This fantastic 2-disc set includes all 17 of the songs on '98's now-inaccurately-named "Ultimate Collection" plus 15 more songs, most of which are also excellent. If you're reading this you don't need me to say that No One sings as well as Smokey Robinson. And like so many of his legendary hits with the Miracles, the records collected here demonstrate his greatness as a songwriter. The big solo hits were "Cruisin'," "Being With You," "Just To See Her" (which here mysteriously grows the word `Again' onto its title), and "One Heartbeat." They're all here, as well as the famous slow-jam "Quiet Storm," which the liner notes credit with "practically spawning" the omnipotent radio format of the same name. For this CD, Motown even licensed "We've Saved The Best For Last," a hit Smokey sang with Kenny G for one of the G-man's Arista albums. (I prefer it here rather than there by a long shot. Sorry, G-fans.)

Reasons to get this over "The Ultimate Collection" include his first solo hit, "Sweet Harmony," which he dedicates (in the song) to his former partners in the Miracles. And "Virgin Man", sung from the point of view of someone who cringes in the corner when his friends start "the man-talk" about "the love they've known." Great idea for a song, and obviously not an easy subject to write about. No way any of the self-conscious hip hop kids would dare to cover this one. Could you imagine Eminem? Despite a groove that pretty much ensures the protagonist's condition is only temporary...And "Love Don't Give No Reason," in which dad suddenly leaves even though he used to give Mom flowers "just because the sky was blue and the grass was green." I remember waiting for this followup to "One Heartbeat" to become a hit in 1987. I'm still waiting...I also recommend "Heavy On Pride (Light On Love)", which should have been a bigger hit in 1980, and "Be Kind To The Growing Mind," a/k/a "Watch Your Mouth Around The Kids," an album track with whatever version of the Temptations was around in 1986.

Not here but worth seeking out are "Hold On To Your Love," a song Stevie Wonder wrote and produced for Essar in 1985, and "Double Good Everything," a minor hit notched during a brief exodus to SBK records, the company which brought us Vanilla Ice and Wilson Phillips but couldn't get Smokey into the Top 40. Hmm. At 73 and 75 minutes though, the discs are pretty full already.

From the high level of quality of these songs, you get the feeling that the solo albums are worth checking out, but this is a rock-solid starting place. HIGHLY recommended.

Motown's Golden Poet is truly one of a kind here.His Words are TImeless Jewels as Smokey Captures on so many emotions.between His Strong Productions,Composing&then you get His Voice a Instrument so few can Rivial.to truly appreciate His Genius think about all the songs He did for others,The Miracles&then still had enough for His Ownself what a Strong Body of Work.

A balladeer to his heart, Smokey Robinson's 2-disc set is one romantic moment after another, especially for any Smokey fan. His faster-paced songs were hitting also, but it's just something about those ballads that will do you in. I never realized that this guy could produce such timeless songs. I was used to buying only what they played on the radio, so I was not that deep into him. This set changed my mind, especially with the song I'VE MADE LOVE TO YOU A THOUSAND TIMES. Hands down, my favorite of them all. Clearly embodied with the heart of a poet, this is for anyone who may have thought that his life and career ended with the Miracles. That move only made him stronger and his music vintage.

Smokey headed the Miracles and had a great period through the 60s, enjoying hit after hit with the Motown label. In 1970 Smokey left the group and started cutting solo albums for Motown instead. This second Smokey Anthology looks over his solo career, 1970 onwards and it makes for a nice two disc listening experience. Smokey as a solo artist never became as important as his labelmates Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye, and didn't release a string of classic albums like those guys. I guess his vision just got a little blurred because he had the talent, just not the right ideas. Even when he had the massive 'Quiet Storm' album he kinda squandered that rep he earned.

Still, he had a knack for crafting great melodies, if not albums. Disc one is a hitting set, Smokey was at his best in the 70s. The 3 killer jams from 'Quiet Storm' are included (inc. 'Baby Thats Backatcha'), and some of the slow jams here are as atmospheric as gets (check the vibe on 'Baby Come Close'!). The material here is a cool chunk of 70s soul, what a collection of grooves. Disc two covers the 80s, and its alright. Pretty cool in parts, but not all that great. 'Being With You' was a big hit, and I enjoy the cuts he did with Rick James and Kenny G. Its kind of patchy though, but overall this double album captures some of Smokeys best work and its a cool album to play late night or in a hot bath. Recommended for soul fans.

I cannot vouch for this collection's completeness as an anthology without including one song. I urge every Smokey fan to listen to "Happy" off of the Quiet Storm CD and tell me it doesn't belong in this collection. Would've liked the "Wedding Song" as well, but that's just me. I can vouch that he is the greatest crafter of songs EVER!!! Thanks