Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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69 of 73 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's Okay., September 28, 2000
I'll begin by saying that I have very mixed feelings about this collection. As a single-disc compilation, it is obviously not as comprehensive as the two previous volume of "The Best of Badfinger". On the other hand, it does condense their Apple and Warner Brother years onto one tidy disc for the first time ever. For anybody who's never really experienced Badfinger, this collection is probably a good place to start. Yes, many people have heard several of the hits before, but they don't know who sang them. Play this at any gathering and I guarantee that everybody will know at least two or three of these songs (you may even create some new Badfinger fans).Now for the critique... The compilers pretty much culled all of the essential tracks from their album as the Iveys and from their first album as Badfinger (except for maybe "Crimson Ship" from _Magic Christian Music_) The same goes for the tracks from their second album, _No Dice_. One can never tire of the likes of "No Matter What" or "We're for the Dark". The inclusion of the "rare" "I'll Be the One" is a nice surprise. The selections from _Straight Up_ and _Ass_ are, however, highly suspect. Yes, we have "Day After Day", "Baby Blue" (simply the best power-pop song ever recorded by anyone), and "When I Say". But what possessed the producers to replace the majestic piano-driven _Straight Up_ take of "Name of the Game" with a highly inferior guitar-based recording from the same sessions? This is NOT the way for the casual listener to be introduced to such a great song! As for _Ass_, why does Capitol insist on mistreating this highly underrated album so much?! First, they choose not to reissue it in the U.S., then they practically ignore it on this collection. "When I Say" is a great song, but what about "Apple of My Eye", "I Can Love You", or "Timeless"? The big news here, of course, is the inclusion of several WB tracks, all of which are worth the price of admission, especially "Love Time" and the stunning medley "Meanwhile at the Ranch/Should I Smoke". I recommend this collection to anyone who's never really heard Badfinger aside from there few hits. From here, though, the listener is advised to check out their individual albums, especially _Straight Up_, _Ass_ (good luck!), and _Wish You Were Here_.
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47 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very Best of Badfinger very good introduction to the band, November 6, 2000
Badfinger - The Very Best of Badfinger (2000) Apple RecordsEaten alive by the music industry, Badfinger's story stands as a testament about the dangers in the music biz. It's taken a long time for the band to get the recognition they deserved and this great collection will hopefully increase that recognition. This compilation sounds better than the previous one (The Best of Badfinger which is still available) and the sound quality is a huge improvement on the band's albums that were released by Apple on CD (although the DCC reissues remastered by studio wiz Steve Hoffman are still the "gold" standard against which all CDs should be measured. Dan Matovina in collaboration with former Zombies guitarist (and current Capitol executive) Paul Atkinson and engineer Ron McMasters has done a splendid job with this collection. McMasters does a terrific job of rendering these classic songs in the 24 bit high resolution format. The positives include a strong selection of the band's best material. Pete Ham's compositions were always a stand out on every Badfinger album. This collection tries to give all the band members their due but Ham's material still shines brightest. The inclusion of a 4 tracks from the band's underrated Warner Brothers album makes this collection the most comprehensive available. The selections from Badfinger and Wish You Were Here are among the best from those albums and two of them haven't been available on any US CD before now. The booklet notes by Goldmine's Andy Davis manage to both illuminates the band's contributions to popular music and give an accurate thumbnail sketch of their history. If you are interested in reading more I'd suggest Dan Matovina's terrific book Without You (available in trade paperback ... with a bonus CD featuring 72 minutes of previously unreleased material). Apple and Matovina are to be commended for doing such a first class job on this great CD. The negatives are few. The selection from the band's last album for Apple (Ass) while good could have included Ham's classic Apple of My Eye and Molland's Do You Mind (particularly the previously unreleased complete version. The latter tune was a bonus track on Ass when it was released on CD in the UK. Evidently both tracks were nixed by Apple execs in favor of other, lesser material (Maybe Tomorrow and Without You are both great tracks but the former tune doesn't fit in with the rest of the band's albums. The latter tune is a classic song but the arrangement pales when compared to Nilsson's definitive interpretation. Very Best clocks in at 67 minutes so there was additional material that could have been added (such as Perfection, Timeless, Give it Up, Shine On or Got To Get Out of Here all of which rank with the band's best material). Unfortunately the licensing of the band's Warners material ran into snags and their final Apple album Ass isn't viewed very highly by execs at Apple. There are certainly missed opportunities such as the inclusion of rare or previously unreleased material, which would have attracted all Badfinger fans to pick up this album. Regardless of these circumstances, Very Best stands as a strong testament to Badfinger's enduring popularity and importance in popular music. What is included on this disc makes qualifies this great collection for 5 stars. Even the more questionable material that was included is better than most other band's best work. I'd highly recommend this terrific collection (which was put together to coincide with the airing of the VH1 Behind the Music special on the band). I'd also recommend investigating the band's extension catalog of great pop music. Even their later albums without Ham & Gibbins (Airwaves and the underrated Say No More) have gems scattered throughout them. The Name of the Game was success and Badfinger achieved it. Sadly, success like blood attracts the predators in the music biz. Pick up this great CD and pay tribute to the band's accomplishments.
