| The Ultimate Collection | 
 enlarge | Artist: Billy Ocean
Label: Jive
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $10.95
You Save: $8.03 (42%)
Buy New/Used from $10.95
Avg. Customer Rating:   (11 reviews)
Sales Rank: 18650
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
UPC: 828766238020
EAN: 0828766238020
ASIN: B0002DD6AQ
Release Date: July 13, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Tracks:
| • | When the Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going - Billy Ocean, Brathwaite, Wayne | | • | Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run) - Billy Ocean, Diamond, Keith | | • | There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) - Billy Ocean, Brathwaite, Wayne | | • | Loverboy - Billy Ocean, Diamond, Keith | | • | Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car - Billy Ocean, Ocean, Billy | | • | Suddenly - Billy Ocean, Diamond, Keith | | • | Love Is Forever - Billy Ocean, Brathwaite, Wayne | | • | Mystery Lady - Billy Ocean, Brathwaite, Wayne | | • | Love Zone - Billy Ocean, Brathwaite, Wayne | | • | The Long and Winding Road - Billy Ocean, Lennon, John | | • | The Colour of Love - Billy Ocean, Brathwaite, Wayne | | • | License to Chill - Billy Ocean, Lange, R. J. | | • | Everything's So Different Without You - Billy Ocean, Ocean, Billy | | • | Can We Go 'Round Again? - Billy Ocean, Ocean, Billy | | • | Love Really Hurts Without You - Billy Ocean, Ocean, Billy | | • | L.O.D. (Love on Delivery) - Billy Ocean, Ocean, Billy | | • | Red Light Spells Danger - Billy Ocean, Ocean, Billy | | • | Nights (Feel Like Getting Down) - Billy Ocean, Ocean, Billy |
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
2004 collection features all the hits including two previously unreleased live versions of the classics, 'Suddenly' & 'Caribbean Queen'. BMG.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
Incredible Audio Quality! It Does Not Get Any Better Than This! December 28, 2008
For once, a compilation with a fitting title! Released by BMG Strategic Marketing Group and Jive in mid-2004 is 'Ultimate Collection' by Billy Ocean, roughly 15 years after Ocean's 'Greatest Hits' release. I remember buying this shortly after it's release in 2004, stumbling upon it by accident. You can imagine my surprise when I found this, since I had been waiting for a more comprehensive, remastered collection from Ocean for a few years already. I figured that Jive/BMG had completely forgotten about this artist since so many other less successful acts already have numerous collections on the market.
Usually when these kind of ultimate collections find their ways into stores they are missing essential tracks and hit singles. Well, despite missing a few charting hits in the U.K. this release includes all 12 of Billy's U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Hits -- all of which made the Top 40, for that matter. In addition to the dozen Top 40 hits are two tracks from Ocean's 1993 effort, 'Time To Move On': "Everything's So Different Without You" was a very minor R&B and AC chart single. "Can We Go 'Round Again?" was, as far as I know, not even a single.
The only U.K. Top 40 hits missing here are "Stop Me (If You've Heard It All Before)", a #12 single in 1976, and "Calypso Crazy", a #35 single in 1988. Clocking in at roughly 75 minutes, 'Ultimate Collection' actually has room for one of these missing chart entries. Still, why should I complain with a massive 18 tracks on a single disc? Hint to Legacy/Sony BMG: How about a 2-disc 'The Essential Billy Ocean' for a complete singles overview?
The digital remastering is absolutely incredible! Hands down this disc features one of the best remastering jobs out of my 2,500+ CD music collection. Mastering credits go to James Cruz at Sony Music Studios, NYC. Cruz has brought out so much more fidelity than the original flat audio releases of the past. Gone is the dull and muddy presentation of those old '70s and '80s CDs. In their place is full, wide, bright, and crispy audio! The music jumps out at you for the very first time! "Ultimate" is the key word here when it comes to the sonic upgrade.
