.1
  27. Ain't It Funky Now, Pt.1

Tracks:

  1. It's A New Day, Pt.1
  2. (Get Up I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine, Pt.1
  3. Super Bad, Pt.1
  4. Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved, Pt.1
  5. Soul Power, Pt.1
  6. Hot Pants (She Got To Use What She Got To Get What She Wants), Pt.1
  7. Make It Funky, Pt.1
  8. I'm A Greedy Man, Pt.1
  9. Talkin' Loud And Sayin' Nothing, Pt.1
  10. There It Is, Pt.1
  11. Get On The Good Foot, Pt.1
  12. I Got Ants In My Pants, Pt.1
  13. Down And Out In New York City
  14. Sexy, Sexy, Sexy
  15. Doing It To Death, Pt.1
  16. The Payback, Pt.1 - Fred Wesley
  17. My Thang - Fred Wesley
  18. Papa Don't Take No Mess, Pt.1 - Fred Wesley
  19. Funky President (People It's Bad) - Fred Wesley
  20. Get Up Offa That Thing - Fred Wesley
  21. Bodyheat, Pt.1 - Fred Wesley
  22. It's Too Funky In Here - Fred Wesley
  23. Static, Pts.1&2 - Fred Wesley

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars They all started here.......2007-06-27

What a debt is owed to this man by todays "stars". This man was the standard that they all copied in some form or another. This collection is proof and it is so good listening to it. A must have CD.

5 out of 5 stars MR. JAMES BROWN !.......2007-04-03

The Godfather of Soul Is resting in the golden gates of Heaven now . He was the greatest !!

4 out of 5 stars pure blues.......2007-03-28

I was looking for some good soul music and found this one, what a great voice to listen to on long trips.

5 out of 5 stars Great CD .......2007-02-11

This Is a great Collection of James Brown songs

5 out of 5 stars JB at his Best!.......2007-02-01

This is an incredible collection for a great man. All the phases of Jame Brown are here.
Teena Marie: Ultimate Collection
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Not quite the "Ultimate" Teena Marie compilation but still great.
  • Teena Marie: Ultimate Collection
  • Lady T at her best
  • Most Enjoyable
  • The Teena Marie Review
 Teena Marie: Ultimate Collection
Teena Marie
Manufacturer: Hip-O Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

DiscoDisco | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000046PUF
Release Date: 2000-02-01

Tracks:

  1. Square Biz
  2. Behind The Groove
  3. If I Were A Bell
  4. Portuguese Love
  5. Lovergirl
  6. Fire & Desire
  7. My Dear Mr. Gaye
  8. I'm A Sucker For Your Love
  9. Irons In The Fire
  10. Young Love
  11. I Need Your Lovin'
  12. Now That I Have You
  13. Latin Lullaby
  14. It Must Be Magic
  15. Work It

Album Description

All-Music Guide writer Alex Henderson put it best: "No White artist has sung R&B more convincingly than Teena Marie." This tempest is a teacup, or "little munchkin White girl," as mentor Rick James once referred to her, belted out some of the most robust, authentic R&B of the late-'70s.

From the get-go, her identity was shrouded in secrecy. To prolong the ruse, her debut album on Gordy featured no photos of her, only a soft-focus image of the sea and sky. The ploy worked: Her first single, "I'm a Sucker for Your Love," a duet with Rick James, reached #8 R&B. When the truth was learned and the jig was up, it was too late: an R&B hitmaker was let lose, and there was no stopping her. Between '79 and '91, she had 23 R&B hits; of those Seven were Top 10.

For the First Time, her finest fire from both her Gordy/Motown and Epic years is captured on a single CD, including "I Need Your Lovin'"; "Suqare Biz"; "Lovergirl"; her two duets with Rick James, "I'm a Sucker for Your Love" and "Fire & Desire"; and her tribute to fellow Motown-to-Sony defector, Marvin Gaye, "My Dear Mr. Gaye."

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Not quite the "Ultimate" Teena Marie compilation but still great........2007-07-07

Although this is NOT an "Ultimate" collection of Teena Marie's music it is one of her most comprehensive collections. A truly ultimate Teena Marie collection would be a 2-CD set covering both her Motown and Epic recordings. That aside, however, this is an excellent anthology of Teena's music and a great starting point for anyone being introduced for the first time to this great but underrated R&B diva's most popular Motown tracks.

