Customer Reviews

Murray Head - Greatest Hits [Resurgent]

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

 

 

I ordered this CD for one song--One Night in Bangkok. Very dissapointed to get an offbeat version: Not the popolar recorded version. The other songs were not to my taste either, never have heard any of them.

I'm not sure what metric has declared these songs Murray Head's greatest. Maybe it's radio charts or single sales in France, the country that's seemingly home to the largest number of Murray Head fans. But are these a true representation of the best work to come from Murray? Nah. Still, it's a great way to get your hands on a whole bunch of material that isn't present on his primary solo releases.

Even some songs that are duplicated on other albums are either newer or different versions here; an example being Murray's somewhat legendary 'Say It Ain't So,' the version on this album being a 1993 remake. This album also offers several songs that are from movie soundtracks that featured Murray's work, and you can't get them anywhere else. Perhaps this should have been titled, "Murray Head's Miscellaneous Hits." - Jason Latona, Murrayhead.com

I am tired of reading people bash Murray Head for they are mad this album is not filled with songs like One Night in Bangkok and that the version is different from the hit. Well it really isn't. This version is the version from the play Chess and is an extended version of the hit. It adds a 1.20 instrumental and then the song is exactly the same.
Murray didn't change anything, but include the real version. The hit just cut the intrumental.

Now to review the cd:

Murray Head's hero was John Lennon and like Lennon he is an intellectual songwriter. He doesn't do Top 40 and One Night in Bangkok is not really reflective of his style.
If people want Top 40 go buy Hits of the 80's and other collections like that, but stop bashing Murray for his songs are well more thoughtful & well written than the flash in the pan song Bangkok, which is so dated now.

Murray appeals to people who want something deeper than mindless pop.

I have all his records and this album sadly is not really a Greatest Hits album. It is missing several of his best songs like Last Days of an Empire, HeY Lady & Going Home from his best album Voices, Countryman from Between Us, In the Heart of You from Sooner or Later, and Nothing to Lose & Make it Easy from Innocence.

What is on here is a collection of songs handed picked from his albums and obscure songs from movies.

There are some great songs like the heartfelt Never Even Thought - a remake from Say it Ain't So and better than the original, When You're in Love - a moving song about breaking up which we can all identify with, Dearest Anne, a lovely song from a movie, Affair Across a Crowded Room from Voices and Mademoiselle - another remake, but a wonderful song about an aging belle of the ball.

There are other good songs too like Say it Ain't So, another remake of an old song, not as good, but not bad, Los Angeles, No Mystery, With or Without Me,and You Are.

It has a decent version of Bangkok if you like that, but not the radio version.

It does have a few French songs and only has a few duds like All The Way and Maman.

If you want Top 40 pass on this, but if you like John Lennon, then maybe this album is for you.

I would though tell you to buy Voices first - one of the best, unheard albums of the early 80's - came out in 1980.

I ordered this CD because I was having trouble finding the song One Night in Bangkok. Did he really think changing up the only song anyone remembers was the right thing to do. Don't waste your money on these weird versions of songs.

Like several others who wrote in, I was mainly looking for the popular version of "one Night in Bangkok". Just wanted to say that I was finally able to find the popular version on "Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of The '80's, Vol. 14."

Like the others, I am searching for the 'One Night in Bangkok' and this is some weirded up version of the classic. It's a waste of money. I still haven't found the original.

Most who diss this album sing the same tired theme: "I didn't like this version of One Night In Bangkok."

OK. Then why didn't you just download the single? What about the other 18 cuts?

Murray Head has a gift only God can bestow -- an unmistakably unique voice. There is no confusing him with anyone else. And, while his may not be a "music school" voice, it's a wonderfully passionate voice. (Few people will pay to listen to music school voices anyway.)

This album allows one to hear Murray in a variety of musical settings. And it's a most delightful buffet.

I had only been aware of Murray Head because of his role as the American chess player Freddie Trumper in the musical "Chess." But this album opened for me all kinds of new avenues of respect and admiration for this man's musical abilities and body of work. I frankly don't know whether these cuts are representative of Murray's best efforts or not. But they are plenty good enough for me. I found them a total delight!

And there are so many delights to be savored -- 19 total cuts. How generous a serving portion is that?

Perhaps if Murray Head were a better businessman he would have given the masses exactly what they expected. With no surprises. But can an artist really be blamed for not wanting to be known as a "one hit wonder?" Murray was a singer before Chess... and after. My guess is that he included "One Night In Bangkok" reluctantly. Again, my guess (and that's all it is) is that he chose to exercise his artistic license by including a different and somewhat quirky version of "Bangkok." It may have made perfect sense artistically. Maybe not as much sense commercially. I personally don't much care. I already own the original cast concept CD with Murray singing "Bangkok." (And, yes, I also personally prefer that version of "Bangkok" to the one offered up here. But this version is still highly entertaining and engaging in its own right.)

If you feel a magnetic attraction to this man's uniquely wonderful voice, by all means, buy this album unhesitatingly. But if you are buying it soley for "Bangkok," I would pass and move on.

Just PLEASE don't diss this excellent album on the basis of it not meeting your "sameness" test on one hit song. That would be so wildly unfair. And a judgement like that will deter others from experiencing the musical delights and joys present in the other 18 cuts.

I purchased this CD for the last song. The case was not in the best condition.

I shelled out nearly $20 for this CD since it's an import. Like most people, I know one song by Murray Head, "One Night in Bangkok." It's not even the original version, it's a re-make of some sorts, which is not as good. There's not much of anything else on this CD that's great either. If these are his greatest hits, then clearly, I'm not a fan.