Track Listing

1. No Lookin' Back
2. I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)
3. I Gotta Try
4. Our Love [Single Version]
5. Yah Mo B There [Single Version] - James Ingram, Michael McDonald, Michael McDonald
6. On My Own - Patti LaBelle, Michael McDonald, Michael McDonald
7. By Heart
8. Bad Times
9. Matters of the Heart
10. Sweet Freedom [Single Version]
11. Get the World Started
12. Any Foolish Thing
13. Take It to Heart
14. Higher Ground [#]
15. Lost in the Parade
16. Blink of an Eye

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24138 in Music
• Released on: 2001-04-17
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Best of
• Dimensions: .24 pounds

Customer Reviews

The Very Best After The Doobie Brothers But Before "Motown"
Michael McDonald's distinctive voice and strong songwriting abilities helped turn the Doobie Brothers into a hit-making machine. Michael's outstanding vocals helped sustain his success after he left the Doobie Brothers. "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)," taken from his first solo album, made it all the way to #4 in 1982. However, Michael's songwriting seemed to suffer from a certain sameness, as evidenced by his songs "Matters Of The Heart," "By Heart" and "Take It To Heart" on this collection. Michael's solo career is also noteworthy for his duets, particularly with James Ingram on "Yah Mo B There" (#19 in 1984), and with Patti LaBelle on the smash hit "On My Own" (#1 in 1986). The superb song "Sweet Freedom," which peaked at #7 in 1986, outshines most of the other songs on this collection. Michael's version of the Stevie Wonder classic "Higher Ground," which was previously unreleased, is another highlight on this compilation. Michael McDonald would go on to even greater success covering other Stevie Wonder songs on his recent "Motown" album. Too bad this collection was released before that album came out.

Michael Mcdonald Is Simply The Best!!
A little twist of words,but this is a cd to be listen to over and over again!!Few people would be able to sing these songs with as much feeling! I enjoy just about anything that this artist sings.He sings from the soul,all you Michael Bolton fans open up your ears,Michael Mcdonald surpasses them all!!

An Effective Pop Collection
Like Steve Winwood and Christine McVie, Michael McDonald is one of those soulful singers whose deep, impassioned voice is remarkable for its texture and expressiveness rather than technical virtuosity. The fact that he can write excellent songs and possesses a startlingly-percussive piano technique is even more remarkable. He alone is responsible for the continued success of the Doobie Brothers since 1976.

That said, McDonald's signature voice and lyric fixation on romance occasionally engenders tedium. His indivudal albums over the years have proven well-above-average though uneven, and they have sometimes sorely lacked the presence of another vocalist to give some much-needed variety to the material.

Therefore, McDonald is the kind of artist whose work shines best in the context of a greatest-hits collection. This group of songs is unwaveringly excellent. While most of the tracks are culled from his first two solo efforts, there is plenty of variety here in individual soundtrack projects and one-off vocal collaborations. Moreover, his later work is well-represented with no less than four songs. Outside of the Dobbie Brother's "Minute by Minute" album, this cd is the ideal place to start for those who want to get acquainted with Michael McDonald.