"I'm sure glad I did not purchase this cd. Back in the 1980's I had very little knowledge about O'Bryan Burnnette, but now that I am 22 and appreciate old school music a whole lot more, I know they made several mistakes while releasing this compilation. "Soul Trains A Comin" (although not a chart hit) was missing. I would perfer the original version than the 12 inch version used for Soul Train from seasons 13-16. "Maria" (from his latest lp, Surrender) should have been replaced with the beautiful "Together Always" (from his proper sophmore lp, You & I). The horrible and silly "Drivin' Force" (also from Surrender) should have been out! "Lovelite", "You & I" and "I'm Freaky" lp versions should have been on there instead of the 45 versions because they stood out very well!! "Is This For Real," Right From The Start," and "Love Has Found Its Way." were the other great ballads and jams that were non-singles but were gems as well. The absense of "Soul Trains A Comin'(original)", "Together Always", and full versions of "You & I", "I'm Freaky", and "Lovelite" really knocked off 3 points from Best of O'Bryan cd and should be made into a redo!! For those that wasted thier money on this, "go on and cry" because Right Stuff Records done ripped y'all off!! This underated talented artist (good singer, writer, producer, and instrumentalist) was trying to be the next Prince and Michael Jackson but he was considered more like a 1980s version of Carl Thomas (too soulful for the mainstream).
People must have bought this cd (if do not have original lps no more) because more than half of the tracks are not available on other cds.
I admit I love all the songs from the cd (except for Maria and Driving Force), but I WILL create a new CD under my productions, SOUL TRAIN ALUMNI SERIES along with my own compilations of Shalamar, Jermaine Stewart, Pebbles, Jody Watley and other Soul Train almumnis.
1. Soul Trains A Comin' (original although I love the remix; loved the keyboard fanfare on the intro)
2. The Gigolo
3. Still Waters
4. Right From The Start (great track and catchy hooks!!)
5. I'm Freaky (full lp verison, the keyboard solo was missing from the 45 single 4 minute version)
6. You & I (full original lp version. Loved the closing)
7. Together Always (O showed his true feelings on this 1983 track)
8. Lovelite (full original lp version - LOVELITE BABY!!)
9. Breakin' Together (good effort and loved the video!!)
10. Go On & Cry (good ballad)
11. Lady I Love You (what ever happened to lovin' your woman and tellin' her how you feel. This was his best ballad ever and this should school young catz like Bobby Valentino and R Kelly on real love.)
12. You're Always On My Mind (I'm glad they included this lp track from 1984's Be My Lover on the compilation and would be good for the redo. Beautiful ballad that shows a woman on how you feel although she's seeing someone else).
13. Tenderoni (45 single, I never actually heard of the full lp track before but it was a good pre-new jack single)
14. Is This For Real (great!!!)
15. You Have Got To Come To Me (beautiful new jack ballad that should have made the charts)
This here is the real Best of O'Bryan plus more. Wish I can add more like "I'm In Love Again", "Doin' Alright", "Surrender" "Love Had Found Its Way" and "Shake" but had to pick the best 16 that would fit!!
-- Thank You!!!"
BURNED BY ANOTHER LAME COMPILATION
G. Brown | Modesto, CA USA | 10/26/2006
(1 out of 5 stars)
"WHEN. WHEN I SAY. WHEN WILL WHOEVER PUTS THESE "GREATEST HITS", "BEST OF" CD'S TOGETHER GET A CLUE. DO NOT PUT EDITED VERSIONS OF SONGS ON THESE. ESPECIALLY IF NONE OF THE ORIGINAL CD'S ARE AVAILIABLE FOR PURCHASE. GET SOMEONE WHO HAS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE ARTIST MATERIAL TO PICK THE SONGS TO BE ON THESE COMPILATIONS. IF THIS IS THE BEST YOU CAN COME UP WITH, DON'T PUT ANYTHING OUT. WHAT A WASTE."
Soul Train's NOT Coming
Darrin Brown | Savannah, Georgia | 08/23/2006
(2 out of 5 stars)
"What a waste. Save your money people (unless you just have to have it). O'Bryan was dope !!! Real Dope in the 80's. This collection does him no justice. A lot of the hits are here but not in the full version and some really good cuts by him are missing. On this "Best Of" collection they could have left off "Breakin Together", "You're Always On My mind" and everything from his last lp except "Tenderoni". Not that these aren't good songs but he has so many others that should have been on this. "Soul Train's A Comin", "Together Always", "I Can Live Without Your Love", "Doin' Alright" "Love Has Found It's Way" "Right From The Start" (I could go on). Hopefully some company will issue a complete and unedited disc of Mr Burnette's Greatest Hits. I've made my own. If you know of any company that wants to publish it and make some real money for them, me and O'Bryan, HOLLA AT CHA BOY !!!!
First Born Productions "O'BRYAN GREATEST HITS"
1. Right From The Start
2. Love Has Found It's Way
3. The Gigolo
4. Can't Live Without Your Love
5. Still Water (Love)
6. I'm Freaky
7. Dazzlin Lady
8. You and I
9. Lady I Love You
10 Lovelite
11. Be My Lover
12. Together Always
13. Soul Train's A Comin
14. You're Always On My Mind
15. Tenderoni
16. You Have Got To Come To Me
Now...That's an O'Bryan Burnette II Greatest Hits Collection
one"
Just Gettin' It
Suni Jones | BG, KY | 11/27/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I'm a late start and just gettin it. The 'it' that I'm talking about is that we have been bamboozled. The music we have now is garbage and I can't even stomach it. Turn on the radio on a Sunday and listen to your local R&B and Rap station and you'll see what I mean. So lately I've been getting more and more into old school. I found this Lady I Love You song and had no idea who sung it. I was frantic trying to find out for months and when I finally did I found out this is the same cat that sings You & I. For this greatest hits CD not to put the full version of such beautiful songs on it is a travesty. If you don't wanna "steal" someones hard work all you can do is rely on greatest hits compilations. So the publishers should do everyone a favor and do O'Bryan some justice and put his stand out tracks on here and quit b.s.'ing around with our old school. I'm only giving it three stars cuz the boy is smooth, regardless."
Umm, Something's missing.
Ollie | Columbia, Maryland United States | 07/08/2005
(2 out of 5 stars)
"I knocked this CD down to 2 stars because of the song, "Lovelite". It would not hurt the record label to put the full version of this O'Bryan hit on the CD. I struggle to understand why labels don't put the full version of songs on greatest hit CDs. With other viewers saying other O'Bryan jams missing from this CD, this CD should get a low rating. But unfortunately, since this is the only greatest hit CD out by O'Bryan and it's been almost 10 years, you may have no choice to purchase this incomplete CD."