Rod Stewart

Great package for a great price! All the classics are there. And the DVD with the videoclips is great as well. Rod Stewart is one of the greatest rockers of all time and this collection tells you why.
A must have for all classic rock fans out there!

Great Cds and Dvd all his hits and some videos. Im happy they included stay with me with faces and the video of young turks my favorite

Gotta say it, 'cause no one has said it so far, the previously unreleased track "Two Shades of Blue", makes this set worth buying if for just that one track. Gently swaying but percussive and with one of the most inventive and memorable orchestral backings ever, this song is just gorgeous. Rod wrote the lyrics, which cut write to the heart. Who says sad songs can't hurt so good? Just beautiful. Unbelievable that this was a leftover track from the 1998 sessions for the album "When We Were the New Boys".

I got the DVD + 2 CD version. I love all the songs and the remastering is gorgeous which makes the old songs come to life. The DVD has videos on it that were left off the "Storyteller" video set. And the videos on this set are more rare. Some I'd never seen before. Some of the videos are not very creative but it's still good to see them. One of my favorites is "If We Fall In Love Tonight" with Rod the studio photographer lovingly taking photos of many friends, families with babies and lovers. What really makes it for me as this is one my most favorite Rod songs. There are many faves, but "If We Fall In Love Tonight" has many unique textures - from the piano fills which sound like gentle rain, to the rhythmic scratching to the uniquely placed background vocals placed just ahead of the lead singer and which contrast nicely with Rod's vocal. The track is one of Jam and Lewis' finest productions ever.

After a hard week I come home some Friday nights, turn out the lights and blast the tunes "If We Fall In Love Tonight" and "This" (from Rod's "A Spanner In The Works"). All the while I sing my heart out. Sure beats the bar. "Two Shades of Blue" is bound to be added to my set list.

This is a solid Rod Stewart collection but not "definitive." After all, it's missing some of Rod's best songs (not to mention biggest hits) including "Broken Arrow" "All for Love," "Having a Party," "(I know) I'm losing you," and many others. Part of the problem is that Rod has had a lot of hits, but still if you're going to say "definitive" you should have ALL the big hits, not just most of them.

While Rod Stewart was never really one of my favorite artists I certainly cannot deny that he has been among the most popular and prolific recording artists of the past 40 years. Ever since the release of his debut LP "Every Picture Tells A Story" and the double sided smash single "Maggie Mae/Reason To Believe" back in 1970, the music of Rod Stewart has been fixture on lierally thousands of American radio stations. Even today, whether you gravitate to classic rock, enjoy oldies but goodies or prefer adult contemporary you are likely to hear a Rod Stewart tune on your radio in the not too distant future. Over the years the folks at Mercury and Warner Brothers have issued any number of "Greatest Hits' packages. But never has there been one as comprehensive as "The Definitive Rod Stewart". This extraordinary 2 disc set features 31 of Rod Stewart's biggest and best hit singles from his days at Mercury records in the early 1970's right on through the mid 1990's at Warner Brothers. If you have been in the market for a Rod Stewart collection then believe me this is definitely the one you want!
"The Definitive Collection" kicks off with a handful of Rod's earliest Mercury hits. I have always been of the opinion that this stuff has stood the test of time and remains among his best work. Despite the fact that "Maggie Mae" was played to death throughout the 1970's and beyond this one continues to be one of Stewart's most popular recordings. It may surprise some of you to discover that it was the actually the flip side "Reason To Believe" that was originally released as the single. To this day "Reason To Believe" remains one of my very favorite Rod Stewart recordings. Towards the end of Disc 2 you also get to sample the marvelous "unplugged" version of this tune that Rod recorded with Ronnie Wood in the early 1990's. It was a hit all over again! In 1975, Rod Stewart signed a new long term recording deal with Warner Brothers records. Over the next two decades Rod Stewart would record dozens of hit records for his new label. You will find more than 20 of these popular singles on "The Definitive Collection". Among my personal favorites in this group are 1984's "Some Guy's Have All The Luck", "Forever Young", "I Was Only Joking" and one of Rod's earliest WB singles "The Killing of Georgie (Part 1 & 2)". I was also quite pleased to see that the hard-to-find Faces recording of "Stay With Me" featuring Rod on lead was also included here. And I would be remiss if I failed to make mention of Rod's terrific collaboration with The Temptations on "The Motown Song".
Included in this special edition of "The Definitive Collection" is a DVD featuring 14 of Rod's music videos. This added bonus does nothing for me as I am not into music videos at all. I opted for the audio only edition but many of you may appreciate this added perk. Since there are more than a dozen of Rod's charted singles missing from this compilation each one of us may quibble with why Rhino chose to omit 1 or 2 of our personal favorites. For example, I was disappointed that Rod's fine cover of the Sam Cooke classic "Twistin' The Night Away" from 1975 was not included here. But for most folks I think that "The Definitive Collection" has to be the finest Rod Stewart collection released to date. A really great value! Recommended.

