Do What You Want, Be What You Are:The Music of Daryl Hall & John Oates [Box set]

Hall & Oates | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 13, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 4
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Sony Legacy
• ASIN: B001W63DXW
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,468 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #78 in Music > R&B > Soul > Blue-Eyed Soul

Editorial Reviews

They are the most successful pop music duo of all time. Daryl Hall and John Oates have long since surpassed Simon and Garfunkel and the Everly Brothers in the annals of pop pairings, having scored no less than 22 Billboard Top 20 singles, including six number ones, six platinum albums (sales of more than one million copies) plus another six gold LPs (sales of more than 500,000 units). Spanning the years 1966-2009, DO WHAT YOU WANT, BE WHAT YOU ARE: THE MUSIC OF DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES, the definitive Hall & Oates anthology, collects 74 sublime tracks, culled from seven different labels on its four discs. The set showcases 16 previously unreleased cuts including a host of wonderful live performances, as well as never before heard studio tracks and remixes. This set is enhanced with an eloquent introductory essay penned by pop critic Roy Trakin, plus invaluable track-by-track annotation and commentary regarding each track by Daryl Hall and John Oates, drawn from extensive interviews by Ken Sharp.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not perfect, but really well-done, regardless..., October 18, 2009

By 

Larry Davis "powerpoplarry" (NYC/Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Do What You Want, Be What You Are:The Music of Daryl Hall & John Oates (Audio CD)

I would say this set is almost a definitive career overview of H&O's 40-years plus in music. It covers every era, has most of the hits, choice rarities, fan faves, H&O faves, live tracks from over the years, and great commentary by H&O themselves, their producers and peers in music, old and new, from Smokey and David Foster, Rick Neilsen from Cheap Trick & Todd Rundgren, to Ben Gibbard from Death Cab For Cutie and Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy. The notes are well-written and the remastering is top notch, with release and label details.

The fact that not every chart single is here doesn't matter...for that, buy "The Essential 3.0"...sometimes, the liver versions are better. BUT certain albums and eras are not represented at all...no mention or tracks from Daryl's pre H&O group Gulliver, but there are Temptones and Masters rare singles...and nothing from "Beauty On A Back Street" or "Marigold Sky" or "Livetime" (no pics of those albums in the booklet either), no rare 12" versions or certain soundtrack cuts or Daryl's solo work...although Dave Stewart commented on his fun with Daryl producing that album. I am happy that a fave track "Head Above Water" from "Private Eyes" got its due tho.

All in all, well-done, but if you were to include everything, even with a DVD, it had to be 5 or 6 CDs, but for 4 full discs and the price, you can't beat the value and quality...well-manufactured too. Thumbs up from me, a longtime fan for 30+ years.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great history -- not just 80s -- of H&O, October 26, 2009

By 

ILikeClothes - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Do What You Want, Be What You Are:The Music of Daryl Hall & John Oates (Audio CD)

I followed Hall & Oates in their early days, long before the big breakthrough in the 1980s. This boxset is for the true devotee. There are clips on the first and second CDs from such early albums as the silver one, Abandoned Luncheonette, War Babies...a lot of great music that came before "Kiss on My List." I think fans from the 80s on may not enjoy this as much, or else they'll get a really good schooling on how deep the talent of these two men runs. It's a joy to hear those earlier songs, and now that I'm much older, I finally appreciate the intricacy of those lyrics! BTW I got my boxset about a week ago and have already played it about a dozen times. I cannot stop listening to it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hall & Oates Box Set, October 30, 2009

By 

Yvonne Brage-Rice (Floro, Norway) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Do What You Want, Be What You Are:The Music of Daryl Hall & John Oates (Audio CD)

I think this box set is the "Essential" Hall & Oates collection as the tracks were handpicked by them and not the record company. Some people are disappointed at some exclusions, but how can you put a 40 year music career on one box set?

Marigold Sky will be remixed and re-released next year (according to Daryl) and I can't wait to hear the end result as it is one of the most underrated Hall & Oates CDs, but at least I have the original until that happens.

As a fan, I feel privileged to be able to still follow Hall & Oates, through CDs and going to concerts and they never disappoint me, but living in the UK you are a bit out of it. I did buy the Box Set through Amazon UK, but the bonus disc was not included as it with the QVC US release, so had to order one from there as well, although the duty on ordering from the US is rather crippling.

Still, all worth it in them end!

DarylHall4Ever