Album Description
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Includes liner notes by Kevin Phinney.
Digitally remastered by Bill Inglot & Dan Hersch.
Personnel: Otis Redding (vocals); Carla Thomas (vocals).
Liner Note Author: Kevin Phinney.
The Very Best of Otis Redding wasn't the first Otis Redding compilation but it is the best of the single-disc collections, distilling the high points across his career (up thru the posthumous hits "(Sitting' On) The Dock of the Bay" and the heartbreaking "I've Got Dreams to Remember") in 16 tracks, every one a musical milestone and a soul music high-point of one kind or another. Although aimed at the casual listener and the neophyte fan, there are some astonishing realizations to be had in listening to this disc and looking at the chart placements of the early sides, and realizing just how uniform his musical influence is -- "These Arms of Mine" and, especially, "Pain In My Heart," from 1962 and 1963, respectively, sold only a fraction of what his later singles did, yet they've been covered by so many artists since, that they're as familiar as any of the other, bigger hits on this disc. The collection is hardly comprehensive, but all of the major bases are touched, right down to his 1967 hit duet "Tramp" with Carla Thomas. The other advantage, especially for those on a budget, is that this was the first Otis Redding compilation to avail itself of the improved master tape research and analog-to-digital technology of the early '90s. ~ Bruce Eder
It is impossible to overrate Otis Redding. This Rhino compilation, while in no way comprehensive, is nonetheless an outstanding sampler of songs by one of soul music's all-time titans. There's not a dud among these 16 songs, and some, like "These Arms Of Mine," "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay," and "Try A Little Tenderness," rank among the greatest pop songs ever recorded.
Redding's performances are mesmerizing and seem to embody the perfect balance between acute sensitivity and sheer overwhelming emotional strength. The combination of Redding's magnetism and the quality of such songs as "Mr. Pitiful," "I Can't Turn You Loose," and "Respect" is almost too good to be true. The album's only shortcoming is that there aren't more tracks to savor. A perfect introduction to this phenomenal singer.
