Search - 10cc :: Very Best of

Quality seventies pop rock

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 10/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This contains all the essential songs from 10cc whose distinctive and diverse songs gave them plenty of success in Britain and around the world. Some of their song exist in both single and album versions, but this compilation sometimes includes the single versions (as on Art for art's sake) and sometimes the album version (as on I'm Mandy fly me).Perhaps their most famous song is I'm not in love, a classic love song. On this set, you get the album version. There are many other classics here including Donna, Rubber bullets, Wall Street shuffle, Things we do for love and Dreadlock Holiday, together with a few obscure gems. The compilation is completed by tracks from Godley and Crème (formed after the break-up of 10cc) and Hotlegs (the precursor of 10cc). These tracks have their appeal but are somewhat different in style.This is a great collection of music by one of the best pop rock groups to emerge from Britain in the seventies."

Rocking Pop

Lonnie E. Holder | Columbus, Indiana, United States | 10/22/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"10cc was definitely pop, but a very rocking version of pop. Listen to "Art for Art's Sake" and you'll hear the very fine dividing line between pop and rock in the 1970s. As 10cc progressed, they moved away from that line, but for a while, oh so close."Donna" is probably the weakest song on this collection, and put me off the first time I heard it. I guess 1973, the year of the album "10cc" from which this song derives, still had some rather strange-sounding songs. "Rubber Bullets", a protest song, follows, along with "The Dean and I", also from "10cc". The last of these is the best of the three in my opinion, but far from their best."Sheet Music" contributed "Wall Street Shuffle" and "Silly Love". Both songs are pretty fast and maintain a fairly solid rock beat, but again 10cc had yet to hit their stride."The Original Soundtrack" contributes "Life is a Minestrone" and "I'm not in Love". The second is absolutely beautiful. A song about the denial of love when the singer is clearly deeply in love. This song is likely the most memorable of all 10cc's songs, and is still often played on classic rock stations."How Dare You" is my favorite 10cc album, and provided "Art for Art's Sake" and "I'm Mandy, Fly Me". This album is worth buying if you like the songs on this collection. I would rate it 5 stars as well.From this point forward 10cc turned more toward pop. "People in Love" and "For You and I" are very mellow songs that benefit from the skill that 10cc had developed over the previous five years."Cry", credited to Lol Creme but in fact was recorded by Godley and Creme, was played on "Miami Vice". I believe the video to this song was also the first use of morphing on a music video. Interesting song, you can hear the 10cc sound. I believe this song was also the last song to chart well from any member of 10cc.10cc created absolutely wonderfully orchestrated pop/rock. Sometimes a little too pop, but for a while their pop had a hard edge. All too quickly their dominance of the charts ended as the age of disco began, and was then supplanted by New Wave. But for a little while there was that wonderful music. I hope you find what I found in this classic rock."

Pop-Prog Rock With Satirical Touch On This 70s Hits Set

Anthony G Pizza | FL | 09/09/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Fine one-disc collection from an overlooked, transitional 70s pop-rock band. 10cc's only crime was that it did well what many rock bands did better; borrowed musically from 50s rock, British music hall, progressive rock's world-view and the Beach Boys/Trade Winds harmony school to create an often interesting, sometimes groaningly derivative musical mix. (Bassist Graham Gouldman came to this mix honestly, recording 60s hits like "Game Of Love" with Wayne Fontana's Mindbenders.) Some songs hit the satirical mark ("Wall Street Shuffle" is more appropriate today than ever, "Dreadlock Holiday" is a great ska singalong). Other jokes fall flat lyrically and musically ("Jailhouse Rock" packed more wit into just over two minutes than its redux here, "Rubber Bullets," did in more than five. And life is not a minestrone or cold lasagna, no matter how good the song sounds.) Surprisingly, 10cc's biggest pop hits represent its best acknowledgement of its influences. "I'm Not In Love," (#2, 1975) comes closer than any 70s hit to "Pet Sounds'" symphonic and lyrical grandeur. Eric Stewart's plain, near-perfect vocals capture the vulnerability of losing yourself to love; only "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" better expressed those feelings. 1977's Top 10 "The Things We Do For Love" and its follow-up, "People In Love," recall Paul McCartney's sunny 70s symphonies; "People In Love" actually blueprints Air Supply's early 80s hits. Godley & Creme's 1985 "Cry," (with its influential video later duplicated in Michael Jackson's "Black And White") nicely completes and updates the collection.This isn't an essential collection. "I'm Not In Love" and "The Things We Do For Love" often show up in 70s hits collections and the group's original albums are more complete conceptually (not to mention containing stellar LP tracks like "Feel The Benefit" from "Deceptive Bends"). Nonetheless, "The Very Best Of 10CC" is a fine introduction for newcomers or a good one-disc gathering for longtime fans; it reflects a satirical view rarely seen in pop music since."