Remembering yesterday’s greatest hits

After being inundated with a torrent of fantastic new releases towards the end of the previous year, I decided to go in the opposite direction and do my own nostalgia tripping. So I listened to a few of the greatest hits compilations that came out in 2004. And what do you know, I did not only get to hear the familiar tunes, I also discovered some wonderful surprises I would never have noticed if I had just dismissed these CDs as just quick-selling compilations.

Alanis Morissette The Collection: This is Morissette’s first ever hit collection and aren’t we glad we can now listen to her hit songs in just one CD and not have to get Jagged Little Pill, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, So Called Chaos, Under Rug Swept, and all those soundtracks. Besides, she even offers her unreleased cover of Seal’s Crazy. Of course, the whole effect of the album is deliciously tortured but steeped in masochistic resignation. Ouch! Why does she make pain so enjoyable? But it wouldn’t be Alanis if the music was blithely upbeat. So emote!

The collection also includes Thank You, Head Over Feet, 8 Easy Steps, Everything, Ironic, Princes Familiar from MTV Unplugged, You Learn, Simple Together, You Oughta Know, That I Would Be Good, Sister Blister, Hands Clean, Mercy from The Prayer Cycle, Still from the Dogma Soundtrack, Uninvited from The City of Angels Soundtrack, Let’s Do It (Let’s All Fall in Love) from the De-Lovely Soundtrack, and Hand in My Pocket.

Truly Madly Completely The Best of Savage Garden: This is anthemic rock for sentimental souls. Just in case you have forgotten, Air Supply is not the only hitmaking duo to emerge from Australia. There is also Savage Garden which produced some of the most popular rock ballads of the ’90s. Savage Garden is composed of Darren Hayes of the magnificent vocals and Daniel Jones who is usually credited with creating the Savage Garden sound. They have since gone their separate ways but their songs remain.

Beats there a heart who can resist unearthing old memories to the sound of I Want You, I Knew I Loved You, To the Moon and Back, Hold Me, Santa Monica, Crash and Burn, Break Me Shake Me, Truly Madly Deeply, The Animal Song, Affirmation, So Beautiful and California, two solo spots by Darren Hayes plus the B Sides, I Don’t Care, I’ll Bet He was Cool, Love Can Move You, Fire Inside the Man and This Side of Me?

Essentials by Ambrosia: This one goes back to the ’70s, when Ambrosia was one of the best groups around. What songs it made and don’t you think David Pack is one of the best vocalists ever? This is one CD that I guarantee you will be playing round the clock as you wonder why you’ve allowed yourself to accept some of the trash we have had to put up with from the newer groups.

Biggest Part of Me, You’re the Only Woman, How Much I Feel, I Just Can’t Let Go featuring Michael McDonald and James Ingram, That Girl is Gone, The Key to You featuring David Benoit and David Pack, Mama Don’t Understand, Life Beyond L. A., Livin’ on My Own, Holdin’ on to Yesterday, Nice Nice Nice, Angola, Time Waits for No One, Heart to Heart, And… Somewhere I’ve Never Traveled, Still Not Satisfied and Cowboy Star.

Sweat A La La La La Long, The Best of Inner Circle: This is ska which I have not heard in a long time. If I remember right, the origins of the music is Jamaica but came to its own as a pop music genre in the UK in the early ’80s. The Inner Circle certainly knows how to dish it out and the vibes are fun and lively. The big hit Sweat (A La La La La Long) and Bad Boys from the TV show Cops are the most recognizable, but this album is one case where you couldn’t care less about titles. Just keep it playing and you too will get into the merry mood.

Also includes Da Bomb, Games People Play, Ob-la-di Ob-la-da, Not About Romance, Book of Rules, Reggae Dancer, Rock with You, Broken Wings, I Spy (What Do I Spy), Speak My Language featuring Speech, Bad to the Bone, La Di Da (Join the Army), Girls Gone Wild, I Love Girls, Black and White, Montego Bay, Boardwalk and a new version of Sweat.

Coincidentally, all these albums are fine examples of what recordings should be, where all of the elements of good musicianship and technological advances blend to create an enjoyable whole. Put them on your must-have list.