Greatest Hits [IMPORT]

Robbie Williams

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 2004)
• Original Release Date: October 12, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI Import
• ASIN: B0002UYA68
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,906 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk

Greatest Hits chronicles the remarkable journey of Mr Robert Williams, from being the "fat dancer from Take That" (c. Noel Gallagher) to the multi-million pound jewel in EMI’s crown. Assembled in chronological order, all the hits are here, except for his initial solo outing "Freedom", and it’s interesting to see how his sound evolves from wannabe Britpop buffoon on the sub-Oasis pubrock of "Old Before I Die" to the subtle captivating melodies of "Feel" and "Come Undone". There are so many great tracks that it’s impossible to list them all, but highlights have to be the barnstorming "Let Me Entertain You", the bouncy, floor-filling "Rock DJ" and the song that madeth the man, "Angels". The two latest additions to his canon--"Radio" and "Misunderstood" clearly have one eye on the past, the other on the future – with the latter an instant classic Robbie ballad from the Bridget Jones 2 soundtrack and the former a foray into the world of electro pop that sounds like a warped Human League track from the 1980s. This has to be Robbie’s forte, his ability to make great pop records that always sound fresh and full of energy. Every home should have a copy of this album, and chances are, by the end of 2004, most of them will. -- Melanie Wilkin

Product Description

Limited Edition Packaging. Details Tba.robbie Williams "Greatest Hits" Includes the Key Singles Taken from Studio Albums "Life Thru a Lens", "i've Been Expecting You", "Sing When You're Winning" and "Escapology". The Album also Includes the Number One Single "Eternity", Along with Two New Tracks "Radio" and "Misunderstood" which features in the Soundtrack to the Movie "Bridget Jones 2". --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

71 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surely One Of The Most Essential Greatest Hits Of All Time!, November 2, 2004

By	Busy Body (London, England) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Robbie Williams is unquestionably the biggest male British popstar of the past ten years. Since his debut single released in 1996, he has consistently made top chart hits with six (including this) UK No.1 albums and six UK No.1 singles. His studio albums are guaranteed multi-million sellers whilst his live shows sell out in a matter of minutes. He is an entertainer in the traditional sense of the word, and America, boys and girls, is missing out big time! Mr. Williams has tried more than once to crack the States and failed, but luckily for us Brits he's returned again to reclaim his UK King of Pop crown. Basically, the man is a national treasure and after millions of column inches of tabloid-fodder, the music has always shone through.

Robbie's debut album "Life Thru A Lens" did nothing for months and months in the charts, and then it stormed up the charts in 1998 when one song was released: Angels. Robbie Williams owes his entire career to that song. It is a modern day classic and now highly regarded as one of the best songs ever composed, recently topping a poll of the best songs never to make No.1. When I first heard that Robbie was releasing a Greatest Hits album, it wasn't a question of if I would buy it, but more of a question of when! This is the ultimate pop Best Of album of the year for the British public. Most households should own a copy of this album, and you can bet your bottom dollar that by Christmas, most of them will. This will sell millions.

The Greatest Hits is arranged in chronological order, with all Robbie's biggest hits arranged in terms of release. Up first we have the four major singles from Robbie's aforementioned debut album. The first is "Old Before I Die," which peaked at No.2 in April 1997, followed by "Lazy Days," which was No.8 in July 1997. Then comes that classic "Angels," which peaked at a criminal No.4 in December 1997. The song has actually, however, spent a calculate total of 27 weeks on the UK chart! Then comes another pop rock classic, "Let Me Entertain You." The video to this song is just so sexy and the song was a No.3 hit in March 1998.

By this point in his career Robbie was a revived star. After quitting Take That, the UK's biggest-ever boyband, less that three years earlier, he was having bigger success as a solo star - something unheard of. He released his second solo album, "I've Been Expecting You," in September 1998, and it features 4 massive hits that are on this Greatest Hits album. The first is "Millennium," which was also Robbie's first UK No.1 single in September 1998. This Bond-inspired classic showed Robbie as the ultimate male entertainer, which he continued with "No Regrets," which peaked at No.4 in December 1998. This beautiful ballad speaks of a disastrous relationship, contrasted perfectly with the next song, "Strong," which was also a No.4 hit in March 1999. Robbie speaks here of how he's not an invincible human being, despite what his fans think. "She's The One" is up next and became Robbie's second UK No.1 in November 1999. This is a really beautiful ballad, trademark Robbie and rounded out his second album in style. Check the video too!

