Greatest Hits Original 10 track release - This was the first Melissa Manchester Hits collection that included 10 songs from 10 years at Arista. In included 2 new hits Nice Girls (falling short of Top 40 success by 2 notches) and My Boyfriends Back/ Runaway Medley. There is a German release, which I have a few copies of that was better than this. It included 6 bonus tracks ranging from Rescue Me, Better Days, No One Can Love You More Than Me, Fire In The Morning, Pretty Girls and Lover s After All. If you can find that version of this CD, it is well worth it! Other Collections worth mentioning are:Best Selection (Japan only)The Essence Of MMGold & PlatinumMidnite Blue
Good, if not perfect collection of hits - I originally bought this on cassette when it was released in 1983. I later bought the CD version. I loved it when I first bought it, but even back then I was mad that it did not include the Top 40 hits Pretty Girls and Fire in the Morning. Later, when I became better informed about music, I realized that it also did not include 2 other songs that made the Billboard Hot 100 (Better Days and Rescue Me). I can understand that when it was released on cassette and vinyl, there were issues with how long it could be. However, when the CD was released, I wish they would have went back and added bonus tracks.Since then, a couple of compilations have been released. The Essence of Melissa Manchester was released in 1997 and Platinum and Gold was issued in 2004. But both of these are still missing some of Melissa s key tracks from that era. I wish someone would issue the all-inclusive hits package that Melissa s career truly deserves.Until then, I have had to pick up those missing tracks from downloads and other various hits compilation CD s. For those looking, you can find Pretty Girls on Rhino s Radio Daze Volume 1 and Fire in the Morning on Radio Daze Volume 3.It also looks like this Greatest Hits CD is out of print since it is only available used. For a used price, I would certainly recommend it. It includes some of Melissa s biggest and best-loved hits, even though it does not include some of her lesser-known hits.
The Ultimate Collection - As to say this is one of the must-haves u gotta have if u luv Melissa Manchester. Cuz I sure been much a devotee to her. It s not until I heard the first two songs Looking thru the Eyes of Love and Don t Cry Out Loud which are kinda outstanding for her. I still have this on tape and it s still good as ever. A lotta people are craving her for what she sings and how she plays the piano very well. There are only 10 songs on this album that u cannot miss out. I ll luv 2 pick up the ultimate collection from her and especially cop up some of her album as necessary.
The original collection ... - While the Essence collection is great, this one has the 1982 version of Come In From The Rain, which IMO is better than the original. It also has the cool 60 s medley. This is a great collection to have as an companion to the Essence collection.