As a Rod Stewart aficionado dating back to 1971, I was highly suspicious of this product, even dismissing it at one early stage as "drivel" ! However, I chanced upon a listen one evening at a dinner party and I have to say it is a recording of the highest quality. The music is immaculately played by session musicians of considerable experience and Stewart's vocal delivery is clear and appealing. Unlike many contemporary artists who have delivered a "swing album", Stewart goes back in many cases here, to the 1930s for his songs and produces something special.

"Every Time We Say Goodbye", "It Had To Be You", "We'll Be Together Again" and "The Way You Look Tonight" are timeless classics given a really good run-out by Stewart, although whisper it quietly but "You Go To My Head" and "These Foolish Things", although done wel here, were both the beneficiaries of superior covers by Bryan Ferry in the 1970s !

This album is a triumph, something different and very relaxing after a long, hard day. Love it.

I also liked this one to. Play it at work every day. We sing along with rod.

On It Had To Be You: The Great American Songbook Vol. 1 by Rod "the Bod" Stewart, Rod lovingly resuscitates WWII-era standards by Gershwin, Kern, Porter, and others in a laid-back ballroom style. Opening with They Can't Take That Away From Me, the strummed guitar, reminiscent of manouche Jazz a la Django, provides a swaggering backing for Rod's playful delivery (this song has become known as "the Knife Song" in my house due to an family tradition of a glass of wine and someone waving a knife in the air during the lyric "the way you hold your knife"). The Way You Look Tonight opens with a sparse, nostalgic pianissimo piano solo and sliding into soft snare brushes as Rod croons the lyrics softly.

Rod's delivery alternates between a wistful, lovestruck tone on softer, slower songs such as The Nearness of You, For All We Know, and The Nearness of You, or a playful, dashing sort of tossed-off delivery as the lyrics require (You Go To My Head, Moonglow, These Foolish Things). There are jazzier touches such as the blues-inspired intro on Moonglow, or the manouche guitar on For All We Know.

Rod's band really shines on providing a retro-sounding backing suitable for candlelit dinners or soft, slow dancing, featuring numerous studio musicians on piano and synth, bass, guitar, and drums and guests Dave Koz on tenor sax and Arturo Sandoval and Chris Botti on trumpet. If I had to sum up the mood, it would be "low key." This is wonderfully relaxed and free of too-modern arrangements. Rod's voice may have a scratchier edge than true '40s-era crooners such as Sinatra, but he really inhabits the songs with a playfulness and respect that make him utterly believable in the role of crooner. Even if you're not a fan of Rod's earlier recordings, just give It Had To Be You a try; you may just fall madly in love with these songs, as I did.

Many critics have commented that these songs don't suit Rod's whiskey voice, but I disagree. For one thing, I, too, grew up hearing Rod's rock persona from his 1970s recordings, so I'm no stranger to his more famous hits such as Maggie May. In fact, this album, which I heard for the first time in 2003, was a watershed moment on my musical tastes and started me on a journey collecting authentic 1940s recordings by Glenn Miller, Tommey Dorsey, Harry James, all of Frank Sinatra's Brunswick and Columbia material, and '40s vocal collections by Jo Stafford, Peggy Lee, and Doris Day. If it hadn't have been for Rod's impassioned delivery, I wouldn't have become interested in the Great American Songbook.

