This is a wonderful assortment of love songs. If you a Phil Collins fan, this album will bring you endless enjoyment.

????????????????????? I RECEIVED THIS WEEKS AGO AND PAIS MY CREDIT CARD.
WHAT GIVES?? STOP DUPLICATE SHIPMENT. THERE'S AN ERROR SOMEWHERE

One thing is for sure. Phil Collins is the most talented musician of our time.

This is probably my favorite Phil Collins album. Most of the songs here are easy-going and calm to listen to. Perfect for listening to on a long trip. Listening to it on a short trip wouldn't hurt either. Or just letting the music put you to sleep at night is good to do, too.

First I have to say: All of you reviewers, PLEASE look into the fact file before you blast out all sorts of wrong information here. For instance, True Colours on this set is not the studio version from the 1998 Hits collection, and Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away is not a new song, but is taken from his 1983 album Hello, I Must Be Going.

Well, but back to the review. This collection is an excellent idea, as a follow up to his sorely incomplete Hits CD from 1998. That CD could EASILY have been a double CD, and missed important songs like Don't Loose My Number, Do You Remember, Everyday, It's In Your Eyes, No Matter Who, I Don't Care Anymore, It Don't Matter To Me and I Missed Again (never a favourite of mine, but still a significant song) to name some.

That may be as it was, but these CDs seemed like an obvious opportunity to collect some of the overlooked songs, and also include some of the gems from his career that were never hits. And so it does - to some extent. Do You Remember?, Everyday, It's In Your Eyes, The Least You Can Do, This Must Be Love and Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away were all minor hits or single releases that missed the airwaves, and thus didn't make it to the Hits album. So, good to see them here.

Along with those are a handful of favourites that never made it as single, but which are among his most treasured works - Please Come Out Tonight, If Leaving Me Is Easy, Testify, I've Forgotten Everything and Can't Turn Back The Years. However, there are a lot of songs that SHOULD have been included on this list that didn't make it - We Fly So Close, The Same Moon, No Way Out, Why Can't It Wait `Til Morning, All Of My Life and You Know What I Mean are obvious examples. These songs range among his finest works, and would all have been absolutely obvious cuts on a `love songs' collection. Instead we get a dodgy collection of hits that were also on the Hits collection - One More Night, Against All Odds, Groovy Kind Of Love and Two Hearts to name some. True Colours and Separate Lives are also included for the second time, but these are included in live versions which would justify for a second re-release - in fact, this would have been a real treat for the fans, there are some amazing live recordings of One More Night (1997 tour) and Groovy Kind Of Love (1994 tour) that never made it to the fans, at least not from official sources. Also, some excellent live takes on Wish It Would Rain Down exist from the 1994 tour and would have made a nice surprise for the fans.

All that being said, there ARE some really nice things even for the die-hard fans here. There's only one new song - Tearing And Breaking - but it is indeed an excellent song, stunning vocal arrangement with the backing group. The new take on True Colours from the 2004-rehersals is well worth all the money for this collection in my opinion. It's a knock-out, way better than the 1998 version. Rare tracks I've Been Trying and Somewhere - and we are talking genuinely rare tracks here - are definitely aimed for the hardcore fan group. Somewhere is a really wonderful recording, I'm less enthusiastic about I've Been Trying, but it's not a bad song. The live take of My Girl was a surprise to me, I love this recording and I'm delighted that it made it onto this collection. The live version of Always is good, but I think he did it much better on the 1997 tour - this recording is from the 1990 tour. Another rare live recording is The Way You Look Tonight - not my favourite, but I appreciate that this rare track is included.

All in all, I think it's a good release - there are some genuine rarities here, and the inclusion of some live cuts make for a nice surprise as well. However, they could've made it even better: A lot of songs that were obvious takes didn't include it, and some more live recordings of the tracks already on the Hits release would've been awesome. Perhaps someday we will be treated with a full 4CD+ box set spanning Phil's career including ALL his hits as well as some of all the lost treasures in the live archive. That'd make at least one more happy man on Earth!

OVERALL RATING: 8 out of 10. Fans will find something here and good for newcomers.

