Neil Sedaka Sings the Hits

Neil Sedaka | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 26, 1999)
• Original Release Date: October 26, 1999
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B00002061K
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #316,829 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best 2-CD Compilation Available By Neil Sedaka, May 20, 2000

By A Customer

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This review is from: Neil Sedaka Sings the Hits (Audio CD)

This two CD set gives you more than you could get with one CD. Disk 1 is Neil's pop hits from 1958-1965. All are original recordings, including the hard-to-find and obscure "I Go Ape" and "The Dreamer" which rarely wind up on those one-CD reissue compilations by Neil. All songs on disk 1 are true stereo, although the stereo on "I Go Ape" is very narrow. Sound quality is as good as I've ever heard it for original Neil Sedaka recordings. This is to be expected since RCA has their name on this CD and they recorded the original songs and would have good access to the master tapes. Note that subtle tape drop outs are evident on "Little Devil" just as they are on every other LP and CD I've heard over 35 years, which indicates these drop outs probably exist on the master or session tapes.

Disk 2 is Neil Sedaka hits from 1960-1964, the slower stuff that few people are familiar with. The last three tracks are a live recording medley from a Neil Sedaka concert in Australia (1970). Disk 2 is mostly true stereo, except mono on tracks 8, 9,10, and 11.

4.0 out of 5 stars Retro Heaven, August 14, 2011

By 

Lee Armstrong (Winterville, NC United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Neil Sedaka Sings the Hits (Audio CD)

The first disc of "Sings the Hits" is utterly amazing! These original recordings from Sedaka's 1958-1965 period is retro heaven. "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" opens with the familiar "cumma down dooby doo down down" chorus. "King of Clowns" sounds like an anthem for lost lovers everywhere. "Stairway to Heaven" mixes a pop confection with Neil's voice sunny and the sax in a full-blown boogie, "Wella wella heavenly angel, I want you for my girl; When I kissed your sweet sweet lips, I knew that you were outta this world." "Calendar Girl" was a huge hit and puts a smile on my face. The classic "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" has a strong melody and sounds gorgeous here. Liner notes reference Little Anthony & the Imperials' recording of "The Diary" before Neil launched his own version. While I can't recall ever hearing "I Go Ape" before, it totally charmed me with its full-blast rock explosion, "I'm a monkey's uncle who's a cousin to a chimpanzee, like I was reeling and a-rocking and swinging from a coconut tree; Honey can't you see, you bring out the monkey business in me." Neil's song for Carole King, "Oh! Carol," is a sweet rock-tango. "Next Door to An Angel" is another gem with that nutty chorus "dooba bop bop, doo bop she down down" chorus and Neil's smiley vocals. "Alice In Wonderland" has a delightful sunny melody and a gorgeous string arrangement, "My heart goes pitter patter cause I'm mad as a hatter." "Sunny" with its handclaps bubbles joyfully. Sedaka's "The World Through A Tear" totally caught my attention when it hit the airwaves; and while not Neil biggest hit, remains one of my favorites with its swaying rhythm, "Just last year, we wandered near & dreamed a dream that never would die, now only me, hoping she'll appear." While the first disc is breathtakingly amazing, the second disc with its big-band show tune covers and a live sequence from an Australian concert is so different, that it was not a great bonus for me. However, Sedaka's work holds an important chapter in 20th Century pop. Enjoy!