Which makes it a better CD. A greatest hits CD is not a greatest hits CD without the originals hits on it. I haven't heard the U.S. version - but to be honest I wouldn't buy it because the songs are probably unrecognisable.

The following is the track listing for the UK CD that I copied from Amazon.co.uk:

Disc: 1 1. Saving all my love for you 2. Greatest love of all 3. One moment in time 4. I have nothing 5. I will always love you 6. Run to you 7. You give good love 8. All at once 9. Where do broken hearts go 10. If you say my eyes are beautiful (Duet with Jermaine Jackson) 11. Didn't we almost have it all 12. All the man that I need 13. Exhale (shoop shoop) 14. Count on me (Duet with CeCe Winans) 15. I believe in you and me 16. I learned from the best 17. Same script, different cast (Duet with Deborah Cox) 18. Could I have this kiss forever (Duet with Eurique Iglesias)(Metro mix)

Disc: 2 1. If I told you that (Whitney Houston & George Michael) 2. Fine 3. My love is your love 4. It's not right but it's okay 5. Heartbreak hotel 6. Step by step 7. Queen of the night (Cj Mackintosh mix) 8. I'm every woman 9. Love will save the day 10. I'm your baby tonight 11. So emotional 12. I wanna dance with somebody (who loves me) 13. How will I know 14. I will always love you (Hex Hector mix) 15. Greatest love of all (Club 69 mix) 16. It's not right but it's okay (Thunderpuss mix) 17. I'm your baby tonight (Dronez mix)

All of the tracks that people are complaining about being missing from the US version are on this one instead. I hope you manage to get your hands on a copy - you'll like it!

Whitney Houston is one of the key reasons I fell in love with music. I have loved her music ever since "The Greatest Love of All." And despite her recent personal turmoil (and several cancelled concerts over the years in my home town), I still hold Whitney Houston in the highest regard. This Greatest Hits compilation is great, whether you are a long-time or a new fan, whether you have all her CDs or own none, whether you love Whitney herself or whether you simply love that beautiful, soulful, and inspirational message that music can generate. Greatest Hits is a fantastic piece of music history that is a pleasure to own and enjoy.

This is a 2 CD set, which is easy to fathom given Whintey's success over the past almost 20 years. The first CD is entitled "Cool Down," which is appropriate given it features Whitney's slower power ballads, putting you in a calm, mellow, inspired place. While most of the songs are known to us all, of special note are the duets. "If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful," a duet with Jermaine Jackson, is a rare, beautiful, and wondrous gem. "Same Script, Different Cast" is a beautiful and haunting ballad featuring Deborah Cox. And Diane Warren produces another anthemic ballad masterpiece with "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" featuring Enrique Iglesias. While there are bound to be some omissions, most notably missing on this CD is "When You Believe," Whitney's duet with Mariah Carey that garnered and Oscar nomination.

The second CD, entitled "Throw Down," is meant to put you uncontrollably onto the dance floor. This CD is especially unique for offering rare items that the average listener would not typically hear. "Fine" and "If I Told You That" are two new songs that are potential dance floor smashes. If you've listened to top 40 radio at all in the past year, you will be very familiar with the Thunderpuss Mix of "It's Not Right But It's Okay" and the Jonathan Peters Mix of "My Love is Your Love." Most of the rest of the mixes I could do without - I tend to prefer the originals. However, oddly, the remix of "Greatest Love of All" is an exception. This mix is executed beautifully, maintaining the power and beauty of the original, but it enables you to interpret the way you are emotionally moved into physical movement. While not dance tunes, the last two songs still "Throw Down" in that they are hugely inspirational and make a most fantastic conclusion to this set. "One Moment in Time" is Whitney's anthemic contribution to the 1988 Summer Olympics and is an uplifting, inspirational piece. And if you missed Whitney's 1991 performance of "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl, here is your chance to hear and relive this masterpiece (for me, this song by itself is worth the price of the CD).

This CD is worth buying on a number of different levels. If you are a fan of Whintey's ballads but never purchased her CDs, this is a great way to obtain those ballads in one simple place. If you love to dance and love having unique mixes over the originals, the second CD in this set is surely for you. And for those of you, like me, who have Whintey's CDs but still went, "Oh my god! If You Say My Eyes are Beautiful! One Moment in Time! The Star Spangled Banner! " and about had a heart attack, yes, it is most definitely worth purchasing. Chances are there will be songs you don't like, and fans will be asking "Why didn't she include [such and such song]?" Despite these minor criticisms, this is undeniably an excellent compilation of Whitney's work to date, as well as a great tribute to the fans who were clamoring for rare and unique gems. A 5 star release through and through.

Thank you, Whitney, for sharing your wondrous talent with us. And thank you for sharing these beautiful, special, and unique gems of musical history. You are the greatest.

