21 Golden Hits

Paul Anka

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: May 1963
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000002W5K
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #83,321 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Typical Compilation Of Paul's Early Hits, August 9, 1999

By A Customer

The term "original" is a little blurred here. Paul went back to the studio in 1962 and re-recorded many of his hits from the late fifties. This is what we have here. I believe he was convinced he could do them better. That being said, one should be aware that there are two versions of some of his hits like Diana. If you want the very "first" originals, which are almost always in mono, then this is not the CD you want. All 21 songs on this CD are in true stereo and will have a better sound quality than the first originals.

Please note that these re-recorded songs are very well done and were re-recorded only a couple of years after the "first" originals, so they still sound like originals. In fact, all but the most serious Anka fan would even be aware that there were two versions. Both versions are played on oldies stations.

This CD has been around a long time. The LP was also available for many many years. A testimony to his popularity.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent collection with one minor problem, May 6, 2000

By	John A. Kuczma "RogueUlfric" (Marietta, GA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

There are a number of so-called Greatest Hits/Best of collections for Paul Anka, but this is far and away the most complete. Everything that you would expect is here: Diana, Put Your Head on My Shoulder, Puppy Love and the rest of Paul's late 50s "Philadelphia Sound" entries.

Also included are lesser known melodies like Summer's Gone, Tonight My Love and My Home Town. A big bonus is the movie inspired "The Longest Day," a major departure from Anka's normal style and a surprisingly good song.

Many of these cuts are not originals, meaning that they are not the first recordings from the late 50s. Rather, these are the studio cuts that Paul made in the 1962/63 time frame, when stereo was all the rage in vinyl and many major record labels were racing to get their big name stars re-released in stereo format. However, unlike many studio re-releases, these are so close that few will notice the difference and in at least two cases (Diana and You Are My Destiny) the re-releases are arguably better than their mono counterparts.

Whichever side of the re-release controversy you come down I, you'll find this CD a truly first-rate production. This collection is a powerful argument that, after more than four decades of commercial success, Paul Anka's early recordings remain his best.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I don't want rerecordings..., February 5, 2001

By	Lawrence Brown "Larry Brown" (HOUSTON, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Anyone can easily tell these are not the original hits. It's good that they put "Newly Recorded" on the cover, so at least they don't mislead you. If you're like me, you want the original hit. There is no way that "Puppy Love" or "Diana" can sound the same when sung by a 21 year old man as they do when sung by a 14 year old superprodigy whose voice hasn't changed. Go for the other compilation listed here that features the original recording. LB