It's easy to see that with all the hits Kenny Rogers produced over the years, this collection could have been released as a three part series, one volume of hits a year. However that was not an option and we are graced with a two disc set that boasts all the hits, as hit collections do. Any fan of Kenny will recognize the missing songs, and his album of standards recorded with David Foster and Johnny Mandel has been totally overlooked. Still, this collection is damned impressive. Other reviews mentioned by name the missing songs, mentioning them now would be redundant. I must mention a favorite of mine that wasn't mentioned before, "If I Knew Then What I Know Now," recorded as a duet with Gladys Knight and was a huge hit. The label tried to be as comprehensive as possible, including a track from "Back To The Well," Kenny's last studio album to date and knowing him, he'll make this current hits collection obsolete by next year. If more Kenny is wanted, try the four disc set "Through The Years."

Johnny's recorded 100 plus albums in his career, a two disc set just can't summarize that much material; still, there are a few signature tunes missing. "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me" which warrented inclusion on the soundtrack but not the soundtrack album of "To Wong Foo" is rather a sore spot for me, I really want that song and the album is out of print. "You Who Brought Me Love" performed with Patti Austin and featured on the t.v. soap "General Hospital" was a huge A/C hit and by all rights should be here. It is nice that this collection is updated to include tracks from Johnny's career of late, all the way up to his Broadway album released in 2000. "Sleigh Ride" from one of the most successful Christmas albums ever, is included so a cut from his very last album, a Christmas album, was understandably skipped. Overall this isn't a bad collection, just not comprehensive enough.

Well, I have to admit I don't know Richard as well as I thought I did and the taste of crow is beginning to grow on me. I was totally wrong about this album being an import only, that we on this side of the Atlantic would never be able to purchase this album domesically, Amazon would be our only source. I paid a dear price for the initial import release of this disc, and I bought the exact domestic release today, priced at 11.99. Nothing has changed about this disc, the song selection, sequence, and mastering are all the same. Fans of the Carpenters not having the resourses to obtain ths cd were treated to the recent release of the 35th Anniversary Collection containing three tracks from this album. Those tracks on that collection just hinted at what a wonderful album this really is, and what a talent we lost. This cd was finished in 1999 and could only be released in Japan in 2000 due to copyright problems that, thank God, went away.

I'm losing my touch. I usually keep up with new releases via fansites, Billboard, Ice Magazine, and other trade rags, but this album was a quiet release. I happened upon this one while grazing the bins at Media Play. God, it's beautiful. I thought I was the only one who remembers Melissa's MCA effort "Mathematics" but no, this site reveals those with awesome taste and memories, I bow to all of you!! All that need be said about this album has been said so with that, I leave you.

Before I was going to write this review, I checked out the other reviews first, to be sure I wasn't going to repeat what the others said. Ah well, I'm going to add to the collection. I feel this is the most comprehensive collection to date of Hall and Oates music. All the hits are here, save for the live medley released in 1985. "Love Train" from the soundtrack "Earthgirls Are Easy" would have been a nice addition, but the two discs here are filled to the max with great songs, so ignore the missing stuff, we really don't need 'em. This set is presented chronologically with few liner notes. The mastering is a mindblower. All songs presented are in their full album length versions, no irritating edits, can't stand edits, the songs are the length they are for a reason, radio programmers can kiss my a**. This is a collection of Hall and Oates as a group, there are no solo efforts presented here, if solo is what is wanted, there is a "Best Of" two disc set released in 1997 available as an import that features a few solos from Daryl Hall.

When I was very young, I saw this movie on television when it was aired very late at night. It was way past my bedtime and had missed the beginning, but I was drawn in by the campiness of this movie and had to watch the whole thing. The next morning I had to go to school (college) and I was remarking to a classmate of mine about this really funny film that was so sixties about the twenties. He made an audible gasp, this was before the phrase "Drama Queen," which he was and still is, and asked me about certain parts of the film. He hadn't seen it in years and told me the title. Well, at that point I had to find this movie on tape, I'm embarrased to say laser disc hadn't been invented yet. I found a used vhs copy and played the thing to death. I recieved the laser disc copy as a birthday gift, the transfer isn't much to brag about but the introduction and intermission had been restored as it is still. I bought the dvd version not too long ago and the picture is cleaner but like a reviwer stated before me, the picture seems a bit grainy, this is due to the dvd's higher resolution. I think this print is as good as it's gonna get, this movie is 35 plus years old now and for it's age, it's not bad. The slapstick, the silent-movie cards placed at Julie Andrews thoughts, my favorite is her complaining about her full fronts ruining the line of her beads, and the overall sixties interpreting the twenties. Look at the makeup and hairstyles of the extras. Mary Tyler Moore as an airhead and virgin is a delightful step out of character and Carol Channing looking like she had a ball. The great Beatrice Lilly and her henchmen Jack Soo and Pat Morita spewing fake Chinese "Oh, Pook!" Opium Dens and fireworks, it's all here beautifully choreographed and scored, fun!!!

