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 enlarge | Artist: Neil Diamond
Label: Sony
Category: Music
List Price: $24.98
Buy New: $8.17
You Save: $16.81 (67%)
New (54) Used (24) from $6.98
Rating:  46 reviews
Sales Rank: 1723
Format: Original Recording Remastered
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 2
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 5 x 0.4
MPN: 85681
UPC: 696998568129
EAN: 0696998568129
ASIN: B00005R5SO
Release Date: December 4, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: FACTORY SEALED SHIPS IMMEDIATELY
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| Customer Reviews:
 fine assortment of hits and ballads even if you don't like all the live tracks May 19, 2008
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
The Essential Neil Diamond is an excellent two CD set that is attractively priced--what a value! These two CDs have many, many wonderful hits and ballads performed by the great Neil Diamond; and the sound quality couldn't be better. The artwork is nicely done as well. I do need to warn you that some of these songs are recorded from live concerts and that may or may not bother you. I think the live recordings are pretty decent but to each his own!
"Cherry, Cherry" really rocks with Neil Diamond doing a smash-up job on this tune! Neil sounds great and this is absolutely a wonderful number that's very strong as well. "I Got The Feelin' (Oh No, No)" has a bit of a country flavor to it that enhances the natural beauty of this ballad; and I like that very much. Neil's excellent diction bolsters his performance and the backup singers never fail him either! "Kentucky Woman" was a huge hit for Neil Diamond and that's great for all of us--it's a wonderful number that Neil shared with us! "Kentucky Woman" has incredible sounds that Neil handles with panache and it's truly a major highlight of this two CD set. There's also "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon;" this tender love ballad never escapes my mind and it's very pretty. The melody is very well done and Neil sings this with lots of passion to make "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon" yet another highlight of this two CD set.
"I'm A Believer" rocks well as Neil does this cover song; the backup singers work wonders for this tune as well. Listen also for "Sweet Caroline;" this classic signature song for Neil proves his talents beyond a doubt--wowzer! "Song Sung Blue" stuns me with its beauty and Neil Diamond sings this with all his heart and soul.
Now there are some live tracks that you're going to love or hate. "Morningside" is well done and the sound quality is actually better than some reviewers led me to expect. Neil clearly enjoys a good rapport with his fans and that's great. "Brooklyn Roads" is another live track that I think works very well.
"Hello Again" from the second CD is a marvelous number that I really like; the piano arrangement is very nicely done. "Love On The Rocks" was never one of my favorite tunes but I can still recognize that it has quality. There's also a great live track of "He Ain't Heavy...He's My Brother." This number features Neil singing so well in concert--he needed no mixing in the studio to make his voice sound special! In addition, Neil does a wonderful duet with Barbra Streisand on "You Don't Bring Me Flowers;" this touching and moving ballad tugs at my heartstrings--it's all THAT good.
"September Morn" is another major highlight of this two CD set with Neil singing this flawlessly alongside a lush musical arrangement; and there's also "Yesterday's Songs;" "Yesterday's Songs" has that `70s flavor to it that still sounds great today! We also get Neil Diamond doing a great job on "Heartlight;" and the two CD set ends with Neil Diamond performing "You Are The Best Part Of Me." "You Are The Best Part Of Me" is a very touching ballad that makes a great ending for this two CD set.
Neil Diamond has enriched our lives by sharing his talents with us. This two CD set is a strong one and I heartily encourage this for his fans--as long as they don't mind the live tracks. Newcomers to Neil Diamond would do well to start with this two CD set.
 Too many live cuts! May 2, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Probably the best collection of his music. Why do we have to settle for cuts that were not what we heard on the radio? Who makes these crapola decisions? Pefect set if not for someone's idea of what we should hear.
GLK
A good collection, but with a few shortcomings April 2, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Overall, this is a good collection for the price paid. It has more than 35 songs and has all of Neil's best known ones. It is hard to find a complete compilation like this one in a single package at a decent price.
The majority of the tracks are the originals as I remember them. I especially like Solitary Man, I Am, I Said, and, of course, America. There are a number of his lesser known songs included, like Beautiful Noise, which add a lot to the collection.
