Clannad: Greatest Hits

Clannad | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 25, 2000)
• Original Release Date: January 25, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B00003OP2L
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,047 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #79 in Music > World Music > Celtic > Fusion
  • #80 in Music > World Music > Celtic > New Age
  • #100 in Music > Folk > British & Celtic Folk > Irish Folk

Editorial Reviews

Filtering Celtic music through folk and rock, Clannad hit it big in the UK and beyond in the '80s. Here are 18 of their most enchanting songs, including the UK hits Theme from Harry's Game and In a Lifetime (featuring U2's Bono!) plus I See Red; Something to Believe In (duet with Bruce Hornsby); Now Is Here; The Fairy Queen; Ta Me Mo Shui , and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Yet another "Best Of", February 26, 2001

By 

eveoflove (North York, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Clannad: Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

Made in USA in 2000, Serial# 07863-67878-2, Playing Time 69:52

Calling this a "Greatest Hits" is perhaps an exaggeration. Yes, it contains 4 tracks found on almost every CLANNAD compilation ("Theme From Harry's Game", "Now Is Here", "In A Lifetime" and "Something To Believe In").

The tracks on this CD come from 4 albums released between 1983 and 1987, namely "Magical Ring", "Legend", "Macalla" and "Sirius". CLANNAD have left the RCA stable back in 1989 to go over to ATLANTIC, so the material presented here is over 10 years old: it still sounds fresh.

Back in 1997, RCA released a compilation called "Rogha" that focused on the very same 4 albums, containing 19 of the 40 tracks released over the 4 albums.

The present compilation has 7 tracks in common with "Rogha" (specifically tracks 1,2,11,12,13,14 and 17), which leaves us with another 11, for a total of 30 out of the 40.

Just like it's "predecessor", the music included here is charming and soothing, a nice complement to "Rogha". The genre is not as celtic as their earlier albums: vocals are sung in english, and the violin and/or sax is generally absent from the arrangements: mostly acoustic guitars, percussions, with rich keyboard textures, and great vocal arrangements. If those 4 albums are missing from your collection, I would suggest you either get them all, or both compilations.

It's now time for me to turn out the lights, and be transported back to my dreams...

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great compilation on its own merits, August 14, 2001

By 

Neal C. Reynolds (Indianapolis, Indiana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Clannad: Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

Yes, there are seven cuts in common between this album and Rogha, and yet each CD does have its own sound. This makes this an excellant introduction to the group, Clannad, as also is Rogha. The difference, as has been mentioned in another review, is that this compilation presents the groups absolute essential cuts along with great cuts that emphasize the newer new age facet of their work, while if you're looking for stronger celtic flavor, you would prefer the other one. Those that are, IMHO, the strongest new age and best are "Scarlet Inside", "The Wild Cry" (really great instrumentation here), "Turning Tide" (bird like warbling and strong dramatic sense), and the concluding number, "Many Roads".

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A collection of some of Clannad's best songs from the 80's, July 8, 2000

By A Customer

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This review is from: Clannad: Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

This collection features some of Clannad's best songs from the 80's, from their albums "Magical Ring", "Legend", "Macalla", and "Sirius". It opens with Clannad's greatest hit, "Harry's Game", and includes their second greatest hit, "In A Lifetime." This collection also shows a wide variety of Clannad's music. It has traditional tracks like "Buachaill An Eirne", "Coinleach Glas An Fhomhair" and "Ta Me Mo Shui". It has many rock/pop tracks like "Skellig", "The Wild Cry", "Something To Believe In," and many others. There also are two instrumental tracks, "Lady Marian" and "The Fairy Queen". Inside the booklet you will also find a biography, talking all about Clannad's whole history from the beginning and to through the 80's, perhaps the best overview of Clannad. This is a very good sample of Clannad's best music and will have a good place in your Clannad collection.