Essential [Import]

Track Listings
1. It Started With A Kiss
2. So You Win Again
3. I Gave You My Heart (Didn't I)
4. No Doubt About It
5. Brother Louie
6. Tears On The Telephone
7. Chances
8. You Could've Been A Lady
9. Everyone's A Winner
10. Girl Crazy
11. You Sexy Thing
12. I'll Put You Together Again
13. Are You Getting Enough Happiness
14. Emma
15. What Kinda Boy You Lookin For (Girl)
16. Heaven Is In The Back Seat Of My Cadillac
17. Disco Queen
18. Heartache No.9

Essential,Hot Chocolate,EMI,Pop

Essential [Import]

Essential [Import]
The Essential Paul Simon (2 CD/DVD)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Well done
  • great compilation - particularly for a car trip
  • Sweet and Simple
  • Paul Simon Redux
 The Essential Paul Simon (2 CD/DVD)
Paul Simon
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  2. The Police (2CD Anthology)
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  4. Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
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ASIN: B000Q677EA
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Tracks:

  1. Mother And Child Reunion
  2. Loves Me Like A Rock
  3. Me And Julio Down By The School Yard
  4. Duncan
  5. Kodachrome
  6. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
  7. Slip Slidin' Away
  8. Gone At Last
  9. Something So Right
  10. Late In The Evening
  11. Hearts And Bones
  12. Take Me To The Mardi Gras
  13. That Was Your Mother
  14. American Tune
  15. Peace Like A River
  16. Stranded In A Limousine
  17. Train In The Distance
  18. The Late Great Johnny Ace
  19. Still Crazy After All These Years

Tracks:

  1. Graceland
  2. Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes
  3. The Boy In The Bubble
  4. You Can Call Me Al
  5. Under African Skies
  6. The Obvious Child
  7. Born At The Right Time
  8. The Coo, Cool River
  9. Spirit Voices
  10. Adios Hermanos
  11. Born In Puerto Rico
  12. Quality
  13. Darling Lorraine
  14. Hurricane Eye
  15. Father And Daughter
  16. Outrageous
  17. Wartime Prayers

Album Description

In celebration of Paul Simon's Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress, The Essential Paul Simon brings together all of his hits and favorite tracks in the most expansive, solo career-spanning compilation issued for the two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Well done.......2007-07-30

I purchased this two-CD album as a gift for a friend who is very much into music, particularly the music of Paul Simon's era. I have not listened to it personally, but the recipient called me to say he was enjoying it immensely.

4 out of 5 stars great compilation - particularly for a car trip.......2007-07-14

I have a lot of Paul Simon CD's so you could say I didn't really need this two CD set. However, I make a 3 hour car trip a couple of times a year and when I saw this I immediately thought how great it would be to have these two CD's in the changer in the trunk for my next road trip. Its sort of a "greatest hits" but with some songs I've never heard before as well. It covers a long span of years and my only complaint is that it does not include the incredible song "Homeless".

4 out of 5 stars Sweet and Simple.......2007-07-03

When it comes to music right now, there just really isn't anything that is actually exciting. While there are so many acts that just seem to get by on gloss like Beyonce', Britney Spears, and Usher, there just really isn'y anything anymore about songs and artists that just comes from the simplistic words themselves. There have been acts that have made great records, they just missed the cut when it comes to sales last year from Elton John, Rod Stewart, and Paul Simon. Although Paul has been recognized with great acheivements in music on his own, as a member of Simon & Garfunkel, he has truly made the music of our times, and this collection shows it.

The 2007 Essential Paul Simon is a double album reflection of what made Paul Simon's solo career so dynamic and universal. This was made in honor of his recent inagural Gershwin Award for Song, as well as his 35th anniverasry as a acclaimed solo artist. This collection follows in suit very nicely, and expands the effort delightfully that was made so well on his last solo hits package, 2002's On My Way. The songs here flow very nicely, and have all been remastered very well. All of his classics are highlighted here including the guilty pleasures 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover, You Can Call Me Al, The Boy In The Bubble, as well as down to Earth gems like Mother and Child Reunion, and his Oscar-nominated Father and Daughter from the Nickelodeon animated film The Wild Thornberries Movie, and his recently overlooked track Outrageous from his overshadowed 2006 album Surprise. This version also add in on the fun, by including some great music videos of his work and craftsmanship in songwriting like Diamonds On The Souls Of Her Shoes, and a rendidtion of the Simon & Garfunkel gem, Mrs. Robinson from the classic 70's The Dick Cavett Show.

All in all, The Essential Paul Simon really captures a delightful reflection on a career that has acclaimed for so many years, and also does a wonderful job at reintroducing one of the most legendary artists of the past five decades. If you haven't heard any of Paul Simon's music, than you really don't know what you've missed from a great icon like Paul. I absolutely recommend this hits collection a whole lot. You can still call him Al, but just call him a legend.