There are two areas of concern, however. First, I am not sure why about a quarter of the tracks are live when the studio recordings are certainly available, and the live recordings are not, in my opinion, of the same quality. Brooklyn Roads, one of my favorites, sounds much better on the studio recording, and Brother Love's Show is not good - I am thankful my CD player has a "skip track" button for this one! The other concern is the packaging. I actually had to break the case to get to the second CD. Unless they want to sell jewel boxes on the side, they could do better here. Still, this is a good collection,especially for the number of songs and the price.
Too Many Essential Songs Are Missing.... October 10, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Although This album does contain several of Neil Diamond's biggest hits,it misses a few,it also has its share of odd choices...
"Headed For The Future" and "You Are The Best Part Of Me" should have been ommitted in favor of "Longfellow Serenade" and "Be" (actual hits!).I do enjoy the new live versions of "Captain Sunshine","He Ain't Heavy,He's My Brother" and especially "Yes I Will/Lady Magdalene"(the rare live version that surpasses its original).Whether or not these are truly essential is debatable,but at least it gives this collection something different.
The original versions of "Shilo",Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show" and "Soolaimon" would have been better choices,the live versions are decent,they just lack the power of the studio recordings,and besides,this is just too much live material for a "hits collection".The original versions were used on the "In My Lifetime" box set,but columbia wouldn't shell out the exta cash to use them here,strangely enough,columbia has the rights to the original version of "Shilo",but used a live one instead.Even the "Love At The Greek" version of "Brother Love" would've been acceptable,that album isn't represented here at all.The same goes for "Hot August Night 2".The original "Hot August Night" is on MCA,so Columbia can't use it,but they could've at least used something from 2."The Essential" is produced by Neil Diamond,himself,so it was his choice not to ,I guess.
"Morningside" and "Brooklyn Roads" are the same versions found on "The Greatest Hits 1966-1992".No complaints here,these are my favorite versions of these songs."Play Me" and "Crunchy Granola Suite" are from "Live In America",possibly Neil's most ill-fated live recording,I've read several negative reviews for it,I like these versions,though.
The liner notes state that "Solitary Man" is the original 1966 version,it isn't.It is the 1967 "Just For You" version,the one that became a hit in 1970.Columbia gained control of Neil's early Bang material in the early eighties,but have only ever used 12 songs from this period,it would be nice to see "The Long Way Home" and "New Orleans" included.
Neil won his only grammy for "Jonathan Livingston Seagull",yet nothing from that album is included here."The Essential" actually skips 11 of Neil's Columbia albums,opting instead for live versions of his UNI period,there are already several great compilations available,dedicated to those years alone.It's up to Columbia to use what they have.
Overall,this is a pretty good collection,despite all of its flaws,it still manages to give new fans enough to get them hooked,while giving longtime Diamondheads a few exclusives.
The cd features a 12 page booklet with a few rare photos of Neil and a discography of his columbia years.sadly,the liner notes fall short,only 1 page,written by David Wild,who tends to talk more about himself,than Neil!
This cd has been digitally remastered for the ultimate sound!
ALBUM REPRESENTATION:
The Feel Of Neil:2
Just For You:6
Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits:1
Velvet Gloves And Spit:0
Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show:1
Touching You,Touching Me:1
Gold:0
Tap Root Manuscript:1
Stones:1
Moods:1
Hot August Night:0
Jonathan Livingston Seagull:0
Serenade:1
Beautiful Noise:2
Love At The Greek:0
I'm Glad You're Here With Me Tonight:1
You Don't Bring Me Flowers:2
September Morn:1
The Jazz Singer:3
On The Way To The Sky:1
Heartlight:1
Primitive:0
Headed For The Future:1
Hot August Night II:0
The Best Years Of Our Lives:0
Lovescape:0
The Greatest Hits 1966-1992:2
The Christmas Album:0
Up On The Roof:0
Live In America:2
The Christmas Album Volume Two:0
Tennessee Moon:0
The Movie Album:0
Three Chord Opera:1
Recommended
Essential, alrighty!! September 24, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A great collection of Neil Diamond's greatest hits, although it does not have "Shiloh" or the original recording of "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show" (I don't know why.) But it's got the rest of the greatest hits that you can sing along with or dance to for years to come!
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