Best Of Ashford & Simpson

Ashford & Simpson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 15, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 1973
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B00005UPFF
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #167,071 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. You're All That I Need To Get By/Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing/Ain't No Mountain High Enough (live)

2. (I'd Know You) Anywhere

3. Somebody Told A Lie

4. Send It

5. Don't Cost You Nothing

6. By Way Of Love's Express

7. Stuff Like That - Quincy Jones

8. It Seems To Hang On

9. Is It Still Good To Ya

10. Found A Cure

11. Nobody Knows

12. Love Don't Make It Right

13. Happy Endings

14. Street Corner

15. Solid

Editorial Reviews

Features 15 of the duo's best hits from Capitol & Warner Bros albums spanning 1973-1984. Includes 'Solid (As A Rock)', 'Stuff Like That' (feat. Chaka Khan & Quincy Jones). Rhino Records.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some Great Nick and Val, July 10, 2003

By 

Karl Miller "kemspeaks" (Phoenixville, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Best Of Ashford & Simpson (Audio CD)

Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson know how to write music. From their early Motown hits, to their work with Chaka Khan, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight and many others, they have written and produced some of the choicest soul music of the last 35 years. Unfortunately, they never seem to get the recognition for their self recorded/produced music that they have received for their work with others. This set goes a long way to showcasing how extremely talented the couple is as a duo.
A&S hit their peak as recording artists with a series of mid-70's albums on Warner Brothers Records, and that makes up the bulk of this set. To me, "It Seems To Hang On" is their single greatest moment in the studio, and listening to this tune is bliss, indeed. Sweeping strings, a wonderful base line and intelligent lyrics sung by two people who are clearly in love with each other make for an epic moment.
Also from the Warner years, the beautiful ballad "Is It Still Good To You" is a beauty of a duet - its lyrics reflect the level of commmitment in a relationship that has gone on for years, and Nick's strong vocals here are a real pleasure. "Street Corner" is another r&b radio staple that sounds great - unfortunately this album uses the single version, rather than presenting the entire "Street Corner Symphony".
Many fans will appreciate that "Solid", A&S's biggest hit from their years recording for Capitol is here - it's a good song, but for my ears, I would have preferred the inclusion of "Babies".
Another unfortunate exclusion is "Stay Free", a beautiful song from the mid-seveties. But it is more than made up for by the inclusion of Quincy Jones's "Stuff Like That", which features Nick, Val and Chaka Khan in what was their only joint recording appearance - these three could have done some great stuff together, given the opportunity (especially when one considers that Nick and Val wrote two of Chaka's biggest solo hits, I'm Every Woman and Clouds).
A great collection, but since it doesn't include "Babies" and "Stay Free", I can't give it a perfect score.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Hits Collection, But There's More Where This Came From, January 19, 2003

By 

Vance K. Matthews (Jersey City, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Best Of Ashford & Simpson (Audio CD)

If you just want a nice collection of some of the greatest hits, this collection does a nice job of giving you just that...

The duo has started their own record label and have re-released two of their rare Warner Brothers albums on cd (avalible on cd for the first time ever). The releases include their very first album for Warner Brothers titled "Gimme Something Real" and their last Warner's album "Performance" which was a live recording with additional studio material. Both cds include the original art work, and could easily be considered collectors items. Once again, if you want the hits, check this cd out, and if you want more be sure to stop by the duo's official web site.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just bought this CD last week -- glad I did!, February 25, 2002

By 

soonersoulbro (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Best Of Ashford & Simpson (Audio CD)

Ashford & Simpson were a duo that I always liked, admired and respected, yet never owned any of their music. I actually went to the store to seek this CD out last week, and playing it immediately put a smile on my face.

Song after song, from top to bottom, this CD has the goods. I've never been an Ashford & Simpson "expert," so I couldn't name a lot of their songs prior to this purchase, so many of the song titles did not ring a bell. But when I played it, it all came together!

I knew "Don't Cost You Nothing," "Send It," "Solid," and of course the opening live medley, but the other tunes made me smile the most -- songs that I always liked but sort of forgot about -- "Somebody Told A Lie," "It Seems To Hang On," "Is It Still Good To You," "Found A Cure," etc. Hearing those really makes you appreciate how prolific this duo were, for their own recordings and for others.

This is the kind of CD that makes you feel good. Period.