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21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you want it, here it is, come and get it!, June 14, 2005
Sometimes I wonder that if the Beatles had continued on as a group and evolved throughout the 70's, that they'd sound like Badfinger. Pete Ham did sound Beatle-ish, varying between John and George. The thing is, with the exception of John Lennon's murder, the Beatles didn't end as tragically as Badfinger. Originally an all-Welsh group on the Beatles' label, Apple Records, by the time they hit it with the Magic Christian soundtrack, guitarist Pete Ham and drummer Mike Gibbins were the only two from the original lineup, having added guitarist Joey Molland and bassist Tom Evans.
Three songs from The Magic Christian, the movie starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr, are included. The opening theme, the brisk "Come and Get It" penned and produced by Paul McCartney, was originally going to be sung by McCartney, and indeed it sounds like a Beatles song. Love that rhythm piano. This was their first Top Ten, peaking at #7. The other two songs from MC were the somber "Carry On Til Tomorrow," which is played during the opening credits showing the homeless Ringo down on his luck until Peter Sellers comes with his proposition. And the raucous "Rock Of All Ages" is a nod to Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally."
However, their debut single, produced by Tony Visconti (later of Bowie fame) was "Maybe Tomorrow" back when they were known as the Iveys. This nice ballad has a lush orchestra backing. It made it to #1 in the Netherlands. As for their other Top 40 hits, there was the light rocker "No Matter What," which reached #8, and sounded like something Paul McCartney would do solo. Then, with Leon Russell on piano and George Harrison on guitar solo with Ham and producing, was the reflective love song "Day After Day." Their highest charting single, at #4, has a melody that sometimes reminds me of Lulu's "To Sir With Love."
It was Ham and Evans who first did "Without You" before Harry Nilsson took it to #1 in 1972, where it spent 4 weeks on top. Others who have covered this include Heart on their Magazine album and Mariah Carey, who took it to #3 in 1993. While Badfinger were fully complimentary of Nilsson's rendition, it seems unfair that they were unable to take their own composition to the heights Nilsson did.
Two songs with distinct 60's stylings were "We're For the Dark" with its "Eight Days A Week" fade-in and stereo separation, and "I'd Die Babe," the latter which would be at home on any Beatles album from the White Album onwards. The tempo is very "Get Back."
If the Beatles had countrified "Eight Days A Week," they'd probably come up with "I'll Be The One." And "Love Time" has similar stylings to George Harrison's All Things Must Pass material. However, their link to McCartney and Harrison did cause frustrations, as did the music, which frustrated the band, who wanted to be seen as a group in their own right and not as a sequel of the Beatles. Add to this, the group was seeing none of the money they had earned, due to financial machinations of their management at Apple Records, still under Allan Klein, who had been the Beatles financial manager shortly before their implosion. This led Pete Ham to hang himself in 1975. An attempt to revive Badfinger in the 80s led to Tom Evans sharing the same fate following infighting within the surviving bandmembers.
Here is the oeuvre of a very talented band who deserved but didn't get the money and recognition they did when they were active. Hopefully, other bands and musicians will learn from them on how not to be exploited by greedy managers and record label honchos. As for the collection, well, "if you want it, here it is, come and get it."
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by Badfinger 
