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Definitely a party album if you ask me though. Most people have heard "Call Me" and songs are along those lines, with a few slower ones thrown in for good measure. Some good grooves on here makes this one a fun dance record. This is a nice collection of "best of" songs from a great 80s pop/funk group. If you like Change, SOS Band, and Shalamar, you'll enjoy this one.
What are todays R&B djs listening to nowadays. To cut a longmoan short Skyy's Greatest Hits is essential listening for all R&B generations.A couple of tips for the youngsters: Stuff like that - Quincy Jones, Are you single - Aurra, Higher Ground - Stevie Wonder, One Nation under a Groove - Funkadelic - and you will never listen to 50 Cents again. But out here music seems to be a secondary consideration.What counts most is what you see on the dancefloor, not what you hear :)). True groove was always an underground phenomenon, the domain of the pirateradio stations and the clubs in the know, and most of those were in the ethnic suburbs. I am presently reconstructing my vintage vinyl collection electronically :)).After too many Rhythm&Beat sessions, my new name for today's R&B, I came to the conclusion it is time to supply the weekend parties with sometunes that actually contain proper melody lines and bass lines that pump funk.
Don't get me wrong some of today's R&B is actually good, so let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater, but the majority of it is of B-Movie quality or worse. The Skyy classics are all here in their proper full-length versions: Call Me, Here's to you, Let's Celebrate, Show me the way. So fellow djs why not bringback the classics until today's R&B artists can make some real musical progress. :)) MTV. MTV just hypes the higgest bidder.
Where I am located at the moment (Budapest-Vienna-Milano) the situation is pretty grim,a lot of House and other things I can't classify because they exceed the frontiers ofmy musical knowledge. No remixes, just the way the funk doctor ordered. Nothing has changedsince then either. Suffice it to say all computerized and not a bass player orsaxophonist in sight. Did we listento MTV back then - definietly not. Warning: After listening to this album again you will ending up feeling sad for the under-30s and continually be asking yourself the question, how did we get to, to where we are today musically (summer 2009).
It is a massive project getting everything on CD/Laptop but if you were groovingon the dancefloors of London like I was back in the seventies and eighties then you don'tneed me to tell you there is no way around New York Skyy. Essential groove for soul brothers and soul sisters.
That's a shame. Like most acts of the '70's and '80's, I was too young and wasn't allowed to buy or listen to allot of secular music in my household growing up, but had heard of or briefly enjoyed certain artists thru MTV and BET's Video Gold via video/TV and now that I'm older, I'm exploring allot of the great songs and "retired" artists of those time who aren't on the scene much these days, however their music lives on thru radio, classic videos, vinyl, cassettes and now CD and MP3.In short I'll say, Skyy's "best" didn't live up to or surpass any expectations and unfortunately songs from their best and last commercial LP, Start of A Romance, wasn't included here. I bought this CD, 'cause beyond their hit "Call Me" and one of their last CDs released in the late '80's, "Start of A Romance", I really didn't know much about Skyy and hadn't heard of them before then.After listening to their "best", I see why that song and last album were my only introductions to the group. Not saying that they weren't good in their own right, it's just that their "best" failed to move me or get me into them as a now "legendary" act who's music has lived on beyond them.
Man did I sleep on them. One Saturday night while home with nothing to do I checked out the remaining tracks. I have one of their greatest hits CD's but only listened to Call Me.
I was in middle school probably 5th or 6th grade. Every time I hear this song it brings back memories of a simpler time in the early 80s - musty gym, acting grown, foggy schoolbus windows, tight Jordache jeans, and puberty. I'll never forget the song, Call Me.
Long story short. About 80% of the tracks are first rate but I just don't remember them getting much airplay on AM or FM stations back in the day. Around that time I was allowed to attend the gym jams on Friday nights in my little hick town.
I remember doing the dog with the cutest girl in the whole school, Natasha Cherry.
Here's the tracklisting of my personal 'Ultimate Skyy' CD, which should've been released by the record company.TRACKLISTING - 1. Up & Over (Stronger & Better)17. Real Love16. High4. Let Love Shine11. First Time Around2.
Show Me The WayThere you have it. Skyy was no joke, and they had quite a few jams from 1979 to 1992, but the various compilations (including THIS 'Greatest Hits' CD) don't cover all the bases. IMO, Skyy's 'Greatest Hits' is merely a good compilation for novice Skyy fans, and for some reason, it's out of print. When You Touch Me10.
Let's Celebrate9. Call Me8. Dancin' To Be Dancin'13. 17 hits & more on a single CD.Maybe they'll get it right next time.
Start Of A Romance15. Skyyzoo5. Givin' It (To You)14. Like many serious fans, I agree that the classic slow jam 'Real Love' should've been included here, so I had to do it myself.
Bad Boy12. Superlove7. Let's Turn It Out3. Here's To You6.
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