Album Cover: B+

Songs: A-

Price: A-

Remastering: A-

DVD: B 1/2+

Overall: B+

4 out of 5 stars Paul Simon Redux.......2007-06-29

This is Paul simon cut right to the bone with no filler whatsoever! I enjoy everything on this collection and The Capeman stuff is good to finally have on cd! I compare this to the Traveling Wilbury's Collection that was recently released also w/ a DVD!! It's all very familiar but worth revisiting over and over again!
The Essential Johnny Cash
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Sorry I bought
  • untimately boring
  • Great collection
  • All of the favorites!
  • Perfect Intro to Johnny Cash!
 The Essential Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. At Folsom Prison
  2. Walk the Line
  3. The Essential Willie Nelson
  4. At San Quentin
  5. Walk the Line (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B00005Y1M2
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

  1. Hey Porter
  2. Cry, Cry, Cry
  3. I Walk The Line
  4. Get Rhythm
  5. There You Go
  6. Ballad Of A Teenage Queen
  7. Big River
  8. Guess Things Happen That Way
  9. All Over Again
  10. Don't Take Your Guns To Town
  11. Five Feet High And Rising
  12. The Rebel-Johnny Yuma
  13. Tennessee Flat-Top Box
  14. I Still Miss Someone
  15. Ring Of Fire
  16. The Ballad Of Ira Hayes
  17. Orange Blossom Special
  18. Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)

Tracks:

  1. It Ain't Me, Babe (w/ June Carter Cash)
  2. The One On The Right Is On The Left
  3. Jackson (w/ June Carter Cash)
  4. Folsom Prison Blues (Live)
  5. Daddy Sang Bass
  6. Girl From The North Country (w/ Bob Dylan)
  7. A Boy Named Sue (Live)
  8. If I Were A Carpenter
  9. Sunday Morning Coming Down
  10. Flesh And Blood
  11. Man In Black
  12. Ragged Old Flag
  13. One Piece At A Time
  14. (Ghost) Riders In The Sky
  15. Song Of The Patriot (w/ Marty Robbins)
  16. Highwayman (w/ Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson)
  17. The Night Hank Williams Came To Town (w/ Waylon Jennings)
  18. The Wanderer (w/ U2)

Amazon.com

It's a great and perhaps impossible challenge to encapsulate the highlights of Johnny Cash's vast musical catalog in a two-CD, 36-song collection like this. Yet, though it barely scratches the surface, 2002's The Essential Johnny Cash--part of a series of compilations and reissues celebrating Cash's 70th birthday--does present three-dozen satisfying and balanced snapshots of some of the Man in Black's most memorable work for the Sun, Columbia, and Mercury labels. Above all else, these 36 selections are wonderful reminders of Cash's rustic eclecticism. Cuts range from '50s Sun rockabilly classics like "Hey Porter" and "I Walk the Line" to '60s country-folk gems like "The Ballad of Ira Hayes" and Cash's memorable duet with Bob Dylan on Dylan's "Girl from the North Country." Also included are more recent samplings of Cash's celebrated collaborations, including "Highwayman," which he recorded in 1984 with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson as part of the on-again, off-again supergroup the Highwaymen, and "The Wanderer," a fervent gospel collaboration with U2 that appeared on the band's 1993 album, Zooropa. --Bob Allen

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Sorry I bought.......2007-08-02

I know some people will hate me for this, but I really did not like this music. Oh, a couple of the songs were really great, but I do not like to own albums where I only want to hear a couple of songs.... so I gave it away to a friend... who then gave it away to a friend. Wish I had more to say, but that's it.

2 out of 5 stars untimately boring.......2007-08-01

The volume was bought to accompany us on a month long road trip. The CD's got one play and were put away for the rest of the journey. The arrangements and instrumentation was repetitive and the voice shows little ability to work outside of a single approach to lyrics. I would have been better served to download the few well know items and forget the rest. Perhaps it will appeal to die hard JC fans but it is like a character actor who can only play one role.

5 out of 5 stars Great collection.......2007-07-13

The Essential Johnny Cash, while far from being the only Cash CD you'll ever need, is nonetheless a great collection of his biggest hits. Drawing mainly from his early years, this set features nearly all of my personal favorites, and even a few lesser-known hits that usually get lost in the cracks of other albums.

Like I said--this isn't the only Johnny Cash CD you'll ever need, but this, along with the Folsom and San Quentin concerts, is a good way to start your collection. Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars All of the favorites!.......2007-05-17

This is a great 2-CD set if you are a Johnny Cash fan and want as many hits as you can get without buying the box set! I got the Essential Johnny Cash for my Dad at Christmas last year and listened to it on a trip with him. I loved the movie Walk the Line and this CD made me go out and buy the box set for myself. I admit I like this CD better thna the box set as I find myself switching CD's too much with the box set. There are 4 CD's with the box set where this one has two. the boxed set also has a lot of gospel song by Johnny Cash, which I didn't like as much. But the Essential Johnny Cash did have a couple of the gospel songs that I did like. So if you are a Johnny Cash fan, or think you are becoming one, I highly recommend The Essential Johnny Cash 2-CD set. It has all the songs you'll need and love! Like me, you may even discover some you never knew you'd love.

5 out of 5 stars Perfect Intro to Johnny Cash!.......2007-05-14

What can you say? It's Johnny Cash and he's great. What I like most about this CD is that it introduced me to songs of his that I had never heard of such as 'Hey Porter'. You can hear Cash's personality and humor in his music. Buy it, you'll like it.
Essential Leonard Cohen
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Out From Under a Rock
  • magnificent songwriter
  • My Favorite Canadian
  • It is just that
  • Music For the Heart
 Essential Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006NSH8
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Tracks:

  1. Suzanne
  2. The Stranger Song
  3. Sisters of Mercy
  4. Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbyen
  5. So Long, Marianne
  6. Bird on a Wire
  7. The Partisan
  8. Famous Blue Raincoat
  9. Chelsea Hotel No. 2
  10. Take This Longing
  11. Who by Fire
  12. The Guests
  13. Hallelujah
  14. If It Be Your Will
  15. Night Comes On
  16. I'm Your Man
  17. Everybody Knows
  18. Tower of Song

