Customer Reviews

Singles Collection 1984-90

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

 

 

I have owned, sold, and lost CDs over the past several years. Let me tell you, this CD, Jimmy Somerville's Singles Collection has definitely withstood the test of time! It's fun, you can dance to it, sing to it, and relate with it. I had no idea who Jimmy Somerville was when I first purchased this CD, but I am so happy I stumbled upon it! Enjoy this CD!

The eighties are not my favorite decade when it comes to pop music. Nevertheless, some great pop music was recorded during those years, some of it by Jimmy Somerville, who was lead singer of Bronski beat and, later, the Communards. Both of those groups are represented here but there are also some of Jimmy's solo songs, too. Jimmy's distinctive falsetto voice could not be mistaken for any other. It is worth pointing out that Jimmy was gay and this is reflected in the lyrics of many of the original songs. I'm not sure how well Jimmy's music did in America but he was, for a while, an important singer on the British scene.

Bronski beat had six UK hits but only the first four are included here. Hit that perfect beat (a top three hit) and Come on come on are missing. Two of the others also made the top three, these being Small town boy and an unlikely medley (with Marc Almond) of I feel love (Donna Summer) and Johnny remember me (John Leyton). Why made it to number six while It ain't necessarily so made the top twenty.

The Communards had a UK number one hit with Don't leave me this way, a cover of a song that had been a hit in the seventies for two different singers - Thelma Houston and Harold Melvin. Harold's version charted higher in the UK but Thelma's version went to number one in America. I enjoy all three versions but the Communards' version features not only Jimmy's excellent lead singing but also excellent vocal support by Sarah Jane Morris, a singer otherwise unknown to me.

The Communards had one other UK top five hit - another cover, this time Never can say goodbye, originally a hit for Gloria Gaynor - and one other UK top ten hit, the original song, So cold the night. Their other UK hits were You are my world, Disenchanted, Tomorrow, For a friend and There's more to love.

Jimmy had five UK hits without either group, the biggest of which was You make me feel mighty real, a top three hit. A cover of To love somebody (Bee Gees) made the UK top ten. Comment te Dire adieu (featuring June Miles Kingston) made the UK top twenty. His other UK hits were Read my lips and Run from love (this one features Claudia Brucken).

Despite the omission of one major UK hit and one minor hit, this is an excellent collection of music by one of the best British pop singers of the eighties.

My guess is that aralissia refers the GREAT SYLVESTER that died from AIDS related complications December 16, 1988.

To my knowledge Jimmy Somerville is very much alive and continues his talented, humanitarian, and creative entertaining style, and supportive to social issues.

No Jimmy is alive and well and has a recording contract in Germany and Europe.

This is an awesome CD of all his singles that were released primarily in the UK, as he's had less success here in the USA.

Jimmy Sommerville is definitley the number one artist in my category of "unknowns that should have made it big". It's such a pity he died of AIDS in the 90's, before any big breathrough. He has a very special sounding voice, and pulls off most of the songs on this album with a smooth, heart tugging manner of singing. My particular favorite is "To Love Somebody" (a cover of a Bee Gees song). The original was okey dokey but Jimmy's version of this is gorgeous. Even if you don't buy the album, try to find the song. Once you listen to it you will most likely want to hear more.