Customer Reviews

Survivor - Greatest Hits

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I own all seven Survivor studio CDs, from "Survivor" to "Too Hot To Sleep", so I bought this one mainly for four songs - the two movie soundtrack tunes ("Burning Heart", "Moment Of Truth") and the two new tunes ("You Know Who You Are", "Hungry Years").

Overall, this is a pretty good compilation. Survivor put out a greatest hits CD in 1989, also called "Greatest Hits", that included ten tunes (none of them new for that CD). That one is now out of print, although I'm sure you can find it at a used CD store or somewhere online. This new one came out in 1993 and replaced a few songs on the old one and added the two new songs.

All the major hits are on this CD, and some of the lesser ones as well. Everyone knows "Eye Of The Tiger", "Burning Heart", "The Search Is Over", "High On You", "Is This Love", and "I Can't Hold Back". "American Heartbeat" is a keyboard-driven tune from the "Eye Of The Tiger CD - it got some airplay. "Poor Man's Son" is from "Premonition" and was a minor hit. "The Moment Of Truth" is from the "Karate Kid" soundtrack and got some airplay back in 1984. "Somewhere In America" was a minor hit from their debut CD.

The two new tunes - well, I tried to like them, I really want to like them.... They're OK tunes, but honestly they just don't have the same sound as the earlier stuff. I guess I was expecting more crunching guitars, but these two tunes are more mellow than I thought they would be.

If you really want a true greatest hits CD, get the "Fire In Your Eyes" CD. It is an import, and it contains 18 tunes, including the two sountrack songs mentioned earlier. I cannot attest to the sound quality, but the song list is better. It is missing "Somewhere In America", but the other tunes more than compensate for that omission. Even though this is a good CD, I think that one is a better collection.

This band had one decade of fame--the 1980s, and this collection proves that they certainly made their mark. Anyone who was around back then remembers the Rocky soundtrack songs "Eye Of The Tiger" and "Burning Heart"--their two biggest hits on the charts. It's also impossible to forget the trio of big hits off of the legendary album "Vital Signs"--"I Can't Hold Back", "High On You", and "The Search Is Over". These songs are all among the best hits from the best decade of music--and they are all on this CD. "Is This Love" and "American Heartbeat" are other noteworthy, awesome hits included on this collection.

As I often do with greatest hits collections, I will point out what is missing. While I like the inclusion of "Somewhere In America" from their unknown first album and "Poor Man's Son" from their second album (their first top 40 hit), I do wish that they had included something from the forgotten 1983 album "Caught In The Game" (perhaps the title track). Also, nothing was included from "Too Hot To Sleep"--their underrated 1988 album. Songs like "Didn't Know It Was Love" and "Across The Miles", while not big hits, would fit proudly on any Survivor collection. "How Much Love" from "When Seconds Count" is another small radio hit I remember that isn't included here.

All in all, this is an absolutely fantastic collection that no melodic rock fan will ever tire of listening to. All of the biggest hits are here, along with some minor ones. The two new tracks fit right in as well (don't understand the criticism of them by some--both are definitely Survivor-sounding songs). For radio fans of the band plus fans of all their albums (as I am), this collection is a must-have. If you love melodic rock, you will love this.

...but don't have anything by them. The first song (both literally and figuratively) is "Eye of the Tiger" (with original lead singer Dave Bickler), which was the song that broke them out into the open. It spent at least 3-4 weeks as Billboard's #1 back in 1981, and was the spirited catchphrase of the times. It's just one of those songs that only took me a couple of listens before I started hearing it in my sleep and singing it in the shower. Even though it was eventually played to extinction on the radio, I still feel it is singularly the greatest song that Survivor has ever done. It defined them as a band, both in terms of their music and upbeat attitude. Too bad it eventually got too commercialized, not just from the "Rocky III" soundtrack, but from countless TV commercials as well. But I still think that it's their best song ever.

My 2nd favorite song on this is "I Can't Hold Back" (with Jimi Jamison on lead vocals). Even though Survivor were starting to soften up their sound a little bit in 1984 when this came out, this is not a soft song by any means. It starts slow and eventually gets pretty hard, with heavy-metal style rhythm guitars for a moment. I'm not going to get into a Dave Bickler vs. Jimi Jamison argument, as I like them both. Basically, I think that Bickler has a slightly better range, but Jamison has more emotion in his voice, so I think they're both about equal. 'Nuff said :)

"High On You" is okay, but that got overplayed. Even more's the case with "The Search Is Over," which is really a great love song but has gotten endlessly ruined thru overplay. "Burning Heart" is good too, even though it's basically "Eye of the Tiger, Part Deux" from the "Rocky IV" soundtrack. "American Heartbeat" is okay. "Is This Love" is also just okay.