Robbie's third album, "Sing When You're Winning," was released in August 2000 and was yet another No.1 multi-million seller. The first single was called "Rock DJ," and is yet another classic pop song! The song was a massive, huge hit with such a controversial video. Apart from looking utterly gorgeous stripping in it, it was controversial when he takes his skin off in a room with women skating around him! As predicted, it was a No.1 hit, and his third in total. "Kids" was the next single, and peaked at No.2 in October 2000. This duet with Kylie Minogue (whose career had recently been revived also) was a pop-duo made in heaven! "Supreme" peaked at No.4 in December 2000, whilst the upbeat "Let Love Be Your Energy" was a No.10 hit in March 2001. "Eternity" was a Double A-Side with "The Road To Mandalay," both of which feature on this Greatest Hits. The songs went to No.1 in July 2001, becoming Robbie's fourth UK No.1 single. The former is a gorgeous and understated ballad, whilst the former is light pop fluff for a summer's day.

Robbie's fourth studio album, "Escapology" was released in November 2002, and was yet another UK No.1 album, and also the biggest selling album of 2002. To achieve that, with only around five weeks before the end of the year was amazing. It also helped that EMI had just paid him 80 million to stay with them! The album's first single, "Feel," was rather different to what Robbie had done previously, but equally as good, peaking at No.4 in December 2002. "Come Undone" was another big hit for Robbie with a controversial video, peaking at No.5 in April 2003 whilst the vicious "Sexed Up" charted at No.10 in November 2003.

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10

The Greatest Hits album also has two new songs, the funky "Radio," which became Robbie's sixth UK No.1 and the new single "Misunderstood," which will likely follow into similar success. This Greatest Hits album has left quite a few songs off, too, most notably "Freedom" and "South Of The Border" from Robbie's debut album, and his massive Christmas 2001 UK No.1, "Somethin' Stupid," which was a duet with the icon Nicole Kidman, taken from Robbie's Big Band album "Swing When You're Winning," which, yes, you guessed it, was another massive No.1 album! Guy Chambers was the mastermind behind the lyrics and melodies of Robbie's biggest hits, and now that he's left him, we'll see where Robbie stands in the future. In the meantime we can enjoy this essential Greatest Hits.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars After you hear this, you won't be asking "WHO?" anymore, June 18, 2005

By	Amanda Richards "Modest to the extreme" (Georgetown, Guyana) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Robbie Williams has got to be the best kept secret outside of the UK. Since leaving the group "Take That", he has notched hit after hit, but try as he might, he just can't scratch the diamond surface of the USA.

Largely ignored by the mainstream pop crowd, Robbie sings to ears that won't hear, and shows his videos to eyes that won't see. A word of advice to music fans - try this album! Borrow it if you must, but give this album a shot.

Listen to the excellent ballad "Angels", and then hop to "Millenium", "She's the One", "Feel", "Eternity" and "Misunderstood" which is new on this album. Go back to "Old Before I Die", "Let Me Entertain You", "Strong" and "Kids" then start dancing around to "Rock DJ" and the quirky "Radio".

Every song deserves to be on a greatest hits album, the one glaring and unfortunate omission being the duet "Something Stupid" with Nicole Kidman.

Don't take my word for it - let Robbie entertain you today.

Amanda Richards, June 18, 2005

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Naughty boys need love too, December 29, 2004

By	Douglas King (Cincinnati, OH United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

He may be an expatriate boy-bander, but Robbie Williams shares much more in common with pop vocalists like Elton John and George Michael than he does with, say, Justin Timberlake. For the most part, Robbie's music is well-crafted, tuneful and catchy, the songs made more for the long haul than they are eager to jump on every pop music trend. Robbie's persona is always cheeky and ironic, and yet if you pay close attention to the lyrics of most of his songs, they're full of yearnings for love, peace and self-acceptance. That's what makes Robbie Williams interesting and enigmatic: this combination of the rabble-rousing bad boy and the sensitive, poetic soul. Overall, this is a very worthwhile collection for any pop music fan.