Tracks:

  1. Ain't No Cure for Love
  2. Take This Waltz
  3. First We Take Manhattan
  4. Dance Me to the End of Love (live)
  5. The Future
  6. Democracy
  7. Waiting for the Miracle
  8. Closing Time
  9. Anthem
  10. In My Secret Life
  11. Alexandra Leaving
  12. A Thousand Kisses Deep
  13. Love Itself

Amazon.com

This two-disc retrospective traces the Canadian bard's musical maturity from poet and novelist who sang a little to multidimensional artist whose oracular vocals and increasingly rich arrangements are every bit as compelling as his verse. Even when Cohen came to prominence through the 1960s songcraft of "Suzanne" and "Bird on a Wire," the "folksinger" tag never really fit. Later highlights ranging from the deadpan drollery of "Tower of Song" and "Everybody Knows" to the apocalyptic anthemry of "First We Take Manhattan" and "Democracy" suggest that other labels might be more appropriate: cabaret surrealist, spiritual gadfly, sensual prophet, agent provocateur. Cohen chose the selections, drawing more than half of the 31 tracks from three landmark albums--his 1967 debut Songs of Leonard Cohen, 1988's I'm Your Man, and 1992's The Future--along with four from 2001's Ten New Songs. The collection justifies its title as deep as it goes, though it's a shame that Cohen's commercial profile couldn't justify the more elaborate box set his artistry warrants (one that would at least include lyrics and musician credits). Those who sample the consistently inspired music here might come to the conclusion that everything Cohen records is essential. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Out From Under a Rock.......2007-07-28

If you're a Cohen fan, you'll love this album. But then, I love them all.

5 out of 5 stars magnificent songwriter.......2007-02-18

I won't be able to explain Leonard Cohen the way he can explain himself. His words lay out a wonderful,descriptive picture that you just have to hear to believe. I just recently started listening to him after getting the "I'm Your Man" soundtrack. I am a little disappointed I didn't listen before.
Granted Mr. Cohen isn't the best singer, but like Bob Dylan, you look past that into the brilliance of the music.

5 out of 5 stars My Favorite Canadian.......2007-02-16

How many ways can we amature reviewers write phrases that mean: He's a genius, he's talented, the songs are great! If you can think of any other acclamations, print out this review and pencil in the idiom for yourself. It will be true. bg

5 out of 5 stars It is just that.......2007-02-09

For me, this is an "essential" CD. It is a really good compilation of his body of work--thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.

5 out of 5 stars Music For the Heart.......2007-02-04

Leonard Cohen's music touches my heart. The deep vibrations of his voice sooth me. This C.D pleases me to no end.
Dino: The Essential Dean Martin
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • This is the best cd
  • Dean Martin "The Essential Dean Martin"
  • Dean - One of a kind
  • Many Songs great sound
  • Omit One
 Dino: The Essential Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  5. Italian Love Songs

ASIN: B00021LPIS
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

  1. Ain't That a Kick in the Head
  2. That's Amore
  3. Memories Are Made of This
  4. Just In Time
  5. Sway
  6. I'd Cry Like A Baby
  7. Volare
  8. Under The Bridges Of Paris
  9. Love Me, Love Me
  10. If
  11. Mambo Italiano
  12. Let Me Go Lover
  13. Standing On The Corner
  14. You Belong to Me
  15. Powder Your Face With Sunshine
  16. Innamorata (Sweetheart)
  17. I'll Always Love You
  18. Kiss
  19. You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You
  20. Return to Me (Ritorna-Me)
  21. The Door Is Still Open to My Heart
  22. Houston
  23. Send Me The Pillow You Dream On
  24. Everybody Loves Somebody
  25. In the Chapel in the Moonlight
  26. I Will
  27. Little Old Wine Drinker Me
  28. Somewhere There's a Someone
  29. In The Misty Moonlight
  30. Gentle On My Mind

Amazon.com

The revisionist take on the Rat Pack's razor-witted King of Cool reveals a Dean Martin who was considerably more complex than the Titan of Tipplers legend; a man who would just as soon retire to his room with a tumbler of milk to watch a TV Western than prowl the Strip with his famous cohorts. That sublime, preternatural indifference is both underscored and belied with dizzying regularity on this good 30-track overview of Martin's singing career. The breezy hits "That's Amore" and "Volare" underscored his public staying power when many counted him out in the face of a surging 1950s youth market. He repeated the feat again with trademark effortlessness a decade later to knock no less than the Beatles off the top of the charts with the unlikely, if inviting schmaltz of "Everybody Loves Somebody." Ever informed by his warm, deceptive vocal ease, Martin's rich signature tunes are well-represented here. But the collection also spans enough lovable kitsch ("Mambo Italiano," "Little Old Wine Drinker Me") and unabashed romantic yearning ("Innamorata," "Send Me the Pillow You Dream On") to deepen the compelling mystery of one of pop music's most enduring ciphers. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars This is the best cd.......2007-05-14

I love this cd it is one of my favorites. It just puts you in a great place and I love singing all the songs. The sound of his voice is like melting butter and I could listen to this cd over and over and never get tired of it. If you only own one cd in your life I recomend this one. I bought one for my grandfather after I listened to it and he loves it to.

5 out of 5 stars Dean Martin "The Essential Dean Martin".......2007-05-10

Another wonderful CD of Dean Martin. This one also arrived very quickly.

