Alabama's best compilation other than For The Record
retrowens | Alabama, USA | 11/23/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is definitely Alabama's best greatest hits album in my opinion, other than of course, For The Record. It has most of my favorite Alabama songs such as "Mountain Music," "My Home's In Alabama," and my favorite Alabama song of all time, "Love In The First Degree." It also has other familiar favorites such as "Why Lady Why" and "Old Flame." With this greatest hits album, Alabama proved why they were the first great country music group and why they were and always will be an inspiration to many country groups for years to come. If you just want a short collection of some of Alabama's best songs and most popular hits, I recommend getting this album. But wait, there is one thing that you might not know if you're thinking of buying this album off the internet. Some of the songs such as "My Home's In Alabama" and "Tennessee River" are live songs, instead of the ones that you hear on the radio. I know for most people, that might make this album even more valuable, but myself, I would rather have the radio version of any song before I would want the live version of it. That's the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars."
Live versions of hit songs are frequently post-nutritive stu
John D. Sturman | Chicago | 09/03/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"The album presents with the same cover and (apparently) songs which I had on the tape years ago and which my wife and I considered one of the best. However, the current CD substitutes live versions of "Tennessee River" and "My Home's in Alabama" for the originals, an inclusion/exclusion which substantially disappoints. Live versions are never as good as the original principally because the same mix cannot be achieved nor can the same voice inflections be duplicated. In addition, live versions frequently feature band members yelling and screaming to audiences which further diminishes the quality of both song and memory -- and with the album discontinued the powers that be have no opportunity or incentive to rectify such a monumental mistake. It is only the integrity of the remaining original eight hits (which are great)that allow me to give this album even three stars. Such impulse dyscontrol and third parties make this album a "memory that still upsets you" and make of buyers "old memories before too long.""