Basically, Survivor started out strong and new, but eventually petered out from sounding too similar. I still recommend this CD, however, but only if you don't already own their individual albums on CD. There's some good rock 'n' roll on this record! :)

Survivor is one of the greatest 80s rock band with excellent pop feel and impressive heavy guitar riff. They are known by Rocky III theme song Eye Of The Tiger or Burning Heart used for Rocky IV.

I've heard all of their albums and I am glad this compilation includes Somewhere In America from their debut album. Their debut album is great one but unfocused as I wrote earlier. Premonition is an excellent example establishing their trademark heavy beat rock. Poor Man's Son from that album became the prototype for Eye Of The Tiger their biggest hit.

Eye Of The Tiger is more pop oriented album and includes excellent songs. Ever Since The World Began is not in this compilation but one of my favorites. Their fourth album Caught In A game became more progressive and heavy. Caught In A Game and I Never Stopped Loving You are the tracks it should have had. After Jimi Jamison joined the band as vocalist they turned their music style into more pop rock oriented. Vital Signs and When Seconds Count are Escape styled pop rock album. They are produced by Ron Nevison and no doubt surpassing Escape was what Ron had in mind in producing these albums.

Although no tracks are included here their last album Too Hot To Sleep is underrated masterpiece. In fact Europian metal fans regard THTS as their best. It is my second favorite album which will be reviewed further in my future reviews.

This compilation is not only the collection of past hits it has two newer tracks featuring Dave Vickler and extensive liner note with Jim Peterik comments with each songs. Must-buy for 80s rock fans.

The first seven songs with the exception of "You Know Who You Are" are all huge hits and the reason i bought this album. It was definitely no disappointment with songs such as "Eye of The Tiger" and "Search Is Over." Everybody in my family also liked it when I played it in the car. For the first 7 songs, this album is great. The rest of the songs are good, but they don't come close to comparing to the first 7 and I didn't even know but one of them. That's the only downfall I could find with this album.

After listening to Survivor, I thought they sounded a lot like Journey, but they never got quite as much hype and didn't have as many hits. They are still a great 80's group though, and I recommend this album to anyone.

I've heard many people say that Survivor only had a couple of great songs, mainly on the Rocky and Karate Kid soundtrack...

"Eye of the tiger", "Burning heart" and "Moment of truth" were excellent songs, no question about that... But to say that this band lived and died by them is completely not true, I think they proved they can do ballads as well, personally "Search is over" in my opinion is the best song on this album, I also enjoyed "I can't hold back" and "Is this love"

There were a few songs missing from this compilation, but nevertheless, This CD is great and definately worth buying...

Survivor was never at the top of my must have list. For the most part, they came, they saw, they left in the 80's. There hasn't been much heard about this band since. But a few years ago, I happened to catch them in concert with Styx and REO Speedwagon. While I enjoyed Styx the most, I felt as if Survivor was the happiest group to be there. It seemed as if they appreciated the applause and cheers more than any of the other groups. For that reason, and the fact that I enjoyed their music, I sought out more of their songs.

"Eye Of The Tiger" was their biggest hit. I think everybody remembers that one. At my old high school, our mascot was the tiger, so naturally "Eye Of The Tiger" became the song played over the PA system before every home game(on a turntable, no less). Even today, when many schools with a tiger mascot play songs like "Welcome To The Jungle," they still manage to play "Eye Of The Tiger." It's truly a timeless song that is loved by many.

While searching for more songs, I came to realize that I already knew most of their songs. I just didn't know that they sang them. "Burning Heart" was always "that Rocky song" to me. I really liked it, but never took the time to find out that Survivor sang it. "The Search Is Over," "I Can't Hold Back," and "High On You" were also big surprises to me. I've always liked them, but was unaware that they were Survivor material.

This album includes all of those huge hits, and it also contains songs that a casual fan like myself may not be aware of. "Hungry Years" and "Somewhere In America" are new to me, and I've come to really enjoy them.

I recommend this album to anyone who likes that old 80's melodic/slightly hard rock. These guys ruled the 80's for a reason, a really good sounding one.

I saw Survivor in concert in Las Vegas on May 5, 2000. and they rocked. Everybody got up and danced when they performed Eye Of the Tiger. Needless to say that Eye of the Tiger is one of my favorites, but there are so many other great songs. I bought this CD after I saw them, and I never get tired of listening to it. "High on You" and "Is This Love" are such energetic songs you will find yourself singing along when you listen to them. The Search is Over is a lovely ballad that shows the versatility of this 80s rock group. You will love this CD.

ALL THE SONGS ON THAT CD ARE MY FAVORITES.I THINK NOTHING CAN COMPARE TO SURVIVOR EVER, ON ANY OTHER HITS.THEY ARE THE ULTIMATE 80s GROUP!

I regret why I chose this title. Afrer all, I like the era of "High on you". If you love "eye of the tiger", please try this. But, if you really hook up on "High on you" or "search is over", you should try original one, "Vital signs". There are more great songs. I bet.