If I had to venture a guess, it would be that Rod has done for revival of the Great American Songbook and WWII standards what Sarah Brightman has done for the popularity of classical crossover, creating the first successful albums that would inspire new genres and artists to flourish. This isn't to say that he's the first to do so; Linda Ronstadt's What's New and 'Round Midnight and Natalie Cole's Unforgettable: With Love and Stardust were on the market in the early 1990s.

My only disappointment with It Had To Be You was the fact that the subsequent albums never matched the brilliance of the original; As Time Goes By...The Great American Songbook: Volume II, Stardust... The Great American Songbook, Vol. III, and Thanks For The Memory...The Great American Songbook IV featured some lackluster duets with other music celebs and some of the best songs were already covered on this album. After the success of It Had To Be You, practically everybody cashed in on the Songbook hype, including Michael Bolton (Vintage), Cyndi Lauper (At Last), and Carly Simon (Moonlight Serenade).

This album will appeal to several generations: the Greatest Generation that lived through WWII and remember these songs firsthand, the Baby Boomers that may have grown up hearing these, and finally, my generation (Gen X), who will probably be hearing many of these classics for the first time. Hats off to Rod for preserving and renewing interest in an important American musical legacy that threatened to be lost to fading memories and the ravages of time.

Gravelly voiced, intimate, and suggestive - that is what you get with Rod Stewart on this album of classics. He is good at what he does, unique in his own way. He sings to you and entices you. Great album as background for a quiet dinner for two in front of a fire, with a glass of red wine.

Rod Stewart just seems to get better and better!! Great to listen too and very relaxing!! Its been awhile since Maggie Mae but the voice still has it great cd!!!!!!!!!

Gotta say it, 'cause no one has said it so far, the previously unreleased track "Two Shades of Blue", makes this set worth buying if for just that one track. Gently swaying but percussive and with one of the most inventive and memorable orchestral backings ever, this song is just gorgeous. Rod wrote the lyrics, which cut write to the heart. Who says sad songs can't hurt so good? Just beautiful. Unbelievable that this was a leftover track from the 1998 sessions for the album "When We Were the New Boys".

I got the DVD + 2 CD version. I love all the songs and the remastering is gorgeous which makes the old songs come to life. The DVD has videos on it that were left off the "Storyteller" video set. And the videos on this set are more rare. Some I'd never seen before. Some of the videos are not very creative but it's still good to see them. One of my favorites is "If We Fall In Love Tonight" with Rod the studio photographer lovingly taking photos of many friends, families with babies and lovers. What really makes it for me as this is one my most favorite Rod songs. There are many faves, but "If We Fall In Love Tonight" has many unique textures - from the piano fills which sound like gentle rain, to the rhythmic scratching to the uniquely placed background vocals placed just ahead of the lead singer and which contrast nicely with Rod's vocal. The track is one of Jam and Lewis' finest productions ever.

After a hard week I come home some Friday nights, turn out the lights and blast the tunes "If We Fall In Love Tonight" and "This" (from Rod's "A Spanner In The Works"). All the while I sing my heart out. Sure beats the bar. "Two Shades of Blue" is bound to be added to my set list.

My favorite songs all on one CD!! What can I say except if you like Rod Stewart(and who doesn't) this is the CD to own and listen to. Can't go wrong, also a great gift!!!!

This Is A Great Rod Stewart Cd. The Remastering Is Great And The Songs Are Great. My Only Problem With This Is The Packaging. The Booklet Is Hard To Get Out And The Cd's Are Also Hard To Get Out. It Feels Like You Might Creak The Cd. But Overall A Great Collection.

This is an amazing album, esp. for those of you familiar only with his last three albums ... this is quit a histoory of his efforts & the two CDs neatly cover much of his music that we grew up with. Excellent collection.

