Customer Reviews

16 Strokes: The Best of Billy Squier

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I think either people have forgotten about Billy Squier or they discredit his music-making abilities. I am not either type of person. I have nearly all of Squier's albums, and though I feel he isn't the greatest musician of all time, I do think he deserves credibility. This one disc hits collection is perfect for those who only want Squier's 4 top 40 hits: "The Stroke", "In The Dark", "Everybody Wants You" and "Rock Me Tonight" plus some other gems like "My Kinda Lover", "Don't Say You Love Me", "Love Is The Hero", "Emotions In Motion", "Don't Let Me Go", "She Goes Down" and "Tied Up". While not as comprehensive as the "Reach For The Sky" two disc compilation, "16 Strokes" is sufficient in quality and comprehensiveness for those who are only looking for the hits. The only problem with this compilation is that it doesn't include anything from Squier's 1993 cd "Tell The Truth" nor his 1998 cd "Happy Blues". It also doesn't include anything prior to 1981's "Don't Say No". I don't often hear Squier's music on 80's radio stations and that's a disappointment because he, like Loverboy, Scorpions, Survivor, Def Leppard, The Tubes, Saga, Rush and others deserve to have their retro time again. But for now, this compilation will have to do.

16 Strokes is an excellent compilation of Billy Squiers' all-time greatest hits. All of the songs on the CD hit high on the charts or at least got substantial airplay in the 80s and 90s. His strongest hits on the CD are his earlier ones, but you'll find yourself listening to the CD and saying "oh yeah, I remember that one" when you listen to the second half of this collection. It wasn't until I was listening to the radio and heard "Lonely is the Night" that I realized the song wasn't on this CD. Failing to include that huge hit was either a blunderous oversight by the record label or a genius act to keep fans wanting more so they go back to purchase the "In The Dark" CD. This would have been a 5-star CD with that hit included. It is sure to be his signature song as time goes on. In this reviewer's opinion, this CD is definitely worth the money, but you just can't help not feeling at least a little bit taken... one more stroke wouldn't have hurt.

As with the other "best of" collection, it's missing "You Should Be High Love", "Lonely is the Night" & "Learn How to Live". The most complete collection is the REACH FOR THE SKY anthology.

Billy Squier's anthology "16 Strokes" ought to be re-titled "8 Strokes and 8 Misses," for that more adequately describes the music contained therin. Squier scored success in the early 1980s as a shaggy-dooed and somewhat less polished Bon Jovi, starting with the 1981 album "Don't Say No," and the huge hit "The Stroke," (hence the title of the anthology). Arranged chronologically, the first half of the anthology is drawn from that album, as well as follow ups "Emotions and Motion" and "Signs of Life," which contain all of Squier's successful and semi-successful hit singles.

After that, there is little that anyone other than a diehard fan would ever want to hear more than once. The latter songs sound exactly like the earlier hits--minus the catchy hooks. Even the song titles (examples: "Love is the Hero," "Don't Say You Love Me, "Don't Let Me Go," "(L.O.V.E.) Four Letter Word") are tedious. Also, the CD booklet is remarkably skimpy, containing little information and no lyrics sheet.

Overall, an overly generous anthology from a relatively minor hard rock artist.

16 strokes is 16 stars in the ratings. Billy Squier does Rock as it should be done! Plain and simple. The punks of today could learn everything if they would just listen to his work. The Stroke, In the Dark, Everybody Wants You and Don't Say You Love Me just pound to the heartbeat of Rock! You can hear the Billy Squier inspirational view of the great ones like Ted Nugent from the days when Rock was lead guitar SWEET! 16 Strokes is a definite recommended buy to one and all. THIS IS ROCK AND ROLL AS IT IS.......the rest is pretender.

Why wasn't Billy more popular back in the day?! This collection is a dream for anyone looking for kickin' rock that never stops! Especially "Everybody wants You" - for those of us who spent the '80s in a powdery-champagne haze, it truly sums up our lives! Get this Billy!!!!!

this is a great cd but i always thought lonely is the night should have been included.don't say no is my personal favorite.

I always thought "The Stroke" was a lame, novelty song. Usually, whenever I would hear Billy Squire songs, I turned them off thinking that he is a weak, fluff artist. I was totally wrong.

When you hear his best songs in a "greatest hits" compilation, it is obvious that Squire is a great songwriter and capable of writing very catchy pop songs (with a faux edgy sheen placed onto them). He's a singles artist that, when you hear all the singles put together, you notice that the guy's got alot of great hit songs. His music is similar to Def Leppard's where he takes ultra catchy, syrupy harmonies, and then "rocks" them out

Sometimes a greatest hits compilation places an artist in a proper context where, when all the good songs are lined up, you just gotta respect the material (like with "Eddie Money")

Although it took some work, Billy, you have converted me and I like your hits...even "the stroke". Billy Squire is an underappreciated songwriter.

There's a general story about Billy Squier that is accepted among rock fans. He broke big with "The Stroke," played great bone-crunching rock n' roll for a few years, and then made a really gay music video that killed his career overnight. That story is only partially correct, and the compilation 16 Strokes helps prove it.

The first half of this disc is perfect. One great Squier hit after another rolls out, from "The Stroke" to "My Kinda Lover" to "Everybody Wants You" to "Rock Me Tonight" (although inexplicably, "Lonely Is the Night" is missing). Then it hits a dry spell right after the disc's midway point, with only a couple catchy songs to lift up the album.

That is the real explanation behind Squier's career misfortune after "Rock Me Tonight." His career could have recovered from the awful video for that song, but he didn't have the strong material to make it happen. While "Don't Say you Love Me" and "Tied Up" are good songs, they don't approach the quality of his earliest singles.

Which, in turn, reveals the fatal flaw in this compilation; it wears out its welcome too soon. I think it would have been a better disc had it been shortened to 12 tracks, and with the addition of "Lonely Is the Night."

This is great. I only wish it included all his hits. Billy rocks. I saw him in concert this summer. He still has it.