Phil Collins - Hits

If Hits seems a little inadequate, even though it weighs in at 16 tracks, that's because Phil Collins had such a long, productive run. Also, to casual listeners (and possibly even some fans), it's hard to tell which singles are by Genesis and which ones are solo cuts. So, it's almost a certainty that listeners will find something missing from this disc -- and not just because Genesis cuts are absent, but because there's not enough space to fit all of Collins' solo hits, especially since the compilers decided to include a couple of lesser, latter-day hits at the expense of some earlier, bigger ones, while adding his non-LP cover of Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" to entice hardcore fans. Thus, there are only 13 hits, which means some other big hits and good songs are absent -- "I Missed Again," "I Don't Care Anymore," "Don't Lose My Number," "Do You Remember?" are all MIA. A few of these omissions are quite regrettable, but in the end, Hits is nevertheless a representative and pretty entertaining collection. The sequencing is not chronological, so it doesn't develop a nice flow (although "Take Me Home" is admittedly the ideal closer), but the chief strength of this collection is that it puts all of the big hits - including "Easy Lover," "Against All Odds," "In the Air Tonight," "Sussudio," "One More Night" and "Separate Lives" -- in one place. No, it's not perfect -- and it's hard not to wish that it was -- but Hits still contains the majority of Collins' solo smashes, and that alone makes it a nice addition to his catalog. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alex Brown Vocals (Background) Amy Keyes Vocals Amy Keys Vocals Andrew Woolfolk Saxophone Anne Dudley Conductor, Producer Arif Mardin Producer, Conductor Arnold McCuller Vocals Arturo Velasco Trombone Babyface Vocals (Background), Drum Programming, Keyboards, Producer Brad Cole Keyboards Chris Blair Mastering Cornelius Mims Bass Daniel Fornero Trumpet Daryl Stuermer Guitar David Costa Art Direction, Design David Crosby Vocals David Frank Mini Moog, Keyboards, Bass, Dmx Dominic Miller Guitar Don Myrick Saxophone Eric Clapton Guitar Eric Rigler Uillean Pipes Freddie "Ready Freddie" Washington Bass Greg Phillinganes Wurlitzer, Piano Harry Kim Arranger, Trumpet Helen Terry Vocals (Background) Hugh Padgham Producer Janfranco Caro Illustrations, Design, Art Direction John Giblin Bass Lakshminarayana Shankar Violin Lamont Dozier Producer Leland Sklar Bass Lesette Wilson Keyboards Louis Satterfield Trombone Lynn Fiddmont Vocals (Background) Marva King Vocals (Background) Michael Hart Thompson Guitar Michael Landau Guitar Michael Thompson Guitar Nathan East Bass Paulinho Da Costa Percussion Peter Gabriel Vocals (Background) Peter Robinson Glockenspiel, Vibraphone, Piano Phil Collins Producer, Vocals, Vocals (Background), Arranger, Drum Machine, Drums, Keyboards, Tambourine Philip Bailey Vocals Pino Palladino Bass Rahmlee Michael Davis Trumpet Rob Mounsey Keyboards Ronnie Caryl Guitar (Rhythm) Sheila E. Percussion Sting Vocals (Background) Tom Tom 84 Arranger Vine Street Horns Horn, Group