The Very Best of Daryl Hall / John Oates

Daryl Hall & John Oates | Format: MP3 Music

Product Details

• Original Release Date: January 1, 1990
• Label: RCA Records Label
• Copyright: (P) 2001 BMG Entertainment
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file metadata contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 1:14:48
• Genres:
  • Pop
• ASIN: B0018R1378
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (194 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #469 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

73 of 75 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Very Best Of Hall and Oates" January 24, 2001

By V. R. DeVonish

Format:Audio CD

The '80s were filled with great songs that either touched me emotionally or made me want to dance. Hall and Oates, talented musicians whose rock 'n soul will permeate the airwaves forever, produced some of these songs. Their newest compilation includes the beautiful ballads "Sara Smile" and "One on One" as well as "Kiss on My List," "Private Eyes," and "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)". It also includes the one song I can listen to over and over, "Out of Touch." Fortunately, the tracks aren't cut off early like on some other greatest hits collections, and are the versions you're familiar with from the radio. As a true Hall and Oates fan, this CD is a definite must. It's more than worth the money, especially since you get 18 tracks for your listening pleasure. And you may even discover something new as you realize Hall and Oates sang a few songs you're not as familiar with.

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Rock and Soul Part 1 and 1/2 July 29, 2001

By Anthony G Pizza VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

Someday the combined musical appreciation societies of Rhino and Buddha Records will release the domestic Daryl Hall/John Oates collection their fans long searched for.

It will include their hits in complete versions (the extended, atmospheric beauty of "She's Gone," their Temptations medley with Eddie Kendricks & David Ruffin) their last RCA & Arista hits ("Your Imagination," "So Close," "Everything Your Heart Desires") their should-have-beens ("Do What You Want, Be What You Are," "Back Together Again," "Don't Change" from 1977's "Beauty On A Back Street") and even Daryl Hall's solo hits like "Dreamtime" and "In a Philly Mood."

It could easily cover two discs and complete the unique "art & soul" picture of a sound this prolific duo created and used so well the first, most memorable years of the 1980s. For now, this is at least the most complete, if not best, Hall & Oates hits set.

"The Best of Hall & Oates" covers nearly all the duo's RCA chart hits including their impressive 1980-84 string matching soulful harmony and backbeat to frosty, stomping new wave rock ("Private Eyes," "Family Man," Fall 1984's still thrilling "Out Of Touch.") The set also restores David Foster's studio-produced version of "Wait For Me" (heard live on 1983's earlier "Rock n' Soul Vol. I") and adds 1978's poignant Top 20 "It's A Laugh."

Michael Hill's instructive essay accompanying the CD quotes Hall as comparing his and Oates' personalities to Lennon-McCartney's, calling his duo "the eighties Beatles." The comparison is not simply ego or wishful thinking; while "Did It In A Minute" and "Rich Girl" are not songs the whole world sang, they infused great pop melody and simple, sometimes sweet lyrics with foreboding and even danger. Hall often pointed out that "Kiss On My List" meant yours was only ON the list, not necessarily topping it. Like Philly contemporary and one-time producer Todd Rundgren, Hall & Oates filtered art-rock lyrics and folk-soul harmony through Motownphilly R&B they worshipped as children and young musicians.

"The Best of Hall & Oates" will do for casual fans needing a quick early-80s fix. But longtime fans should reach for Rhino's "The Atlantic Collection," the scarce "No Goodbyes," or early, cohesive LPs like "Abandoned Lunchonette" and the superb "Bigger Than Both of Us." These, plus this recommended set, should give an excellent picture of Hall & Oates underrated, near-30 year career.

35 of 39 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not complete! Get the Australian import instead! July 22, 2001

By S. Fennell VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

Okay, RCA tried, (and failed once again), to release a definitive Hall and Oates "Best of" collection. I'll keep this review short: if you want the best compilation currently available, skip this one and look up the double-disc Australian import, "Starting all Over Again; Best of Hall and Oates", with a generous 36 songs, total. It contains 17 of the 18 tracks on this CD, ("Wait For Me" is missing, but who really cares?), but also features the full-length 5 minute version of "She's Gone", plus tracks from their Arista releases and a couple of songs from Daryl Hall's solo "3 Hearts" album. It's a much better buy than the CD you're looking at right now.