First of all, I am big fan of Whitney's music. I've always loved her hit music. I ordered this album and neglected to notice that most of the songs are remixes of the original tracks. These ARE NOT the original versions of her Greatest Hits. In my opinion the remixed versions are but a shade of the originals. I did not at all like the remixes and I longed for originals. Unforunately I'll have to put up with listening to them on her original albums until she comes out with a TRUE Greates Hits album. Either that or I'll burn my own greatest hits album. I was so disappointed with this album that I resold it the same day I first listened to it. Two big thumbs down here. Beware, you aren't getting Whitney's Greatest Hits.

One fine day, I was browsing in a Tower Records Store when I saw this album. I was really excited about it. I'm not exactly a big fan of Whithey, but I've always liked her songs in general and I do think she possess a very good voice.

However, I was a bit disappointed after I listened to the album.

First, it was the order of the tracks. If you play the songs in the order as they were arranged, you will pretty soon get bored. Perhaps Whitney may have wanted it that way, (as she says in the album sleeve, "take a trip down memory lane with me"; in her early years Whitney trademark songs were mostly ballads) But it achieved an effect of hearing something similar over again with each passing track. Ballads if played continuously in a row do bore the listener. It would have been better if in between ballads, a fast number was added.

Second, it's Whitney's singing. I realised one thing, whitney shouts a lot in her singing especially during her early years. I've never been bothered with that before in the past when i hear her songs singly played on radio - in fact, I've quite liked that sort of dramatic singing on songs like "I will always love you". But when you hear song after song that she shouts incessantly - you just get a bit irritated. Plus the fact that you're hearing ballad after ballad, it doesn't make things any better. No doubt Whitney has a great voice - she sounds so feminine when she sings in a mellow way, and she is a powerhouse when she blares out loud. But she overused the second technique too much. She should have toned down her singing more, and used her shouting technique more discerningly.(Take cue from Christina Aguilera) Even Mariah Carey doesn't sound so bombastic.

Third, disc two was boring - it was probably there to jack up the price of the album. The biggest fault in disc 2 is exactly the same fault that exists in disc 1 - too much similarity. The songs are basically ALL dance remixes - or perhaps to be more accurate, old and recent songs of whitney where the original accompaniment music have been swapped with disco beats. In fact, it gives a feeling of repetition as you listen to disc 2. Most of the remixes follow more or less the same remixing formula.- Thumping bass, groovy beats and some snazzy atmospheric effects. The vocals are exactly the same as they were on the original album versions! Whitney should have used new vocals! Disc 2 will have been "THROWN DOWN" into oblivion if not for the first two tracks. I did not enjoy listening to disc 2 at all. It was totally redundant, although the dance remixes could find some use for dance aerobics.

Okay, now for the good things of the album. The songs chosen are indeed the classics of Whitney. My personal favourite "Miracle", though, was not there. I love the new song "Same script, Different cast" - it's a creative way to make use of the love theme, and interesing lyrics too .

Here are my thoughts on the other new songs:

"Could I have this kiss forever" - typical Enrique Iglesias song.

"Fine" - light R&B hip hop beat- Whitney sounds good here. but song is overall unimpressive. It sounds like a filler.

"If I told you that" sounds so like "The Boy Is Mine" yet it fails to be as engaging as the latter. Perhaps the lyrics were not provocative enough.

All in all, the album's greatest flaw was in having too many ballads in one row. The good point is songs here are classics - it serves well to occasionally listen to a track or two from the collection here, but definitely not all in a row.

Verdict :

I will recommend this album for someone who's a DIEHARD fan of Whitney or someone who really loves her ballads a lot.

Whitney Houston's "Greatest Hits" makes you realize just how talented this lady truly is.

The first disc "Cool Down" showcases the diva's endless ballads, and strives to show why Ms. Houston is in a class by herself when it comes to singing them. We start with "You Give Good Love" and ends with "My Love is Your Love." The tracks after that, "Same Script, Different Cast" (a power diva ballad, featuring Debroah Cox) and "Could I Have this Kiss Forever" are both new to Whitney CDs. (Could I Have this Kiss Forever was featured on Enrique Iglesias' debut English album.)

The second disc "Throw Down" has dance beats that are okay, but feel that they have been remixed to be so. The best tracks on this disc are the last two "One Moment in Time" the theme song from the 1988 Olympics, and "Star Spangled Banner." Nobody has sung the National Anthem the way Whitney did, and this is a special treat for those who've been waiting for this song since it's initial release.

Overall, this CD makes you realize that Whitney Houston is the real deal. However, it is also sad in that her talent is wasted by her "extra" activities. It is a shame that her personal life overshadows this voice.