Customer Reviews

Eddy Grant - The Greatest Hits [Sire]

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This is a fine overall collection of Eddy's best songs. My favorites are still his biggest U.S. hits, "Electric Avenue" and "Romancing the Stone." The remake of "Baby Come Back" (on which he sang lead with The Equals ca. 1967) is not bad aside from the fact that he's slightly off-key on the chorus. Unless you're from the U.K., I suggest skipping the first track, that terrible remix of "Electric Avenue"; had it been my decision, I would have ignored it and included the 1983 12-inch mix of EA and would have put all songs in chronological order instead of randomly as so many record companies seem to get their jollies by doing nowadays. But if you don't care about such trivialities, by all means grab this interesting and fun- to- listen- to CD. (But please pay for it first! :-)

Eddy Grant only had the one hit in the United States (Electric Avenue) but his blend of pop and reggae was a huge hit here in the 1980s and he had scores of hits. They're all on this album, which I purchased in the UK the day it came out. The album leads off with a fantastic remix of "Electric Avenue" that was a huge hit in England in the summer of 2001 and it just keeps on going with some of reggae/pop's best classics. Another little-known fact about Grant is that he plays all of his own instruments, so he's a man of many talents. If you're a reggae fan or an 80's music fan, you should consider this record. It's fantastic.

This greatest hits is ideal for anyone who is starting to get into Eddy Grant, like myself. Like Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Todd Rundgren before him and Prince after him, Grant plays and sings every instrument and voice on his solo albums. This greatest hits package is a collection of some of his best works. The big hits are there 'Electric Avenue' UK#2, 'I Don't Wanna Dance' #1, 'Living On The Frontline' #11, 'Do You Feel My Love?' #8, 'Can't Get Enough Of You' #13 and 'Gimme Hope Jo'anna' #7. But save for 'Living On The Frontline', 'Can't Get Enough Of You' and 'Do You Feel My Love?', which are the best from the hits he had over here, the best songs are the funk-flying 'Walking On Sunshine' which was a modest US R&B hit, small hit 'War Party' a slow ska-tinged jam, 'Hello Africa' one of his first compositions from 1977's Message Man and a percussive treat,the slow, reflective ballad, 'Another Revolutionary' and the brilliant pop-reggae of 'Killer On The Rampage'.
Of course the collection isn't perfect as it is missing a couple of his hits ('I Love You, Yes I Love You', 'Till I Can't Take Love No More' and 'Romancing The Stone'). But this collection will more than help give you an insight of most of Grant's career. It's unfortunate that this major talent will be overlooked in favour of artists such as Robbie Williams in reflective period but I strongly advise you to check out Grant's catalogue. You will experience things you don't get with most artists today.

This album is exactly what is says on the cover - the greatest creations of Eddy Grant, a versatile and underrated artist who fused elements of reggae and pop as well as some of his own styles to create simple yet powerful tunes, often with a political message.

Here you will find his biggest hit, the growling 'Electric Avenue' (including the ringbag remix, hugely popular in the UK), Baby Come Back, the dancefloor classic 'Nobody's Got Time', the long and cheerful greeting song 'Hello Africa' and the funk based, overtly political 'Living on the Frontline'.

Not all the songs on this album are classics. For me 'Can't Get Enough of You' is too long, too plodding and too uninspiring. But I reckon it is definitely worth buying for my favourite Eddy Grant song - 'Gimme Hope Jo'anna', an anti apartheid calling for white South Africans to renounce the system. It is a classic get on your feet and dance song with a fast, infectious rhythm and a simple, powerful message. Sure, it's dated now, but I defy anyone not to let that song uplift their soul.

If you ever hung out at the Paradise/Garage on 84 King St. back in the '80s then you know that Noboby's Got Time is the lyric version of his classic 'Time Warp', arguably the greatest club song of all time.

This compilation of Eddy Grant's greatest hits is awesome. If you want all his hits on one album this is the one to get. It even includes the Electric Avenue remix that personally I don't care for, but it was very popular and is a bonus for those who are Eddy Grant fans.

Eddy Grant's groundbreaking and innovative fusion of R&B, Rock, Reggae and African rhythms made for some truly unique music--the best of which is anthologized here. Although most of Eddy's original CDs are currently unavailable this CD gives you some of his best tracks while proving just what a musical visionary he was. My omly complaint is that the ringbang remix of "Electric Avenue" is unnecessary filler material--especially when the vastly superior original version is featured here.

Eddy Grant is one of the giants of the reggae genre. The unique late Seventies and Eighties sound will bring back memories of lazy, sunny days.
This album succesfully showcases his foot-tapping , feel-good music with tracks such as the disco-beat Electric Avenue in both the 1982 original and the 2001 Ringband Remix. The laidback I Don't Wanna Dance (1982) , Can't Get Enough of You (1981) anb Do You Feel My Love (1981) , the Afro-Carribean jamboree Hello Africa (1977), the jiving Latin Love Affair (1982) , the fast-paced Nobody's Got Time (1977) the call for an end to African civil wars , Living On The Frontline (1979) , the energetic Killer On the Rampage (1982)and the Hip-Hop style Ten Out of Ten (2001). If you like music that makes you fell good, this album will get you hooked on Eddy Grant's fantastic reggae-pop blend.

Was a little kid (probably about 4) when I heard "I don't wanna dance" and "Electric Avenue" and this is how I defined my understanding of Eddy Grant. This CD is like an adventure, you'd have thought the familiar hits would be all you enjoyed, only to discover other gems like "War Party", "Romancing The Stone", "Do you feel my Love".

Eddy Grant's music is really unique, he is very much like Seal - they both have distinct voices and distinct sounds.

A must have!!!

Eddy Grant did the title track to the movie "Romancing the Stone", it's always been one of my favorites from the eighties. Including his hit "Electric Avenue", I enjoy a song written for his African brothers, "Livin on the Frontline". It's about the need for Africans to stop killing each other in pointless tribal wars, still true today. It's a great album.