4 out of 5 stars Teena Marie: Ultimate Collection.......2006-11-04

I have been a Teena Marie fan since a kid; growing up in 80s how can you not be? A white girl with s soul sounding voice! This CD is awesome and has the best of her best in my opinion. Great tracks like; Portuguese Love, Fire and Desire, I want to be your lover girl, all these and the rest of the songs bring back great memories of growing up in the 80s. A great buy!

5 out of 5 stars Lady T at her best.......2006-10-20

Teena Marie: Ultimate Collection shows "Lady T" doing what she best which is providing good quality soul music. Even though it's missing my personal favorites "Déjà Vu (I've Been Here Before)," "Dear Lover," "Cassnova Brown" "Out on a Limb" and Ooh Laa Laa it's still filled with classics. From the classic uptempo tracks Square Biz and Lovergirl to the ballads Portguese Love, Young Love and the always timeless Fire & Desire it's a collection you don't want to miss. Teena Maire is without doubt the most soulful white women I've ever heard.

4 out of 5 stars Most Enjoyable.......2006-07-24

I enjoy the soulful sounds of Teena Marie. Anyone that enjoys R&B, would difinitely appreciate this CD.

4 out of 5 stars The Teena Marie Review.......2006-06-30

As always, the performance goes untouched in comparison, with classic mixed with the new. The sounds bring back memories of a time most of us were still in class; and sensual tones appreciate nicely. In a nutshell, its a nice asset to the collection and could eventually become a work of art, so go call your insurance agents.
Ultimate Collection
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great Atlantic Starr Music
  • Extremely Good
  • This ain't right folks...
  • Atlantic Starr is amazing
  • 5 stars for Atlantic Starr
 Ultimate Collection
Atlantic Starr
Manufacturer: Hip-O Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Contemporary BluesContemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00004YLOR
Release Date: 2000-09-26

Tracks:

  1. Always
  2. When Love Call (Single Version)
  3. Secret Lovers (Single Version)
  4. Touch A Four Leaf Clover (Single Version)
  5. Silver Shadow (Specially Remixed Version)
  6. Love Crazy
  7. One Lover At A Time
  8. Cool, Calm, Collected
  9. Circles (Single Version)
  10. Love Me Down (Single Version)
  11. Send For Me (Single Version)
  12. More, More, More (Single Version)
  13. If Your Heart Isn't In It
  14. Stand Up (Single Version)
  15. (Let's) Rock 'N' Roll (Single Version)
  16. Freak-A-Ristic
  17. Masterpiece (Single Version)
  18. My First Love

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great Atlantic Starr Music .......2007-08-01

I simply loved it. I listen to it all the time. They have made some of the most beautiful songs and music and were underrated.

5 out of 5 stars Extremely Good.......2007-04-11

Very good music, sounds ike a comtemporary. They were really extremely good, even sang the lead song at our wedding! Now hows that?

2 out of 5 stars This ain't right folks..........2007-03-20

I would not recommend buying this because of a couple of glaring ommissions. How can classic slowjams like 'Am I dreaming' and 'Let's get Closer' be left out and this be called an ULTIMATE collection? Pullease! Hardcore fans should know that A.S. is really a tale of TWO groups: the Soulful Sharon Bryant era, and the more Mainstream/Pop Barbara Weathers era. That's probably how the collection should be presented anyway. But AS's success was as much about the songwriting/production talents of its founders(3 brothers: David, Wayne, and Jonathan Lewis) as it was either of these talented ladies. Its unfortunate that so many still judge 'good music' solely by its crossover potential.

Also check out 'Secret Lovers: The Best of Atlantic Starr' to hear the aforementioned tunes. Its an older release, hence the inclusion of those classic tunes.

5 out of 5 stars Atlantic Starr is amazing.......2007-01-16

This is an excellent album. It has all of Atlantic Starr's all time greatest songs, especially their love ballads. "Always" and "Masterpiece" are my most favorite. Though overall, each song is awesome and really enjoyable and relaxing to listen to. I highly recommend this Ultimate Collection album by Atlantic Starr!