Rod Stewart's new 2-CD compilation entitled The Definitive Rod Stewart lives up to its title and then some as it cobbles many of his Mercury Records and Warner Bros Records classics.
Singer/songwriter Rod Stewart (or as Rod the Mod as many call him) has been one of the most popular and prolific recording artists in a career that's spanned now for almost 45 years. Ever since his voice debuted on former Yardbird Jeff Beck's album Truth in 1968, he's tackled every genre in rock and pop (hard rock, folk, disco, ballads, pop standards). Nothing from his first two solo albums The Rod Stewart Album and Gasoline Alley are featured here, they were stepping stones towards his third solo album from 1971 Every Picture Tells A Story which launched him as a great singer/songwriter in his own right.
Every Picture Tells a Story's well represented here with "Maggie May", "Mandolin Wind" and the title cut ("Reason to Believe" is on disc two in its 1993 Unplugged version with Ron Wood). Some lament that his cover of "I Know I'm Losing You" is not here gives one a reason to own Every Picture Tells a Story. Then we have "Stay With Me" which was a track he did with the band he was in at the time called The Faces (which featured future Rolling Stones guitarist and Rod's close friend Ron Wood, former Small Faces and future Who drummer Kenney Jones) still a rock radio staple today. Next is "You Wear it Well" from 1972's Never a Dull Moment. After The Faces imploded and his solo effort Smiler didn't do as well as previous solo efforts, Rod signed to Warner Bros. Records (his label with The Faces) in 1975 and released Atlantic Crossing which is represented here by the hit "Sailing". Two other tracks "This Old Heart of Mine" and "I Don't Want to Talk About It" are featured in their 1989 re-recorded versions from the Storyteller box set (the former with Ronald Isley). 1976's A Night on the Town (which reached #2) is represented by the #1 hit ballad "Tonight's the Night", his superb cover of Cat Stevens' "The First Cut Is the Deepest" (later desecrated by Sheryl Crow IMHO) and Rod's ode to a good friend who was killed in a hate crime called "The Killing of Georgie" (proved Rod was a great songwriter). 1977's Footloose and Fancy Free (his best Warner Bros Records album) is represented by the smash hits "You're In My Heart" (a great ballad) and "Hot Legs" (one of his best rockers) plus the epic closer "I Was Only Joking". 1978's chart-topper Blondes Have More Fun is represented by the #1 rock-disco hit "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy". 1980's Foolish Behaviour is represented by "Fashion" (a great rocker). Disc one closes with the monster hit "Young Turks" from 1981's Top 20 Platinum selling Tonight I'm Yours (his best 1980s effort).
Disc two begins with the title cut to Tonight I'm Yours. 1983's flop Body Wishes is represented by "Baby Jane" (the big hit from the album). 1984's Gold selling Camouflague is represented by the big hits "Infatuation" and "Some Guys Have All the Luck". His cover of "All Right Now" was left off but c'est la vie. His 1986 self-titled flop (though a great album) is represented by the hit "Love Touch" which appeared in the Robert Redford/Debra Winger film Legal Eagles. 1988's comeback Out of Order is represented by the classic "Forever Young" and "My Heart Can't Tell You No". The other two smashes on this album ("Lost in You" and "Crazy About Her") aren't here but c'est la vie. 1989's box set Storyteller is represented by the definitive version of Tom Waits' "Downtown Train" and the aforementioned re-makes of tracks from his 1975 album Atlantic Crossing. 1991's Vagabond Heart is represented by the monster smashes "Rhythm Of My Heart" and "The Motown Song" (with The Temptations). Sadly, "Broken Arrow" is absent due to time constraints. Another Tom Waits cover "Tom Traubert's Blues" appears and is a great number. 1993's Unplugged...And Seated is represented by his version of Van Morrison's "Have I Told You Lately" and the aforementioned "Reason to Believe". Nothing from 1995's A Spanner in the Works is featured nor is 1998's When We Were the New Boys but you get an outtake from the latter which is a Rod original called "Two Shades of Blue".
If one wants to buy a Rod Stewart best of to start their intro to Rod Stewart, this is the best bet.
Recommended!

Stardust... The Great American Songbook, Vol. IIIThis is just the best, most romantic CD -- my all time favorite! Very romantic and relaxing.

Love Rod Stewart and love this series of CD's and have all of them which may be the reason I thought I might have already reviewed it, after all their are 4 CDs in the series.