PS: A special "valentine" edition featuring a DVD with 6 rare videos exist for the dedicated follower. Price is not so much more than standard version.

not one song deosnt deserve to be here,and maybe theres one or 2 taht should be added, but,waht bugs me is the idiots who say
WHERES TEH SOGNS FROM GENESIS
WHERES IN THE AIR TONIGHT
and the one moron who said MY GIRL is a bad song (hes always 'hated' it)
first off this is love songs of PHIL COLLINS,NOT GENESIS
second...IN THE AIR TONIGHT IS NOT LOVE SONG STUPID
& 3RD,IF U DOTN LIKE THE SONG 'MY GIRL' UR NOT A MUSIC FAN
BYE

In 2004, only two years after releasing his tenth album entitled, TESTIFY, Phil Collins released eleventh and most recent album entitled, LOVE SONGS: A COMPILATION...OLD AND NEW. This album features all of Phil Collins love songs, taking up two discs. The album even features five new songs, as well as four live songs. This album is just amazing.

Disc One
TEARING AND BREAKING
New song. Not bad.

DO YOU REMEMBER?
From the album ...BUT SERIOUSLY (1989). Great.

ONE MORE NIGHT
From the album NO JACKET REQUIRED (1985). Not a favorite, but I can still listen to it without a problem.

AGAINST ALL ODDS (TAKE A LOOK AT ME NOW)
From the original motion picture & motion picture soundtrack AGAINST ALL ODDS (1984). This song really grew on me after all the years I've spent hating it. Great song, not to mention sad.

CAN'T TURN BACK THE YEARS
From the album BOTH SIDES (1993). Great song.

A GROOVY KIND OF LOVE
From the original motion picture & motion picture BUSTER (1988). Awesome song. This is one hell of a ballad.

EVERYDAY
From the album BOTH SIDES (1993). Great.

DON'T LET HIM STEAL YOUR HEART AWAY
New song. Great song.

PLEASE COME OUT TONIGHT
From the album BOTH SIDES (1993). Great.

THIS MUST BE LOVE
From the album FACE VALUE (1981). Great.

IT'S IN YOUR EYES
From the album DANCE INTO THE LIGHT (1996). Great song.

CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU
From the album TESTIFY (2002). Great song.

Disc Two
TESTIFY
From the album TESTIFY (2002). Great song.

TRUE COLORS (Live Rehearsal)
Studio version from the album ...HITS (1998). Back in the year of 1986, Cyndi Lauper had recorded "True Colors" for her album TRUE COLORS. Cyndi's version is a lot better than Phil's, but Phil Collins did a very good job in recording this song. Yes, I would listen to Phil's rendition, mainly because he did a descent job and because I like the song.

YOU'LL BE IN MY HEART
From the original motion picture & motion picture soundtrack TARZAN (1999). For the Disney film cartoon version of Tarzan, Phil Collins had been asked to record this beautiful song. This song is dedicated to my late grandfather from my entire family.

IF LEAVING ME IS EASY
From the album FACE VALUE (1981). Great.

I'VE BEEN TRYING
New song. Not bad.

I'VE FORGOTTEN EVERYTHING
From the album BOTH SIDES (1993). Great.

SOMEWHERE
New song. Great song.

THE LEAST YOU CAN DO
From the album TESTIFY (2002). Great song.

TWO HEARTS
From the original motion picture & motion picture soundtrack BUSTER (1988). Great fun-filled song.

SEPARATE LIVES (Duet with Bridgette Bryant) (Live)
From the album SERIOUS HITS...LIVE! (1990). Studio version from the original motion picture & motion picture soundtrack WHITE NIGHTS (1985). This song was originally a duet with Marilyn Martin. When Phil performed this song live, he had his female backing vocalist, Bridgette Bryant, sing all of Marilyn Martin's vocals. As beautiful as Bridgette's voice is, she can't match the voice of Marilyn Martin.

MY GIRL (Live)
This song was originally recorded by The Temptations. I've always hated this song.

ALWAYS (Live)
Not bad.

THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT (Live)
I do not know who originally recorded this song, but I have always loved it. Phil does it great here.

Phil Collins is definitely a Legend. Don't anybody tell me any different because that is fact and it is proven here with this incredible compilation full of Phil's greatest love songs. So get out and by LOVE SONGS: A COMPILATION...OLD & NEW.

It's been a long time since "Follow You, Follow Me," the gorgeous song once sung by Phil Collins with such emotion and authority...before Disney got to him...before the financial service companies got to him. Now it is perfectly well possible, and horrendous when it happens, to be assaulted by one of many hopelessly sappy and terribly dumbed down versions of a Phil Collins song when visiting a variety of dollar stores, grocery stores or even mechanic shops in one day.

What has become ubiquitous is not the Phil Collins of yesteryear - the one who challenged himself and performed music on the edge - but the new incarnation, corporate puppet version, who is churning out watered down goods. When you're not being hit with one of these powerless songs, you are probably being pushed further into soporific stupor by Bryan Adams or Mariah Carey.

