John Denver — Definitive All-Time Greatest Hits (2008)

Placing the word definitive on a best-of collection is usually a panicked label attempt to fill last-minute Christmas stockings, but in the case of RCA\’s Definitive All- Greatest Hits John Denver retrospective, it\’s a truly apt description. Coinciding with the 35th anniversary of Denver\’s first album release on RCA, the two-disc, 24-track overview of the country-pop singer\’s storied career is the most concise and nuanced yet. Digitally remastered from the original master tapes, road-trip classics like \»Take Me Home, Country Roads,\» \»Rocky Mountain High,\» and \»Back Home Again\» are as warm as the singer\’s lauded tenor. There are no gimmicky re-recorded cuts or disappointing live tracks — \»Thank God I\’m a Country Boy\» spent its on the charts in its live incarnation — and his spotty \’80s material is only briefly covered (\»Perhaps Love\» and \»Shanghai Breezes\»). The only real omission is \»Grandma\’s Feather Bed,\» but the 20-page booklet and song-by-song commentary by long friend Milt Okun more than suffice. The bonus disc, maddeningly sparse at just four tracks, makes up for its brevity by including a goose bump-inducing 1975 acoustic version of \»Calypso.\» With the pompous string section, clag ship bell, and unnecessary drum fills removed, his ode to Jacques Cousteau\’s tenacious vessel is a wonder of emotion and nautical kinsmenship that inarguably exhibits Denver as one of the greatest vocalists of his . For those unwilling to sift through the exhaustive four-CD Country Roads Collection, this Definitive package is a good buy and a rewarding visit with an old friend.

TRACKLIST:

1. Leaving, On A Jet Plane (03:39)

2. Take Me Home, Country Roads (03:11)

3. Sunshine On My Shoulders (05:12)

4. Poems, Prayers And Promises (04:07)

5. The Eagle And The Hawk (02:08)

6. Rocky Mountain High (04:45)

7. Farewell Andromeda (Welcome To My Morning) (04:04)

8. Annie\’s Song (03:01)

9. Back Home Again (04:45)

10. Sweet Surrender (05:30)

11. Thank God I\’m A Country Boy (03:22)

12. I\’m Sorry (03:32)

13. Calypso (03:37)

14. Fly Away (04:10)

15. Looking For Space (04:00)

16. Like A Sad Song (03:43)

17. My Sweet Lady (04:25)

18. Perhaps Love (with Placido Domingo) (02:58)

19. Shanghai Breezes (03:13)

20. Wild Montana Skies (with Emmylou Harris (04:03)