Customer Reviews

Soulsation: 25th Anniversary Collection

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Since J5 albums were the usual Motown hits & filler affair as well as many being out of print,Soulsation is a good investment as well as an enjoyable one(a rarity for a boxed set).Yes it includes the favorites(I Want You Back,ABC,I'll Be There)and solo tracks(Michael's Got To Be There & Ben Jermaine's Daddy's Home and even Jackie's Love Don't Wanna Leave),but it also include key album tracks which could've been hits in their own right(Stand,People Make The World Go 'Round,If I Had To Move A Mountain,All I Do Is Think Of You).It was wise to put the vault material on the fourth disc and even some should've been released (the funky cover of It's Your Thing).Even if Motown remasters and re-releases the original albums on CD(I'll be looking forward to 1972's Looking Through The Windows,a suprisingly excellent album dispite it's cookie cutter origins)they'll be hit & miss.But Soulsation,although lenghthy,will be a winner all around.

I guess I'm not the biggest J5 fan around. I always thought I was. I think there was a reason why some of the unreleased tracks were never released. They are kind of boring. There are, of course, the exceptions. "I Can't Get Ready for Losing You" is a winner. As is "Let's Have a Party". But "Lulu", "I'm Glad it Rained", and "Coming Home" are a little anti-climatic for me. My copy of this lists a song called "You're All I Need" on the cover but the song is actually "Ooh I'd Love to Be With You" which I already had, I believe on Joyful Jukebox Music. This compilation was noteworthy when it first came out because a lot of the songs were on cd for the first time. The excellent "Moving Vioilation" for one. I could have done without all of the Christmas songs also. Also noteworthy is the inclusion of the Jackie Jackson solo song "Love Don't Want to Leave", which is a really good song. I know everybody has all their fave songs that were not included on here, but if you like "One More Chance" you probably have it already. If you don't it's readily available. I never really noticed before, but the album Maybe Tomorrow is not represented that well on here. Songs like Petals, The Wall, Honey Chile, in my book are classics. But like I said, we all have our faves and this is a minor complaint. All in all a wonderful compilation and great
packaging with an intro from Janet, liner notes from David Ritz with quotes from Bobby Taylor, and track by track listing with chart position and dates.

This is the greatest collection of J5 songs that was ever made. It has all their number 1 songs plus the ones that didn't get the credit that they should have. Its four cds are just fantastic. If you love the Jacksons as much as I do, than this is the greatest collection to have. It even has a booklet to show you the rising of the greatest boy band of all-time. Every song that you love is on the Soulsation! collection.

If you are a fan of the Jacksons, you're not a true fan until you have this set. All four disc have songs that easily should have made number one on the charts. The remakes michael sang on these discs, puts the origials to shame. This collection shows why he is today The King of Pop and the Jackson Five are the best teen group ever. THIS IS A MUST CD COLLECTION

First of all, I have to admit that I am so happy that I ordered and received this CD set in January 2009. It was hard to find, but so worth it. The music is filled with wonderful songs by the Jackson 5 and the Jacksons. Their music simply makes you happy -- and I play it anytime I want to cheer up. From songs like I Want You Back, ABC, Got To Be There and Sugar Daddy, to Dancing Machine, Get it Together and All I Do Is Think of You, true Jackson fans will be more than happy to listen to this music. The songs take you back to the past; they make you open your mouth and sing, or tap your foot on the floor. The Jacksons really were pros at making feel good music. I am thrilled to be an owner of this collection, especially now since some have hiked the price to almost $225. If you are lucky to get your hands on a copy, listen to it, cherish it, and cherish the memories that Michael, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon have given us through their talents. RIP M.J.J.

Soulsation was the $52 dollars and the 5 day wait. It has all my favorite songs that he did before he hit it BIG. Like "ABC" "I Want You Back", "I'll Be There","Dancing Machine","Hallelujah Day","It's Too Late To Change the Time",
"I Am Love". Some that I have never heard of and I like them. These are the songs that some people forgot that the Jackson 5 did and they are good.
All the songs that are on here make you want to dance. Some cds has a good beat but you can't really dance to them 'cause the beat is not a dance beat. The song that has the best example is "I AM LOVE", you can slow dance then dance faster. Brings the songs that you can dance to if you can't really dance.
Also shows Michael talent before everything came together before Quincy Jones came in the picture. Some of the best songs that Michael did before he gone sole like he did in the 80's. Like "Just a Little Bit of You" "Rockin' Robin" "Got To Be There" "I Wanna Be Where You Are" "Ben".

If you are an ultimate Jackson fan (like I am), than this album is definitely for you. I bought this collection when it first came out, but I bought it as cassettes. I don't have them in CD. But that's okay it's still a wonderful compilation of songs. Even the ones I hadn't heard of before were good.

The Jackson Five's Number One hit "ABC" was featured in Eddie Murphy's movie "Daddy Day Care", resuscitating the chart-topper from 1970. Hearing it on the big screen takes the listener back to a time when Michael and his brothers ruled the airwaves with their blend of soulful pop. While there had been a few "boy bands" before them, none had the lasting impact as the quintet from Gary, Indiana.

"Soulsation" not only compiles the group's familiar top ten hits ("I Want You Back", "The Love You Save", "I'll Be There", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Got To Be There", "Dancing Machine", et. al), it also delivers on Michael's early solo smashes: "Rockin' Robin", "Ben", "I Wanna Be Where You Are", and "Sugar Daddy", to cite just four.

Most enjoyable and enlightening are the rare and seldom heard album cuts and unreleased tracks that support Berry Gordy's strategy of having Motown artists cover songs made famous by others. The Jackson Five does such familiar songs as Sly Stewart's "Stand" and "Everybody is a Star", The Isley Brothers' "It's Your Thing", "La La (Means I Love You)" and Motown classics "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing along with "I Hear A Symphony". Michael's solo take on "People Make the World Go 'Round" even offers two verses distinctly different than The Stylistic's original version.

Gordy also wanted to diversify his staple of artists by having them try other genres; thus, the Jackson Five performs "Corner of the Sky" from the award-winning Broadway play "Pippin". Also on the disc are their holiday recordings of "Christmas Won't Be the Same This Year" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town". The early days of disco can be found on the extended "Forever Came Today", a highlight culled from the group's "Moving Violation" LP.

While only the seven years of Motown are represented here, these are the recordings that most fans fondly remember and are a worthy treasure to an audiophile's library.

My Dad bought me this collection in the late 90's when I was High School. People ask me all the time where can they buy this collection. Its too bad it has been discontinued by the manufacturer. It has all the hits, plus rare recordings you won't find anywhere. It features some great songs where Jermaine sings lead. If your a true J5 fan it is a must have.

very cool gets you in the mood to wear plaids and stripes together again love it