Customer Reviews

40 #1 Hits

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i've always loved Milsap's sound. he was never, to me anyway, harsh or loud on the ears. he'd hold out notes or cry out lines like in the song "Since I Don't Have You" (track 18 on disc 2) but he's never been annoyingly loud. the first Milsap song i ever heard was "Smoky Mountain Rain". this CD contains 40 #1 hits, one Top-5 hit, plus two new songs, a total of 43 songs in all. the lone Top-5 that didn't make #1 was "Since I Don't Have You". the collection ends with the new songs: "Livin' On Love" {not the song by Alan Jackson!} and "Time, Love, and Money". the CD goes in chronological order. 35 of the 40 #1 hits were on Billboard, five others were on Radio and Records or Cashbox. Milsap is legendary for his soulful performances and listening to this CD, one can't help but be transported back in time. who can recall turning on country AND pop radio stations and hearing him belt out "Stranger in the House", "Any Day Now", "There's No Gettin' Over Me", etc. with the SAME arrangement! there was no such a thing as a "pop re-mix" like there is now if a country act wants pop airplay. His #1 duet with Kenny Rogers, "Make No Mistake She's Mine" is also on here. as the CD gets toward the end, you'll hear the late '80s Milsap...which sounded like the early '80s Milsap. some have argued that Milsap wasn't really country. i'll go as far as to say he wasn't any one single music genre. like Ray Stevens, Milsap can be country, pop, soul, R&B, or rock...a true eclectic talent and a must-have CD.

Ronnie Milsap has been around a long time, and it's remarkable just how many hits he's had over the years--both pop as well as country. 40 #1 Hits truly is the definitive collection from an artist blessed with an incredibly soulful voice and a great talent for piano performance. Although he may not have the gift of sight, he has an incredible amount of vision.

Beginning with his first country hit, 1974's "Pure Love," and ending with two new recordings ("Livin' on Love" and "Time, Love, and Money," both included specifically for this release), Milsap's compilation is a must-have for fans of this country mainstay of the late '70s who would go on to enjoy phenomenal pop-crossover success in the '80s. Early standouts include "I'd Be a Legend in My Time," "Daydreams About Night Things," and "I'm a Stand by My Woman Man" (a cute response to the late Tammy Wynette's somewhat notorious signature song [at least to Hillary Rodham Clinton, that is], "Stand by Your Man").

But then came 1977, and his piano-driven ballad "It Was Almost Like a Song" opened up the pop-radio audiences to the incredible power of Ronnie Milsap's voice. Next came "What a Difference You've Made in My Life," "Smoky Mountain Rain," "(There's) No Getting Over Me" (the biggest pop hit of his career), "Any Day Now," "He Got You," and the pop-rock flavor of "Stranger in My House"...each one a major hit on both the pop and country charts.

As the '80s began to wane, Milsap's success on the pop charts did also, as drum-machine-driven techno-pop reflected a change in the record-buying public and radio play, but country radio stayed loyal for a while longer. "Lost in the Fifties Tonight" became a smash in 1985, a tribute to the slow-dance days and featured parts of the oldies classic "In the Still of the Night." In 1987, Kenny Rogers recorded "Make No Mistake, She's Mine" as a duet with Milsap; the song, written by Rogers' previous duet partner Kim Carnes, had previously been a pop "trio" hit for Rogers, Carnes, and James Ingram. Later cuts included here feature Ronnie's take on the oft-covered '60s classic "Since I Don't Have You" and the beautiful, ethereal ballad "Where Do the Nights Go?," co-written by legendary Nashville composer and sometime-singer Mike Reid.

While Milsap has struggled in recent years to maintain a voice on country radio, along with dozens of other artists popular in the '70s and '80s, this compilation provides the listener with his best product over more than a quarter-century of hitmaking. Ronnie Milsap is not an old man, and I'd like to think that recording-label execs will once again offer him contracts for albums that will be both supported and promoted, at retail and at radio, and that both country- and pop-radio programming directors will not abandon an artist who has given America so many years of exciting, soaring, toe-tapping music.

He deserves better than he's gotten in recent years, and I'm confident that Ronnie Milsap's star will rise again. This compilation is a great way to discover--or revisit--a true "legend in [his] time."

