Customer Reviews

The Very Best of Robert Palmer

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Robert Palmer was a fabulous singer, with a super-cool, super soulful voice (and, lest we forget, he was also a very snappy dresser). His untimely passing earlier this year from a heart attack was a major shock. While it's unfortunate that it took Palmer's death to get this compilation CD, "The Very Best Of Robert Palmer," re-issued after being out-of-print for some time, it is indeed very good to have it available to the masses once again. A very generous 17 tracks long, this CD contains EVERY single hit song Palmer ever had, whether solo or with his side band, The Power Station. They're ALL here: "Addicted To Love" (both the classic original & the 1997 re-recording), "Bad Case Of Loving You," "Some Like It Hot," "Simply Irresistible," "Looking For Clues," "Every Kinda People," and a whole lot more, showcasing Palmer's powerful pipes and his great flair for catchy pop-rock. The only reason I'm not giving this collection 5 stars is because my favorite Robert Palmer song of all-time, "You Are In My System," is included here with a re-recorded vocal from Palmer. Reportedly, Palmer wasn't happy with his original vocal on the song (originally from his album, "Pride"), thinking that his performance was too rushed, so he re-recorded it several years later. While I respect Palmer's decision, and his second go at the song is fine, his original performance on "You Are In My System" was perfect, and didn't need to be re-done. Oh well, at least I have the "Pride" album on LP if I want to hear how Robert originally sang it....*Other* than that one personal gripe, "The Very Best Of Robert Palmer" is a superb collection and tribute to this great singer. Farewell Robert, we will never forget you.

It can't be helped; one mention of Robert Palmer and the mind immediately drifts to Those Videos, the clips for "Addicted to Love," "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On," and "Simply Irresistible" that featured those eerily similar but gorgeous models pretending to be the band behind him. The fact that both Shania Twain and "Ally McBeal" make references to them fourteen years after their first appearance (Shania with a gender-reversal video remake and "Ally" with a recurring joke) speaks volumes about the impact the videos had, but let's not forget about the music.

Luckily, those songs are even more worthy of your memory than their visual counterparts, and even more luckily than that, Palmer has a surprising wealth of strong and significant rock songs beyong them. "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)" is an easy classic, the kind of song no one will ever touch for a remake because you simply can't improve on it. Palmer, however, shows a knack for knowing when and how to put his personal stamp on an old classic, proven here with Bob Dylan's "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" (with UB40) and a medley of Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me" and "I Want You."

Some of his hits that failed to become true radio staples sound even stronger in hindsight: the R&B jam "You Are in My System" and the Beatlesque ballad "She Makes My Day" are revelations. We're even treated to the two hits he had with his side project The Power Station, the energetic rockers "Some Like it Hot" and "Bang a Gong (Get it On)." And the collection shows that while he may not have the largest vocal range in the history of rock, the smooth and engaging quality of Palmer's voice cannot be denied.

In the end, you realize Robert Palmer is missed on modern pop radio more than you might have initially thought. Full of musical style and lyrical wit, "The Very Best of Robert Palmer" is a satisfying collection indeed...even without the models.

This is a good CD full of Robert Palmers greatest hits. I enjoyed very much hearing them once again. The one big problem with this CD is that many of these songs are not the original releases. They are instead remix's, which do not live up to the original. I could tell instantly they were not the original versions. So yes its full of great Robert Palmer songs but I expected the original releases not remix's, so, as the old saying goes " Buyer Beware"

The original versions of these hits were pretty much mastered to perfection on their original albums. This collection was somewhat of a disappointment (with just a few exceptions) from even my first listen. It should be clearly labeled as a remix collection. Any ear familiar with these hits from this late great artist will quickly recognize that these versions sound way different the originals.

This cool collection of primarily-'80s rock material from British solo performer Robert Palmer is very hip and stylish, I feel. There's really only one major flaw, that being the 1997 remake of one of his biggest hits "Addicted To Love", it's just not up to par with the original. Most likely, the movie buffs out there can remember what was going on during the time the original version was played back in 1988's "Cocktail", a movie I hated, but which had a great soundtrack, but of course, that's another story. Now back to this album. The songs I like are "Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)", "Simply Irresistible" (now being played in a show that performed on late-night TV recently, you know, it's the one with the woman in the yellow dress), then one of my real favorites, the Power Station performed "Get It On (Bang A Gong)", the funky "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On", the also funky "Looking For Clues", yet another Power Station hit "Some Like It Hot", the dreamy slow-paced "Know By Now", which I'm listening to right now, actually, it's a refreshing change from Palmer's usual style, I had previously thought he was just fast-paced rock. I also like Robert's remake of the Marvin Gaye classic "Mercy Mercy Me (I Want You), and finally, of course, the original "Addicted to Love", one of the great rock hits of the '80's. As for the other inclusions, there are only two I don't I like at all, and the remainders are of fairly average quality, I'd listen to them again if I had to. Also, what could have made this collection better is if it had included the 1990 single "You're Amazing" from "Don't Explain". All in all, this sure is cool music material, get it for yourself today!

