Search - Dion :: At His Best

Eric K. (SoulfulStuff)
Reviewed on 3/30/2018...

This odd 20-track Dion CD is interesting in that it
has different mixes on some tracks than those which
appeared on other, better-known Dion hits packages.
While the database describes this as being on the
"Prudence Germany" label, my copy is on the "3C" label.
But this was clearly authorized by Laurie Records, the
original label for the material. The Laurie logo
appears on the back insert, along with "1988 Continental
Communications Corp., Norwood, NJ." It also says "All
selections digitally remastered from original tapes, all
selections in stereo except #9, SOUND ENHANCED FOR BETTER
SOUND QUALITY."

Listening on headphones, I detected significant differences
in the following tracks, compared to the recordings I
already had of these songs on various other Dion CDs:

The Wanderer, Lovers Who Wander, Sandy, Little Diane,
Lonely Teenager, and Come Go With Me. In some cases, the
version on "At His Best" just has more punch and presence
than on other CDs. On several songs, the left/right channels
are reversed from what I had heard before. On some, certain
elements (like the backing singers, for instance) are clearly
more emphasized than on other releases of the same songs.

Some of the non-hit material is fairly awful; songs like
"Stagger Lee" and "The Twist" sound like they were cranked
out in a hurry as album filler. But his versions of "Tonight Tonight"
and "P.S. I Love You" are really quite nice. And, like it says,
all but one track are in crisp clean stereo.

TRACK LIST FOR "DION: HIS BEST"

Runaround Sue
The Wanderer
Lovers Who Wander
Sandy
Little Diane
Take Good Care of My Baby
The Majestic
Lonely Teenager
Love Came to Me
Stagger Lee
Little Miss Blue
Kansas City
The Twist
Candy Man
One for My Baby
Born to Cry
Come Go With Me
Tonight Tonight
P.S. I Love You
Save the Last Dance for Me