Track Listing

1. Letter From America
2. There's A Touch
3. Let's Get Married
4. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
5. Doodle Song
6. I'm On My Way
7. King Of The Road
8. Ghost Of Love
9. Throw The R Away
10. What Makes You Cry
11. Sunshine On Leith
12. When You're In Love
13. Cap In Hand
14. I Want To Be A Christian
15. Act Of Rememberance
16. Lady Luck
17. Make My Heart Fly
18. Light
19. Joyful Kilmarnock Blues
20. Oh Jean

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2349 in Music
• Released on: 2002-05-13
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered

Amazon.co.uk Review
Though The Proclaimers have been having hits since 1987, when "Letter from America" became an unlikely but welcome chart-topper, they have recorded only sporadically. So while the time feels right for a Best Of collection, this is mostly drawn from just four albums. In what is either an apology, or a genuine attempt to provide value for money, or both, three fine new songs are included, plus The Proclaimers' justly popular cover of Roger Miller's "King of The Road" (a collection of cover versions by The Proclaimers remains one of the best albums never made).

What is clear from this 20-track retrospective is that The Proclaimers have not developed at all since they first picked up guitars. Craig and Charlie Reid seem to believe they got it right the first time, and it's difficult to argue otherwise. Certainly, there has never been anyone else like them: The Proclaimers have stuck doggedly to their guns, refusing to forsake their treacle-thick Scottish accents (a decision they sang about on "Throw The R Away") or their worldview (how many self-proclaimed rock & roll outlaws would dare to sing a song called "I Want To Be A Christian" or "Let's Get Married"?). In their perverse and obstinate way, The Proclaimers are about as rock & roll as it gets.

These are simple and direct songs, but they're great simple and direct songs, performed with unashamedly earnest passion by two extraordinary singers--their harmonies merit comparison with those of the brothers Louvin or Righteous. The Reids' awkward appearance made them a staple of parodists, but the way they look should not distract anyone from the way they sound. Anyone who fails to weep at "Sunshine on Leith" is dead, or might as well be. --Andrew Mueller

CD Description
This is the first 'Best Of...' compilation of material by the Scottish folk-pop duo, Craig and Charlie Reid. It includes both of their top ten singles, 'Letter From America' and 'King Of The Road'. The material has been selected from theirfirst three albums, 'This Is The Story', 'Sunshine On Leith' and 'Hit The Highway'.

Amazon.com
When the Scottish duo Craig and Charlie Reid appeared on the scene in 1987 they were immediately compared to The Everly Brothers. This comparison makes some sense considering their energetic, melodic folk rock but they didn’t truly sound like the Everlys. Instead, they were was a pop band, aggressively using their thick accents on sweet, infectiously melodic songs infused with a sense of humour were about love, politics, drinking, and life in Scotland. This ‘Best Of’ gleans the best of their 4 albums and 1 EP and 2 tracks, produced by Edwin Collins, written and recorded especially for this release.

Customer Reviews

Not an obvious choice, but you'll never regret it. Promise.
You may remember 'Letter from America' as a novelty chart hit, but to judge the Proclaimers solely on the strength of that would be like judging Van Morrison on 'Brown Eyed Girl' - great, but only the tip of the iceberg. And this iceberg bears a lot further comparison. These brothers Reid may appear to be at the other end of the musical spectrum from their namesakes in the Jesus and Mary Chain - reverent where they're irreverent, light where they're dark, optimistic where they're cynical. But consider this: both have stuck to their musical and philosophical guns as doggedly and determinedly as the other. It may not sound like rebellion, but overtly Christian singer-songwriters who espouse socio-political issues with such fire and passion are hardly thick on the ground, are they? There has to be room in your ears for tunes of the strength of 'Cap in hand', 'Make my heart fly', 'Joyful Kilmarnock Blues', and the sweeping, moving, aching sweetness of 'Sunshine on Leith'. Okay, so it might be music you listen to more on your own than in company - but don't tell me you don't have a few discs like that which you really, really love. And you will really, really love this one, if you can bring yourself to audition it. Do yourself a favour.

Packed with nostalgia AND full of surprises
OK, so how can an album by The Proclaimers possibly be full of surprises? It's true, as Amazon's reviewer says, that the Reid brothers' musical style was apparently born fully formed and timeless but for those many people who only knew the hits, there's a lot to discover here. My French wife had never heard of The Proclaimers at all (La Pauvre) but when she came in on "I'm on My Way" she started dancing round the room in seconds.

I admit to buying this album as being the quickest means of finding CD copies of five or six vinyl 45"s. That's no bad reason for buying the album as it happens - anyone who once owned "Letter to America", "Sunshine on Leith", "I'm Gonna Be", etc. on vinyl is unlikely to want to forgo them on CD. However once you start listening to the less famous songs, you may well want to run out and buy the original albums as well: go for it - there are only four, choose quality over quantity every time.

This is a rich, well-balanced selection of highly unusual music - strong melodies, lyrics that run the gamut all the way from jolly to poignant, deeply personal to sing-along party time and it deserves the widest possible audience. BUT remember you may well find yourself buying the other four CDs the same day this Best of selection arrives, you have been warned! Oh, and a special mention: the sleeve notes are first class too!

Scotland at it's best!
I went to see the Proclaimers live 2 years ago in Falkirk (and i'm English!) and they sound exactly the same as theirs albums. As previous reviewers have said, there are some great songs on this "Best of....". We all know "500 miles" and "Letter From America", but there is still songs on here that put the hairs up on the back of your neck. So who cares if they sound quite similar...............don't fix what isn't broken. It's a pity that Scotland didn't export these much beter than they did! Excellant band and not ashamed to keep that "Scottish twang" in their songs.
I live back in England now and if they ever come my way I would have no hesitation to go see them again. So I will just have to "make do" with their album..............not that i'm complaining!!
Go buy it, it's brill!!

Gary.