Customer Reviews

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Greatest Hits

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I really hope that one day, when all is said and done, and the musical gods come down to mother earth to execute their musical rapture, that the heavenly and soulful sounds of Gladys Knight and the Pips will be the theme music for that magical ascension into the pearlie gates. When I hear the smooth yet contentious nature of Neither One of Us, I am reminded of how, at age 15 when I first heard this song, I knew that I was being taught a lesson about life that I had yet to visit. I have payed that visit over and over again. And as a result, I know now what I didn't know then.

But when I hear those famous words, "I'd rather live in his world, than live without him in mine," I've truly come to know and feel the level of commitment and selflessness that defines the essence of love and desire. It doesn't matter who he is or where he is, she wants to be there with him at all cost. Kinda like my mama and daddy.

This album will eventually evolve into classical music, as the struggles inherent in the music are classical. I am proud to say I heard it all when it was new, and only too glad to share it with the new. Gladys Knight and the Pips is a musical institution, a phenomenom that will be warming hearts, and soothing souls long after mother earth has vaporized. Their musical magic will keep going On and On.

This is the absolute crème de la crème of hits from Gladys Knight and The Pips' in the late 1960s and up to the middle 1970s. Of course this long-lasting soul outfit has been a hit machine for many decades and this collection is anything but comperehensive, while at the same time containing their most enduring chart hits.

There's the achingly beautiful I Heard It Through The Grapevine and the equally emotional Neither One Of Us, the rousing Friendship Train and the magnificent number 1 hit Midnight Train To Georgia. My other favourites include The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me, and I've Got To Use My Imagination.

Gladys Knight & The Pips started their hit-making career in the early 1960s and in my opinion reached their peak in the period from 1968 to 1974 that is covered by this album. If you just want the very greatest hits by this legendary soul band, this album is ideal. For those who would like a more comprehensive set, I recommend The Essential Collection (1999) that also includes their graceful version of The Way We Were/Try To Remember and the passionate I Don't Want To Do Wrong from 1971.

Gladys has always been my favorite and this CD reminded me of why. Even as a child I knew that she sung from the soul. I listen to this in the morning before work and it gets me pumped for the day and in the evenings on my treadmill. The mix between the fast songs and the slow ballads glide you through the full range of her tremendous vocals. This is a great CD and the last 2 songs on the CD give you a little bit of Gladys we don't see very often. Great CD!!!!!!!!

So far, everybody gives this CD 5 stars. I feel the same way. I remember hearing the group's first hit in 1961, "Every Beat of My Heart". I still have the song on a 33 1/3 vinyl of the greatest hits of that year. And what guy can't be moved to being told, "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me". "Midnight Train to Georgia" from 1973 remains a classic (though it was almost Midnight Plane to Houston). Great songwriting and great heartfelt delivery; Gladys always sings the truth. It's all here. Five Stars and Change.

I grew up on the fringes of Harlem, New York where in the sixties the Black community spoke of their musical heroes on a first name basis. Everybody in my neighborhood knew who Stevie, Smokey, Aretha, Diana, Marvin and Gladys were as last names were superflous and unwarranted and even misdirected as we came to love and appreciate the Motown artists as the prodigies that they really were. Gladys Knight and the Pips-Greatest Hits is my favorite Motown related compilation of a single group because Gladys is probably the best in the business. She is gospel with overiding soul mixed with rhythmn and blues and a slow sexy rock that flows over lyrics like a smooth choo choo train. My favorite entries on this disc are I Heard it Through the Grapvine which although Marvin had a problem dealing with a cover, it's more than legitimate as a Gladys single, If I were Your Woman which cries a beautiful scat and the venerable Midnight Train to Georgia which besides being a mega hit is just a damm good song so hit the repeat button on your player and the moonroof down. In 1977 I was attending a sales convention in Skokie, Illinois where artists playing the Mill Run in Chicago stayed at my hotel. Gladys was doing a gig there and I used to see her in a bathrobe eating eggs in the coffee shop with her family. To this day and at the age of 55 I really wish I would have gone over there and had a rap with her just to find out what makes her a musical treasure to me. I'll never get that chance in my lifetime so I bought her CD as above and I'm having that talk vicariously.

Jay Adler, Massapequa, New York

As always, Gladys Knight & the Pips have a soulful song for every occasion. No matter what kind of mood I'm in, whether I'm riding on the Midnight Train or the Friendship Train, this collection can handle it. I definitely enjoy this group of hits from one of the great soul divas and her famous family back-up.

Gladys Knight and The Pips harmonized to perfection and brought happiness to their fans wherever they were. They possessed the ability to reach their audiences through music in a way few artists ever could. In 1970, Rolling Stone magazine recognized "Gladys Knight and the Pips (as) the best thing to happen to Motown in years." This CD is a great way to discover just how talented they truly were.

The CD boasts great classic hits including their number one hit "Midnight Train To Georgia;" this song is about a about a woman who follows her man to Georgia because she loves him and she will love him forever. Gladys and The Pips convey remarkable angst in the hauntingly beautiful "If I Were Your Woman" and "Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)." The song "Letter Full Of Tears" deals with the pain of an unrequited love and Gladys performs this flawlessly with The Pips backing her up nicely. Awesome!

I like the joyful and upbeat song entitled "Friendship Train" and the touching "You're The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me." "You're The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" reminds me of my father and his unconditional love for me. Their delivery of this song is profoundly moving.

This is a great CD for people who want a sampler to become better acquainted with the fine art of Gladys Knight and The Pips. The total running time is only about 35 minutes and wow, how I wish Curb Records had included two or three more songs on this album. Unfortunately, this is often the way it goes with "budget" lower priced CDs. If you like this CD I recommend The Essential Collection by Gladys Knight and The Pips as well as their other albums. I also recommend this album for fans of R&B/Soul and pop/R&B.

Gladys Knight and The Pips remain one of the best groups ever in the business! I hope you enjoy this CD as much as I did! SMILE

Gladys Knight & The Pips has had a lot more than just ten hits, but the first 8 songs on this album is perhaps their 8 best. I'm very happy that the last two songs "Letter Full Of Tears" and "Every Beat Of My Heart" are included which is hard to find on CD. You won't go wrong if you buy this, but if you want more songs on one CD then get their most recent collections : "Essential" and/or "Ultimate Collection".

I liked the selection of songs on the cd but the quality is so poor I should have sent it back. Buyer be ware.

My title for my review pretty much says it all. I love Gladys Knight's singing and the songs; however, the quality of the sound was very poor. The first three songs seem to be recorded on low and when I raise the volume, you hear background noise and static. I tried to play it in two different places and it was the same scenario of poor sound quality. I would not recommend this CD.