Post by SAT-I need more room!! on Sept 22, 2009 16:44:09 GMT -5
Foreigner has NO shortage of compilations with 8 regular domestic releases-6 of them since 2000 alone!
Records-Their first hit collection from 1982 is the one most people are familar with. And people had to deal with just this for a LONG 10 years before another collections showed up. This suffers from so many different things however; 1.) like collections from the Rascals, Sly & the Family Stone and others, this was put out while the group was still active on the charts so they still had several hits that weren't on here. 2.) At only 10 songs, it's rather short. 3.) No Blue Morning, Blue Day! 4.) Dawn's referenced this one before-the live rendition of Hot Blooded! (See Ken's rule about always included the regular versions.) I actually got used to this version from listening to it so much, but I would never say it was the preferred version.
The Very Best and Beyond-in 92 once the hits dried up, they tried to put out another hits collection, this time including the 4 hits they had since Records. Plus they used the collection to get out 3 new songs. However-not only does Blue Morning not make this collection, but they cut Long, Long Way From Home as well. Very strange that Rev on the Red Line is the song in their place.
Jukebox Heroes: The Foreigner Anthology-We would not see another collection til this one in 2000. This is a 2 disc set and it DOES include Blue Morning (and Rev) as well as faves from the debut like Starrider and Head Knocker. Not only that, but also At War With the World. I am surprised this was chosen over The Damage is Done. Anyway, they really went the distance here, including Lou's solo hits Midnight Blue and Just Between You and Me AND 2 Spooky Tooth songs! Here's my complaint: if allmusic is right, at 3:12, they cut the shit out of Feels Like the First Time!
Platinum Collection-The following year brought this single disc collection. This too contains Lou's two solo hits-not to mention Break it up, but there is absolutely no excuse for not containing Long, Long, Head Games and ESPECIALLY Double Vision!! Stay away from this collection! (Ironically, wasn't this around the time they were using DV in Burger King commercials??)
Complete Greatest Hits-The year after that brought yet another single disc set. This doesn't contain cuts like Starrider and Damage is Done (yes, Headknocker IS here), yet it DOES contain Girl on the Moon. Who thinks up these sets?
Essentials-In 2005, the Essentials line put out a Foreigner set. Basically, it gives you their 12 biggest hits-nothing more. This set would've worked perfectly in 1988 if I never had the Records set. Reason being-this does NOT contain Blue Morning, Long, Long and Dirty White Boy which I did not remember growing up, but it does have the 4 "MTV" era hits. (Yes the three above all charted higher than Jukebox Hero, but I rememeber that song so much more.) But in 2005-and beyond, to borrow a phrase-this collection does not work.
The Definitive Collection-2006 brought this 2 disc set. But I was reading this is basically Jukebox Heroes minus about 9 songs, including the 2 Spooky songs. So if you are opting for a 2 disc set, why go for this?
No End in Sight:The Very Best of Foreigner-Last year brought us yet another 2 disc set. This one features a lot from the debut (but no Damage or At War) but no solo Lou. There's 3 live tracks tacked on the end, but they do NOT come at the expense of the studio versions. Alas, they are from last year, so that ain't Lou singin'! Supposedly this is almost half the price of Jukebox Heroes, so I guess if you want a reasonably priced extended set and don't mind missing out on solo Lou and Spooky Tooth, this'd be the way to go.
So, in summation-stay away from Records, Platinum and Essentials (unless you TRULY want the bare minimum). If you want a one disc set, Complete GH is definitely preferred over Very Best....and Beyond (you're only losing Damage & Starrider as opposed to BM,BD and Long, Long). As far as the 2 disc sets, if you truly want "all things Foreigner", JBH is the way to go, with No End being the cheaper option. But I hope that running time listed for Feels on JBH is wrong!!
Opinions?
Records-Their first hit collection from 1982 is the one most people are familar with. And people had to deal with just this for a LONG 10 years before another collections showed up. This suffers from so many different things however; 1.) like collections from the Rascals, Sly & the Family Stone and others, this was put out while the group was still active on the charts so they still had several hits that weren't on here. 2.) At only 10 songs, it's rather short. 3.) No Blue Morning, Blue Day! 4.) Dawn's referenced this one before-the live rendition of Hot Blooded! (See Ken's rule about always included the regular versions.) I actually got used to this version from listening to it so much, but I would never say it was the preferred version.
The Very Best and Beyond-in 92 once the hits dried up, they tried to put out another hits collection, this time including the 4 hits they had since Records. Plus they used the collection to get out 3 new songs. However-not only does Blue Morning not make this collection, but they cut Long, Long Way From Home as well. Very strange that Rev on the Red Line is the song in their place.
Jukebox Heroes: The Foreigner Anthology-We would not see another collection til this one in 2000. This is a 2 disc set and it DOES include Blue Morning (and Rev) as well as faves from the debut like Starrider and Head Knocker. Not only that, but also At War With the World. I am surprised this was chosen over The Damage is Done. Anyway, they really went the distance here, including Lou's solo hits Midnight Blue and Just Between You and Me AND 2 Spooky Tooth songs! Here's my complaint: if allmusic is right, at 3:12, they cut the shit out of Feels Like the First Time!
Platinum Collection-The following year brought this single disc collection. This too contains Lou's two solo hits-not to mention Break it up, but there is absolutely no excuse for not containing Long, Long, Head Games and ESPECIALLY Double Vision!! Stay away from this collection! (Ironically, wasn't this around the time they were using DV in Burger King commercials??)
Complete Greatest Hits-The year after that brought yet another single disc set. This doesn't contain cuts like Starrider and Damage is Done (yes, Headknocker IS here), yet it DOES contain Girl on the Moon. Who thinks up these sets?
Essentials-In 2005, the Essentials line put out a Foreigner set. Basically, it gives you their 12 biggest hits-nothing more. This set would've worked perfectly in 1988 if I never had the Records set. Reason being-this does NOT contain Blue Morning, Long, Long and Dirty White Boy which I did not remember growing up, but it does have the 4 "MTV" era hits. (Yes the three above all charted higher than Jukebox Hero, but I rememeber that song so much more.) But in 2005-and beyond, to borrow a phrase-this collection does not work.
The Definitive Collection-2006 brought this 2 disc set. But I was reading this is basically Jukebox Heroes minus about 9 songs, including the 2 Spooky songs. So if you are opting for a 2 disc set, why go for this?
No End in Sight:The Very Best of Foreigner-Last year brought us yet another 2 disc set. This one features a lot from the debut (but no Damage or At War) but no solo Lou. There's 3 live tracks tacked on the end, but they do NOT come at the expense of the studio versions. Alas, they are from last year, so that ain't Lou singin'! Supposedly this is almost half the price of Jukebox Heroes, so I guess if you want a reasonably priced extended set and don't mind missing out on solo Lou and Spooky Tooth, this'd be the way to go.
So, in summation-stay away from Records, Platinum and Essentials (unless you TRULY want the bare minimum). If you want a one disc set, Complete GH is definitely preferred over Very Best....and Beyond (you're only losing Damage & Starrider as opposed to BM,BD and Long, Long). As far as the 2 disc sets, if you truly want "all things Foreigner", JBH is the way to go, with No End being the cheaper option. But I hope that running time listed for Feels on JBH is wrong!!
Opinions?
