This, yet another in a growing line of Cher "collections" is one of the better ones. It includes many tracks from her early 70's MCA albums that have not yet appeared on CD in the states (although all of her MCA albums have appeared on CD in Europe). It also includes the b-side "Don't Put It On Me" which has not appeared on CD anywhere, as far as I know. Included are a few tracks from her early Imperial days, but the main focus is the MCA output. Her first KAPP/MCA single "Classified 1A" is here right up thru her last MCA single "I Saw A Man And He Danced With His Wife". Closing out the 2CD set is her 1979 "comeback" disco track "Take Me Home". Totally missing, once again, is anything from her 1975-1978 days at Warner Bros. none of these tracks have been issued on CD anywhere in the world. With this new collection, pretty much every Cher song (and good deal of the Sonny & Cher duets) has found it's way to CD. The only missing era are Warner Bros. years. Maybe someday, a label will compile a boxed set of all of Cher's best stuff from the last 35 years, including something from the various labels she's been signed to. Until then, this set will do for those have not been able to search out the imports. This is also a good start for the "Believe" fans who want to sample Cher when she hit it big the first time.

This 2-CD Cher "collection" obviously gives the impression that this is a true collection, which it is not. After years of buying Cher's collections on her various labels I was hoping I would be able to eventually buy one set so I could archive or delete her numerous "best" or "greatest hits" collections that I have acquired. I thought this Christmas that the ghosts of Christmas past and present could get together and get it right. Obviously this is an impossibility for U.S. labels that would rather issue collections primarily filled with their own material than by doing it right and cross-licensing (which is regularly done overseas). If you are a true fan you must keep her Legendary Masters Series CD, probably her MCA collection, and certainly her Geffen (import) "Greatest Hits" with "The Shoop Shoop Song," "If I Could Turn Back Time," and "Dead Ringer for Love" (with Meatloaf). So instead of archiving or deleting, I am just adding another collection to the four or five I already own. As a Cher fan this new CD is a must have for the remastering alone. Unfortunately I am thinking of what could have been...maybe the ghost of Christmas future can eventually get it right.

I've been waiting for an ultimate, truly definitive collection of early Cher material for years. This one also has key Sonny & Cher tunes as well and all of the major recordings from her MCA, Imperial & Kapp years with major emphasis on the LPs - Gypsys Tramps & Thieves, Foxy Lady, Half Breed and Dark Lady. This is a MUST HAVE set for Cher fans who want her hits and other excellent LP tracks in one collection. I was especially pleased that the B-side recording (on both The Way Of Love & Classified 1A) entitled "Don't Put It On Me" is FINALLY available on compact disc for the first time. 40 Cher classics, 24-bit mastered from the original master tapes, in one reasonably priced collection - Now, that's a bargain! It was wonderful to hear her version of Paul McCartney's "My Love" and Three Dog Night's "Never Been To Spain" on CD for the first time. I will play this 2-CD set over and over again. The song, The Way Of Love, is simply one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded - and nobody can do it like Cher. Now - if only someone would release the original, full-length 70s Kapp LPs of Sonny & Cher on CD - especially their entire "All I Ever Need Is You" album.

These two discs incorporate Cher's first solo work (slightly before up until 7 years after her break up with sonny). To sell records, ofcourse, the songs are mostly singles from albums that had hit songs, along with Take me Home which is far out of place (her disco single from 79 that went top ten), and some live performance stuff with Sonny. Left out are her seemingly un-known albums only known to die-hards such as "Stars", "Cherished", "Allman and Woman", and "I'd Rather Believe in You". The leaving out these albums is what makes "Take Me Home" so out of place, because most of the content in it is separated from Take Me Home bye these "unknown" albums. (The record companies excuse is that these albums were all with Warners..whatever). The fact of the matter is...its a great collection of early Cher music. Much of this cannot be found ANYWHERE else. My opinion is...buy it if you're a casual Cher fan wanting to reminisce the early 70's in your car stereo or just joining the rankings of the SUPER CHER FANS!!! Once you learn about some of the other stuff you may be dissapointed, however. All the music on this disc is great, but it receives a "4" because its not a complete collection.

This collection might be easier to appreciate if so many of its tracks weren't available elsewhere. Even so, taken on its own, it's the most comprehensive collection of Cher's 1971-1974 output you're likely to find. Only the inclusion of her 1979 hit, "Take Me Home" seems out of place here, since you're skipping five years from '74 to '79. Now if Warner Bros. would just re-issue the '75-'78 material.