Customer Reviews

Best of Thelma Houston

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

 

 

I really wish record companies would stop putting out disco compilations that consist of short versions or radio edits. They just don't get it. True disco fans are after extended or 12 inch versions. Houston's classic "Don't Leave Me This Way" and the house music standard "I'm Here Again" end during the best parts of each song. I was so disappointed that I gave my copy of this cd away for a ride to work.

Miss Houston displays her formidable pipes on a varied set of soul, pop and disco tunes. Best known for her 1976 Grammy-winning smash "Don't Leave Me This Way," the talented lady has unfortunately and unfairly been labeled as a disco singer. Thelma Houston is a SOUL singer who came to prominence during the height of disco and any listen to this body of work or others by her will attest to her soulful and gospel-fired handling of even the most mediocre material. This set features some cuts not found on other increasingly hard-to-find compilations, including personal favorites, "Midnight Mona" and "Am I Expecting Too Much." Also included is the 1940's- styled hit "If It's The Last Thing I Do;" as well as a few prime cuts from her "Sunshower" lp produced by the notable Jimmy Webb. Also noteworthy is her version of "Can't We Try" -- a ballad covered more popularly by veteran soul singer Teddy Pendergrass. All in all, a good representation of her work; however, with numerous lps under her belt -- including subsequent work on the RCA and MCA labels, a major career retrospective is long overdue.

Miss Houston is a classic disco queen in every sense of the word. She displays such soulful grit on her tunes. Who can forget the classic "Don't Leave Me This Way". You can definetly hear her gospel roots on this cut. But unfortunatly, one of my personel favorites; which was released as a single in the late seventies is the ever groovy "Saturday Night'Sunday Morning". The tune is not on this collection of sure hits. If record companies are going to put together a collection of greatest hits, then I think the public deserves to hear all the greatest hits! Don't you?

Thelma Houston is diva who should have been. She has an explosive voice which can also handle the tenderest of ballads.
This album represents Ms Houston doing what she does best and shows, that with better management, she should have shone as a brighter star than she has.
When we will see the release of her first album 'Sunshower' which really shows the promise the this wonderful singer was capable of?

I'm glad that "Sunshower" has been reissued at a reasonable price because while this set does have a few tracks from those sessions, I agree with the other reviewer that the extended versions of "Don't Leave me This Way" and "I'm Here Again" should have been included. "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Love Machine" are also absent. Go with the other MOTOWN (US) version with the green cover (the track listing for that album is incorrectly listed for this IMPORT release).

I am interested in buying the album that conteins the song named "I've got the music in me", but I'm not sure if this is the right one.

So please let me know, in order to buy it.

When will the idiots at Universal release Sunshower,even on their limited release,overpriced Hip-O Select series. The disco stuff sounded old before the year '70s ened. Sunflower is timeless. Ask Paul Schaffer.