Customer Reviews

Essential

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Syreeta was once married to Stevie Wonder though the marriage only lasted a couple of years. The business relationship was more successful, with Syreeta sometimes singing backup on Stevie's records while Stevie helped Syreeta's career in other ways. Furthermore, they often wrote songs together, their most successful collaboration perhaps being Signed sealed delivered, an international hit for Stevie. As far as I know, they didn't record any duets together.

Syreeta recorded a single in 1968 using the name Rita Wright, the A-side being I can't give back the love I feel for you. The two sides of that single are the final two tracks on this album. Following the failure of that single (despite being well-promoted and getting plenty of American airplay), Syreeta abandoned the Rita abbreviation and reverted to her own first name, dropping her surname in the process.

Syreeta's biggest UK hit (and only American hit) was her duet with Billy Preston, With you I'm born again, which peaked at number two in the UK. It is extraordinary that Syreeta missed the American pop charts completely with her solo recordings. Four of them made the UK charts, the most successful being the number twelve hit, Your kiss is sweet. Spinning and spinning, Harmour love and It will come in time were only minor UK hits.

This collection includes all the aforementioned songs including her own version of Signed sealed delivered as well as a duet with Smokey Robinson (First time on a ferris wheel), a duet with G C Cameron (Let's make a deal) and several excellent solo tracks.

If you enjoy seventies Motown music, give Syreeta a listen.

a very nice overview of the beautiful syreeta's career.this beautiful cd has songs from her classic albums such as "syreeta"(1972)/"stevie wonder presents syreeta"(1974)/"rich love,poor love"(with g.c.cameron)(1977)/"one to one"(1977)/also includes the top five billboard single 'with you i'm born again'(a duet with billy preston)which is from the 1979 original motion picture soundtrack "fastbreak"/however,there are omissions and weaknesses from this compilation cd.it should have included 'win your love'which was written and produced by her then fiancee stevie wonder in 1970,and at least a few tracks with billy preston from the album "billy preston&syreeta"(1981)which features the beautiful'someone special'and the discoish beat of'searchin'/the one weakness with this cd is that some of the original tracks were edited from the original lp/album versions.perhaps this should have been a double cd set,therefore all of the songs listed could run in their original time lengths of which they were recorded.and if this were a double cd set,it would've included more unreleased material and rarities such as the stevie wonder written 'win your love'/therefore this would give the beautiful syreeta a near complete overview of her entire career.but motown itself needs 2 give the late beautiful singer more justice by releasing her remaining albums on cd.it would make her fans and myself very happy.syreeta was a very underappreciated and underrated vocalist who never got her due as a talented singer and songwriter and was pretty much under the musical radar.nonetheless,there is still material on this cd from her other albums such as '"syreeta"(1980)/"set my love in motion"(1981)/"the spell"(1983)which was her last full length studio album which was produced by jermaine jackson.this cd also features a duet with smokey robinson,'first time on a ferris wheel(love theme)'which is from the 1985 original motion picture soundtrack,"berry gordy's last dragon".i grew up with her voice along with stevie's as a child.what makes this collection so sweet is the inclusion of the very beautiful "something on my mind"/this collection should have included 2 more beautiful syreeta tracks:"cause we ended as lovers"(1974) and the very beautiful"blame it on the sun"(1980).the beautiful syreeta's sweetness lives....

I owned this vinyl ablum many many years ago and found it, as I remembered, uplifting. Inspired by the memory I purchased the CD. Now I remember what was so good about it, it is really a happening sound no matter how old you are or how long ago this was made. Timeless music that just gets you feeling so good is how I best describe this CD. Funny I have over 600 CDs and with my 5 stacker CD player this one always has a reserved spot for parties...ummm, no matter what other new great funky CDs are purchased, Jamiroquai or Incognito (Adventures in Black Sunshine takes 2nd reserved spot)this still one of my favourites. Beautiful music, beautiful woman.

It was so sad to hear about Syreeta's passing. "Stevie Wonder Presents Syreeta" was recorded in 1974 and I was 11 years old when I heard my older sister spin this masterpiece. To this day, that album remains my favorite LP of all time. She truly had the voice of an angel. Along with the late great Minne Riperton and Deniece Williams they were "Wonderlove", Stevie's backup singers. Stevie knows talent!! Now we only have one angel still down here with us. Minne and Syreeta, R.I.P. I love your voices and I miss them dearly.

This review will only mean something to those of us who are familiar with the album and the song that really put Syreeta Wright on the map. You all know the one that I am speaking about dark green album cover, a full face of Syreeta on the album cover, her hair in beads and corn rolled, we all still have the album as I am looking at it as I type this review. Ok you got the Billie Preston duet but come on folks, get with the program get this album, get these downloads so I can get Blame it on the Sun and Let Me Be the One. You have this cover as a icon on one of the songs you have available for a download, but again I say please get the actual album, this one! Oh one more thing, it is the same album that has her version of Sign Sealed and Deliver.

the voice of an angel is no longer with us.
you know her lyrics, though she was criminally underrated as a performer. she brought sunshine to those who cared to listen.
the press on her passing will be surely brief, but i will take this moment to remember her and the joy her music brought to my life.
rest in peace.

I was looking for this selection for years after losing all my music files and singles and LP's after burglers coming into my home and house and stole al my belongings.
The LP and CD version was not avalable anymore in Europe, so I thank you Amazon.com for sending me perfectly this unique CD.
Syreeta has a Happy and Strong Voice full of Joy with Love for 'her' Stevie.
I am also in this case am now a happy man here in The Netherlands for having her songs again in My Songbook Music Collection.

Kind Regards,

J. Vos

Having been a collector of Motown since 1974, and having amassed a huge collection in the process, Syreeta, despite the fact that she just didn't click with the record buyers in the USA, save one duet with Billy Preston that hit the Top 10, her name comes up rather often. Be it as a back-up singer, composer and an artist, Syreeta recorded a wealth of music for the massess to enjoy over a period from 1968 to the mid 1980's.
Syreeta is no longer with us, and it pains me to see so many former Motown artists pass away with hardly no recognition they so much deserve.
This 'best of' set includes the bulk of material that made her 'distinctive' in not just as an artist, but with how she presented herself. Yes, she did sing music 'of the day', but to hear her sing a ballad, one would think she was singing to just me. No fan of hers should pass this superbly priced set, and to those new Motown fans who may not know who she is, I do urge all to invest in this set, as her importance to music was strong.

Syreeta along with Minnie Ripperton are 2 angels, gone but not forgetten. Minnie left us too soon...Syreeta left us without getting her props while she was here - here is my tribute (Both Minnie and Syreeta were a part of the original WonderLove, Stevie's background singers). People know so little about her and there is so mucn to tell. When Stevie was on Oprah recently, he gave an I LOVE YOU SYREETA shout out to her mid-song...she wrote and co-wrote some of stevie's greatest hits....i love just about anything stevie has ever touched, this includes syreeta, his first wife:-)The love and respect between those two continued even after the divorce and the relationship was admirable. A GREAT WRITER WITH THE VOICE OF AN ANGEL - GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN....RIP SYREETA

Syreeta has long been one of my favorite vocalists. When I first heard her on her debut lp, which I bought because of the Stevie Wonder production and knowing of her songwriting with him, I knew she had it. Her crystal, youthful voice is such a joy to hear. The highlights from that lp are heard here- "To Know You..", "I Love Every Little.." are superb. Here charm carries throughout. EVen the later 'cover' of her co-penned "Seigned, Sealed, Deliviered" is her own. Of course there is the soaring vocal performance "With You I'm Born Again".
If you like female vocalists this is a MUST have.