5 out of 5 stars Dean - One of a kind.......2007-03-26

For any fan of Dean Martin, this Cd is must. Every song brings back to a time when music was great and had meaning.

5 out of 5 stars Many Songs great sound.......2007-03-23

All the best songs and a bunch on the CD. Really Great
Happy with buy

1 out of 5 stars Omit One.......2007-03-13

There is no song worse to me than "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime" and that one dud spoiled it for me. I hate that song so much.

The others are okay, but this one dud - that is the one song I never want to hear nor would I ever inflict it on anybody. It's heinous.
Essential Bob Dylan
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Should be in every 'boomer's' collection
  • The Essential Bob Dylan is essential
  • Essential To American Culture
  • Complete Dylan
  • Like The Old Days, Only Better
 Essential Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000050HTO
Release Date: 2000-10-31

Tracks:

  1. Blowin' In The Wind
  2. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
  3. The Times They Are A-Changin'
  4. It Ain't Me, Babe
  5. Maggie's Farm
  6. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
  7. Mr. Tambourine Man
  8. Subterranean Homesick Blues
  9. Like A Rolling Stone
  10. Positively 4th Street
  11. Just Like A Woman
  12. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35
  13. All Along The Watchtower
  14. Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)
  15. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight

Tracks:

  1. Lay, Lady, Lay
  2. If Not For You
  3. I Shall Be Released
  4. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
  5. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
  6. Forever Young
  7. Tangled Up In Blue
  8. Shelter From The Storm
  9. Hurricane
  10. Gotta Serve Somebody
  11. Jokerman
  12. Silvio
  13. Everything Is Broken
  14. Not Dark Yet
  15. Things Have Changed

Amazon.com

Two discs of music don't exactly provide for a thorough overview of four decades of recording, particularly if the subject of the retrospective is one of the most important and prolific performers of his time. So The Essential Bob Dylan definitely skates over the leagues-deep oeuvre of Dylan, summarizing his monumental first half-dozen years in disc one and skirting over the following 34 years in disc two. Delving into Columbia's three Dylan greatest-hits packages (though curiously purging "I Want You," a genuine hit single in its day), Essential offers only a few surprises, opting for The Basement Tapes version of "Quinn the Eskimo" over the Self Portrait remake that made it onto Greatest Hits Volume II and tossing in "Things Have Changed" from the Wonder Boys soundtrack for completists. But this 30-track overview is designed with newcomers, not Dylanologists, in mind. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Should be in every 'boomer's' collection.......2007-08-03

This is the one CD for boomer's who haven't previously been into Dylan. He really is unique, and very good -- on most songs.

5 out of 5 stars The Essential Bob Dylan is essential.......2007-03-01

Glad I bought this. I'm trying to replace the old vinyl albums I once had and this is a good start to my new collection of Dylan CDs. It satisfies the immediate need until I can afford all of the replacements.

5 out of 5 stars Essential To American Culture.......2007-02-23

Bob Dylan is the greatest living American composer. As essential to his generation as Irving Berlin and Cole Porter were to theirs and sure to be remembered with the same reverence. This is a great collection of most of his finest work -- all remastered. An avid Dylan fan, I can't help but notice the absence of some of my favorites, like Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You, from Nashville Skyline and One More Cup Of Coffee, from Desire. I guess I would have liked to see a three disk Essential -- he certainly deserves one. That said, it is hard to argue with the song selections. For example, other than the original Greatest Hits collection, which was originally released in the '60's, this is the only other place you can find Positively 4th Street -- his follow-up single to Like A Rolling Stone.

If you want to purchase one disk for your CD collection that best represents Bob Dylan's body of work, this is the one to get.

4 out of 5 stars Complete Dylan.......2007-01-16

This is the most complete of all the Dylan recordings I have and that dates back to the 60's.

5 out of 5 stars Like The Old Days, Only Better.......2006-12-03

This is an excellent collection for those who were Dylan fans back in the sixties. Those of us in the room the first time I played these CDs could sing along with every single song. There isn't a bum tune in the bunch. But unlike those old records I have boxed up in the garage, all cuts sound clean.

I don't have anything profoud to say. I just want to recommend this collection to any old Dylan fans who want to hear it all again -- without the scratches.
Essential Heart
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • It's good, but!
  • ALMOST ESSENTIAL
  • The Best Best of Heart
  • SONY MUSIC producing defective HEART cds
  • Great, but it's missing a few songs.
 Essential Heart
Heart
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Greatest Hits
  2. The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac
  3. Foreigner - Complete Greatest Hits
  4. Dreamboat Annie
  5. Blondie - Greatest Hits

ASIN: B00007E8W2
Release Date: 2002-11-26

Tracks:

  1. Crazy On You
  2. Magic Man
  3. Dreamboat Annie
  4. Barracuda
  5. Little Queen
  6. Kick It Out
  7. Love Alive
  8. Heartless
  9. Straight On
  10. Dog & Butterfly
  11. Silver Wheels
  12. Even It Up
  13. Rock & Roll
  14. Tell It Like It Is
  15. Unchained Melody (Live)
  16. This Man Is Mine
  17. How Can I Refuse
  18. Allies

Tracks:

  1. What About Love?
  2. Never
  3. These Dreams
  4. Nothin' At All
  5. If Looks Could Kill
  6. Alone
  7. Who Will You Run To
  8. There's The Girl
  9. I Want You So Bad
  10. All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You
  11. Wild Child
  12. I Didn't Want to Need You
  13. Stranded
  14. Secret
  15. You're The Voice (Live)
  16. Will You Be There (In The Morning)
  17. Black On Black ll
  18. Ring Them Bells
  19. The Road Home

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars It's good, but! .......2007-05-12

As with all greatest hits packages theirs a lot of the radio friendly stuff and not enough of the really good stuff. Heart are a great band period. Their early stuff is simply fantastic and truly stands the test of time. The reinvented 80's heart was also very good, even if it's not quite as good as the early releases were. Their latest release, Jupiter's Child was a back to the basics what got us noticed in the first place release and it was another gem.

