Bananarama Album: “Greatest Hits”

Unlike many "greatest hits" collections which are padded with non-hit album tracks, this collection of the Banana's chart hits is as meaty as bubblegum can be. Though the selection skimps on early hits ("Cheers Then," "Doctor Love," "Hotline To Heaven," "Rough Justice" and "Do Not Disturb" are all missing), it's also true that their biggest hits were with SAW/PWL.

The "SAW Years" are adequately represented here, though I personally miss the Chic-inspired "More Than Physical." As a collection of biggest chart hits, there were bound to be plenty of "near misses," especially in the Banana's catalog. Unfortunately, since this collection pre-dates all of "Pop Life" and "Please Yourself," these two very worthy albums (and at least five terrific singles) are not included. Since most Bananafans already own the original album releases, "Greatest Hits" is hardly an "essential" addition to your collection. If you consider yourself obsessive about the 'Rama girls, spend the extra $ for the Import version of this collection; it includes three dynamic dancefloor remixes (for "Venus", "Love In The First Degree" and the Youth/Shep Pettibone produced "Preacher Man"), "It Ain't What You Do" (with Fun Boy 3), and "Rough Justice." It also includes a great bit of musical comedy in "Help," where Brit TV stars Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French (of Ab-Fab fame) pose as "Lananeenoonoo" in a recorded benefit for Comic Relief UK.

Like a lot of Bananafans, my idea of a real "best of" would include a lot more material than appears here. I especially miss "Ain't No Cure" and "Movin' On." But as chart hits go, this IS their greatest hits, and any casual fan should be more than pleased with this career summation. I personally think that London should consider a three disc "Bananthology," and if they fail to get the rights to "Ultra Violet" I'll still be quite content.

-Mic

I used to love this group when I was a little girl and I used to listen to their songs on the radio and now I have finally found there songs I really do enjoy these songs because they take me down memory lane and I reminsce about all of the good times I had when I was a kid and basically I just like their music. I would recommend anyone who likes 1980's new wave music to buy this album this is a great compilation. My favorite songs on this album are: He was really saying something, Cruel Summer, I heard a rumor, and venus this is really a nice album and I would really reccommend anyone to buy this album!!!!!

I LOVED this song! As a little girl, I would listen to pop music stations for HOURS just to hear Bananarama's version of "Venus". And since I loved "Venus" so much-I started listening to their other songs and became a Bananarama fan. Their sound was very different-it couldn't be easily placed in any one musical category-which is why I love this Greatest Hits CD! It is still fun, carefree music that can make you move!

Me and my best friend from elementary school back in the 80's, could listen to this music for hours!

If they had only been 10 years later they could have been the Spice Girls and think of all the money they could have made. Really. This is great girl-pop. C'mon you can't imagine the Spice Girls or Destiny's Child or any present day competitors doing anything as sly as "Robert DeNiro's Waiting"! And besides, its got "I Heard A Rumour." If they had only been Americans (or at least had American producers) they would have had the greater rhythmic sophistication that it would of gotten them the whole five stars. (Gotta give Destiny's Child that much.) Could have been a contender.