5 out of 5 stars 5 stars for Atlantic Starr.......2006-07-15

For all those who enjoy love songs the way I do, this cd is the best. Atlantic Starr has always managed to belt out the most romantic songs, and each and every one of their hits is on this cd. You won't be disappointed! You might need two of them, because you will wear it out!!!
Ultimate Collection
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A tragic loss
  • BIlly Preston Collection
  • Disappointing
  • Great entry to Billy, or let it be your only Billy
  • Nice representation of a great performer
 Ultimate Collection
Billy Preston
Manufacturer: Hip-O Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | R&B | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00004S5GD
Release Date: 2000-03-21

Tracks:

  1. Will It Go Round in Circles
  2. Outa-Space
  3. Slaughter (from the movie Slaughter)
  4. I Wrote a Simple Song
  5. That's the Way God Planned It (live)
  6. Struttin'
  7. Fancy Lady
  8. You're So Unique
  9. Space Race
  10. Get Back (from the movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band)
  11. Blackbird
  12. Wide Stride
  13. Nothing from Nothing
  14. I'm Really Gonna Miss You
  15. You Are So Beautiful
  16. With You I'm Born Again (duet with Syretta; from the movie Fast Break)
  17. Since I Held You Close
  18. Go for It (duet with Syreeta; from the movie Fast Break)
  19. One More Time for Love (duet with Syreeta)
  20. I'm Never Gonna Say Goodbye

Album Description

The key to Billy Preston's success, from the mid `70's to the early `00's has been diversity. With a career that has spanned from Ray Charles to the Beatles and from gospel to funk to rock, Preston was quoted in Rolling Stone circa `71 as saying "Young whites, young blacks, old people, jazz people - I want `em all." While that sort of open-armed pursuit of music fans everywhere helped to cement Preston's position as a worlwide superstar, it also makes his place in rock history hard to pigeonhole. He's too R&B for classic rockers, too pop for the funketeer camp, and not camp enough for the folks who remember the `70's for "Kung-Fu Fighting" or "Afternoon Delight"
When you get right down to it though, it's not about the genre classification, it's about the music.
This Ultimate Collection has 20 of Billy's best, ready to remind you not only why clerks had a hard time figuring out where to file him, but why they couldn't keep his records in the store!

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A tragic loss.......2007-04-03

If you have to buy one compilation this year, get this one. It captures much of Billy Prestons best work from 1972 to 1982. Billy Preston was a gifted Piano player and Organist, as well being a talented vocalist. This CD has the marvellous "Will it go round in circles", as well some heavy funk, gospel influenced material and 3 duets with Syreeta, which are more mellow soul. You get 20 tracks and they are all required listening. The CD is pretty well packaged with decent sleeve notes and biographical and recording information (although produced before he died).

He is of course most famous for his playing on the "Let It Be" sessions with The Beatles. However he worked with many other people throughout his career including The Stones and stints with Ringo Starrs all-star Band. One of his later appearances you can buy, was with Eric Clapton on the "One more Car, One more Rider" shows in 2001. He is marvellous on this and the DVD is well worth getting. This CD was put together just before these shows in 2000. Sadly Billy Preston died in 2006 at the age of only 59.

4 out of 5 stars BIlly Preston Collection.......2007-01-26

My first concert was George Harrison in 1974 in Boston and on Keyboards was Billy Preston playing his magic.Since then Ive been a fan of his but never bought or ever saw him play again until a few years back when he was playing keyboards on a Eric Clapton tour.It was good to see him again.
I knew he played with The Rolling Stones and was a Beatle back in the day in the studio.
I have heard his music sporadically over the decades until his passing.It was quite sad that he passed away.I wish I couldve seen him perform again or by chance meet him.Either way he was an excellent muscian.
Fellow Amazonians:INvest in this Billy Preston CD!

1 out of 5 stars Disappointing.......2006-11-07

Billy Preston was certainly a great talent. I purchased this CD because of the duet with Syreeta "With You I'm Born Again" as it is such a beautiful song. I was hoping to hear some other great performances by Billy but, unfortunately, I was disappointed with the rest of the CD.