Ann and Nancy and supporting cast should be very proud of what they've accomplished in their careers. They have given us some true classics to look back on with fond memories and they have given us some newer releases that are every bit as good and even fresh sounding in a world of corporate crap.

I really wish Heart would go back and re-master all their releases and give us the listener a Sabbath style Black Box release and that would truly be a greatest hits package.

This collection of tunes is very good, but any true heart fan will be disappointed as it's just missing to much good stuff!!

I give it a 4 because it's Heart and because it rocks from start to finish, but I want more!!!!!

5 out of 5 stars ALMOST ESSENTIAL.......2007-01-31

I do give this release a big thumbs up but I would change a few things.

DISC ONE

Crazy On You
Magic Man
Dreamboat Annie
How Deep It Goes
Barracuda
Little Queen
Kick It Out
Love Alive
Sylvan Song
Dream Of The Archer
Heartless
Devil Delight
Magazine
Straight On
Dog & Butterfly
Mistral Wind
Hit Single
Rock & Roll

DISC TWO

City's Burning
Bebe Le Strange
Even It Up
How Can I Refuse
Allies
What About Love
If Looks Could Kill
These Dreams
Alone
Who Will You Run To
Wait For An Answer
All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You
Under The Sky
Fallen From Grace
Black On Black II
Back To Avalon
(Up On) Cherry Blossom Road
The Road Home

4 out of 5 stars The Best Best of Heart.......2007-01-12

This compilation from the Capitol Epic label is the best available over- view of the female operated hard rock band Heart. It has all the great songs from their early, middle and late periods. The early period features hard rock with incredible guitar performances, the middle period (after their lead guitarist was fired for drug burn-out) features fine rock arrangements and great songs. The late period has beautiful arrangements of beautiful songs beautifully sung. For someone wanting to find out what Heart is all about, this is the double CD to buy. My only beefs are the few live performances here are not their best and you only get the reprise of "Dreamboat Annie," one of their best songs.

1 out of 5 stars SONY MUSIC producing defective HEART cds.......2006-12-09

I bought the "Essential Heart" cd from Tower Rercords this weekend.
I just tried listening to it but Track #17 SKIPS and shuts down my media player.

The store (TOWER) is closing down & they refuse to even EXCHANGE IT!
They told me to contact the ones who release this album. All the info. & links on the back of the cd are no longer valid. I went to SonyMusic and even their links to this cd are defunct. I was able to find [...]which links back to SonyMusic - but when I call the two "QUALITY MANAGMENT" phone numbers they have, both are defunct and refer me back to the store I bought it from.

I am extremely angry and want my $15 back! No wonder Tower is going out of business with such bad customer service. All I'm going to be more careful before I buy a Sony/CapitolRecords cd!

4 out of 5 stars Great, but it's missing a few songs........2006-11-10

I would have given this compilation a 5-star review except that there were four great songs that were ommited: 1. "Strong, Strong Wind" 2. "Surrender to Me" 3. "Tall, Dark, Handsome Stranger" 4. "Back to Avalon". Other than that, this is a wonderful 2-CD package from an awesome group.
The Essential Willie Nelson
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • This will do--til I can buy every CD he's done
  • Absolute must have!
  • How sweet!
  • The Essential Willie Nelson
  • The Grand Old Man
 The Essential Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. The Essential Johnny Cash
  2. Ultimate Waylon Jennings
  3. Stardust
  4. Red Headed Stranger
  5. 40 #1 Hits

ASIN: B00008BXK3
Release Date: 2003-04-01

Tracks:

  1. Night Life
  2. Hello Walls
  3. Crazy
  4. Funny How Time Slips Away
  5. I Never Cared for You
  6. The Party's Over
  7. Good Times
  8. Me And Paul
  9. Shotgun Willie
  10. Bloody Mary Morning
  11. Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
  12. Good Hearted Woman (with Waylon Jennings)
  13. If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time
  14. Uncloudy Day
  15. Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys (with Waylon Jennings)
  16. Georgia on My Mind
  17. Blue Skies
  18. All of Me
  19. Heartbreak Hotel (with Leon Russell)
  20. Help Me Make It Through the Night
  21. Whiskey River (live)
  22. Stay a Little Longer (live)

Tracks:

  1. My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
  2. Faded Love (with Ray Price)
  3. On the Road Again
  4. Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground
  5. Always on My Mind
  6. Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning
  7. Pancho & Lefty (with Merle Haggard)
  8. To All the Girls I've Loved Before (with Julio Iglesias)
  9. City of New Orleans
  10. Seven Spanish Angels (with Ray Charles)
  11. Forgiving You Was Easy
  12. Highwayman
  13. Living in the Promiseland
  14. Nothing I Can Do About It Now
  15. Graceland
  16. Everywhere I Go (with Emmylou Harris)
  17. Slow Dancing (U2 featuring Willie Nelson, Mickey Raphael on harmonica)
  18. Mendocino County Line (with Lee Ann Womack)
  19. One Time Too Many (with Steven Tyler and Aerosmith) (previously unreleased)

