Customer Reviews

First Choice - Greatest Hits

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a big fan of classic 70's dance music, and there is no more definitive collection anywhere. First Choice is THE classic girl group of the "disco era," chiefly because they recorded so many dance classics, NOT because they were a disco act. No, they were a great r&b act, period. Nonetheless, their Salsoul/Goldmind recordings feature full-throttle performances, with great orchestrations, and real songs. These are full-length tracks, and in some cases, the 12 inch extended versions. Forget "Saturday Night Fever." This is the real deal. Many of these songs have been sampled to death over the years, and for good reason. There are no finer dance grooves than "Let No Man Put Asunder," "Doctor Love," and "Love Thang" [this one, perhaps, being the all-time greatest dance record]. "Double Cross" is another full-bodied, classic dance track with a killer bass line. Many other fine ones in this collection. If you can sit still through these jams, you better check your pulse! Get this one while you still can.

First Choice. This is essential disco. This philly trio never left their gospel roots either. With disco classics like "Let no man put asunder"(later covered by Mary J. Blige on her "MARY" cd) and "Love Thang". Their smash hits "Armed and Extremely Dangerous", "Dr. Love", and "The Player" are also classics of the genre. The inclusion of the ballad "Do me again" is a major plus and proves First Choice could throw down on the love jams also. Although their thumping, bumping version of Stevie Wonder's "Love Having You Around" should have been included for the intro alone, however this greatest hits package is First Choice's best overall offering. Make it your "first choice"!

i heard the first choice in a disco in philly in 1975, i was blown away with armed and extremely dangerous track that was playing as i came in. it is so great to be able to have them on cd and sounding just as good as they did back then. first rate selection of their vast music career. i love them as i do donna summer,candi staton,vicki sue robinson. please buy it if you can. thanks and take care

The First Choice is one of the most famous disco groups from the 70's. Most of their succesfull songs are composed, arranged by the well known three letters "BHY", which means Baker, Harris and Young. These three letters means, without any doubt a top dance hit. Also, the final mix was done by Tom Moulton, which is also a guarantee of a top dance hit. All songs are among the First Choice most known, but in this compilations they missed some important songs such as "Guess what Mary Jones did?" and "First Choice Theme".

Tracklisting:
1.01 Armed And Extremely Dangerous (2:46)
1.02 Smarty Pants (2:37)
1.03 Newsy Neighbors (5:54)
1.04 This Is The House Where Love Died (2:55)
1.05 Love And Happiness (6:55)
1.06 The Player (12" Version) (7:08)
1.07 Gotta Get Away (5:59)
1.08 Doctor Love (12" Version) (7:35)
1.09 Love Thang (5:37)
1.10 Double Cross (12" Version) (6:58)
1.11 Breakaway (6:51)
1.12 Hold Your Horses (12" Version) (5:48)
2.01 Love Thang (12" Version) (7:55)
2.02 Let No Man Put Asunder (12" Version) (7:59)
2.03 Doctor Love (5:16)
2.04 Let Me Down Easy / Good Morning Midnight / Great Expectations (Disconet Medley) (16:04)
2.05 Happy Love Affair (4:44)
2.06 Sitting Pretty (4:54)
2.07 I Can Show You (12" Version) (7:23)
2.08 Indian Giver (4:53)
2.09 Gamble On Love (2:48)
2.10 Jimmy D (2:52)
2.11 Do Me Again (3:46)

I recall staying out late at night, sometimes an hour and a half later than I'd planned, to be able to dance to songs like "Hold Your Horses" and "Dr. Love." Whoever put together this magnificent ode to a very, very talented girl group hit it just right -- All the goodies from the albums are there, the album cuts of the hits AND the 12" mixes. Even though the Salsoul label's long gone, somebody decided to buy their masters and put them together and get in on what I believe is the retro curve in it's infancy. I played the 12" version to a very talented young bass player who likes old school a lot; and while he's heard his parents' collection of Al Green and Blue Magic and the Stylistics and Plenty of Motown, he'd never heard anything like this. He was doing the bass riff from that song after about half an hour. He was amazed; he said "Damn, these hip-hoppers and rappers nowadays don't write orchestral charts like this." So I gave him a lesson in Salsoul Orchestra 101. Finally, I'm a wee bit overweight these days, and dancing to this and the other disco stuff I've thankfully found on Amazon is a great way to get some good cardiovascular going! Buy this now - play 'em all the way through - and remember where you were, and who you were going out with, and which club you were at, when you first heard these tunes!

God, where do I start? First Choice was/is a first class act. Under the aegis of BHY, Baker Harris Young, these trackes are fully the ultimate of classic disco/dance. Mind you disco is not a dirty word! The DANCE music of today owes a hell of a lot to these classics. Just listen to the medley from the Hold Your Horses LP...smooth classic Philly sound..Oh I could go on and on, but I need to slip this disc onto my player...I do recommed this CD

All I wish to add is one thing:

"Love Thang." When I played the song, it just hit me, "Where have I heard that before?" It took me a few minutes, but I figured it out! Chubb Rock's song "Treat Her Right" sampled "Love Thang." Granted, "Treat Her Right" came out in 1990 (and was a hit for the young man), had I not taken a chance on this collection, I would have never learned that bit of trivia!

This Collection was more than worth the $10.77 (plus shipping) that I paid for it! I rate this disc Five Stars!!

this collection is chalk full ofgreat stuff...yet the one track that stands out for me is the veryinspired arrangement of "love andhappiness." IT ROCKS!!! i recallhearing this at the popular dancevenue of the day where they blastedit through their system. it was atranscendant experience. well....probably the drug du jour helped...but seriously, this is timeless. ittruly sounds as good today as itdid then. and to think that the synth was accompaniment alongsidereal musical instruments! 'smartypants,' and 'newsy neighbors' werepopular songs amongst my pals. itwas 'armed and extremely dangerous'that hit the airwaves with a banggetting peoples attention everywhere and is a classic today. thereare so many great, timeless songsthat fall by the wayside. why notre-release some of these as if theywere new and start a trend. i believe a new generation woud appreciate this stuff as much as we didthey need only be exposed.

this two set cd is great it has all there classics regular and twelve inch mixes plus some good liner notes.