Never in my wildest dreams did I picture myself buying a Rod Stewart CD, but when I first heard some of his music on the radio, I couldn't believe my ears! Such fabulous song choices, beautiful arrangements, sensitive treatments, tender lyrics. Rod Stewart? Unbelievable! The man has depth and a warm heart, and he FEELS the lyrics! I am so glad to have discovered someone who can sing "It's a Wonderful World" besides Satchmo -my favorite song, and Rod handles it so beautifully. Honestly, there's nothing better than listening to this CD while cruising through the countryside on a fabulous fall day! Rod Stewart - never in my wildest dreams!

The first time I saw this CD on the rack, I got the visual that Rod was wearing stockings, and now I can't see this cover in any other way. It
really cracks me up.

Unusaul venue for Rod Stewart, but he pulls it off very well. Good selection of old standards.

I love the classics and Rod Stewart so when the two are combined - perfect!! Great music to have in the background over dinner.

As Time Goes By...The Great American Songbook: Volume II This series of CD's is just wonderful--great listening, very romantic and relaxing. It's hard to choose a favorite.

This is a great CD to have on while entertaining. It helps create a relaxing and yet up-beat mood.

If you like Vol.1, try this Album no2.
Volumes 3 and 4 are algo great!

I was never a fan of Rod Stewart during his so-called "hit" years. I didn't care for his voice or his arrangements and never could figure out what people saw in his music of the time.

However, after listening to this album, I hear mature and interestingly jazzy treatments of some great classics. I love the vocals, the arrangements and the overall interpretations of these songs.

A friend played this album for me and dared me to guess who was singing them. I would never have guessed Rod Stewart to be the artist.

Keep up the good work Rod!!!

Love Rod Stewart and love this series of CD's and have all of them which may be the reason I thought I might have already reviewed it.

My bad!

I love the standards and am delighted when rockers of my generation also love them. I have the whole series of Stewart's standards albums and they are great. The perfect music for a stressful ride home from work.

Oh my Lord! I thought it was bad when Michael Bolton decided he could sing art songs. Rod Stewart as a rocker, whether you liked him or not, was a great example of the genre. He was fun, engaging, and effective. He is simply terrible at this.

His raspy voice is the only thing that sets him apart... but it doesn't add anything to his "interpretations"--mostly bland arrangements with no sense of style, no imagination, and no class. Sorry, Dude. This transformation only worked for Linda Ronstadt.

The fact that these are great pieces of music simply can't overcome the fact that he doesn't know how to do this style. Eww.

If I had heard this Volume IV first I never would have bought the others. Fortunately that was not the case and I have all the other CD's in this Songbook series he did.

It's O.K., but to my ear below the standard of the others.

Great listening. Not the smoothest voice, but a real stylist. And I want his HAIR

You never know, Alicia Keys is intentionally flat on her new album, so maybe it was intentional, but the opening guitar was painfully out of key, and always seems like it's not quite in sync with the rest of the sound. If it wasn't for that, I might be able to evaluate this track based on the vocals and the rest of the sound. But the guitar is SO bad, I just can't focus on the rest!

Rod Stewart was at his best between the years 1969 to 1975, when he was cultivating his solo career while still a member of The Faces, and before the tawdry posturing of his "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" disco years. When he was at his best, Stewart released The Rod Stewart Album in 1969, (featuring "Handbags and Gladrags"); Gasoline Alley in 1970 (featuring the Rod Stewart-Ronnie Wood song "Gasoline Alley"); Every Picture Tells a Story in 1971 (featuring the classic singles "Maggie May," "(I Know) I'm Losing You," and the Tim Hardin song "Reason To Believe"); and Never a Dull Moment in 1972 (featuring Sam Cooke's "Twisting the Night Away," "You Wear It Well," and "Lost Paraguayos"). All of these classic Rod songs define the true artistic genius of Rod Stewart before he sold his soul to disco, prompting Rolling Stone magazine to observe: "Rarely has a singer had as full and unique a talent as Rod Stewart; rarely has anyone betrayed his talent so completely."