So why the review for this release now, 4 years after sitting in my collection? I've been hooked on this compilation lately due to my inclusion of "Loverboy" on a personal '80s collection. I was listening to the song in my car and was amazed at how brilliant it sounds even today, both sonically and musically. That guitar riff in the chorus is incredible! It really is amazing how much the remastering brings out of the recording, namely each time the electric guitar jars in and out in the chorus, creating a massive vibration! Amazing! The music took me back in time to when my local radio station used to keep "Loverboy" and other Ocean classics in regular rotation, even in the early '90s. It reminded how I don't really hear many Ocean songs on local radio anymore.
When I bought this disc in 2004 I completely ignored the back end of the disc. I decided to give it a listen lately and was surprised at how good the last 4 tracks are, starting with "Love Really Hurts Without You", which I somehow overlooked originally, much like the U.S. did when it only charted #22 while landing at #2 in the U.K. way back in 1976. Now that single is one of my favorites! What a catchy piece of music! The addition of "L.O.D. (Love On Delivery)", U.K. #19 in 1976, and "Red Light Spells Danger", U.K. #2 in 1977, are a couple highlights which did not make the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. "Red Light" is now a favorite as well, and now I understand why it charted so high in the U.K. "Nights", a U.S. Top Ten R&B and Top Ten Dance hit in 1981, completes the disc.
Billy Ocean's 'Ultimate Collection' is the ultimate purchase! But, you may have to buy this used or new from a seller since it is apparently now out of print. Grab it while you can!
The best July 7, 2007
I have loved R & B for years, and this collection of old and new hits from Billy Ocean is a must to have. It's hard to find just one CD that has of you favorites. You may end up getting 2-3 CDs to get his whole collection. But this pone has them all. It is a good buy for the money!
Astonishingly good. January 20, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A world class collection of songs performed by a true master with authentic talent.If the domestic collection is great the Japan version is out of this world with mind blowing sound quality.I can only say purchase this cd and pretend you are on vacation in the Carribbean with someone special.
Brilliant British R+B singer September 24, 2005
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Born in Trinidad as Leslie Charles, he was raised in Britain from an early age, eventually coming to public attention as Billy Ocean via two UK number two hits and two other UK top twenty hits in the seventies.
Billy's first UK hit, Love really hurts without you, was a catchy, up-tempo soul song that made number two in the UK. The follow-up, LOD Love on delivery, just made the top twenty. Next came Stop me if you've heard it all before, which just missed the top ten but isn't included here. After that came his second number two hit, Red light spells danger.
Billy's career seemed to be blossoming but it was at this point that things went wrong. His record label, GTO, was taken over by a major and although he remained for a few years, he only had two minor UK hits (not included here) to show for his efforts. He eventually signed with another label, Jive, a move that revived his recording career.
On his new label, Billy had three American number one hits (Caribbean queen, There'll be sad songs to make you cry, Get outta my dreams), all of which did well in Britain (two made the top ten and another just missed), a British number one hit (When the going gets tough the tough get going) and another British top ten hit, Suddenly, together with a few minor hits.
I generally like his seventies music best (and there is another compilation focusing exclusively on that period) but most people remember him for his eighties music, which I also enjoy. This compilation includes three of Billy's seventies hits together with all his big hits of the eighties. As such, it comes very close to justifying its title Ultimate collection and that will do for most people.
Back to my childhood July 3, 2005
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm 28 years old.....and many of these songs first came out when I was too young to really care about what was on the radio. BUT now all these years later I can't imagine not having this in my cd collection. Whenever I hear Billy Ocean it reminds me of one of my aunts who ALWAYS had his tape on in her car. and I do mean ALWAYS!! :) Any of his songs take me back to when my feet could not quite touch the floor when in the car! This is really timely music that completely captures the era, but never runs the risk of sounding "dated". It is truly a shame that more of todays songwriters don't take some lessons from the oldschool and make some music that will have some meaning after 5 minutes!!!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED COMPILATION....
|
|
|
