Anthology

Ben E. King | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 20, 1993)
• Original Release Date: April 20, 1993
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B0000032ZY
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #47,373 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. There Goes My Baby

2. Dance With Me

3. This Magic Moment

4. Lonely Winds

5. Save the Last Dance for Me

6. I Count the Tears

7. Brace Yourself

8. Spanish Harlem

9. First Taste of Love

10. Young Boy Blues

See all 27 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. I Swear by Stars Above

2. What Is Soul?

3. Tears, Tears, Tears

4. We Got a Thing Going On

5. Don't Take Your Love from Me

6. Til I Can't Take Anymore

7. Hey Little One

8. Supernatural Thing, Pt. 1

9. Do It in the Name of Love

10. Get It up for Love

See all 23 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Great Urban R&B Sound Of Atlantic Records, May 23, 2000

By 

H. Marshall "oboe 245" (Oakland, Calif.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Anthology (Audio CD)

I've long felt that one of pivotal, maddening "what ifs?" of the development of soul music was the refusal of Sam Cooke, after his incredible gospel career, to join with Atlantic Records in the late '50s (Jerry Wexler, who was crazy about Cooke, couldn't match RCA Victor's offer. So instead of getting more versions of "Bring It On Home To Me", or, perhaps an earlier version of "Stand By Me" we got "Indian Sunset"). Since God has a way of sending His wisdom through a side door, when we're too dense to accept it through the front, we were given Ben E. King to deliver the news instead. And that ain't a bad trade-off. King, a modest, self-effacing man who preferred the back-up chorus to the lead, had a gem of a gospel/soul vocal presence that quickly defined that wonderful inner-city sound of those sweet, too brief early Atlantic years, the Shulman-Pomus-Leiber-Stoller years. Ben E. isn't the most under-appreciated of the great soul masters (that dubious honor goes to Solomon Burke, or even to Sam's better, more soulful studio work for RCA), but he is one of the most overlooked. This Rhino anthology is everything you could wish for as an representative overview of his Drifters/early-mid. solo period: all the hits, some almost-as-good non-hits and bonus cuts, interesting and good later-sixties tries; extensive notes and booklet with input from Ben E., Wexler and others, typical Rhino quality production. The only thing I miss is some representative live work from the early-60's shows (yes, it's there; check out Ben's great "Stand By Me"/"Don't Play That Song" medley from the "Live At The Apollo" album, recorded just days before the Kennedy assasination. If they ever release it on CD.) Buy it, cherish it, it's music and feeling that isn't out there anymore, the type that made you look up and say "Hey, what's that?..." and I envy someone, hopefully younger, who gets to hear it for the first time.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very talented and Underrated Artist, March 6, 2008

By 

A customer "mistermaxxx" (usa) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Anthology (Audio CD)

Ben E King is One of those SOul Singers when ranking and discussion amongest the best come up his name never comes up. but ask most people about "Stand By Me" and the Haunting tone of that particular song and his name might come up. mention Super natural thing" his name might come up again depending on who you are talking to. this compilation fully represents his Greatness and his stylings. Ben E.King is what I say about alot of artists in that no matter how talented you are if you have the Song or Songs then everything else will work itself out and this set showcases his range and musical versatility and his Soulful signature.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of R&B's best voices from the heyday of rock 'n roll, July 5, 2010

By 

New England Pat (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Anthology (Audio CD)

Ben E. King had legions of admirers during his years in the spotlight, even if the Drifters' tyrannical owner George Treadwell wasn't one of them. King left the group after a salary dispute with the owner who conveniently forgot what a good thing he had, ignoring the string of hits the Drifters had with King doing the lead chores. King went on to a distinguished career as a solo act with big hits such as "Spanish Harlem", "Don't Play That Song", and "Amor", all of which are included here. As good as this anthology is, however, the second CD is basically filler. The songs are okay but frankly, not very memorable. The first CD has all the big hits as well as several B sides that were top tunes in their own right, like "First Taste of Love", "On the Horizon", "Walking in the Footsteps of a Fool" and "Gypsy". A fine tribute to a great soul singer of the past.