Customer Reviews

Definitive Collection

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Be advised that the first half dozen tracks on this CD are re-recordings of Sedaka's 60's hits, and not the original versions.

I always thought Neil Sedaka was an underated hit maker. From 1958 to 1963, you could always hear his hits on transistor radios on the beach or in car radios and everywhere. He was a master pop song writer and a great singer. His songs featured great hooks and melodies. So when I read about this new release celebrating his 50th year in the business, I ran out and checked it out. The answer: Big dissapointment! The early sides are all re-recorded. I wanted to hear the original versions not some new version. What's up with that? Old hipsters know..just the sound of the original brings back memories. Re-recordings are for newbies who only care about sonic brilliance, but all the ambiance of memories is lost. If you really want a good CD on his early hits, stick with "The Very Best of..." or "All Time Greatest" . The very best of Neil..also features the rare gem from 1959, "I Go Ape", which is hard to find and the best overall sound (released in 2001). You can't go wrong though with either one. This new release could have been "the definitive collection" combining both the best of his RCA and Rocket sides, but alas it's just a marketing scheme by executives who don't really know Neil Sedaka. It's a sampler with too much an emphasis on the newer stuff, some of which never really charted. The earlier CD compilations overall contain more hits and the sound is very good and clean especially "The Very Best of..." which does have more presence and punch, plus the recordings are all original not K-Tel re-recordings.

From the TV ad by Razor & Tie and Sedaka's own appearance plugging this CD on QVC, to the packaging itself, there are no indications that the RCA stuff are re-recordings. I should give the thing 1 star for deception alone. But the Rocket songs are the original's. What a missed opportunity this CD is. It could've been the first U.S. CD that combined Sedaka's RCA and Rocket hits. As it stands, this is only for Sedaka die-hard's.

Oh how I wish I had read the reviews before I snapped up this one! If I had I would have been alerted to the fact that a number of the songs in "Neil Sedaka: The Definitive Collection" were in fact re-recordings. I must say that I am very disappointed in Razor and Tie records. There was absolutely nothing on the packaging to indicate that some of these songs were not the original recordings. Had I been aware of this I never would have purchased this disc.

In any event, "Neil Sedaka: The Definitive Collection" turns out to be somewhat of a mixed bag. The disc opens with a half-dozen of Neil's biggest hits from his heyday at RCA records between 1959 and 1962. These are the tunes that are the re-recordings. Enjoy once again big hits like "Next Door To An Angel", "Calendar Girl", "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" and the fast version of "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", a number one smash from the summer of '62. According to the liner notes these songs were recorded in 1991 and 1992 and are "exceedingly faithful" to the originals. In 2 or 3 cases I would beg to differ. Now on a more positive note it would appear that just about all of the tunes included from Neil's comeback years at Elton John's Rocket records are in fact the original recordings. Now that's more like it! Yes, Neil Sedaka was on top of his game in the mid 1970's with a pair of number one hits. Both "Laughter in the Rain" and "Bad Blood" are included here as is the slow version of "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" which peaked at number 8 in 1976. Also included is one of my all-time favorite Neil Sedaka tunes "The Immigrant". Many years ago I saw Neil Sedaka being interviewed and he opined that the best song he ever wrote was a tune called "The Hungry Years". I would have to agree. If you have never heard this song then you are in for a real treat. I also enjoyed the "live" version of a tune Neil co-wrote with Phil Cody. "Solitaire" was a huge hit for the Carpenters and Neil Sedaka's version is equally as moving.

"Neil Sedaka: The Definitive Collection" concludes with 4 "bonus" tracks. Three of the four tunes were recorded later in his career and I found them to be very forgettable. However, there is an interesting story surrounding the other tune. In 1964, Neil Sedaka made a demo of the tune "It Hurts To Be In Love". It was a song he strongly believed in and Neil wanted to release it as a single in the worst way. However, for contractual reasons he was unable to do so. As it turned out, the record company simply erased Neil's vocals from the recording and replaced it with the voice of Gene Pitney. The song went on to become a Top Ten smash. "Neil Sedaka: The Definitive Collection" also includes a nicely done 12 page booklet. All in all, I would have to describe this collection as just so-so. Had the original RCA recordings been included here I would have enjoyed it so much more. Seems to me that three stars is just about right.

