Disco de Collin Raye: “Best of Collin Raye: Direct Hits”

There are several compilations of Collin's music to choose from but I believe this was the first. It contains ten tracks drawn from his first four albums together with four bonus tracks recorded specially for inclusion in the set. Collin had over twenty top ten country hits during his time recording for Epic. I don't think there is any compilation yet available that includes them all but this one provides a wonderful introduction to his music.

Only one track (Love, me) is taken from Collin's debut album (All I can be) while just two (In this life, That was a river) are from the follow-up (In this life). Four tracks (That's my story, My kind of girl, Little Rock, If I were you) come from Collin's third album (Extremes) and three tracks (I think about you, Not that different, One boy one girl) are taken from the fourth and most recent album represented here (I think about you). It is worth noting that Collin recorded two completely different songs titled If I were you - the other one can be found on his debut album.

The outstanding song here is I think about you - not a love song as the title might suggest, but an ode to Collin's eight-year-old daughter in which he wonders how her life might develop. Collin ponders various situations from celebrity status to being a victim of domestic violence and sings that whenever he sees a woman, he thinks of his daughter. It is a very touching, thought-provoking song. The set opens with Little Rock, a song about attempting to recover from alcoholism. Collin gets a bit rowdy on a couple of songs (That's my story, My kind of girl) but mainly sticks to the ballads that suit him best. Elsewhere, the album is filled with romantic love songs, which Collin excels at.

Collin mainly recorded original material but his first four albums included covers of Big river, Dreaming my dreams with you and Let it be me. None of those made it to this compilation but one of the four bonus tracks is a cover of Open arms. Originally recorded by Journey, Collin makes a fine job of it but I still prefer the version by the Burch sisters, a country trio who recorded one album (which I've reviewed) before returning to the obscurity from whence they came.

This is a great compilation of music by one of the leading country music stars of the early nineties.

Why isn't this man a super super-star? Not country looking enough? Whatever it is, this guy shines above the rest. Most of his hits are on this album and unlike some singers who span many years before a greatest hits package is released, the quality is good throughout.

I play wedding dances and everytime I play Not That Different or One Boy, One Girl I have people come up and ask who that artist was and where to find the CD. I have never seen such response to a song than these two.

Collin Raye is a great performer. I myself have few of his CD's, but after listening to this album, I think that will change soon. I still can't get over the song, "Love, Me" Everytime I listen to it, it brings the same emotion over me that it did the very first time. It is a great song, along with all of the other songs on this album. I would give it more than five stars if it was allowed. Very nice work, Mr. Raye.

My husband to be came to me and requested to pick out the song for our first dance. He played The Gift to me and I strongly agreed!! It is beautiful.