Search - Aretha Franklin :: Greatest Hits

THE essential Aretha for '80's & '90's fans!

R. Brittain | 07/04/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Critics may cackle, but those of us who remember the line from Steely Dan's "Hey Nineteen" ("Hey nineteen--that's 'Retha Franklin/She don't remember the Queen of Soul") know that Aretha would not have been so well remembered today if not for the '80's hits like "Freeway Of Love" and "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)". Yes, they are SO '80's, but they're why today the "Hey Nineteen" girl (now pushing 40) is more likely to remember Aretha than Steely Dan. If not for them, Aretha would be just the "former" Queen of Soul, not the timeless legend that made Time's top 100 people of the century when Elvis didn't.That's what makes this THE best Aretha compilation for those of us who caught onto her in the '80's and '90's: It's the ONLY Aretha set that covers BOTH her "classic" Atlantic years (22 of the cuts from the much-loved "30 Greatest Hits" set, plus a slightly different selection of lesser songs) AND a dozen of her Arista hits from the '80's and '90's--all the way from "Respect" to "A Rose Is Still A Rose" (a VERY long time when you remember that the former's writer, Otis Redding, died years before the latter's writer/producer, Lauryn Hill, was even born). It's a shame that it took the British divisions of Warner and BMG to bridge the gap between the two halves of Aretha's career, and that their American counterparts can't do the same..."

Great 1st disc (all available elsewhere), mediocre 2nd disc

G. J Wiener | 04/24/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I fell for the allure of a "foreign" release and half-way wasted $... for this compilation. 1st disc is full of great classics, but 2nd is all rock-funk marginal-at-best material. My suggestion is to find the classics on a $... single CD. I'm going to throw away the 2nd disc in this collection. Aretha, like Streisand, has recorded the best and worst ends of the music spectrum."

Excellent Collection

G. J Wiener | Westchester, NY USA | 05/03/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The previous reviewer is being way too harsh on this double CD collection. Both CD's are ery good although the first one is a little better. The second one has a more mdoern feel.The first one is just laoded with classics. Chain Of Fools, Spanish Harlem, Respect, and one of my two faves-Say A Little Prayer. The other fave is the bouncy gospel flavored SonOf A Preacher Man. The cover of Let It Be is super and The House That Jack Built is super spunky.The second side is less comemrcial but explores some jazzy elements(Aint No Way), blues(Today I Sing The Blues), and R & B(Freeway Of Love, A Deeper Lover, Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves). Very engaging cover versions of Jumping Jack Flash, Border Song, and The Long And Winding Road.Very minimal or any flawed numbers on this compilation. Aretha has such a repetoire that a two CD compilation is the way to go."