5 out of 5 stars Great entry to Billy, or let it be your only Billy.......2006-10-17

We lost Billy Preston this year. If his death was the first time you had heard of Billy Preston or if his death was simply a reminder that there was this incredible cat called Billy Preston, then pay your respects by listening to this really good compilation of him at his best. You will find the funk, the groove, the smooth side of the roughness, the rough side of the smoothness in this disc. It's infectious and even now as I peck out these words, the rhythms and lead-ins are causing an involuntary tap of my thumb. Let it pour all over you.

Beatles aside, Billy Preston carries the water himself. He commands the grooves from whatever implement works. Whether the Hammond B-3 or Fender Rhodes, Mr. Preston will make you move. The instrumentals with "space" in the titles are nasty corn bread nuggets rubbed up with serious funkness. You will want to say "amen" while at the same time, saying "daa-umn!" Music causing this type of internal conflict MUST be awesome. It is.

god rest his soul

5 out of 5 stars Nice representation of a great performer.......2006-08-18

This collection is a great start into Billy Preston. A man with many faces and a tremendous stage presence, it is hard to collect a body of material to represent him. But I believe they've done a good job with what they have on this cd.
The case is typical, nice. The cover art and liner notes are really great... good pics showing various stages of this performers career.
The remastering here is really good, nice sound.
This is a tidy little package for those who want to hear Billy at his best and a great start for those who don't know him.
Worth every penny.
20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Switch
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • BEAUTIFUL SOUNDS
  • I Wanna Be Closer To This Collection
  • There Will Never Be Another SWITCH!!!
  • the best of switch
  • Switch - No Bait
 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Switch
Switch
Manufacturer: Motown
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005LMK5
Release Date: 2001-06-19

Tracks:

  1. There'll Never Be
  2. My Friend In The Sky
  3. Best Beat In Town
  4. Don't Take My Love Away
  5. I Wanna Be Closer
  6. You Pulled A Switch
  7. I Call Your Name
  8. Call On Me
  9. I Do Love You
  10. You And I
  11. Love Over And Over Again

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars BEAUTIFUL SOUNDS.......2007-05-13

VERY PLEASED WITH MY PURCHASE,SWITCH AS A WHOLE WAS A GREAT GROUP WHO MADE REMARKABLE MUSIC THAT YOU COULD FEEL AND THE MANY TALENTS OF BOBBY DEBARGE, TRULY AMAZING. MY PERSONAL FAVORITE HANDS DOWN THE SPECIAL "THERE'LL" NEVER BE" THE FIRST SWITCH SINGLE RELEASED IN 1978...THE YEAR I WAS BORN. THIS TUNE HAS A CATCHY GROOVE THE HARMONIES ARE TOP NOTCH AND THE ARRANGEMENT IS EXCELLENT. OTHER HIGH NOTES ON THE ALBUM ARE "FRIEND IN THE SKY", "DON'T TAKE MY LOVE AWAY" IN WHICH YOU REALLY GET A FEEL OF THE VOCAL RANGE BOBBY DEBARGE POSSESED FROM THE START TO FINISH OVER A NICE STRING ARRANGEMENT "YOU AND I" IS A LOVE BALLAD THAT MAKES YOU THINK AND THE VOCALS ARE OUTSTANDING AS USUAL. "LOVE OVER AND OVER" IS A NICE EQUASION OF HEARING THE GROUP SING FOR US ALL IN HARMONY, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE FLAWLESS "I CALL YOUR NAME" IN WHICH IS SAMPLED IN OUR EARS THESE DAYS WHEN WE HEAR "THROW SOME D'S" BY RICH BOY. I ALWAYS WONDER DO THESE NEW ARTISTS FEEL THE MUSIC AND KNOW THE GREATNESS OF ONE IN WHICH THEY ARE SAMPLING OR PERHAPS THEY MAYBE NEVER HEARD OF THE INDIVIDUALS. THE BEST OF SWITCH IS AN ALBUM YOU CAN PUT IN AND IT'S SURE TO RELAX YOUR MIND PUT YOU IN A GROOVE AND DELIGHT YOU.WHEN YOU ARE A TRUE MUSIC LOVER LIKE MYSELF IT NEVER GETS OLD IT JUST ALLOWS YOU TO TAKE A CHANCE AND OBSERVE THE NEW BUT IN DUE TIME YOU TEND TO COME RIGHT BACK TO THE BEST, THE BEST THAT YOU FELT IN GENUINE EXTRAORDINARY MUSIC THAT WILL ALWAYS BE GREAT, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU GET IN THE MILLENNIUM COLLECTION OF THE BEST OF SWITCH. THANKS GENTLEMAN FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL PIECES OF WORK.
MARCE'