Amazon.com

With 41 tracks drawn from nine record labels, the two-disc Essential Willie Nelson is impressive in its breadth. Disc one is simply superb; it begins with 1961's "Night Life," recorded for the obscure Bellaire label, and moves on to several of Nelson's early 1960s Liberty recordings, an overlooked gem recorded for Monument in 1964 ("I Never Cared for You"), a cherry-picked selection of his RCA and Atlantic sides, and finally his mid-1970s hits for Columbia (where he found his greatest chart success, beginning, in 1975, with the No. 1 single "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain"). Disc two, however, is hit-or-miss. Classics like "On the Road Again," "Pancho & Lefty," and "Nothing I Can Do About It Now" are offset by such lesser material as "To All The Girls I've Loved Before" (recorded with Latin pop star Julio Iglesias), the phoned-in "City of New Orleans," and the sounds-better-on-paper "Highwayman" collaboration with Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, and Waylon Jennings. (Just because they all made it to No. 1 doesn't make them "essential.") Nelson's two best albums of the 1990s, Across the Borderline and Teatro, are represented by a paltry two songs. The disc ends with collaborations with U2, Lee Ann Womack, and Steven Tyler and Aerosmith (the previously unreleased "One Time Too Many"). None is particularly worthy of a best-of collection. Still, while it doesn't quite live up to its billing, the Essential Willie Nelson offers an excellent career overview of one of country music's true legends. --David Hill

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars This will do--til I can buy every CD he's done.......2007-07-06

I didn't like Willie Nelson til I moved to Austin. You can't live there, hear all the good things he's done, and then listen to him and not start liking him. Someone has a problem, there's a storm, a fire--whatever, Willie's there playing and singing his heart out and getting as many of his fellow musicians out doing the same. Now, I want the whole collection because the B-sides are as good as some other folks' A's.

5 out of 5 stars Absolute must have!.......2007-06-28

Great collection of Willie's best. Note though that the songs on the label of the 2nd CD are not the actual order they are recorded on the CD.

2 out of 5 stars How sweet!.......2007-06-15

I am really disappointed with most of the cuts in this collection. For example, I had never heard "Pancho and Lefty" with violins and chorus. Not the Willie I want to hear.

5 out of 5 stars The Essential Willie Nelson.......2007-06-08

I absolutely love this CD. If you are a Willie Nelson fan then you need to add this one to your collection

5 out of 5 stars The Grand Old Man.......2007-04-18

Hard to imagine a world without Willie Nelson's music. This might be the only album you need on a desert island.
The Essential Cyndi Lauper
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Girls just wanna have fun listening to this CD
  • Some of her best tunes
  • somewhat disappointed
  • Cyndi at her finest
  • So so
The Essential Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. At Last
  2. The Body Acoustic
  3. The Bangles - Greatest Hits
  4. Belinda Carlisle - Her Greatest Hits
  5. Blondie - Greatest Hits

ASIN: B00008PX8X
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Tracks:

  1. Girls Just Want To Have Fun
  2. Money Changes Everything
  3. Who Let In The Rain
  4. She Bop
  5. Time After Time
  6. I Drove All Night
  7. Hat Full Of Stars
  8. Change Of Heart
  9. Sisters Of Avalon
  10. All Through The Night
  11. When You Were Mine
  12. True Colors
  13. Unhook The Stars
  14. The Goonies 'R' Good Enough

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Girls just wanna have fun listening to this CD.......2007-07-05

Actually, the person who wanted this was my spouse, but it's really an enjoyable CD. I'm glad to see the Goonies music on here--that was one of my favorite songs from a hard to find soundtrack. I'd never heard "Sisters of Avalon" before and that's definitely a song that intrigued me.

5 out of 5 stars Some of her best tunes.......2007-04-15

This album is a great "best of" for anyone wanting to add some Cyndi to their music library. She is such an underappreciated talent.

3 out of 5 stars somewhat disappointed.......2007-03-25

I waited a long time to purchase any of Cyndi Lauper's music and this was the first purchase. It was good, but I guess I expected it to be great after all these years. Not a bad purchase; just disappointing.

5 out of 5 stars Cyndi at her finest.......2007-02-23

The week or so before.. I came back from a concert.. that I was amazed at.

To take in a cd like this.. is fantastic. There are no words.

3 out of 5 stars So so .......2007-02-11

I bought this cd for the Girls just wanna have fun track. Of course its great. There are others that are good as well but for some reason the cd seems to be lacking something....oomph....its still good just not incredible....if you grew up on cyndi get it. Its still worth the price. Im not sad that I own it, just wish it were a little better.
The Essential John Denver
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Terrific mix of old and new songs
  • Best compilation of Denver
  • John Denver Rules
  • PURE CLASSICS
  • Pure joy...
 The Essential John Denver
John Denver
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000MM0Y8Y
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Tracks:

  1. Leaving On A Jet Plane
  2. Rhymes And Reasons
  3. Take Me Home, Country Roads
  4. Poems, Prayers And Promises
  5. I Guess He'd Rather Be In Colorado
  6. Friends With You
  7. Rocky Mountain High
  8. Goodbye Again
  9. I'd Rather Be A Cowboy (Lady's Chains)
  10. Farewell Andromeda (Welcome To My Morning)
  11. Sunshine On My Shoulders
  12. Back Home Again
  13. Matthew
  14. Thank God I'm A Country Boy
  15. Annie's Song
  16. Sweet Surrender
  17. Looking For Space
  18. I'm Sorry

