"These are not the studio versions of these songs. They are live acoustic versions. The album isn't bad --if you want a sort of "unplugged" version of the songs. But we aware that these are not the album or studio cuts from the 70's."
Look what she's done to her songs!
Anonymous | 11/20/2002
(1 out of 5 stars)
"I always loved Melanie's hits when they were popular the first time around, so I was delighted to find this CD, not knowing that the songs were remakes. No description of this collection anywhere, not even the CD insert, mentions this fact. The versions are not as we remember them from "the good ol' days"! She has slowed them down and even given some a country/western feel. Her voice remains wonderful, but when I buy an album for the sake of nostalgia, I want to hear the original versions. That's not the case here!"
Thank goodness this is not a typical Melanie CD!
J. L. Hodges | Tulsa, OK United States | 08/25/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Although a long-time fan of Melanie's, I was often put off by her overblown, heavily orchestrated studio albums. They overwhelmed her voice, which is her true instrument. "Leftover Wine" is my favorite album since it is a live, acoustic performance, which allows her words and voice to do the job of expressing the anguish and joy of life.
"Golden Hits Collection" is more of the same. INCREDIBLY intimate because it is simply Melanie, a few guitars, a little percussion and a few carefully placed harmonies for counter point. These are NEW versions of her old hits, and include a cover of "Long, Long, Time" wrestled forever from ownership to Linda Ronstadt. I was prepared to be disappointed in the absence of the Edwin Hawkins singers in this version of "Lay Down", but I was WRONG! Her new recording is a prayer, a salutation, enhanced by the restraint of not having the huge choir of voices behind her.
If you like the crisp, clear strokes of guitar strings as they celebrate, but not overwhelm her powerful voice with its huge range of emotion, this is the CD for you. Even "Brand New Key" carries certain poignancy in this new rendering. And her lament over the betrayal of her song in "Look What They've Done to My Song, Ma" is beautifully heartbreaking.
I can't stop listening to this CD."
Excellent collection of re-recordings
Charles - Music Lover | Phoenix, AZ, USA | 03/12/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The songs contained in this CD are re-recordings of Melanie's standards. The one exception is the wonderful new recording of "Long Long Time," made famous by Linda Ronstadt early in her career. ("Long Long Time" was originally released on the "Unchained Melanie" album.)
Some people will be disappointed by the new recordings. I am not. I think they're fun, full of spirit, and well done. They're not like the original recordings, but time and age bring a perspective to these songs. The new renditions enhance the songs. I especially like the spoken segment in "Brand New Key." It's funny and shows Melanie has a sense of humor about herself.
The cover photo is interesting to me, also. It's one of only two album photos that I can think of where Melanie is wearing glasses (the other one was published in the "Antlers" CD insert). Melanie reminds me of Lorraine Bracco (from the Sopranos) in this photo.
P.S.: "Golden Hits Collection" is actually an abridged CD from a two-disc set released on Lazerlight Records in Germany called "Her Greatest Hits Live & New, From Woodstock to the World." On the first disc these ten songs are included in the same order together with re-recordings of "Ring the Living Bell" and "The Nickel Song." Disc two is a concert recording from Belgium, dated 1992 (one of Melanie's discographers disputes the date on his website though). The concert disc has never been released in any other form as far as I can tell and contains fourteen songs.
Many of the recordings on "Golden Hits Collection" are also included on other compilations, for example "Solo Powered.""