5 out of 5 stars I Wanna Be Closer To This Collection.......2006-10-17

Switch were an excellent group despite never making a major impact their music still remain a staple for R&B lovers. Songs like "There'll Never Be" "I Call Your Name" & "I Wanna Be Closer" are timeless jams that still receive airplay to this day on the oldies stations. The album as awhole is a treat and it gives people who were fans of their major singles to become familiar with some of their lesser known songs. It's not a full length album but this compilation is the closer you can become since most of their albums are out of print. You can't deny when you hear one of their singles on radio it makes you feel just as good now then it did when it 1st came out. "I Call Your Name" is the cut.

4 out of 5 stars There Will Never Be Another SWITCH!!!.......2005-09-06

First of all I do like the compilation, I gave it 4 stars because its basically the same album as the 1991 release Best Of...Now i love all the songs on the best of series but how could you leave off others nuggets as "I Wanna Be With You" from the first album "SWITCH" and "Calling On All Girls","You're The one For Me" and "Falling" from SWITCH II The second release, The 3rd release "This Is My Dream" Featured gems such as the title track and "Why'D You Let Love Fall" and "All I Need Is You" this release featured sister Bunny DeBarge contributing three lovely written songs, The 4th release "Reaching For tomorrow' contained nuggets such as "I've Finally Found Someone New" and the beautifully written song "My Friend In The Sky" Very inspirational and Bobby DeBarge vocals here shine through and shows you that there will never be another like him PERIOD! The last release featured the nuggets "I Luv It" and "Push The Switch(HIGH ENERGY SWITCH)" this release also introduced two new members Terrance Gaines on Lead Vocals and Attala Zane Giles on Lead & Bass Guitars ......This release signaled the departure of Bobby DeBarge and Tommy DeBarge the year was 1981. Over all Switch had Five albums for motown. Switch was a well oiled unit and they JAMMED on the Up Tempo joints and as for the Slow Jams they brought the heat wit Bobby and Phillip ingram on vocals that was a nice combo, superb songwriting and musicianship "There'll Never BE" another switch and Bobby DeBarge man with a VOICE like ANGLES of course gone too soon man, What a falsetto......WOW! Now i have all 5 albums and they are in MINT CONDITION and i will be making my own best of serious........Keep Jamming SWITCH!!!!

5 out of 5 stars the best of switch.......2005-08-03

excellent CD, sounds just as good as the original albums--wish we had more of switch to listen to

5 out of 5 stars Switch - No Bait.......2005-08-02

Absolutely great compiliation. Every great song they've ever made is on this album.
The Ultimate Collection
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Old Skool
  • Brick Houses
  • Pure musical Genius- Classic
  • GOOD ALBUM!!!!
  • Great, but not "The Ultimate."
 The Ultimate Collection
The Commodores
Manufacturer: Motown
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | R&B | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music
Quiet StormQuiet Storm | R&B | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
$9.99 and Under$9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music
R&BR&B | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music
Dance & DJDance & DJ | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music
All Blowout MusicAll Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music
$9.99 and Under$9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000001AMT
Release Date: 1997-03-25

Tracks:

  1. Machine Gun
  2. Slippery When Wet
  3. Sweet Love
  4. Just To Be Close To You
  5. Fancy Dancer
  6. Girl, I Think The World About You
  7. Easy
  8. Zoom
  9. Brick House
  10. Too Hot Ta Trot
  11. Three Times A Lady
  12. Still
  13. Old-Fashion Love
  14. Lady (You Bring Me Up)
  15. Nightshift

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Old Skool.......2007-05-04

You tend to forget just how good the Commodores were, but this perfect collection is a concise reminder of songs that were all over the place 25 years ago, but not so much today. Way back before Lionel Richie became best known as Nicole Richie's pere. Timeless production and great mastering make this one of Motown's better CDs.

