I can't seem to get enough of this CD lately...

1. What's your favorite song from the bunch?

2. What's missing? Which Evelyn song(s) didn't the make the cut on this CD but should have?

3. Which song(s) don't belong here?

4. Who was the most important contributor (producer/writer) to the album?

1. Shame (12" Version)
2. I Don't Know If It's Right (7" Version)
3. Music Box (7" Version)
4. Out There (7" Version)
5. Let's Get Funky Tonight (7" Version)
6. I'm In Love (12" Version)
7. Don't Hide Our Love (7" Version)
8. Spirit Of The Dancer (7" Version)
9. Love Come Down (12" Version)
10. Betcha She Don't Love You (12" Version)
11. Action (7" Version)
12. Shake Down (7" Version)
13. Teenager (7" Version)
14. Just For The Night (12" Version)
15. Out Of Control (7" Version)
16. Till Midnight (7" Version)
17. Your Personal Touch (Dance Version)
18. High Horse (7" Version)

All Music Review: Although its track listing is fairly similar to 1993's Love Come Down compilation (cutting a few numbers but featuring three more total), Greatest Hits gets the nod as the Evelyn 'Champagne' King' collection of choice, since it features the original 7' single versions, plus several rare, extended 12' mixes. Covering King 's career from 1978's breakout hit 'Shame' through 1986, Greatest Hits is as comprehensive a retrospective of her work as is ever likely to be released, capturing all the reasons she was a popular and important disco and R&B singer.
[Edited 6/11/06 13:33pm]

amit1234 said:

I can't speak on what song don't belong. but these two need to be the 12" (dub) versions.
[Edited 6/11/06 13:43pm]

I'll start...

1. It's impossible to pick one favorite but lately I've been really feeling the Andre Cymone produced "Teenager". Funny how she released this song almost 10 years too late. Still a great vocal. Bubblegum R&B is the best way I can describe it.

2. I'm not overly familiar with Evelyn's career. Just getting started. But I hear "Kisses Don't Lie" from her EMI album "Flirt" is conspiciously missing in action. Understandable considering this compilation was released by RCA.

3. Not really feeling "Music Box" and "Out There" as much as I should/could be. And from what I understand by reading the liner notes, neither is Evelyn!

4. Hands down the award goes to Kashif. From the glorious "I'm In Love" to the uberclassic open strains on "Love Come Down" to the new wavish tinge on "Betcha She Don't Love You" to the underrated dancefloor cut "Spirit Of The Dancer", Kashif arrived just in time for Evelyn. I can't imagine her imprint as an artist would have been as lasting without his input. Too bad she didn't cut more Kashif written/produced tracks later on down the road like "Stone Love" and "I Just Gotta Have You (Lover Turn Me On)".
[Edited 6/11/06 13:47pm]

Too bad they couldn't include Kisses Don't Lie on the GH cd.

That used to be my jam.
[Edited 6/11/06 13:54pm]

"LET'S GET BACK TO LOVE" IS MISSING ALSO!

I got that CD too it's the best,most complete Evelyn "Champagne" King compilation out there.All of the hits are accounted for,and unlike other compilations,this one features alot of full-length extended version.

1) my favorite song is "Shame",but "Betcha She Don't Love You" is a close second.

2) What's missing? The 1977 song "The Show Is Over".It's from her debut album 'Smooth Talk'.It was never released as a single,but it is a popular album track that received some airplay back in the day.Also,this compilation is missing her 1982 single "Get Loose".This was the third single from the album of the same name.This set also should have included the three singles from her 1988 'Flirt' album...."Hold On To What You Got","Kisses Don't Lie" and the title track,but I guess they ran out of room?

3) "Out Of Control" and "Till Midnight" don't really belong here.These are minor singles from the mid-80s but they're not very good or distinctive.

4) The most important producer/writer was Kashif.He's the one who really jump-started her career in the early 80s,with distinctive,catchy jams like "I'm In Love" and "Love Come Down".After the hugely successful 'Get Loose' album,I was hoping that Evelyn would work with Kashif again but instead,she decided to switch producers and go in another direction.I wish she had done a few more albums with Kashif,he's the best collaborator she's ever worked with.

i absolutely love evelyn champagne king! i have also have been listening to her a lot lately. she rocks. i just wish they would release some albums and not just GH packages. can't find her albums anywhere on disc.

dancerella said:

I agree,they need to release her albums on CD! Specifically,I want her debut album 'Smooth Talk','I'm In Love' and 'Get Loose'.

If you guys are interested, you can find a lot of her back catalog on Soulseek.

I downloaded the entire "I'm In Love" album from there.

Some newly discovered gems: "I Can't Take It" (almost as good as "Let's Get Funky Tonight") and "If You Want My Lovin'".

BTW, could there possibly be a lovelier ditty which captures a teenage girl on the verge of loosing her virginity than "I Don't Know If It's Right'? Besides Janet's "Let's Wait Awhile" of course.

Here's an interesting fact about Evelyn I didn't know about before...

"Shame" wasn't her first single. It was actually "Dancin'"Dancin' "Dancin'," co-written by Life and Teddy Pendergrass b/w "Till I Come Off the Road" as the B side.

David - Thanks for letting me know about "The Show Is Over". It has a very nice laid back lazy groove. I also read that "We're Going To A Party" received some minor airplay back in the day.

Question: Does anyone have a copy of the 12" version of "Teenager"? I'd to hear that specific version since I'm love with that single. Andre Cymone did a sweet job hooking Evelyn up with that one (although I'm sure some might disagree.)

amit1234 said:

Indeed Btw,this song was sampled by Ice Cube on his 1993 single "You Know How We Do It".

DavidEye said:

The Show is Over is hot! The vocal sample Cube used in You Know How We Do It, though very small, is the part that always comes to mind when I think of his song.

RipHer2Shreds said:

amazing how a small sample can be the most memorable thing about some of these rap songs,lol

amit1234 said:

Wow,I never knew that! Thanks for the info,that is interesting.The disco era is filled with stories like this...."failed" singles that were quickly overshadowed by a HUGE second single.Some other examples...


***The first single from Gloria Gaynor's late-1978 'Love Tracks' album was actually a song called "Substitute".It went nowhere,but DJs flipped the record over and began playing the B-side "I Will Survive".The rest is history.

***In early 1977,Donna Summer released a ballad "Can't We Just Sit Down (And Talk It Over)" as the first single from her 'I Remember Yesterday' album.The song bombed,but radio DJs were impressed with the B-side: "I Feel Love".Again,the rest is history.