Cher Album: “The Way of Love: The Cher Collection”

This 2-CD Cher "collection" obviously gives the impression that this is a true collection, which it is not. After years of buying Cher's collections on her various labels I was hoping I would be able to eventually buy one set so I could archive or delete her numerous "best" or "greatest hits" collections that I have acquired. I thought this Christmas that the ghosts of Christmas past and present could get together and get it right. Obviously this is an impossibility for U.S. labels that would rather issue collections primarily filled with their own material than by doing it right and cross-licensing (which is regularly done overseas). If you are a true fan you must keep her Legendary Masters Series CD, probably her MCA collection, and certainly her Geffen (import) "Greatest Hits" with "The Shoop Shoop Song," "If I Could Turn Back Time," and "Dead Ringer for Love" (with Meatloaf). So instead of archiving or deleting, I am just adding another collection to the four or five I already own. As a Cher fan this new CD is a must have for the remastering alone. Unfortunately I am thinking of what could have been...maybe the ghost of Christmas future can eventually get it right.

Well, the packaging , liner notes and photos are a real lure for fans here.This set was lovingly done.Lisa Sutton gives us some good notes. If you have been a collector for some time, you probably already own most of the MCA tracks on the euro only two for one collection of all Cher's snuffy Garrett lp's that were so nicely produced in her television heyday.Snuff did a clean job on the tracks he produced for Cher.They are some of her most tasteful. Added are the best of Sonny and Cher from these years, though only 5 with the Bono, they are a nice addition to her solo work here.. A lovely remastering job is evident here, as well as tracks from her early Imperial lps. Those tracks include only her greatest top ten hits,and just five at that. God knows why "Classified 1 A "(Sonny Bono written, produced) appears everywhere lately,including on "Not Commercial". This cut is hardly a Cher triumph!It is over the top, and a difficult song to sing period.This production must have inspired MCA to hire Snuff Garett,hoping to put Sonny's ideas for Cher in the background. . And the never on cd "Don't Put it on me" is Cher in a quasi rock-burlesque format. I have to bristle when I listen to that arrangement.The rest of this 2 cd set is terrific, and the drawbacks of the mentioned odd cuts have an amusing perspective for the long term fan. All in all though this is very welcome for the US fans who have hoped to get a decent package of Cher's 70 output. The disco one hit "take me home" is the final cut here. Favorite cuts from this reviewer include, "What'll I do",Bang bang (my baby shot me down", and "Living in a House Divided". Buy it if you're a fan. It is the Cher collection of the 60-70s output in the states for now.Thanks MCA, now put those 70's lps out in their original form like you did in Europe!

I'm not sure why there is not a complete box set covering all of Cher's best material from her hits in the 60's with Sonny to her current Believe CD. There is quite alot of material and rarities! This collection gives us a 2 disc set featuring most of her hits of the 60's and 70's and some rarities released for the first time like Classified 1A and Don't Put It On Me. There is the live versions of I Got You Babe and The Beat Goes On recorded as I remember as a child in the 70's when Sonny & Cher's live LP was released. They also released them on the Greatest Hits LP, but these versions weren't released on disc. There are some songs like David's Song that I would have replaced with Needles And Pins or I Go T Sleep. But otherwise it's a consistant collection that will please alot of Cher fans and will be fun for those looking to check out her earlier material.

this is what i was going for when i wanted to get some of cher's more standard love songs that she would do on the sonny and cher hour. i was pleasantly surprised to find a wide range of hits. not only by sonny and she but on her own. starting with her early solo hits and going into her 70s heyday. and even having remastered versions of the comeback hits of sonny and cher ALL I EVER NEED IS YOU and A COWBOY'S WORK IS NEVER DONE. which are priceless. there are a few rare tracks a two sided anti vietnam single and sonny doing the honors on an original cher hit YOU BETTER SIT DOWN KIDS. i like cher's spin on mc cartney's MY LOVE a song i thought i could never stomach again. and it was nice to hear the old budweiser commercial redone WHEN YOU SAY LOVE. nicely remastered and nice booklet.

This collection might be easier to appreciate if so many of its tracks weren't available elsewhere. Even so, taken on its own, it's the most comprehensive collection of Cher's 1971-1974 output you're likely to find. Only the inclusion of her 1979 hit, "Take Me Home" seems out of place here, since you're skipping five years from '74 to '79. Now if Warner Bros. would just re-issue the '75-'78 material.