Rating:
Genre: Rock
Release Date: 03/04/2008

There are 21 cuts on this Hip-O collection of Van Morrison's Greatest Hits. The interesting thing is that of these 21 cuts, only about half of them will be recognizable to the casual Van Morrison fan, as they come from his Bang sides and the far more popular Warner Brothers singles of the early '70s. As it should be, although there is one glaring omission: "Tupelo Honey" is absent from the song list. The rest may not have been greatest hits in America, but they do represent a fine -- if arguable -- selection of the material from the late '70s, '80s, and '90s. "Dweller on the Threshold" is here (though it sounds like an alternate take!) There is a bona fide alternate take of "The Healing Game" that sounds more like a well-executed demo and has plenty of Celtic soul. "Someone Like You" is here, as is "Wavelength," and some tunes that deserved far better than they got: "Tore Down à la Rimbaud," "Real Real Gone," "Bright Side of the Road," "Days Like This," and "Stranded." The early tunes are immediately recognizable, from "Brown Eyed Girl," "Gloria," "Here Comes the Night," "Domino," "Moondance," "Wild Night," and "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven)." In sum, as far as the many repackaged greatest hits, this is one of the better ones as it is cross-licensed and contains a true evolutionary portrait of the artist on a journey that certainly winds and turns back on itself even as it moves forward. This is a good one with fine sound. [Polydor's 2008 Limited Edition box set included 20 bonus tracks across a three-CD package.]

~Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

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Mark Isham - Horn Arrangements
Robbie Robertson - Producer
Brooks Arthur - Engineer
Pee Wee Ellis - Horn Arrangements
Bert Berns - Producer
Mick Glossop - Engineer
Mick Glossop - Mixing
Leo Green - Horn Arrangements
Arthur Greenslade - Musical Direction
Jeff Labes - String Arrangements
Jeff Labes - Woodwind Arrangement
Richard Manwaring - Engineer
Brian Masterson - Engineer
Brian Masterson - Mixing
Brian Masterson - String Engineer
Lewis Merenstein - Executive Producer
Van Morrison - Producer
Walter Samuel - Engineer
Walter Samuel - Mixing
Jim Stern - Engineer
Jim Stern - Mixing
Ted Templeman - Producer
Fiachra Trench - Horn Arrangements
Fiachra Trench - String Arrangements
Tim Young - Mastering
Stuart Bruce - Engineer
Dick Rowe - Producer
Declan Colgan - Compilation
Enda Walsh - Engineer
Alastair McMillan - Engineer
Alastair McMillan - Mixing
Matt Holland - Horn Arrangements
Barry McIheney - Liner Notes

First Album
    Roger Morris / CD / 1972
Sails of Silver
    Steeleye Span / CD / 1980
The Big Chill [Original Soundtrack]
    Original Soundtrack / CD / 1983
Atlantic Records 50 Years: The Gold Anniversary
    Various Artists / CD / 1998
The Very Best of Ray Charles [Rhino]
    Ray Charles / CD / 2000
Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964
    Sam Cooke / CD / 2003
The Best of Van Morrison, Vol. 3
    Van Morrison / CD / 2007

Release Date: 03/04/2008
Genre: rock