Have a Nice Decade Box [Box set, Compilation]

 

 

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I haven't found a better collection of 1970's songs than this. The 7 CD's are full of music, with 20-24 songs on each, plus several brief news clips (which don't cut of the songs) which are fun to hear, a fantastic booklet (with a shag rug cover), and well designed package to hold it all.

These are the original hits by the original artists (except Styx' "Lady" is not the hit version for some reason). This collection represents 1970's a.m. radio, which often played shorter (i.e. 45 rpm) versions of songs, so long album tracks were edited down for radio... that's the way they were heard on radio and how they're heard here. All of these songs WERE huge hits, and it was good to hear them again, although not all have aged equally well. 1970's a.m. radio played quite an eclectic mixture of music and this CD set captures that well. I'd say most 1970 pop music is represented well here, except for punk and hard rock... but those were heard more on f.m. radio anyways.

I should say that I bought this collection when it first came out and paid about $140 for it. Since there are 160 songs, that's less than $1 per song. The price for the set has since increased a lot, but I still think it offers much value.

Rhino also has a 25 CD set of 1970's music, with 12 songs per CD making it a more extensive set; however those CD's were sold separately and the overall price was significantly more. You can sometimes find some of those individual CD's in cheapie bins. This 7 CD set is a condensed version of the bigger set, and I think it is a better value.

The main competition is the Sounds of the Seventies CD's put out by Time-Life. It's a good collection but I have some issues with it:

1) The Time-Life series seems to have remixed the songs, often changing the stereo imagery and original EQ's of the songs. I compared them to records I had of some of the songs and the mixes were indeed changed. I much prefer the sound of the Rhino CD's.

2)The Time-Life CD's were usually sold individually (I'm not sure if they ever sold the entire set together) and a HUGE PROBLEM for me, a Canadian, is that the American versions of the same CD's contained twice as many songs for the same price; the Canadian versions of the CD's only had about 10 songs on each, so many of the songs that were advertised and available to Americans were not available to Canadians.

3)The bulk of songs on the Time-Life collection were by artists who I already had greatest hits CD's of; the Rhino set gave me more of the one-hit wonder songs I needed. I think the entire Time-Life set contained only 20 songs MAXIMUM that were not on this Rhino 7-CD set or on hits CD's I already owned, again making the Rhino set a better value for me. For someone who does not already own CD's by Fleetwood Mac, Foreigner, Paul McCartney & Wings, Eagles, Bee Gees, etc. may prefer the song selection on the Time-Life set.

Perhaps my favorite box set. This reminds me so much of listening to KYA or KFRC (two top-40 stations in San Francisco in the 1970's), when you would here rock, then country, then pop, then novelty songs. A fantastic blend. Favorite songs include: Popcorn, Chick-A-Boom(hadn't heard this since the '70s), Love Goes, More More More, Love Rollercoaster, School's Out, Dueling Banjos, Candy Man, Rose Garden, and I could go on. One star is missing due to

a. Some songs are cut
b. Some songs I would have liked to see(licensing would have been an issue on some) include
My Sharona by The Knack(biggest hit of 1979)
Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees
Bennie & the Jets by Elton John
Escape(The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes
I Think I Love You by The Partridge Family
Gonna Fly Now(Theme From Rocky)
Silly Love Songs by Paul McCartney and Wings
Beth by Kiss
If You Leave Me Now by Chicago
Dancing Queen by Abba
We've Only Just Begun by The Carpenters
(Take Me Home) Country Roads by John Denver
Nadia's Theme

All of the above were major top 10 hits(most were big number #1s)

Being born in 1970,and growing up around alot of this music,HAND had to be in my music collection.
Hearing these songs bring back memories good(The Candy Man)& bad(Disco Duck,Convoy)as well as introducing me to long forgotten tunes(Chevy Van,Alone Again<naturally>)as well as those that should've remain forgotten(Afternoon Delight).
But like all era compilations not everything could fit or be licensed(Springsteen,Elton,solo Beatles).So for every song I wanted on HAND(Tighter,Tighter,Loving You)there are those I'm glad wasn't included(Playground on my Mind)

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4.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Hodgepodge of 70s Rock & Pop
Sure, the decade of the 70s was kind of cheesy-particularly the fact that everything was BIG & LOUD(the clothes, the shoes, the hair, etc.)! Read more

Published on Jun 19 2003 by Kim K.

3.0 out of 5 stars This is one release that is hard to review
Rhino Records has tried to hit a home run and maybe only wound up getting to second or third base. Baseball analogy aside, this review cannot only focus on the music as it's not... Read more

Published on Jun 7 2003 by guillermoj

3.0 out of 5 stars Much to love (and loath) from the frivolous decade
Well, Rhino Records did it again....big time. Not merely content with releasing the 20+ volume "Have a Nice Day: Super Hits of the '70s" series throughout the Nineties, the quirky... Read more

Published on Mar 30 2003 by Gary Gardner

5.0 out of 5 stars Takes me back to my teenage years.
Wow! This is the '70s in a nutshell. A whole lot of music for the money. When I am listening to this, it is as if I am eleven years old again and at a roller-skating birthday... Read more

Published on Jan 20 2003

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent Overview for Casual 70's Fans
"Have A Nice Decade" is a solid sampler for folks who are looking to recall some of their 70's music heydays. Read more

Published on Dec 7 2002 by prymel

5.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest Box Set Ever Compiled By Man Or Beast!
If you have ANY memory of listening to pop music during the '70's, this box set is a must-have. I was a pre-teen back then... Read more

Published on July 2 2002 by Brent A. Anthonisen

4.0 out of 5 stars 70's compilation. The Good, the bad, and the nostalgic.
This is a great compilation of 70's "top 40" that will remind
you of your days growing up. It is a mixture of great songs,
songs that just plain 'bit', and songs that... Read more

Published on Jan 22 2002 by P. Abramoff

5.0 out of 5 stars This set says it all!
If you are looking for a box set that emcompasses every form of music from the 70's this is it. From the disco era, to good old rock n' roll, this set will give you hours of... Read more

Published on Oct 5 2001 by Martha A. Schultz

5.0 out of 5 stars Gotta Love Those 70's! Great Music! Great Set!
160 songs on 7 CD's!! Who could ask for more?! This Rhino set is outstanding! It'll take you back three decades in a heartbeat. Read more

Published on Aug 3 2001 by David Von Pein

5.0 out of 5 stars Almost ALL of your favorite 70s pop songs
This Rhino release of 7 fully loaded (very nearly 80 minutes per) discs contains so many of the songs from that wonderfully soulful and, yet, silly decade - the 70s. Read more

Published on Jun 23 2001 by ZolarCzakl

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