Greatest Hits, Vol. 1

by Natalie Cole

Overview

It can’t be easy being the singing progeny of one of America’s greatest popular vocalists, but Natalie Cole has acquitted herself quite well over the past three decades. Although probably best known for her electronic "duet" with father Nat on the Grammy-winning remake of Dad’s hit "Unforgettable," Natalie Cole started out as a funky songstress with such sassy R&B classics as "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)," "I've Got Love on My Mind," and "Our Love." A taste for offbeat material also served her well, as demonstrated by her successful versions of the Beatle’s "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and her mega-hit rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s "Pink Cadillac." But Cole shifted gears in the ‘90s, aiming for -- and successfully snaring -- an older audience with more sophisticated material. This best-of collection charts the split directions of a career solidified by Cole’s exceptional vocal artistry.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/07/2000
Label:	Elektra / Wea
UPC:	0075596258227
catalogNumber:	62582

Tracks

1. Mr. Melody
2. This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)
3. I've Got Love on My Mind
4. Song for You
5. I Can't Say No
6. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
7. Pink Cadillac
8. Miss You Like Crazy
9. Inseparable
10. Snowfall on the Sahara
11. Say You Love Me
12. La Costa
13. I Live for Your Love
14. I'm Catching Hell (Living Here Alone)
15. A Smile Like Yours
16. Unforgettable
17. Angel on My Shoulder
18. Our Love
19. Livin' for Love

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Natalie Cole   Primary Artist,Vocals
Siedah Garrett   Background Vocals
Michael Thompson   Guitar
Darryl Tookes   Celli
Robin Clark   Celli
Vaneese Thomas   Celli
John Clark   French Horn
Mendy Lee   Background Vocals
Bob Carlisle   French Horn
Abe Appleman   Violin
Mike Baird   Drums
Diane Barere   Celli
Virgil Blackwell   Clarinet
Robbie Buchanan   Piano,Fender Stratocaster
Deborah Cooper   Background Vocals
James "D-Train" Williams   Celli
Nathan East   Bass
Bobby Eaton   Bass
David Finck   Bass
Barry Finclair   Violin
Steve Gadd   Drums
Claude Gaudette   Keyboards
Diva Gray   Celli
Juliet Haffner   Viola
Joyce Hammann   Violin
Paul Jackson   Guitar
Curtis King   Celli
Regis Landiorio   Violin
Carol Landon   Viola
Michael Lang   Piano
Ann Leathers   Violin
Will Lee   Bass
Richard Locker   Celli
Rob Mathes   Conductor,Electric Guitar,Keyboards
Mike Melvoin   Piano
Cindy Mizelle   Background Vocals
John Moses   Clarinet
Jan Mullen   Violin
Jeff Porcaro   Drums
Dean Parks   Guitar
Paul Peabody   Violin
Sue Pray   Viola
Paul Robinson   Bass
Mark Orrin Shuman   Celli
Alfie Silas   Background Vocals
Pamela Sklar   Flute
Richard Sortomme   Violin
Neil Stubenhaus   Bass
Marti Sweet   Violin
Donna Tecco   Violin
Fonzi Thornton   Celli
Terry Trotter   Piano
Maxine Willard Waters   Background Vocals
Avril Brown   Violin
Jacqui Danilow   Bass
Jeanne Lablanc   Celli
Diane Lesser   Oboe
Owen Waters   Background Vocals
Carol Webb   Concert Master
Chris Komer   French Horn
Clifford Carter   fender rhodes
Julie Tillman   Background Vocals
Gia Chiambotti   Background Vocals
Charles Floyd   Piano
Crystal Gamer   Viola
John hiodini   Guitar
Peter Wolf   Bass
Stacey Shames   Harp

Technical Credits

Natalie Cole   Composer
Bill Meyers   String Arrangements
David Foster   Arranger,Producer
D.J. Rogers   Composer
Robbie Buchanan   Rhythm Track Arrangement
Dan Cleary   Management
Felipe Elgueta   Engineer
Paul Ericksen   Engineer
Brad Gilderman   Engineer
Paul Jackson   Arranger
Dennis Lambert   Producer
Michael Masser   Producer
Rob Mathes   Arranger,Programming
Phil Ramone   Producer
Brian Rawling   Producer
Bill Schnee   Mastering Advisor
Mark Taylor   Producer
Russ Terrana   Engineer
Ina Wolf   Composer
Marvin Yancy   Composer,Producer
Rodney Jerkins   drum programming
Chuck Jackson & Maxine Brown   Producer
Koji Egawa   Operation
Graham Stack   Producer
Jan Folkson   Programming
Yuri Zwadiuk   Engineer
Aaron Whitby   Engineer
Chuck Jackson   Composer
Mark Rubenstein   Engineer
Peter Wolf   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Eric Schilling   Engineer
Calvin Harris   Engineer

Editorial Reviews

In 1988 Natalie Cole was enjoying great success with her recording career. Her comeback album, Everlasting, proved to be a smash, and had provided her with several big hits. Among those was her version of Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac." The third single from the album, it was revamped into a powerful dance song -- much improved from the original, lackluster album version. It was that dance mix which propelled the song into the Top Five, making it the biggest hit of her career. Imagine the disappointment when, upon hearing her 2000 collection Greatest Hits, Vol. 1, one realizes the version on this album is the original album mix, not the version which became a hit! This long-awaited greatest-hits album, released to coincide with a television movie and a biography, has 19 tracks. In the U.S., Natalie Cole scored 18 Hot 100 pop hits up to the time of the album's release, so an all-inclusive album of her chart hits would have been a realistic possibility. As it goes, many of her bigger hits -- "Jump Start," "Sophisticated Lady," "Someone That I Used to Love" -- are not on this album. Her earlier hits, among them "Mr. Melody" and "Our Love," are included as live recordings. Also, there is heavy emphasis on selections from her 1999 album Snowfall on the Sahara. All this leads one to hope that any complimentary volume to this one will include the studio versions of her hits. As an additional note, this collection boasts two new songs, "Angel on My Shoulder" and "Livin' for Love," plus the soundtrack-only single "A Smile Like Yours." True, the songs are good and the album is a pleasure to the ear. One only wishes that the extra step would have been taken to assemble the correct versions of her hits, and that a second volume will follow.

All Music Guide - Jose F. Promis