Very Best of

Impressions | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 4, 1997)
• Original Release Date: January 30, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rhino / Wea
• ASIN: B0000033X0
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #210,972 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Gypsy Woman

2. It's All Right

3. Talking About My Baby

4. Keep on Pushing

5. You Must Believe Me

6. Amen

7. People Get Ready

8. Woman's Got Soul

9. We're a Winner

10. Fool for You

11. This Is My Country

12. Choice of Colors

13. Check out Your Mind [*]

14. Finally Got Myself Together (I'm a Changed Man) [*]

15. Sooner or Later [*]

16. Same Thing It Took [Edit][*]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Sweet soul music of the highest caliber, the singles collected here--including classics like "Keep On Pushing," "Amen," and "People Get Ready"--were primarily the creation of singer-songwriter Curtis Mayfield, but they also feature gorgeous harmonies and occasional leads by Impressions Fred Cash and Samuel Gooden. And--bonus!--besides including most of the group's Mayfield-era hits, The Very Best also documents the Impressions' biggest post-Mayfield recording, "Finally Got Myself Together (I'm a Changed Man)." As an introduction to the group, in fact, this disc's only flaw is that it omits their heavenly 1958 hit "For Your Precious Love," with original lead Jerry Butler. --David Cantwell

Product Description

The Impressions forged a crucial link between 50s era R&B and 60s soul,
and when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 it was noted, They pioneered and epitomized the sound of Chicago soul, a marriage of gospel and pop influences with a timely conscience. As songwriter, producer and part of the group s stellar vocal harmonies, Curtis Mayfield helped infuse their sound with authentic soul and a social awareness that
made many of their songs including People Get Ready, We're A Winner, and Keep On Pushing fundamentally identified with the civil rights movement. They re among the
classics on this definitive, 16-song single-discsurvey of their landmark tracks, which was compiled with input from Mayfield himself (the
collection originally came out in 97, Mayfield passed in 99). Other highlights include their
seminal 61 single Gypsy Woman, Amen, the #1 hits It's All Right and Finally Got Myself Together (I m A Changed Man) and much more. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The greatest hits of the Impressions (with Curtis Mayfield), January 11, 2005

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Very Best of (Audio CD)

There are so many soul groups where one member was the lead singer from the start or where one singer became bigger than the group and went out on their own (e.g., Diana Ross and the Supremes). What made the Impressions different was that it produced two major stars in Curtis Mayfield and Jerry Butler (Fred Cash was the third member of the trio). Working out of Chicago and originally a doo-wop group called the Roosters, the Impressions had a distinctly different sound from the groups in Motown and Philadelphia. Their harmonies were lighter and the trios would trade off on the vocals, a gospel tradition that was rare for rhythm and blues groups. In terms of instrumentation Mayfield (who wrote almost all of the songs in this cllection) went for minimal guitars and understated rhythms, often with a Latin influence, all of which continued to give the Impressions a distinct sound.

Since "The Very Best of the Impressions" is a Rhino collection it is an excellent collection of the group's greatest hits with stellar liner notes by David Nathan. True fans of the group will quibble with the sixteen songs selected only because the deciding factor is how well they did on the soul charts rather than on their quality irrespective of chart success. The hits are arranged chronologically, from their early successes with "Gypsy Woman" and "It's All Right," when the group was a quintet rather than the trio it is best remembered as being, to the two songs by the Impressions that made it to #1 on the soul on the Black Singles chart were "Choice of Colors" (which asked the question, "If you had a choice of colors, which would you prefer, my brother?") and the post-Mayfield "Finally Got Myself Together (I'm A Changed Man)." In between are the classic tracks Mayfield wrote that were some of the first R&B songs to exhibit a strong social consciousness and reflect Mayfield's religious background.

The biggie here is "People Get Ready," which only made it to #14 on the Billboard chart but which was named by "Rolling Stone" magazine as the 24th greatest song of all-time. Mayfield wrote the song just before a march in Chicago led by Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1965. When the song was released churches in Chicago began singing their own version, which ironically changed the final lyrics so the song was more universal but less religious. The song would eventually be covered by Vanilla Fudge, Bob Dylan, the Chambers Brothers, Glen Campbell, Petula Clark, Rod Stewart, and Aretha Franklin, which certainly speaks to the scope of those who were moved by its message.

"Amen" and "Keep on Pushing" are in a similar religious vein, the former familiar because of Sidney Portier singing the old spiritual in "Lillies of the Field" and now rewritten by Mayfield and producer John W. Pate, Sr. The latter reflects the resolute attitude of the civil rights movement. Other songs reflect Mayfield's last years with the group, such as "We're a Winner," "This Is My Country," and "Check Out Your Mind." One song that I would have liked to have seen included is "Mighty, Mighty Spade & Whitey," the B-Side for "Choice of Colors" which received a lot of air-play because of its provocative title. But what is here is certainly representative of the Impressions, both in terms of their musical style and their cultural significance in the Sixties.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MUSIC IMORTALITY, December 30, 1999

By 

bill (Louisville, Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Very Best of (Audio CD)

Being saddened by the death of Curtis a couple of days ago, I paid my resects by diggin out all of my Impresssons albums and listened to them as I have never before. The music although the same as it was some twenty five years ago sounded more special. This album is one of my favorites. It features Curtis at his best. His guitar licks ever prevalent, unique only to Curtis. Will miss him. I thank God for him and his music....Bill

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Contains all the Impressions songs I wanted., September 30, 2002

By 

"simnia" (snowy bayou country, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Very Best of (Audio CD)

This CD had all the obscure songs I wanted by the Impressions. It was the best I could ask for; the only reason I gave it 4 stars is their songwriting was not completely to my taste. "Fool For You" is great and I haven't heard that song since 1970. (That song's unusual sound comes from its uncommon 9/8 meter.) Other songs I remember from long ago are the social commentary song "Choice of Colors," "Amen," and "It's All Right."