Customer Reviews

The Best of the Oak Ridge Boys - 20th Century Masters

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

 

 

The Oak Ridge Boys deserve to have at least one Millenium Collection released (if not more), but should it be done to accomodate MCA's increasingly cheap approach to older artists?

This collection would not be quite to bad if MCA hadn't released "The Oak Ridge Boys COLLECTION" nearly 10 years earlier. At least that package got original artwork and liner notes. When it became inevitable that the Oaks needed a Millenium Collection, what did MCA do? They simply pulled the 1992 "Collection" off the market (which had been certified Gold not too long before), slapped an old album photo on it (the original cover for "American Made," to be exact), and ever so slightly edited the track list. The result: a POOR excuse for a new release. All but one of the songs on this release appeared on the '92 collection ("Bobbie Sue," conspicuously absent from the prior release, and "Make My Life With You" are the only additions). Amazing, two of the Oaks' biggest hits, "Y'all Come Back Saloon" and "Thank God For Kids" were cut altogether (I guess to save even more money).

Even the liner notes are nearly identical to the '92 release. I see no reason for this total lack of concern for a top-notch group such as the Oaks. Since they have so many more hits, perhaps MCA will consider doing a Volume Two Millenium release (with a NEW cover photo and DIFFERENT song line-up!!)

The very end of the song where Richard hits the "bottom of the barrel" with his amazing vocal chords...is totally cut out! What a scam! I used to listen to this song as a kid and I feel I've been betrayed!!

One listen to "The Best Of The Oak Ridge Boys - The Millennium Collection" will have you immediately hooked on the material, even if you aren't a fan of country music. What endeared many a fan to this legendary quartet is their unique brand of interwoven, finely homogenized blend of vocalization. Perhaps you could call the Oaks' the "Mamas and the Papas" or the "Three Dog Night" of country music. In this collection, you get eleven of their best known country tunes, plus the Oaks one and only crossover country-pop smash "Elvira", which features Richard Sterban's trademark bass vocals. I couldn't sing that low if my life depended on it! The saxophone playing in "Bobbie Sue" is reminiscent of The Coasters "Charlie Brown", which gives this track a jazzy-bluesy sort of quality. My favorite tracks in this collection would have to be "I Wish You Could Have Turned My Head (And Left My Heart Alone)", "American Made" (which was later revamped and used in a popular beer commercial), "Trying To Love Two Women", "Fancy Free" and "Make My Life With You". The other tracks featured in this greatest hits collection are worth the money as well, so you'll derive great listening pleasure, as well as get more than what you pay for with this one of a kind body of work from one of country music's biggest legends. This could be a five star review, had MCA included the Oaks' two most endearing favorites "Thank God For Kids" and "Everyday", but MCA sort of dropped the ball on this one. Although The Oak Ridge Boys have enjoyed a rather fruitful career over the years, perhaps their most notorious act was when Joe Bonsall, Duane Allen and Richard Sterban dismissed fellow longtime member William Lee Golden in the mid-'80's for refusing to shave off his trademark shepherd-like, salt and pepper beard. C'mon guys, that's like asking Alex Trebek to do away with his "flavor saver", or even asking Kenny Rogers to shave off all his facial hair! The group then replaced Golden with a dark haired guy with no facial hair, who, in photographs looked so out of place in this band. By the time the '90's rolled around, Golden was later back with The Oak Ridge Boys, but the group failed to recapture their late '70's/early '80's chart success. This Millennium Collection CD belongs in every country music/Oaks' fan's, and in some cases, pop music fan's CD library. You better not wait too long, because "The Best Of The Oak Ridge Boys - The Millennium Collection" might not be around for the next millennium! As they say down South, "Ya better git while the gittin's good!" In English, that means "Order yours today (while supplies last)!"

How could anyone who knows anything about these guys or country in general be disappointed with this collection? Alright, since we lawyers have to find fault with everything, no matter how perfect, I only wish this CD included Sail Away, but that's just reason to buy the CD that does have it! The subject CD definitely earns a 10 because the very best of their country songs are here. I've never been able to decide which were my favorite: the sentimental ones like "I'll be true to you", "Dream On", and "Make my life with you" or the really fun ones like "Elvira", "Bobbie Sue" and "American Made." The ORBs won my appreciation when I learned that they declined to sing songs about "cheatin'". If the hallmark of integrity is being true to those who are absent, then the ORBs -- and anyone else for that matter who advocates loyalty -- are some of the cultural heroes, in my book, in 21st Century America.

The first 5 songs are top 10 hits +, but after that I went to fast forward.

Brings back fond memories of my past - what can i say? I am a die hard country fan when i moved to the South 32 years ago!

Love the Oak Ridge Boys. The album contains all of the great songs. Just wish I could keep a copy of the CD! It always disappears. This the third of fourth one I've had to buy!

This CD contains 12 very wonderful hits by the Oak Ridge Boys. My favorites are "American Made" and "I guess it Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes".

If you like the Oak Ridge Boys, you will love this CD.

couldn't preview this cd!! i couldn't even see the songs on it for some reason. was disappoiinted; i wanted their gospel songs.

My parents listen to these good old boys and I grew up listening to them and my children are now listening to them. I went to a concert at the Ross Ragland in Klamath Falls,Or and I loved the bass he is so low you can feel it in your seat. All are cute too! Great albums