Like the other reviewers...i was a bit disappointed...when i played the CD's opening track, BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO, the fast-tempo version, i heard that opening chorus and was smiling throughout the song...i detected a 'rasp' in his voice, though midway through the song...i thought perhaps that's the way the song always sounded but on AM radio it didn't detect it as clear and crisp as a CD would...well...the arrangements threw me off because they ARE so true to the originals from the '60s. When i got home i opened up the fold-out cover to see that the '60s hits were all recorded in 1991...the other songs are the original recordings, though. So while the CD is "definitive" as far as the actual songs are concerned, the inclusion of these remakes at the start of the CD dampen the overall joy but we do have some recordings that are hard to find...making it somewhat definitive.

This is the greatest collection of all his songs. I have been looking for a while and this is it. It has all his songs that he is known for and made popular plus others that I have grown to love that he recorded in his later years. If you are looking for a collection of the best of Neil Sedaka and some, this is the one to get. I am thoroughly enjoying it.

I was very excited to be getting Neil's RCA hits and his 70's Rocket Records material on one CD...I was all ready to sell my "RCA 100 Years of Music - Best of Neil Sedaka"...I pop the CD in my car in front of the store, and what do I find? RE-RECORDINGS! I HATE RE-RECORDINGS! Especially when the package does not indicate this fact. Come on Razor and Tie; couldn't you work out a deal with RCA to get access to the original masters? I really get disgusted with this type of "bait and switch" sales strategy. I only wish that I had waited to read the reviews here at Amazon; I would never have bought this sham...

I bought this CD for my husband because he enjoyed playing old Sedaka record albums - but you can't take albums for a ride in the car. He loves the CD, all the oldies, and was surprised to find new recordings as well. He says he especially loves the song Sedaka sings with his daughter (Should Have Never Let You Go). I honestly like hearing him play the CD and am enjoying it along with him. As for any criticism that several of these songs are re-recordings...well, yes, but I knew that from reading the reviews. I bought it anyway, and my husband is happy I did. No disappointment here.

First off, I'm a big Neil Sedaka fan. I really think that this man went through a lot in his life and persevered through it all. So, on this collection of his hits, I read many reviews that were not so kind. It is understandable. Yes, they are correct when they say that his earlier hits from the 50's and 60's were rerecorded. Here is why that is. Originally, Neil started his career with RCA records. After those golden years he took some time off to do other projects, mainly writing songs for others. He was not in his prime anymore in the late 60's and his final album with RCA was a big flop. So, he was quiet for some time, when Elton John discovered he was not under contract to a record label. Starting a record company of his own in the mid 70's, called Rocket Records, he signed his good friend up. He then made a major comeback and released such hits as: Bad Blood, Laughter in the Rain, The Immigrant, and Breaking up is hard to do (Slow Version), all plus many other new songs that are on this CD in original form.

When Neil tried to get his collection of hits on one Record, RCA would not give in. They own the rights to his older music. Of course Neil was not going to give up his rights to the new sons, which he owned. So, he had to rerecord his old songs and put them on this collection with the original recordings of his newer songs.

Here is my suggestion. Buy his CD, "Neil Sedaka-All Time Greatest Hits" along with this one and you will then have all his hits. Just simply create your own CD and you are good. This is what I did and I now have all his hits. There are NO CD's out there with all his original recordings on one compilation collection.

These listed songs contained in the CD are NOT the original RCA recordingS nor are they the original arrangements created by Alan Lorber. They are poor re-arranged copies without the original rhythm section intricacies.

He did this once before a number of years ago in an earlier album of so-called reissues. Shame again!