Customer Reviews

Essential

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I don't think so. I had the original 'Heartbeat' album years ago and was looking to replace it just for amusement value. When I had trouble finding a copy, I ordered 'Essential' instead. I'm glad I did. The extra tracks on this album gave me a whole new take on Don Johnson's music. "What if it Takes All Night" and "Your Love is Safe With Me" roll so smoothly that they stay with you long after the last notes fade. "Tell It Like It Is" and "Better Place" are even better. My instant favorite, however, was "Other People's Lives". The tracks from the 'Heartbeat' album are still fun, but these 4 have put this cd toward the top of my list for almost any occasion. The stiffness that sometimes ruled 'Heartbeat'is gone and Don Johnson's distinctive sound rolls out like a flashback to a better level of listening.

DAMN!!! This guy have a voice sweet as honey! I specialy love the song Lonely too long! Also the one Lost in your eyes!!! I'm a big DJ fan, and the first song I heard....I was hooked!!! This guy got too release more albums! If I had a voice like that, Enrique would not even be mentioned in the same sentence. Don, keep up the good work and thank you for the music!!!!

I recently ordered this CD of 16 songs by Don Johnson. Loved every song on it! Though there are some times where Don comes off sounding like Jon Bon Jovi and Steve Perry, he has his own vocal style on these songs. They put 9 songs from his 1986 album Heartbeat and 7 from the 1989 album for this CD. The first 3 songs are solid, especially Heartbeat. Can't Take Your Memory sounds fabulous. But it's on tracks 9 and 10 where Don shows his best on the Bob Segar written Star Tonight with Willie Nelson singing along and the Tom Petty written Lost In Your Eyes. Tom even sings background on this song. For Don to perform with top notch stars is an understatement. Many critics bashed his singing career during the time he starred in Miami Vice. But how many actors you know can get to record with Tom Petty, Willie Nelson, Keith Richards, Bonnie Raitt, Ron Wood and others for his solo albums? Don did, and it surprised many people. I also like Angel City, Coco Don't, the jazzy What if it Takes All Night, Lonely Too Long,Other People's Lives (one of ubiquitous songwriter Diane Warren's best written songs) Last Sound Love Makes and A Better Place. I feel it's best to get this one collection than the individual albums--this is a more complete overview of Don's music in the '80s. The producer did a good job selecting and placing the songs in a cohesively done way. Johnson shifts from rock to pop to even blues within the songs he recorded and you can feel it here.

Don Johnson is an under-rated actor, that is for sure. But he has most definitely been the receipient of much (underserved) harsh criticism as a singer. He can sing! Granted, he did have some great talents assisting him in songwriting and arranging, but, to be fair, he can sell a song! Give the guy a chance! Although I write this after too many Cuba Libre's, I do believe that Don Johnson has something to offer the art of music. Go ahead, give it a try... You will be pleasantly suprised and not disappointed.

I bought THE ESSENTIAL some time ago at Amazon. Until that time I didn't know that Don Johnson has been kept busy with music beside his career as an actor.
So I was more than positively surprised, when I listened to his music the first time. This CD has made me a real Don Johnson-fan.
THE ESSENTIAL is a Best-of of his two albums (Heartbeat & Let it Roll), including the hitsingle "Tell it like it is". Multi-faceted Pop/Rock-songs, sometimes influenced by Jazz (Tell it...) or Country (for example Heartache away), and wonderful songs about love (What if it takes all night amongst others) are parts of this work.
In my opinion "Your love is safe with me" and "Coco don't" are, excepting to the first six as single released songs, absolutely worth listening.
Unfortunately the duet with Barabara Streisand "Till I loved you", which J. himself wrote, doesn't appear on this disc as well as "Love Roulette", "When you only loved me", "Let it roll" and "Little one's lullaby". Then there'd be all D.J. songs on one CD.
So be it. THE ESSENTIAL is nontheless a must-have for all Don Johnson-fans and music collectors or those who are interested in getting to know Don Johnson in another profession.
I ask myself why he gave up his ambitions as a singer - why?

Boy how I wish he came out with more music. I've been watching Miami Vice and remembered I had Heartbeat, I pulled it out and listened. I saw The essential and had to have it for the songs that wasnt on the other. BOY!! I love his slow songs he has a great and sexy voice. The best "Better Place" & my favorite "Can't take your memory". This is a must I wish he would come out with more Slow songs I'd buy it in a Heartbeat!

I bought this CD on a lark because I had seen the videos for Heartbeat and Tell It Like It Is on youtube.com, and I have not stopped playing it since it arrived. I have always loved Don's voice, but put to music, it is even better. Some of the songs have that decidely 80's sound, but others, such as "Tell It Like It Is," "What If It Takes All Night," and "Can't Take Your Memory" are timeless. His voice is perfectly made for the slow ballads and simple love songs. After hearing recently that he is planning on recording again, I can hardly wait, and I will be one of the first to buy.

I always liked Don's song 'Heartbeat' so I picked up this CD for that song and for the pure novelty value of it. I was pleasantly surprised! My favorite track may be 'Tell It Like It Is' - really great song.

In the 80s it seemed like all singers wanted to be actors and all actors wanted to be singers. Don is one of the only actors turned singer that is worth listening to!

This is just a good CD, plain and simple. Don should have recorded more than two albums.

Although this album is hard to find, it is worth the chase. I always loved Don Johnson, not only is he a wonderful actor, he is an amazing singer. The album "The Essential" has 16 great tracks. Even after all these years, the song "Heartbeat" still gets me singing, this album is definitely worth ordering, no music collection should be without it. Its Jazzy, bluesy, rock, love songs, it's a lot of music genres rolled into one. It has something for everyone on the album, every single song is a hit. Why Don didn't have more hit albums through the years is beyond me. This album proves he is a talented and gifted artist in many ways, both in film, tv, and music. Definite collection piece for any music lover.

I have come to admire DJ's talents more and more as I get the chance to see and hear his work. This CD is a must-have. Whoever acquires this album will be satisfied with an album that will probably not become old, but on the contrary, will become a classic with the passage of time. It is a pitty that DJ did not produce more music.