Tracks:

  1. Calypso
  2. Fly Away
  3. Baby, You Look Good To Me Tonight
  4. Like A Sad Song
  5. How Can I Leave You Again
  6. It Amazes Me
  7. I Want To Live
  8. My Sweet Lady
  9. Autograph
  10. Some Days Are Diamonds (Some Days Are Stone) (Digitally Mastered)
  11. The Cowboy And The Lady
  12. Seasons Of The Heart
  13. Shanghai Breezes
  14. Perhaps Love
  15. Wild Montana Skies featuring Emmylou Harris
  16. Love Again
  17. Dreamland Express
  18. Is It Love? (Album Version)

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Terrific mix of old and new songs.......2007-07-25

This CD starts with a very young and fresh John Denver; as it progresses, you can hear a more mature voice developing. It is pure John Denver at his very best. I only wish it had lasted longer.

5 out of 5 stars Best compilation of Denver.......2007-07-16

This has every song that I was looking for in a "greatest hits". The versions are true to what I remember.

4 out of 5 stars John Denver Rules.......2007-07-10

I love this CD set. Although all the songs are available on various cd's, having them all on a 2-disc set is really great. The sound is so good, you'd think John was standing next to you singing those wonderful songs. Only wish The Eagle and the Hawk were on the set.

5 out of 5 stars PURE CLASSICS .......2007-04-21

IF YOU LIKE JOHN DENVER , THEN YOU WILL LOVE THIS PERFECT COLLECTION , PERFECT SOUND , PERFECT PACKAGE . A+++++++++++++++

4 out of 5 stars Pure joy..........2007-04-19

The Essential John Denver is a great collection of John's eternally optimistic music, sung with his wonderful, naturally pitch-perfect voice. This cd set has all my favorites--Matthew, Thank God I'm A Country Boy, Annie's Song, and especially Rocky Mountain High--plus some songs I'd never heard before, like It Amazes Me and Wild Montana Skies. Even his sadder songs are happy! Highly recommended, especially for new John Denver fans (like me).
The Essential Bruce Springsteen
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Please
  • A great collection of Bruce's "best" songs
  • Honey, I want the heart/I want the soul/I want control right now
  • Not quite
  • Stones
 The Essential Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  5. We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions

ASIN: B0000E1ALR
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Tracks:

  1. Blinded By the Light
  2. For You
  3. Spirit In the Night
  4. 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
  5. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
  6. Thunder Road
  7. Born To Run
  8. Jungleland
  9. Badlands
  10. Darkness On The Edge Of Town
  11. The Promised Land
  12. The River
  13. Hungry Heart
  14. Nebraska
  15. Atlantic City

Tracks:

  1. Born In The U.S.A.
  2. Glory Days
  3. Dancing In The Dark
  4. Tunnel Of Love
  5. Brilliant Disguise
  6. Human Touch
  7. Living Proof
  8. Lucky Town
  9. Streets Of Philadelphia
  10. The Ghost Of Tom Joad
  11. The Rising
  12. Mary's Place
  13. Lonesome Day
  14. American Skin (41 Shots) (Live)
  15. Land Of Hope and Dreams (Live)

Tracks:

  1. From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come)
  2. Big Payback
  3. Held Up Without A Gun (Live)
  4. Trapped (Live)
  5. None But The Brave
  6. Missing
  7. Lift Me Up
  8. Viva Las Vegas
  9. County Fair
  10. Code Of Silence (Live)
  11. Dead Man Walkin'
  12. Countin' On a Miracle (Acoustic)

Amazon.com

Vastly expanding 1995's single disc Greatest Hits, The Essential Bruce Springsteen easily surpasses the earlier best-of set by serving up all its true essentials and tossing in less appreciated treats and a full disc of rarities. Disc one spans the first decade of Springsteen's recording career, serving up at least two tracks each from the six albums that laid the groundwork for his '80s burst into superstardom. Disc two picks up with his mainstream breakthrough, 1984's Born in the U.S.A., and carries on through 2002's The Rising, tossing in live recordings of "American Skin" and "Land of Hope and Dreams" for good measure. The selections and sequencing surpass those made on Greatest Hits, though there's not too much in the way of surprises, other than that it appears that Born in the U.S.A. hasn't aged all that well for the Boss; here, he selects only three songs from the hit-laden smash, one fewer than is found on the skimpy Greatest Hits. Disc three is where the fun really starts for all but neophytes. The live "Held Up Without a Gun" is as gutsy a one minute and 20 seconds as Springsteen as one could ask for, and the likes of "Trapped," "Countin' on a Miracle," and a cover of "Viva Las Vegas" rank with his signature songs. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Please.......2007-07-15

It has several B-side tracks yet no 'I'm on fire' or 'my hometown'

ridiculus.

5 out of 5 stars A great collection of Bruce's "best" songs.......2007-05-30

This is a great collection of songs by The Boss for those who haven't bought Springsteen CDs/records before. I bought it for my 11-year old son who is getting interested in rock music. Maybe this collection missed a hidden diamond along the way, but overall all the great Springsteen songs going back to the 70's are included.

5 out of 5 stars Honey, I want the heart/I want the soul/I want control right now.......2007-03-04

(Those're Mr. Springsteen's words up there, not mine, but I wholeheartedly agree.)

I know that Springsteen fans will argue over and over about what should be included in an "essential" collection of the artist's work, but this collection is, in my opinion, absolutely superb. It's also a great introduction to his work for those people who don't know much about his style or range. It's impossible to release a collection that contains all the heart and soul, but this is a good start.

