Artist: Bananarama | Album: The Greatest Hits Collection (Collector Edition) | Released: 2017 | Genre: Disco | Country: UK

Theoretically, this should be a note-perfect example of commercial ’80s pop music at its best. But it isn’t. Half of this album is actually pretty great, though — particularly the early Bananarama hits. The Fun Boy Three-produced “He Was Really Sayin’ Something” throws that band’s quirky avant-funk underneath the threesome’s harmonizing; the cover of “Aie A Mwana” shows off some slightly unexpected Afrobeat chops over a brisk arrangement; while “Shy Boy” takes a more mainstream approach, but without losing its understated sass. The American hits “Robert De Niro’s Waiting” and “Cruel Summer” show how the trio could balance chart aspirations with atypical singing or subject matter. When it comes to the multi-national smashes produced by Stock, Aitken & Waterman, though, it’s not quite a case of the emperor having no clothes as much as a case of SAW being a one-trick pony. The reworking of Shocking Blue’s “Venus” was a well-deserved success, taking the off-kilter pop/rock of the original and giving it a sparkling dance undercarriage. “I Heard a Rumour” isn’t bad either, with a catchy chorus and a similar synth sheen. Unfortunately, the rest of the SAW-overseen selections do both the band and producers a major disservice, all being pallid and boring revamps of those two songs. If they ever felt defensive about the critical slams they received, the fact remains that at this point in the band’s career there wasn’t much to shout about. A new version of the Beatles’ “Help!” at least provided them with a song that was more distinct than most of the late-’80s hash they received, but it wasn’t as compelling a reworking as the others.

Tracklisting:

Disc 1

01. Venus (3:49)
02. I Heard a Rumour (3:24)
03. Love in the First Degree (3:31)
04. I Can’t Help It (3:31)
05. I Want You Back (Single Version) (3:47)
06. Love, Truth & Honesty (3:26)
07. Nathan Jones (Single Version) (3:21)
08. Really Sayin’ Something (with Fun Boy Three) (2:42)
09. Shy Boy (3:14)
10. Robert De Niro’s Waiting… (7″ Version) (3:29)
11. Cruel Summer (3:35)
12. It Ain’t What You Do It’s the Way That You Do It (with Bananarama) (2:52)
13. Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) (3:29)
14. Rough Justice (7″ Version) (3:39)
15. A Trick Of The Night (7″ Version) (4:09)
16. Aie A Mwana (7″ Version) (3:38)
17. More Than Physical (DJ Edit) (3:44)
18. Do Not Disturb (3:26)
19. Hot Line To Heaven (7″ Mix) (3:54)
20. The Wild Life (7″ Version) (3:18)
21. Cheers Then (3:31)

Duration: 01:13:29

Disc 2

01. Really Saying Something (with Fun Boy Three) [US Extended Version] (7:57)
02. Shy Boy (US Extended Version) (7:21)
03. Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye) [Extended Version] (4:52)
04. Robert De Niro’s Waiting (Extended Version) (5:42)
05. Venus (12” Hellfire Mix) (9:19)
06. More Than Physical (Garage Mix) (8:47)
07. I Heard A Rumour (Miami Remix) (7:13)
08. Love In The First Degree (Eurobeat Style) (7:19)
09. I Can’t Help It (The ”Hammond” Version Excursion) (6:34)
10. Nathan Jones (Psycho Mix) (6:24)
11. Cruel Summer (’89 Swing Beat Dub) (5:18)

Duration: 01:16:44

Single download
Bananarama – Venus 3:49
Bananarama – I Heard a Rumour 3:24
Bananarama – Love in the First Degree 3:31
Bananarama – I Can’t Help It 3:31
Bananarama – I Want You Back Single Version
Bananarama – Love, Truth & Honesty 3:26
Bananarama – Nathan Jones Single Version
Bananarama – Really Sayin’ Something with Fun Boy Three
Bananarama – Shy Boy 3:14
Bananarama – Robert De Niro’s Waiting… 7″ Version
Bananarama – Cruel Summer 3:35
Bananarama – It Ain’t What You Do It’s the Way That You Do It with Bananarama
Bananarama – Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
Bananarama – Rough Justice 7″ Version
Bananarama – A Trick Of The Night 7″ Version
Bananarama – Aie A Mwana 7″ Version
Bananarama – More Than Physical DJ Edit
Bananarama – Do Not Disturb 3:26
Bananarama – Hot Line To Heaven 7″ Mix
Bananarama – The Wild Life 7″ Version
Bananarama – Cheers Then 3:31
Bananarama – Really Saying Something with Fun Boy Three
Bananarama – Shy Boy US Extended Version
Bananarama – Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
Bananarama – Robert De Niro’s Waiting Extended Version
Bananarama – Venus 12” Hellfire Mix
Bananarama – More Than Physical Garage Mix
Bananarama – I Heard A Rumour Miami Remix
Bananarama – Love In The First Degree Eurobeat Style
Bananarama – I Can’t Help It The ”Hammond” Version Excursion
Bananarama – Nathan Jones Psycho Mix
Bananarama – Cruel Summer ’89 Swing Beat Dub

Category:Disco
Main catalog

Recommended:

Radiorama – The Legend (1988) WV (image + .cue)

Gloria Gaynor – The Very Best Of Gloria Gaynor (1993) APE (image + .cue)

Commodores – The Best Of (1995) FLAC (image + .cue)