A lot of casual fans feel this album was an erstaz collection of hits, wrong. The point of this album was to pull the covers together. This is the second version, and better mastered, of this release. The first version of "Interpretations" was released with more tracks and longer liner notes in October of 1994 in England and Canada. "Without A Song" is an edited version, the original features Perry Como, John Davidson, and Ella Fitzgerald taking over the leads after the Carpenters overdubbed intro. Oddly enough, Karen and Richard recorded a version for themselves with their singing all the parts. This long version is available on "As Time Goes By."

The treasure here is "Trying To Get The Feeling Again." This is Karen at her rawest. Her vocal lead is allowed to "dry" giving her an edge not associated with her smooth sound. She could "sight read," the turning of the lyric sheet is a strong indicatior of this. Listing to this track almost makes you feel like you're at the recording session or better, listening to a demo as a friend would, the artist later asking fo an opinion or input on the track before it's finished. How intimate is that?

"From This Moment On" is Karen recorded on a mono audio track, Richard would later re-record his concert grand in stereo. This song is from the soundtrack to the 1980 television special "Music, Music, Music." Prior to this version, the song was performed live on "The Tonight Show" and various concerts.

The import version of "Interpretations" contain remixed album tracks and two ballads from "Lovelines." "Sing," "Desperado," and "Please Mr. Postman" are among the remixes, "You're The One," and "Where Do I Go From Here" are the two ballads from "Lovelines." Interesting to note that while this album was a collection of covers, two excellent tracks, "Baby It's You" and "I Just Fall In Love Again" weren't used. A lot of people feel, that despite Richard's comments in the liner notes abount the late discovery of "Trying To Get The Feeling Again," that this album was created to make that song a centerpiece and to "spoon feed" his audience with unreleased recordings. Whatever the reason, the theme of this album is indeed their cover work, which stands to honor the songwriters by their words being given such a beautiful voice.

I'm thinking that after twenty one years of keeping the Carpenters legacy alive, Richard decided to create, at the label's request, one more and possibly final, collection of Carpenter's signature tunes with three tracks unreleased here in the States. There are some songs missing like "(I Want You) Back In My Life Again," "Beechwood 4-5789," "Those Good Old Dreams," "You're The One," "Where Do I Go From Here," and "Now," but those songs are available on their respective albums and other comps.

The three tracks included are "The Rainbow Connection," "Leave Yesterday Behind," and "California Dreaming" all from 2000's Japanese release of "As Time Goes By," an excellent album in it's own right. For those of us interested in Richard's skill as an arranger/ producer, "As Time Goes By" offers an excellent study of Richard's reconstruction ability. One such track is "Nowhere Man," a marvel. Recorded around the same time as "California Dreaming," Richard built an elaborate string arrangement around a surviving mono acetate reference disc of Karen's lead. The inclusion of the three songs from "As Time Goes By" surely means that album will never be released stateside.

Richard likes to remix songs he feels work best with a little updating. There will never be a total agreement among the Carpenters fans regarding this, but if the original mixes is what is wanted, all of the original versions have been remastered and released on their corrosponding albums. Personally, I side with Richard on the remixing, a terrific remix project, "By Request," is available in Japan and on this website.

A surprising version of "Solitaire" is included on this anthology, the single mix really isn't all that different, save for the inclusion of a pipe organ and electric guitar introduced a few bars earlier and the clean sound due to this "take" being pressed just once, for a 45. The album version has been so overused that if you listen carefully, you can hear where the master was beginning to degrade, especially in the last chorus. Overall the very best versions of the Carpenters signature songs have been collected to create the most comprehensive collection and the remastered sound is as excellent as the recently released boxed set.

I happened upon this cd at a store that is no longer open here in Columbus, a little store called Camelot Records. I loved going there on my days off and sifting through all the bins looking at obscure titles, just like this one. The reason I bought this cd is because I recognize Bunny's name from the thousands of artist's she sang back up for, so I trusted the material contained within. "Talking With The Angels" is my favorite track, the album as a whole is thoroughly enjoyable and contrary to the jazz label, the music is not jazz, but straight up pop. The production is flawless for pop music and listening to Bunny's clear voice, it's easy to understand why she is in such demand for backing sessions for other artists. I wish her solo catalog was a bit more accessable.

I bought this cd when it first was released in 1991 and I still have it. I have an annoying tendency to keep every cd I buy, but that's beside the point. I was heartbroken to discover this cd in budget racks where it clearly doesn't belong. Francesca's voice is like a cross between Basia and Carly Simon and is totally unique. She posesses a clairity and strength not heard anymore. Francesca wrote all of this material and the songs were recorded when it was chic to record utilizing electric keyboard and jazzy tenor sax solos, the hit ballad "Something About Your Touch" contains a centerpiece tenor sax arrangement that just works. I really don't know how this album was overlooked, and a talent sadly in obscurity.