4 out of 5 stars Brick Houses.......2006-03-05

There is just so much in this industry these days to where a lot of artists in R&B seem to be more pop oriented, rather than having the feeling of traditional soul. That has been the case with acts like Beyonce', Usher and Mariah Carey. Nevertheless, there are some acts from the past that have absolutely delivered towards what the essence of traditional soul has been like from Motown back in the 70's, and The Commodores were absolutely no acception. Their essential mixture of Funk, R&B and Soul have been a absolute mainstay on the classics of R&B radio, and that feeling Lionel Richie and company have mixed together is all in one convient collection.

The Commodores Ultimate Collection is a fine mixture of the groups most recognized tracks from the 70's. The songs here are just simply the best the soul legends from Alabama had made all of their own. The songs here were remastered very well, and stay as definitive to what made them classics. The album includes tracks ranging from the essence of funk like Machine Gun and the classic party anthem Brick House, to contemporary ballads from Lionel and company that have withstood the test of time like Still, Easy, which was recently used for Levis Jeans, Just To Be Close To You, and Three Times A Lady. While the album does maintain being definitive, many die hard fans were just hoping for a bit more from this collection, but The Ultimate Collection does stand out well enough for newcomers to this legendary R&B group.

It is just sad that Lionel Richie and company of The Commodores haven't done anything new together since they departed back in the eary 80's. Nevertheless, the legacy of these songs is still alive and well. I absolutely love The Ultimate Collection by The Commodores, and you will love this album too just as easy as Sunday morning.

Album Cover: B+

Songs: B 1/2+

Price: A-

Remastering: A-

Overall: B+

5 out of 5 stars Pure musical Genius- Classic.......2006-01-25

This is one fantastic CD despite a few classics left out.That said, I will focus on one specific song. You could buy this CD for this song only. It is " Nightshift ". It is pure musical Genius. If you know any talented individual who has died before his time, you will understand this song. It is simply heartbreaking. Substitute " Heaven " for Nightshift, and you will understand. It will bring tears to your eyes. Play it 5 or 10 times, and listen for the background vocals . Search Lyrics on Google. It is not just a song, but a tribute to lost souls who needed just a little more time here with us....

5 out of 5 stars GOOD ALBUM!!!!.......2006-01-16

I LIKE THIS ALBUM. THIS ALBUM DOES THE COMMODORES JUSTICE. THIS ALBM CONTAINS ALL OF THEIR TRADEMARK HITS. I LIKE THIS ALBUM. I ENJOY THE COMMODORES THEY WERE A GREAT GROUP AND I WISH THAT I COULD GIVE THEM MORE THAN 5 STARS. THEY WERE ABLE TO SING AND DANDCE AND THEY HAD THEIR OWN TRADEMARK STYLE WITH THEIR ELABORATE CLOTHING. AND LIONEL RICHIE HAD HIS DISTINCT TRADEMARK SINGING. THIS ALBUM CONTAINS ALL OF THE GOODIES FROM THE COMMODORES THIS IS DEFINITELY AN ULITIAMTE COLLECTION AND I RECOMMEND ANY COMMODORE FAN TO PURCHASE THIS ALBUM....

4 out of 5 stars Great, but not "The Ultimate.".......2004-05-21

I love The Commodores and this is one awesome collection of songs. They left the full album versions of "Sweet Love" (my favorite Commodores song) and "Zoom." But where is "Sail On?" Where is "Jesus is Love?" The were both huge hits for The Commodores and I can't consider this "Ultimate" with the absence of these songs. I have them on vinyl but, unfortunately, I don't have (and can't afford) a turntable right now. Still this is a good disc and I would consider it a must own.

R&B Music:

  1. Good to Me: Live at the Whiskey a Go Go V.2 [Original recording remastered] [Import]
  2. Gospel Roots [Import]
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  4. Great R&B Instrumentals
  5. Guitar Bazaar
  6. Hold On and Other Hits
  7. Homegirls of Soul
  8. Hot Boyz [CD-single]
  9. Hotel [CD-single] [Import]
  10. Integrale Mahalia Jackson, Vol. 4: 1953-1954

R&B Music

r&b music

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