If you're a purist, don't buy this! The majority of the songs on this CD are remixed to sound more "electric", I guess so they'll sound more palatable to folks who only know his music from his mid- to late-80s phase. Classic songs like "Clues" and "Sneakin' Sally..." should not be tampered with. Don't be fooled!

This is without a doubt, THE best single disc collection of his. As far as I can tell, this includes all the songs that the "Addictions Vol. 1" cd is missing, and 4 tracks longer. This also seems better than the 2-disc Anthology of his, because that has alot of remixes, and is more expensive too. "The Very Best of Robert Palmer" is just right. All the big hits, including the "Power Station" songs, plus all the great lesser known songs. The only bummer about this cd, is that it's hard to find. But once you get it, it's simply irresistible.

I bought this CD for the older tracks such as Johnny and Mary and Clues not the newer tired hits.

To my disapointment, it sounds as if these tracks and others have been remixed. Some sort of notice should be given whenever a track is not the orignal.

First,I must take issue with the reviewer who denigrates Palmer as a partier chasing the almighty dollar.This is very unfair to an artist whose overall quality of work easily rivals Joe Cocker or Rod Stewart.To me,he was more like a latter-day Bobby Darin,his stylistic changes being fueled by a love for all kinds of music,as long as he felt some soul in it.This collection,however,dosn't showcase this as well as the recently released "Robert Palmer The Very Best of the Island Years".On that cd-which has 23 selections,almost half written or co-written by the man himself,including his biggest hits-he covers flawlessly Lowell George,Todd Rundgren and Lennon-McCartney.Get that one and you'll realize his legacy.Peace,Robert,wherever you are.

The late Robert Palmer got his start back in the early 70s with Elkie Brooks singing co-lead in the British blue eyed soul band Vinegar Joe. Then he hung out with the Meters and Little Feat in the deep South and recorded his best album, Sneakin' Sally Thru The Alley, which of course features the legendary medley of the title tune with Hey Hey Julia and Sailin' Shoes. Why that 9-minute funky classic is not included -despite the fact that it would fit perfectly on this set which putters out at 70 minutes- is a mystery. But maybe it is because the master tapes couldn't be tampered with.

That's right, a lot of these songs have been re-mixed, re-vocaled, re-instrumented, or all of the above. This is really an unnecessary, cheesy thing, a cheap attempt to make the music sound "modern" and "hip". The funny thing is, it has the exact opposite effect, making this collection feel like one of those bargain cds in the cut-out bin with the disclaimer that "these songs have been re-recorded with at least one of the orignal members"! The original mixes were popular for a reason- they were the original mixes! Mr. Palmer's career, like many artists, was sometimes a slave to trends. He was kind of a poor man's Bryan Ferry-stylishly coiffed and clad, striking a handsome figure, hanging out at all the right parties.

Palmer moved from his earlier funky soulful style of the mid-70s to attempts at a rockier sound ("Bad Case") and the Caribbean flavored Every Kind of People in the late 70s, then on to more New Wavy synth flavored stuff like System, Johnny, Some Guys, and Clues around the early 80s. These four tracks are mildly interesting but suffer from the same thing that his vocals sometimes suffered from- too monotone, too removed-sounding, and too soulless.

With his mid-80s renaissance, Palmer would use his suave image to his advantage, scoring monster hits from Riptide and the Power Station. He became an MTV slalwart, acheiving icon status thanks to his sharp look and of course the Robotic Model backing band he used in videos for Addicted, Simply Irresistible and Didn't Mean to Turn You On.

In the Joe Cocker/Rod Stewart mode in that he was just as often an interpreter as a songwriter/musician, Palmer's songs are pleasant if often lacking the true soul Cocker and Stewart had. Get the original mixes!