Product Description

Michael Bolton possesses numerous attributes inherent to a great recording artist--a grandiose voice able to be at onceoverwhelming and gentle, the vision to convey powerful emotional details with simple vocal inflections, the ability to set his songs in precise musical colours. But what is probably his most overlooked quality is also his greatest strength: The man is a tunesmith non-pareil. Not only is he a powerful songwriter in his own right (having written for everyone from Barbra Streisand to Kiss), but his knowledge and choiceof cover songs borders on the omniscient. And they all become hits--the proof is on GREATEST HITS 1985-1995.
It was Bolton's renditions of soul classics that first gained him an audience. Zelma Redding, widow of the legendary Otis Redding, called Bolton's chart-topping take on "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay" her "all-time favourite version", and his interpretation of "Georgia On My Mind" personifies the timeless elegance of modern pop. Yet his own compositions shine just as brightly: "Soul Provider" glides with a smoky, saloon feel, "How Can We Be Lovers" deftly communicates the complexities of relationships, and "Steel Bars" (co-written with Bob Dylan) moves with classic Bryan Adams-ish abandon.
GREATEST HITS also shows off Bolton's knack for nurturing hits out of current songwriters, and finding nuggets ripe for renewing. Among the latter is the remake of Roy Orbison and JeffLynne's "A Love So Beautiful", a sweeping ballad on which Bolton pays homage to Orbison's unique tenor. Among the former are "When I'm Back On My Feet Again", "Time, Love And Tenderness" and "The River"--all by Diane Warren, all modern-dayepics of the heart that place the fleeting, indescribable moments of love (and love lost) into exquisitely poetic pop statements.

Track Listing

1. Soul Provider
2. Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay
3. How Am I Supposed To Live Without You
4. How Can We Be Lovers
5. When I'm Back On My Feet Again
6. Georgia On My Mind
7. Time Love And Tenderness
8. When A Man Loves A Woman
9. Missing You Now
10. Steel Bars
11. Said I Loved You But I Lied
12. Lean On Me
13. Can I Touch You There
14. I Promise You I Found Someone
15. Love So Beautiful
16. This River

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5238 in Music
• Released on: 2001-06-13
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Known for a terrifying rendition of Otis Redding's hit "(Sittin' On The) Dock of the Bay" (among others), Michael Bolton tears up every classic soul tune he can get his hands on. Ray Charles' "Georgia on My Mind" and Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman" take on completely new meanings in the hands of this former hard rock singer. This two-CD, 17-cut retrospective of the Greatest Hits 1985-1995 includes all the songs that catapulted him to mega-stardom and plenty of others that show him as just another sincere fool for love ("I Promise You" and "I Found Someone"). Just as Meatloaf turned up the juice on the histrionics of Bruce Springsteen, Bolton takes the soul singer out of the smoky night club and into the hockey arena for the whole world to hear. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews

Error with amazon tracklist
I own the original MB-Greatest Hits 85-95, and noticed Amazon's tracklist was wrong, there are 17 songs on this CD,

14 = I Promise You
15 = I Found Someone

but as for a review, then this is the best CD to start your Michael Bolton Collection with, but what you will find with this artist is the catch 22 with verious artist music, after a few CD's, then you got nearly all the songs, and only buying albums for 1 or 2 new songs, which while it is only a couple of pound then it is worth getting, but not at full rrp.