Let's re-visit one of Collins' peers: Peter Gabriel. Truly an artist who continues to push the artistic envelopes while also making money and working to help the world.

Peter Collins has become vapid...the antithesis of what Genesis set out to do so many years ago.

The masses seem happy with this, but I am not. So bring on the unhelpful votes; they cannot possibly hurt as much as the let down of this once-promising artist.

Everytime the TV commercial for TIAA CREF Financial Services (whose work serves the greater good) would come on my ears would perk up to hear a slow beautiful version of "Somewhere" (the old chestnut from "West Side Story") but to hear it sung slowly (instead of that overwrought broadway way) made it seem fresh and reflective. I searched the internet and found that the "Somewhere" performed in the ad was done strictly for the ad so I searched Amazon (don't you love the way you can find almost any song on Amazon) for versions of "Somewhere." This one by Phil Collins in fabulous. Just the style I was looking for. Check it out.

GREAT SINGER AND ALBUM.PHIL IS ONE OF THE BEST.DOUG.

This album shines beautifully with great songs...both discs are great but the second disc is a masterpiece...every track and i mean everyone is superb....excellent mastering provides audiophile sound quality...price range from $11.00 for good quality "Like NEW" cd..grab it now.

Phil Collins' other greatest hits CD, "Hits", had a good selection of songs. Although, it didn't have some of the songs I like, such as: Do You Remember?, Everday, Can't Turn Back the Years, and Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away. But this collection of all Phil's love songs has all of the songs I just listed. It has lots of other great love songs too like Can't Stop Loving You, You'll Be In My Heart, Please Come Out Tonight, and One More Night. This 2-disc set also includes some brand-new live performances like Seperate Lives and My Girl. This is definitely a great collection of Phil Collin's love songs. Its too bad that Valentine's Day already pasted because this would make a great gift for your sweatheart. :)

I just now got this CD today and can say, it's a great collection. I wish a few more of his were on here, like "In too Deep" or "Doesn't Any one Stay together any more" were included but its a great set none the less. I endorse this CD

ANYWAY...a strong 2 cd set (his first), although Serious Hits Live & ...Hits could have been. A few expected tracks (One More Night, Do You Remember, Cant Turn Back The Years, Cant Stop Loving You, A GROOVY KIND OF LOVE-if we could just lose the percussion) and a few more upbeat guys (Its In Your Eyes, Youll Be In My Heart, Two Hearts, Least You Can Do). Of course how can i forget Tearing & Breaking, Please Come Out Tonight, Always, Testify, The Way You Look Tonight, & my fav (next to the live version of AGKOL) My Girl.
TOP FIVE: Against All Odds, Groovy Kind Of Love, Least You Can Do, My Girl and...um the rest all tie for fifth place, goodnight

I remember listening to I Can't Stop Loving You when I broke up with a boyfriend and my world was rocked. I grew up and realized that I was just being a romantic fool. Guess what? We're playing Phil at our wedding many eons of years later. And a friend I met at a Phil Collins/Billy Joel online fan club is one of my brides maids!

As a long-time fan of Collins' work, had this been just another hits type package, Love Songs would have been a real disappointment. Thankfully, this release offers a very palatable assortment of classic Collins favorites among several non-album cuts, live tracks, and alternate mixes. Hits like "Against All Odds", "Can't Stop Loving You", "Two Hearts", "You'll Be In My Heart", "Do You Remember?", and "Groovy Kind of Love" are blended thoughtfully amongst off-the-beaten-path material, demonstrating that this celebration of Phil Collins' ballads clearly has both casual and devout fans in mind.

Among the non-album tracks are "Tearing and Breaking", which is a John Martyn collaboration Phil Collins recorded during the Testify sessions; a live sound check version of "True Colours" recorded on the 2004 First Final Farewell Tour in Toulouse, France; "I've Been Trying", which was previously released on A Tribute to Curtis Mayfield; "Somewhere", which was previously released on The Songs of West Side Story; a cover of Smokey Robinson's "My Girl" which was previously available on the now out-of-print Songs From The Board EP from 1994; and Irving Berlin's "Always" and Jerome Kern's "The Way You Look Tonight" which were recorded on Phil Collins' 1990 ...But Seriously Tour and his 1998 Big Band Tour respectively. Among the more subtle gems on this collection for the more serious collector are a new stereo mix of "One More Night" (which sounds true to the original), "I've Forgotten Everything" from Both Sides and "It's In Your Eyes" from Dance Into The Light have been sped up a few beats per minute (BPM), "This Must Be Love" from Face Value fades more quickly than the original album version, and the version of "Least You Can Do" from Testify is a clearly different mix. All in all, both passive fans and Collins enthusiasts will find Love Songs to be a solid offering.