Rating: ***** (out of 5) BOB BOURBEAU

This a "must have" 2 CD set for any hardcore Ronnie Milsap fan! Starting with "Pure Love" and ending with "Time, Love & Money" (new track), you'll experience the absolute best of my personal "main man" of country ballards. These beautifully digitally remastered original recordings (by Virgin) are the best I have come across in a long time! This more than makes up for a very poorly mastered Greatest Hits CD that I recently purchased.

Ronnie Milsap is one of the most consistent and prominent hitmakers in music history and here is the collection that proves it. Not only does this set display a nearly unbeaten number of chart-topping singles, it also displays the commitment to quality that has been a Milsap trademark throughout his long career. What you'll notice when listening to these two CD's is that while some of the tunes are stronger than others, there's not a weak track to be found here.

Ronnie Milsap's music was always exceptionally produced and masterfully sung as well. You will never hear Ronnie give an "average" vocal performance on anything he touches. There are few vocalists in ANY genre of music who can deliver any song as well as this man always has. Ronnie's total ease with both down-home country tunes and sophisticated pop material is on display throughout these 40 songs. He is truly among the greatest and most underappreciated singers alive.

All the big hits are presented here for everyone to savor including the classics "Smoky Mountain Rain", "It was almost like a song", "What a difference you've made in my life", Lost in the 50's tonight", "A Legend in my time", "There's no gettin' over me", and Milsap's great rocker "Stranger in my house" which amazingly failed to reach number one on the charts despite it being a stronger song than half the tunes on this set! The inclusion of this track here is a testament to the obvious quality of the song, number one hit or not.

I should also point out the interesting fact that many of Ronnie Milsap's best recordings have been buried away in his albums throughout the years and never released as singles. When you listen to Ronnie's albums of the 80's and early 90's, there are many great tunes in a variety of styles that measure up to or often surpass the quality of the hit singles. These songs ended up as album tracks though because they usually didn't fit the commercial sound that radio programmers wanted.

The two new songs Ronnie recorded especially for this collection are "Time, Love, and Money" and "Livin' on Love" which are solid country tunes that manage to sound comtemporary without sounding like a sell-out. Unfortunately, both songs went nowhere on the charts when they were released in 2000. Despite that, this album managed to earn a gold record which represented a comeback for Milsap who hadn't had a hit song or album since the early 90's.

For the casual Milsap fan, this is the ultimate collection for you. More serious fans should seek out Ronnie's great albums from the mid-80's to early 90's as this period represents Milsap's best and most diverse work.

This collection is so good, it almost defies description.

Ronnie Milsap has the best voice in Country Music. He can reach all the low notes and hits the high ones too. Listen to "Lost In The Fifties"- Ronnie handles all the vocal himself. Even he admitted surprise when that song one him best solo perfomance of the year by the CMA. He thought that one sounded too much like a group effort. That's Ronnie. A one man vocal band.

Think of every hit ever sung by Alabama. Now try to hear how they would sound with Ronnie singing lead. I always thought that Randy Owen was a Ronnie Milsap wanna-be. Every time he opens his mouth, I hear a pale Ronnie Milsap imitation. And if that pale Ronnie Milsap imitation can garner that many hits... well, that just shows the magic of Milsap!

What's even better than his voice is his choice of material. There are so many knockout moments on this collection. The rollicking "Stranger In my House" to the majesty of "Let's Take The Long Way Around The World" to "Smoey Moutain Rain". This guy has an ear for hits.

What dissapoints, however, is that the hits stopped for Ronnie even though he hasn't lost his voice. The new tracks show Ronnie in fine vocal form, even if his choice of material isn't as spot-on as it used to be.

Ronnie apparantly thinks the key to getting back on the charts is to change his style. Huge mistake. There was nothing wrong with your style, Mr. Milsap. Country radio went a little goofy fifteen years ago and ushered out all the greats from the 70's. They were wrong, not you.

This collection does your music justice, however. It is your music. It is your legacy. And it is our good fortune to haveit!