I know that many people will think it's kind of an extended greatest hits collection, but with Springsteen--oh, man. It doesn't matter if his songs are popular hits; that shouldn't turn you off of his music. His songs become hits because people connect fully with what he wrote and crafted, as well as with the man himself. Take "Born in the USA," for example. You can look at the song as something people mistakenly turned into an anthem (and therefore something that doesn't belong in this collection), or you can look at it as the catalyst for many fan's snickers and disdain aimed at politicians who tried to do the anthem thing and put Springsteen squarely on their side. Springsteen crafted a satirical song, and he always treated it that way in concert. So, stop thinking of a Springsteen "hit" as in any way similar to, say, a Backstreet Boys "hit," and you'll be okay. If that were all this collection contained--just the hits, ma'am--this would still be superb.

But it contains more. It contains songs from albums that weren't so wildly popular, and previously unreleased songs that give you glimpses into other sides of the man and his influences (there's a third bonus disc that provides us with some stuff we likely have never heard before).

Buy this collection; hear this man sing of 70's gang fights, of what it means to be truly free when your world seems to be nothing but limitation, of faith in the human spirit, of learning how to be a partner in a relationship. Read (and reread, as I do) the lyrics. Remember that this man performs with all his heart and soul up on stage, just like in the studio recordings, and be amazed by how damn much this guy LOVES to sing, record, and perform. Then, if you don't already own the rest of his stuff, buy all the other cd's so you can see the depth of his emotional range. Then, with all that wonderful music playing in your head, you'll have the heart, the soul. Or at least, you'll have Mr. Springsteen's, since he's singularly eager to expose those parts of himself to you in his music.

Enjoy!

3 out of 5 stars Not quite.......2007-02-02

Before purchasing this, you might want to compare the record company's "essentials" with a true fan's list and see if songs you forgot about (and want to own) are missing. And I'm not talking about the list from the guy who complained for three paragraphs about which obscure songs weren't included. The title is "the ESSENTIAL Bruce Springsteen," not "Some Guy's Personal Favorites."

So, I've included a list of what would be considered ESSENTIAL songs. These are not necessarily my favorites, but HIT singles, significant cuts, and the obvious best songs from each album.

NOT FOR: If you have most of these songs in your music collection, you don't need this CD or the Essentials, for sure.

RECOMMENDED FOR: ...those who don't care that they're missing the many great songs I've listed here that aren't on the actual CDs (compare my list with theirs-- if they left out a lot of songs you like, buy "Born to Run" and wait for the inevitable "Very, Very Best of Bruce Springsteen!")


Disc: 1
1. Blinded By the Light
2. Spirit In the Night
3. 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
4. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
5. Thunder Road
6. Born To Run
7. Jungleland
8. Badlands
9. Because the Night (live or studio) -- NOT ON THIS CD
10.Prove It All Night -- NOT ON THIS CD
11.Darkness On The Edge Of Town
12.The Promised Land
13.The River
14.Hungry Heart
15.Atlantic City
16.Reason to Believe -- NOT ON THIS CD

Disc: 2 Here's where the problems really start. Disc 2 is almost a disaster. Ex.: "Born in the USA" features a whopping SEVEN top ten singles, only three of which are on these CDs. I think most people buying this collection would consider at LEAST 4 or 5 of them among the songs they'd buy this for, so where the hell are they? I've reinstated them on my list.

1. Born In The U.S.A.
2. Glory Days
3. Dancing In The Dark
4. I'm On Fire -- NOT ON THIS CD
5. Cover Me -- NOT ON THIS CD
6. I'm Goin' Down -- NOT ON THIS CD
7. My Hometown -- NOT ON THIS CD
8. Pink Cadillac -- NOT ON THIS CD*
9. Tunnel Of Love
10.Brilliant Disguise
11.Human Touch
12.Streets Of Philadelphia
13.The Ghost Of Tom Joad
14.American Skin (41 Shots) (Live)
15.The Rising
16.Lonesome Day

*You'll also note that I cut 8 or so songs I deemed "inessential" to make room for the good stuff!

5 out of 5 stars Stones.......2006-12-07

A master's work.

The best song on all three disks is definitively Born To Run.
There is none other.

However, I think that Springsteen's live work is much
more spectacular.

R&B Music:

  1. For the Love of You
  2. Free [Import]
  3. Funk Beyond the Call of Duty [Extra tracks] [Original recording remastered] [Import]
  4. Gap Band [Import]
  5. Ghostbusters: The Encore Collection [Extra tracks]
  6. Giant [Extra tracks] [Original recording remastered] [Import]
  7. Give Me a Sign
  8. Got to Get You Off My Mind and Other Hits
  9. Gratitude [Extra tracks] [Original recording remastered]
  10. Hip Hop X Soul [Import]

R&B Music

r&b music

Recommended Music:

Hiphopping [CD-single] [Import]

Positive Persistence

Schubert: Quintet in C D956, Op163; Haydn: String quartet No60

Doin' Time on Planet Earth

Stars & Topsoil

Nightingale [Import]

Sanctuary

Silent Film

Questa Sporca Vita [Import]

Simon Barere: Live Recordings at Carnegie Hall, Vol. 1 (1946)

Sonic Nurse [Enhanced]

Smooth Jazz WJZW 105.9, Vol. 3

One More Try [CD-single] [Import]

Johnny "Guitar" Watson and the Family Clone

Devout Catalyst