With all five members of The Faces appearing on the album, Every Picture Tells a Story is the definitive Rod Stewart album. Stewart wrote several hit singles for the album: the coming-of-age classic that launched his solo career, "Maggie May;" "Every Picture Tells a Story" (co-written with Ronnie Wood); and the mandolin-driven "Mandolin Wind." The other songs on the album stand up well against Stewart's songs, including the hard-edged rocker, "(I Know) I'm Losing You," and a Dylan cover, "Tomorrow is a Long Time." Complete album tracks include:

1. Every Picture Tells A Story 5:59
2. Seems Like A Long Time 4:02
3. That's All Right 6:00
4. Tomorrow Is A Long Time 3:48
5. Maggie May 5:50
6. Mandolin Wind 5:36
7. (I Know) I'm Losing You 5:23
8. (Find A) Reason To Believe 4:10

G. Merritt

Considered Rod Stewart's masterpiece today, Every Picture Tells a Story truly shines from beginning to end. While it's completely UNTRUE this is the best album he ever made, we can't deny how good the quality of the material is.

Everyone knows the title song with its fast rocking pace and rough-around-the-edges vocals. "Maggie May" is an overplayed classic, but still, a classic. Everyone likes to memorize the lyrics because the song is considered one of the greatest songs of all-time. "Mandolin Wind" may be tagged as a forgotten beautiful favorite. The delicate and meaningful vocals in "Reason to Believe" is enough to make grown men cry. "(I Know) I'm Losing You" is similar to the title song with the vocals and heaviness and dirtiness in the guitar work, and "Seems Like a Long Time" reminds me of Carole King with the piano playing. "That's All Right" takes us back to the Faces with the bluesy delivery in the vocals and guitar work.

Overall, great album, but Never a Dull Moment is slightly better.

I purchased this product for a friend. She said it was well worth the money. The CD was great. Thanks

Anyone looking for Rod Stewart's original sounds should purchase this CD. Also, it's great to have for your collection.

Clearly, Rod Stewart is one of rock's best vocalists. Unfortunately, you'd never know it from listening to this CD of pure drivel and sap. This is one of those excruciating projects where everything went wrong. The bad choice of material (not necessarily bad songs at all, just bad songs for Rod to sing), lackadaisical production, and indifferent vocals from Rod all add up to one of the worst listening experiences you'll ever endure if you decide you have to have it. The only positive purpose this CD could serve is as an interrogation tool, but it would probably violate the Geneva Convention rules against torture.

This is one of his best remake CD's. I love that he made this one and the Great American Songbook ones as well. I am personally waiting anxiously for him to make Still The Same II. And I would embrace ANY remake CD's that he wants to create and I'd pay for them without even needing to listen to samples first!!!! Rod Stewart truely rocks and hes' "Still the Same". Thanks Rod for more great music.

Just as great as all Rod's other cover CDs. What a voice! I was, however, very unhappy with Jukebox On-Line delivery of item.

Loved all the title's on this...great for traveling when you hit the dead areas with the radio.

Rod Stewart is in a crisis. He needs an idea independent of his record label owner, Clive Davis, who is so old now, he doesn't leave fingerprints, and his ideas DO NOT FIT a talent like Rod. This album has "I'm all washed up, so I might as well cash in" written all over it. Four (count 'em, FOUR) volumes of the Great American Songbook (which was hard to take), then THIS??? This album flat out stinks. There is not a moment on this record that sounds like Rod has any grasp of these songs except "It'll make money". Stick to the originals. Rod, I may buy another of your records if you make one the old fashioned way. Write a bunch of good songs, sing them with conviction (the way you used to), and tell Clive to take a flying leap at the moon. You've made them enough money, now do it YOUR WAY!!!!!

I boiught the great american songbook collection for my mother for christmas. It is not my taste as I prefer the original Rod Stewart but my mother was so delighted with it I don't think I have ever bought her anything so successful.

Rod Stewart, in my opinion, merely plays a minor role in this collection; it is his phenomenal back-up musicians who are responsible for the flawless renditions herein. While Rod's voice certainly blends well with the updated arrangements of these classic tunes, the band's musical interpretation of each song within this box set is awesome. Kudos to the band!!!!

It was shipped in a timely fashion, the condition of the 4 CD set was in very good shape. I was pleased with it overall.

