The Annie Lennox Collection [Best of, Import, NTSC]

Annie my darling....your song "Precious" is just that!
Your single disc collection is in my hands now. Of course
there are other gems included in this set but that one song
as short and sweet as it is, takes the me to that place.
This album is on my "you should buy" list. It is worth it....
UPDATE.....February 18th 2013.....I just ordered another copy...
Thought you should know Annie....I may offer it as a gift sometime
down the road. At least I've got a "back-up" of your offerings.....

Annie Lennox has always been one of the most striking and unique female singer-songwriters of the rock era. Ever since she burst onto the musical scene in the early 80s as half of the legendary duo Eurythmics, she has redefined the genre with an ecclectic approach to making music that found her covering all the bases from rock, pop, electronic, dance, ballads, gospel, jazz and funk. Her instantly recognizable vocal style has inspired many female singers, all the while being an instrument of its own that nobody ever quite managed to replicate. Her solo career followed an artistically rich and eventful path, which is at last chronicled on this long awaited retrospective.

What you will get here are most of Annie Lennox's best-known solo singles, from her classic debut single right up to 2008's HIV benefit single "Sing". In between are upbeat pop songs ("Little bird", "Walking on broken glass", "Precious"), achingly beautiful ballads ("A thousand beautiful things", "Dark road"), covers ("A whiter shade of pale", "No more I love you's") and bittersweet songs of lost love ("Pavement cracks", "Love song for a vampire"). Two new songs round up the set : "Pattern of my life" and "Shining light", the latter being one of the most uplifting recordings ever done by Annie.

One might argue that this regular 14 songs edition of Annie Lennox's solo compilation is quite a restrictive overlook of Annie's career, and they would be partly right; this compilation is sorely lacking her very first single, "Put a little love in your heart" (a duet with Al Green that she recorded in the 80s while she was still part of Eurythmics) and the Oscar-winning "Into the west"; it's a real shame that those songs are missing. And such brilliant but lesser-known singles as "Waiting in vain", "Wonderful" and "Something so right" would also have been wonderful additions to this compilation.However, this regular edition will be enjoyed by Annie's more casual fans, and could represent a wonderful introduction for those who are less familiar with her work. Besides, diehard fans would be wise to put their hands on the limited deluxe edition. Not only does it include the regular CD and a DVD featuring all of her solo videos (minus the amazing video for "Love song for a vampire"), it also includes an eight-song bonus CD of rarities (including "Into the west").

All in all, this is an almost perfect compilation and it should be enjoyed as such.

Annie Lennox has always been one of the most striking and unique female singer-songwriters of the rock era. Ever since she burst onto the musical scene in the early 80s as half of the legendary duo Eurythmics, she has redefined the genre with an ecclectic approach to making music that found her covering all the bases from rock, pop, electronic, dance, ballads, gospel, jazz and funk. Her instantly recognizable vocal style has inspired many female singers, all the while being an instrument of its own that nobody ever quite managed to replicate. Her solo career followed an artistically rich and eventful path, which is at last chronicled on this long awaited retrospective.

What you will get here are most of Annie Lennox's best-known solo singles, from her classic debut single right up to 2008's HIV benefit single "Sing". In between are upbeat pop songs ("Little bird", "Walking on broken glass", "Precious"), achingly beautiful ballads ("A thousand beautiful things", "Dark road"), covers ("A whiter shade of pale", "No more I love you's") and bittersweet songs of lost love ("Pavement cracks", "Love song for a vampire"). Two new songs round up the set : "Pattern of my life" and "Shining light", the latter being one of the most uplifting recordings ever done by Annie.

One might argue that the regular 14 songs edition of this compilation is quite a restrictive overlook of Annie's career, and they would be partly right; this compilation is sorely lacking her very first single, "Put a little love in your heart" (a duet with Al Green that she recorded in the 80s while she was still part of Eurythmics). Such brilliant but lesser-known singles as "Waiting in vain", "Wonderful" and "Something so right" would also have been wonderful additions to this compilation, as would have been her very own solo rendition of Eurythmics' "Angel" (recorded for the album that paid tribute to Lady Di after her tragical death).

However, diehard fans will be able to enjoy two more options : they can either get the CD/DVD package containing the regular CD plus a DVD of all of her solo videos (minus the one for "Love song for a vampire"), or they could also put their hands on the GREAT limited deluxe edition. While it is more costly than the regular one, the limited deluxe edition is DEFINITELY the one that Annie's diehard fans need to put their hands on. Not only does it include the regular CD-DVD edition, but it also includes an eight-song bonus CD of collector items that is just stunning. This bonus CD includes :

1) the amazing Oscar winning "Into the west" (from "Lord of the Rings : The return of the king"), truly an essential Annie Lennox moment that should have been on the regular collection;
2) a moving Paula Cole cover ("Hush, hush, hush"), jazzy and dreamy with a beautiful piano arrangement;
3) her rendition of The Sugarcubes' "Mama", which is just so imaginative and beautifully performed;
4) her cover of Joni Mitchell's "Ladies of the Canyon";
5) a live cover of REM's "Everybody hurts" performed with Alicia Keys;
6) her cover of Cole Porter's "Everytime we say goodbye", so longing and sad and beautiful;
7) the spine-tingling "Many rivers to cross", her 2008 live performance on "Idol Gives Back";
8) a beautiful traditionnal ballad, "Dream angus".

In other words : many options are available, and this is a truly wonderful collection in all its forms !