Another record label rip-off

The bottom line for me with this CD is that I don't want to put it on to listen to it. There's far too much missing--"Isn't She Lovely" and "If You Really Love Me" for two--and quite a few songs that really don't belong on a "Collection" disc (I'd get rid of "Hey Love" and "You Haven't Done Nothin'" to start with). Stevie Wonder has always been a lot of fun to listen to, but this disc and its rather arbitrary arrangement and selection of tracks just doesn't cut it. What a shame to have 21 tracks to work with and come up with these selections. . . . who gets paid for coming up with crap like this, anyway, and what are their qualifications? I've always wondered. . . .

great stevie but missing a few of my favorites

This is a wonderful c.d. but the man had so many great hits there is just no way that you can fit them all on one c.d. so I was a little upset to find out some of my favorites were not included

Just When You Thought It Was Over...

If you thought that the 1999 release of the excellent four disc boxed set "At The Close Of A Century" would finally put an end to the diarrhea - like flow of Stevie Wonder greatest hits, best of's, etc., think again. Three years after "ATCOAC" was released comes the single disc, 21 track "The Definitve Collection".



What this cd has is basically some of Stevie's most recognizable number, arranged in chronological order. These songs are all among the finest pieces of music ever written, from "Fingertips" to "Living For The City" to "I Just Called To Say I Love You" (yes, I know the last has been maligned amount a million times, but I feel it's a great song). The fact is that there is not enough of the good stuff. The producers tried to appeal to some hardcore fans by including the relatively unknown "Hey Love", which is inexplicable. They should have left this one off to included maybe two or three minutes more of "Do I Do" (which is inexplicably edited from ten minutes and twenty seven seconds to five minutes and four seconds).



This cd is aimed at casual fans, but it doesn't even do them justice. I you're a beginning fan of Stevie, then "At The Close Of The Century" is the best place to start. However, if you're on a tight budget or just don't feel ready to be exposed to so much Stevie in one dosage, I recommend the two disc "Song Review", which is a far better representation despite inexplicably (and I know I've used that word a lot) leaving off "Fingertips", "For Once In My Life" and "You Haven't Done Nothing" and editing a number of tracks (though it does include the full version of "Do I Do"), or if you just want his groundbreaking 1970s' material, "Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium" will suit you well (though by leaving out the 1960s' and post - 1982 material, you're missing a big chunk of the Wonder legacy).



The bottom line is, if you want the best of Stevie, search other venues, such as the boxed set or just seeking out the original albums. Anything but this piece of junk (again no disrespect to the music).



(Note: I just want to say that I don't actually own this album. However, I have heard evry song on here, and know them well enough to write a review for this cd).