Ronnie Milsap has been a major country Arist for the past several decades. Very few artists have maintain the level of popularity that Ronnie Milsap has maintained.
This collection consists of all of Ronnie Milsap's numbrer one songs. Ronnie Milsap perfecly blends country, rock and roll and rhythm and blues. The songs include his first hit "pure love" as well as his later hits such as "stranger things have happened". His early songs such as "Its too late to worry, I am too blue to cry" shows his virtuosity in blues. The peak of his popularity was in the seventies and early eighties. The songs from this period include; "Daydreams about night things", "I'm a stand by my women man" the beautiful Hal David & Archie Jordan song "It was almost like a song", "Back on my mind", "Only one love in my life" and "Lets take the long way around the world".
By the 1980's Ronnie Milsap's music began to switch more toward rock and roll. These songs include "why don't you spend the night", "I wouldn't have miss it for the world" and the major popular hit "There's no getting over me". In 1981 he did a tribute album to Jim Reeves called "out where the bright lights are glowing". From this album came the song "Am I losing you".
In 1985 He recorded a tribute song to the Fifties called "Lost in the fifties tonight", which won another grammy. During this period he recorded a "Stranger in my house" which became a top 20 popular song. This song clearly contained elememts of Rock and Roll.
In his career he has won six grammy awards as well as mjor country awards including "Entertainer of the year" in 1977 by the Country Music Association.

This two-disc set contains the original versions of the 40 country chart-toppers Milsap recorded for RCA between 1974 and 1989. During that 15-year period, no one else hit the top that often - or even came close. It's a testament to the diversity of Milsap's vocal and song-selecting talents.

Those diverse classics include pure pop ("Pure Love," "Smokey Mountain Rain"), polished honkytonkers ("Daydreams About Night Things," "I'm A Stand By My Woman Man,"), stone country weepers ("Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends," "Nobody Likes Sad Songs"), bluesy tributes ("What A Difference You've Made In My Life"), and adult contemporary fare ("It Was Almost Like A Song"). Toward the end of his hit-making tenure, Milsap dwelled on nostalgia with successful remakes of `50s favorites "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby," "Snap Your Fingers," and "Since I Don't Have You," as well as the vintage sounding "Lost In The Fifties Tonight."

In addition to the 40 chart-toppers, we get three bonus tracks. The first, "Stranger In My House," only reached number five on the country charts in 1983 (done in by a blaring electric guitar?). It is undeniably one of Milsap's greatest recordings though - certainly among his most soulful. The two other tracks are new offerings that pale in comparison to the prior hits. "Time, Love, and Money" is an unmelodic look at the chaos of modern life, while "Livin' On Love" (not the Alan Jackson hit) sounds like second-rate McClinton.

The recordings on 40 # 1 Hits are arranged chronologically in release date order. This provides a great way to revisit Milsap's peak recording years.

Listening to this collection is a more-than-2-hour trip down memory lane. You'll be reminded of Ronnie Milsap's incredible versatility. He's done pure country, pop-style songs, romantic love songs, songs that rock...you name it.
Ronnie Milsap may not be on the radio as much as he used to be, but he still tours and his voice is in fine form, as proved on his most recent CD, "Just For a Thrill."

I saw Ronnie Milsap at a fund raising concert last night. He was fantastic! He hasn't lost a beat and his voice sounded as strong as ever. His music is a testament to what a truly gifted performer he is to the industry. I didn't realize that previously he had played piano for Elvis!

I believe his music transcends across many different genres, so you don't necessarily have to be a fan of country music to enjoy his various songs.

A great collection of music to own! Whether or not he makes a "comeback" or not isn't important. As long as he still puts smiles on people's faces, that's what counts! I wouldn't have missed his concert for the world!

Ronnie built an impressive catalog of hits over his 20 years with RCA. You can trace the changes in country music itself through this double CD, beginning with his traditional country of the seventies, including such classics as Daydreams about night things. Toward the end of the seventies, he adopted more of a pop-country sound, sometimes using synthesizers in the eighties.

In 1989, he recorded a one-off traditional country album, which yielded three number one hits, all included here. He reverted to his more customary pop-country for his next album, which turned out to be his last album with RCA.

Although I generally favor the traditional country, each and every track is brilliant. Of the more pop-sounding hits, I particulary like She keeps the home fires burning, Lost in the fifties tonight and Stranger in my house.

You'll never get a better collection of Ronnie's music - forty number ones, one hit that should have been, and two new songs that were never going to be hits, because Ronnie is part of history now, as far as American country radio is concerned.

It would be nice see a compilation of Ronnie's hits which didn't make this set - there are enough of them, and some of them are brilliant - but this is an excellent collection which should provide plenty of enjoyment.