Finally,this marvelous work is cornered and boxed for your listening and dancing pleasure.Legions of fans have expressed their raving reviews and I'd humbly wish to add mine.The obvious secret of this projects success begins with the actual song selections. Where on earth,did Rod's team unearth these musical gems? For too long, many of these tunes were ignored for weeks on end without the proper vocal appreciation.This set demonstrates Rod's artistic ability to change the musical winds and elevate this material to the precipice,on which it richly deserves to rest.Second,an equally important,are the musical arrangements represented throughout this work.Simply put, Jackie Gleason would blush with envy. Rod and company have guided these charts in a direction other arrangers fear to tread.Last but not least,Rod's unnatural ability to deconstruct these musical treasures acts as the tipping point to their universal appeal. His energy and artistic perspiration are evident throughout this classic series.My only disappointment,rests with the fact that Rod may have concluded his recorded exploration of the Great American Standards.However,it's whispered, among fans, that a G.A.S.box set containing rarities,b/c,d sides, outtakes, alt.takes and demo's may still see the light of day.Hopefully,the legendary and much bootlegged,Makin Whoopee,alt.take#38 will be included. Sadly,as Rod turns his talent towards recording the entire classic RocknRoll canon,other side projects have been abandoned or delayed. The much anticipated,Rod Sings the Work of Stephen Foster, has,I understand, been shelved.However, there's still some hope the rumoured recording of, Rod Humms the Ray Noble Classics Live on the Beach at St Tropez,accompanied by only a gin and lemmon squash, will possibly see a future release date. Until then, remember,a day without Rod's music is a non-rodday.

I love Rod's take on these sweet,sentimental,classic songs.Grab a glass of Chablis...dim the lights...turn the phone off...and fall into each others arms....ahhhh...romance :-)

Someone, please someone......get this record label and ROD to add the song "STAY WITH ME ",.....on this great album. NOW !!! Re-release this with the SONG. Maybe remaster as well. MAN, OH-MAN....what a serious left off-of mess-up. THIS SONG IS WHAT ROD IS KNOWN FOR. Fix it now !!!!

WHY WOULD ANYBODY GIVE THIS CD ONE STAR? IF YOU ALREADY HAVE THE SONGS, THEN DON'T ORDER IT. I'LL JUDGE THE CONTENTS AND LET ME TELL YOU ROD CAN SING. I HAVE HIS BOX SET, BUT SOMETIMES IT NICE TO HAVE A CD OF HITS THAT I DON'T HAVE TO SKIP ANY SO-SO SONGS. IF YOU WANT A GOOD REPRESENTATIVE COLLECTION OF ROD STEWART'S HITS, THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST ONE ON THE MARKET. IF IT HAD "PEOPLE GET READY" I'D CALL IT PERFECT. A GREAT CD WORTH EVERY PENNY.

Rod Stewart goes back to "Every Picture Tells a Story" with "Maggie Mae"

and just 'sky-rockets' from there ! His music carries *meaning & tells a

story ! this is a TOP 10 !

Want some of those old goodies...then this is the CD for you...if you don't have a collection of Rod-this will suffice...

This compilation contains many Stewart "hits", but mostly weaker material, with his Mercury albums (especially the first 4) and his albums with the Faces being where you find the true classic Rod Stewart. If you just want a smattering of hits including the horrible "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy", et al, then buy this. But if you want really quality Stewart in a compilation get "The Mercury Anthology" or even better: "Reason To Believe: The Complete Mercury Years", these have all his truly best work, not necessarily his big hits, which went significantly down hill after 1973 or so. On this compilation, Rod's version of "Ooh La La", a song he originally scorned when released by the Faces with Ron Wood singing, is just awful and smacks of pandering, as the song had just made a comeback due to a t.v. ad featuring the Faces version.
As I said before, if you want a compilation, get Reason to Believe or Mercury Anthology or if you want more get "the Rod Stewart Album", "Gasoline Alley", "Every Picture Tells A Story" & "Never A Dull Moment", plus "Long Player", "A Nod IS As Good As A Wink", & "Ooh La La" by the Faces and if you still want more classic Stewart get "Truth" & "Beck-ola" by the Jeff Beck Group featuring young Rod on vocals and Ron Wood on bass and has some of his rawest, most bluesy vocals. The above listed albums constitute the TRUE "Very Best of Rod Stewart", if quality, not chart success is you goal.