Search - Neil Diamond :: 20th Century Masters: The Best Of Neil Diamond (Millennium Collection)

Neil Diamond
20th Century Masters: The Best Of Neil Diamond (Millennium Collection)
Genres: Folk, Pop, Rock, Broadway & Vocalists

Track Listings (11) - Disc #1
1. Sweet Caroline
2. Holly Holy
3. Song Sung Blue
4. Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
5. Play Me
6. Brooklyn Roads
7. Crunchy Granola Suite
8. Stones
9. Soolaimon
10. I Am...I Said
11. Cracklin' Rosie

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CD Details

All Artists: Neil Diamond
Title: 20th Century Masters: The Best Of Neil Diamond (Millennium Collection)
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 3
Label: Mca
Original Release Date: 3/16/1999
Re-Release Date: 3/9/1999
Album Type: Original recording remastered
Genres: Folk, Pop, Rock, Broadway & Vocalists
Styles: Adult Contemporary, Easy Listening, Singer-Songwriters, Soft Rock, Oldies, Vocal Pop
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 008811194727

Synopsis

Amazon.com

Neil Diamond's entry in MCA's multivolume 20th Century Masters points up the essential flaw of the whole series. While the title suggests a sort of time capsule--something truly representative of an artist's best work--that turns out to be true only to the extent that the label controls that material. Thanks to the budget-minded nature of the project, no attempts were made to include any of Diamond's great hits recorded for the Bang label, or the wildly successful adult-contemporary fare he did later for Columbia. True, there are some great hits here from the second phase of his career--"Sweet Caroline," "Holly Holy," "Song Sung Blue," and "I Am... I Said"--but the set ignores three Top 20 hits from this period, so it's less than definitive. Still, if you pair it with another greatest-hits package, Classics: The Early Years, you've got a pretty good collection of Diamond's best stuff. --Daniel Durchholz

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Member CD Reviews

Cynthia W. (cjwilson377) from CHEHALIS, WA
Reviewed on 10/30/2012...

Everything I wanted.

0 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

CD Reviews

Owners of "Neil Diamond/His 12 Greatest Hits" - Rejoice!!!

05/11/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you own the above album and were highly disappointed because some of the songs were live versions instead of studio versions, then this CD is for you!!! This CD has the studio versions we are used to hearing on the radio AND it's remastered. Good job, MCA :-)"

Hits And Misses (And MIAs)

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 04/26/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you bought this and "Classics: The Early Years" you'd own practically everything you'd want from Neil Diamond. The problem is Diamond recorded for three different labels--four, if you count the three Top Ten singles released from the Capitol Records' soundtrack to "The Jazz Singer." So what you have here are his hits from the Uni years (1968-1972).It's nice to have this package include his first Uni label single, the autobiographical "Brooklyn Bridge" (No. 58) and the B-side "Crunchy Granola Suite." However, why didn't they include his two other Uni singles: 1970's "He Ain't Heavy...He's My Brother" (No. 20) and 1972's "Walk on Water" (No. 17)? Because of licensing restrictions you aren't going to get the early Bang-era singles or his MOR hits from Columbia, but here was a chance for MCA to get one of its 20th Century Masters releases perfect, and they blew it. That complaint aside, this is a smart (if brief) collection of Diamond's original version hits from his artistic peak. RECOMMENDED"

Incomplete

pspa | Boston, MA USA | 09/28/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"If one is going to put out something with as definitive a title as Millenium Collection, how can they omit four of Diamond's greatest songs, Cherry Cherry, Kentucky Woman, Shilo and Solitary Man? I am sure there are other significant omissions too from later in his career (September Mornings?), and surely there is room on today's modern CDs to have included more than 12 songs. Don't get me wrong, the songs on here are great and they sound fine, but I am just very disappointed in the selection. A more appropriate title would be Some of Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits."

Too much duplication

G. Sawaged | Canada | 03/05/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Great songs as only Neil can do them, but my beef, as has been stated by other reviewers, is the selection. What we have here is just a duplication of his "12 Greatest Hits" collection with the exception of "Shilo" and "Done too soon", and the addition here of "Crunchy Granola Suite". So, anyone who has his Greatest Hits collection already, really doesn't need this. But for anyone else, I suppose it's a good collection. Booklet includes a 2 page essay and a photo of Neil. No lyrics though."

One of 3 CDs to Get If You Want Good Diamond compilation

cesar m soto | hemet, ca United States | 03/20/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The songs are excellent (hence the four stars), worthy examples of Brill Building tunefulness married to lyrical phrases influenced by Dylanesque dissociation. That Diamond, like Elton John's Bernie Taupin, can render said dissociation prosaic and sometimes absurd (remember the "not even a chair" line?)only makes him slightly more gauche than Billy Joel, Paul McCartney or Michael Jackson at their least inspired. But like them he has an undeniable gift, and in my opinion he's written more good songs than James Taylor, Don McClean or at least Joe Walsh. Not all of them, unfortunately are on this disc, which thus fails to deliver on its title's promise (hence the aforementioned four stars) of including the best of the featured artist. For that you also need two other releases that bookend this one: "Classics The Early Years" for additional key tracks from his 60's pop-rock period and "12 Greatest Hits Vol. 2" for highlights from his more recent adult-contemporary material. Sure there are still songs that will be missed by some, but if you have at least two of these three collections (which may depend on your budget and what phase of Diamond's musical career you favor) you are bound to have most of his more memorable and popular compositions. This album,like the two others I've mentioned, offers the original recordings of the hits, an advantage over more exhaustive, multiple-CD anthologies marred by live performances which, while quite enjoyable on their own terms, leave many listeners longing for the studio versions of songs they cherish. Even if you decide to purchase only this album you will have made an excellent addition to your music library. But if, as I suspect, it leaves you wanting more, seek out the others I've recommended at your leisure and you will get much more of a very good thing."