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It's hard to believe, but prior to the 2003 release of The Definitive Collection, there wasn't a proper hits collection in Lionel Richie's catalog. A decade earlier, Motown dipped their toe in the water with the jumbled Back to Front, which tried desperately to camouflage its nature as a comp with three new songs, which, at 14 tracks, hurt the hit quotient dramatically. This, however, gets it almost all right. Spanning 20 tracks (only two of which are new, tacked onto the end; while not especially memorable, neither is bad), this collection has nearly all the big hits from his solo recordings (the Top Ten "Love Will Conquer All" is notably absent, but that's the only chart-topper not here), along with five Commodores ballads that showcase Richie the balladeer at a peak: "Just to Be Close to You," "Easy," "Three Times a Lady," "Still," "Sail On." Since these were the first tracks to showcase Lionel Richie as a talent separate from the Commodores, their presence is welcome on a collection of his solo hits, and they indeed make this a fuller experience, since this now has all of Richie's soft rock hits in one place. Taken together, it's a formidable body of work, making a clear case for him as one of the preeminent soft rock craftsmen of the early '80s. True, the collection might have benefited slightly from a chronological track listing, but by jumping between albums, and between Commodores and solo material, the consistency of his records becomes evident. Few of his peers created singles as memorable as "Easy," the infectious "All Night Long (All Night)," "Truly," the sweetly melancholic "Hello," the insistent, gently ominous "Running with the Night," "Just to Be Close to You," and the ebullient "You Are," as delightful as 45s came in the early days of the Reagan Administration. Not everything here quite reaches those standards -- admittedly, those are the hits upon which his reputation lay, plus they're the best that soft pop got in the '80s -- but the rest is all well-crafted and easily enjoyable, proving that Lionel Richie is a singular adult contemporary talent. He may be sappy, but he's got skills.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Calvin Harris, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Producer, Vocals, Vocal Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Greg Phillinganes, Keyboards, Moog Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Leim, Drum, AssociatedPerformer - John Robinson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Boddicker, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - STEVE LUKATHER, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Paulinho Da Costa, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Calvin Harris, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Producer, Keyboards, Vocal Arranger, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tim May, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Carlos Rios, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, String Arranger, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Abraham Laborier, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1985 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Stewart Levine, Producer, Rhythm Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Daren Klein, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Producer, Vocal Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1992 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Cynthia Weil, ComposerLyricist - Calvin Harris, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Producer, Vocal Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
John Barnes, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - John Robinson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Boddicker, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Calvin Harris, Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Producer, Vocals, Vocal Arranger, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Carlos Rios, Guitar, Synthesizer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, String Arranger, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Neil Steubenhaus, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Michael H. Frenchik Jr., ComposerLyricist - Carlos Manuel Rios, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1986 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lionel Richie, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Paul Barry, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Mark Taylor, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Brian Rawling, Producer - Joe Wolfe, Producer, Additional Producer - Gerald Cox, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Andy Blackwood, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mason Sylvia James, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2000 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Stewart Levine, Producer, Rhythm Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Daren Klein, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Producer, Vocal Arranger, Rhythm Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Brenda Harvey-Richie, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1992 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Leim, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Boddicker, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Neil Larsen, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Calvin Harris, Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Producer, Vocal Arranger, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tim May, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Lang, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, String Arranger, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1985 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Greg Phillinganes, Synthesizer, Drum, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Nathan East, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Leim, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Cynthia Weil, ComposerLyricist - Michael Boddicker, Synthesizer, AssociatedPerformer - Calvin Harris, Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Producer, Keyboards, Drum, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Marva King, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - David Cochrane, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1985 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Stewart Levine, Producer, Rhythm Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Daren Klein, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Producer, Vocal Arranger, Rhythm Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1992 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lionel Richie, Producer, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Alex Al, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Jackson, Jr., Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - MICHAEL STEWART, Horn, AssociatedPerformer - Gary Bias, Horn, AssociatedPerformer - Dirk Vanoucek, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Raymond Brown, Horn, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Joe Wolfe, Producer, Keyboards, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jared Douglas, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - David Rideau, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Reginald Young, Horn, AssociatedPerformer - Gerald Cox, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Kelly Wendell, Horn, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2000 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Billy Lawrie, ComposerLyricist - Lionel Richie, Background Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Paul Barry, ComposerLyricist - Mark Taylor, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Rawling, Producer - Joe Wolfe, Producer, Additional Producer - Bill Lawrie, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2000 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Steve Hodge, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - JIMMY JAM, Producer - TERRY LEWIS, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Lionel Richie, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - JAMES HARRIS, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1996 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Diane Warren, ComposerLyricist - Lionel Richie, Producer, Vocalist, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Pascal Obispo, ComposerLyricist - Lionel Richie, Author, MainArtist - Patrice Guiro, Author
℗ 2000 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lionel Richie, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Paul Barry, ComposerLyricist - Mark Taylor, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Brian Rawling, Producer
℗ 2000 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Richie Jones, Producer, Additional Producer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ric Wake, Producer, Co-Producer - Kent Hertz, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Enrique Iglesias, FeaturedArtist, ComposerLyricist - Lionel Richie, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Paul Barry, ComposerLyricist - Mark Taylor, Producer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Carlos Paucar, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dan Hetzel, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jim Annunzziato, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - "Young" Dave Scheuer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2002 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Ric Wake, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Lionel Richie, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Russ Desalvo, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Dan Hetzel, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Joe Wolfe, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dug McGuirk, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jim Annunzziato, Recording Engineer, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2002 The Island Def Jam Music Group
DISC 2
Ronald LaPread, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Walter Orange, Drums, Percussion, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Thomas McClary, Guitar, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Milan Williams, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Calvin Harris, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals, Vocal Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, String Arranger, Rhythm Arranger, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jane Clark, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Commodores, Producer, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - William King, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1978 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Calvin Harris, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jane Clark, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Commodores, Producer, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1977 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Gene Page, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Reggie Dozier, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Producer, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Diana Ross, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Guy Costa, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1981 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Calvin Harris, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Producer, Piano, Vocals, Vocal Arranger, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, String Arranger, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1983 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Calvin Harris, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, String Arranger, Rhythm Arranger, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jane Clark, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Commodores, Producer, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1979 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ronald LaPread, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Walter Orange, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Thomas McClary, Guitar, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Milan Williams, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Calvin Harris, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Vocals, Vocal Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, String Arranger, Rhythm Arranger, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jane Clark, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Commodores, Producer, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - William King, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1979 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Calvin Harris, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Producer, Vocal Arranger, Rhythm Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer
℗ 1983 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lionel Richie, Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer - Brenda Harvey-Richie, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1982 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Gene Page, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Calvin Harris, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Producer, Piano, Vocal Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Joe Chemay, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tim May, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer - William Payne, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Jackson, Jr., Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - paul liem, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jessica Wells, Arranger, Work Arranger
℗ 1982 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lionel Richie, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Commodores, Producer, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1976 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lionel Richie, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Commodores, Producer, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1975 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Calvin Harris, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Producer, Vocal Arranger, Rhythm Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, String Arranger, Rhythm Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Brenda Harvey-Richie, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1983 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Gene Page, Rhythm Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Calvin Harris, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, String Arranger, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jane Clark, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Commodores, Producer, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1981 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Calvin Harris, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jane Clark, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Commodores, Producer, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Harold Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Shirley King, ComposerLyricist - William King Jr., ComposerLyricist
℗ 1981 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Milan Williams, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Commodores, Producer, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1979 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ronald LaPread, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Walter Orange, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Thomas McClary, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Milan Williams, Guitar, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Lionel Richie, Keyboards, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jane Clark, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Commodores, Producer, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - William King, Percussion, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1974 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ronald LaPread, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Walter Orange, Drums, Percussion, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Thomas McClary, Guitar, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Milan Williams, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Calvin Harris, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, Keyboards, Saxophone, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jane Clark, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Commodores, Producer, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - William King, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Walter Lee Orange, ComposerLyricist - William King Jr., ComposerLyricist
℗ 1977 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ronald LaPread, ComposerLyricist - Walter Orange, ComposerLyricist - Thomas McClary, ComposerLyricist - Milan Williams, ComposerLyricist - Calvin Harris, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jane Clark, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Commodores, Producer, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - William King Jr., ComposerLyricist
℗ 1977 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Thomas McClary, ComposerLyricist - Calvin Harris, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Lionel Richie, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Jane Clark, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Commodores, Producer, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1978 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Ronald LaPread, ComposerLyricist - Lionel Richie, ComposerLyricist - James Anthony Carmichael, Producer, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Commodores, Producer, Recording Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1977 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
It's hard to believe, but prior to the 2003 release of The Definitive Collection, there wasn't a proper hits collection in Lionel Richie's catalog. A decade earlier, Motown dipped their toe in the water with the jumbled Back to Front, which tried desperately to camouflage its nature as a comp with three new songs, which, at 14 tracks, hurt the hit quotient dramatically. This, however, gets it almost all right. Spanning 20 tracks (only two of which are new, tacked onto the end; while not especially memorable, neither is bad), this collection has nearly all the big hits from his solo recordings (the Top Ten "Love Will Conquer All" is notably absent, but that's the only chart-topper not here), along with five Commodores ballads that showcase Richie the balladeer at a peak: "Just to Be Close to You," "Easy," "Three Times a Lady," "Still," "Sail On." Since these were the first tracks to showcase Lionel Richie as a talent separate from the Commodores, their presence is welcome on a collection of his solo hits, and they indeed make this a fuller experience, since this now has all of Richie's soft rock hits in one place. Taken together, it's a formidable body of work, making a clear case for him as one of the preeminent soft rock craftsmen of the early '80s. True, the collection might have benefited slightly from a chronological track listing, but by jumping between albums, and between Commodores and solo material, the consistency of his records becomes evident. Few of his peers created singles as memorable as "Easy," the infectious "All Night Long (All Night)," "Truly," the sweetly melancholic "Hello," the insistent, gently ominous "Running with the Night," "Just to Be Close to You," and the ebullient "You Are," as delightful as 45s came in the early days of the Reagan Administration. Not everything here quite reaches those standards -- admittedly, those are the hits upon which his reputation lay, plus they're the best that soft pop got in the '80s -- but the rest is all well-crafted and easily enjoyable, proving that Lionel Richie is a singular adult contemporary talent. He may be sappy, but he's got skills.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 38 track(s)
- Total length: 02:32:40
- Main artists: Lionel Richie
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Universal Music Group International
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2003 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. This Compilation ℗ 2003 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
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