Before Phil Collins,three other artists that I know of who put out LOVE SONGS albums are The Beatles,Michael Bolton and Jefferson Airplane/Starship. Here in this collection,there are two new or previously unreleased studio tracks,TEARING AND BREAKING and I'VE BEEN TRYING. There are also a few tracks that did not appear on any of Collins' albums like YOU'LL BE IN MY HEART and SOMEWHERE. Previously released tracks from Collins' albums are THIS MUST BE LOVE and IF LEAVING ME IS EASY from 1981's FACE VALUE,DON'T LET HIM STEAL YOUR HEART AWAY from 1982's HELLO I MUST BE GOING,ONE MORE NIGHT from 1985's platinum NO JACKET REQUIRED,DO YOU REMEMBER from 1989's BUT SERIOUSLY,CAN'T TURN BACK THE YEARS,EVERYDAY and PLEASE COME OUT TONIGHT from 1993's BOTH SIDES,IT'S IN YOUR EYES from 1996's DANCE INTO THE LIGHT,LEAST YOU CAN DO,CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU and the title track from 2002's TESTIFY. There are live recordings of SEPARATE LIVES from SERIOUS HITS LIVE,released in 1990,MY GIRL,a hit for The Temptations and ALWAYS. This album could have used YOU CAN'T HURRY LOVE from HIMBG. That was a hit for The Supremes in 1967. Also what was wrong with any love songs that Collins' former band Genesis recorded? What was wrong with IN TOO DEEP and HOLD ON MY HEART? Collins' voice was heard on both those songs. There is also on this album a live rehearsal version of TRUE COLORS. The studio version appeared on 1998's HITS and was also a hit for Cyndi Lauper twelve years earlier. Take note of the international postal envelope on the cover. There are also a few black & white photos of Collins and a few color ones as well. Take note of two lipstick prints also. With the two new tracks and the two showtunes,PC fans will have a motive to pick up a copy of this album.

I am a huge Phil Collins fan and while I have most of his releases, I was looking forward to another collection of this release. His 1998 collection titled "Hits" (well it does get to the point) did a good job of amassing his most successful songs and it was easily a 4 + star effort and I was hungry for more. Unfortunately this collection just does not cut it as it is way too bland and cannot justify a 2 CD set.

Although the above may sound harsh, I am not one of those Phil Collins bashers who blast his thin voice and still have not forgiven him for somehow not living up to what they wanted Genesis to be after Peter Gabriel's departure. Phil picked up the torch and brought the band additional commercial appeal and along the way become an unlikely (yet much deserved) solo superstar. I think that several of his releases, especially "Face Value," "No Jacket Required," the amazing yet underperforming "But Seriously," and the grossly ignored "Both Sides" are as good as pop gets.

While it may have seemed like the perfect idea to release a set of love songs, especially those that were not necessarily hits, the end result lacks variety, poignancy and misses out on what could have been an opportunity to expand on 1998's "Hits" by putting his favorites and those that did not make the cut the first time around. Part of Phil's appeal to me is that he knows his strengths and limits and most of the time he hits it out of the ballpark by balancing his work with the right touch of earnestness and, especially in the case of "No Jacket Required," a killer combo of trumpets and a guest list that others would kill for. Here we have back-to-back songs that sound too alike, some overlooked gems, a lot of filler (what's up with 4 songs while overlooking over must have classic "love songs" from Phil careers?). Having said that there are a few interesting morsels via previosly an unreleased song, especially the opener on the 1st CD ("Tearing and Breaking"), and "Can't Hold Back The Years," which has to be one of Phil's most underrated songs that for some reason did explode onto the charts.

In a nutshell if you are a hardcore fan, this release is not going to add anything truly valuable to your collection. Even the inserts are uninspired and stingy considering the price of the release. For the average fan, stick to 1998's "Hits" and if you fall somewhere in between you may want to make your own version of "Hits" by adding those songs that are must haves for you. I give this release 3.5 stars and hope to hear some new material soon.

If you're looking for a greatest hits album of Phil Collins, this is not it. Check out his 1998 "Hits" album...it has nearly all of them. However, if you're looking for a compilation of great songs (by Collins and others), check this album out.

Only seven of the 25 tracks presented on this album also appear on "Hits"...and two of those appear here as live recordings. The recording of "True Colors" alone is reason enough to buy this album. Recorded during Collins' 2004 tour, it is performed with a new arrangement and impressive soprano sax work from Gerald Albright. A very minor complaint is that a new live recording of "One More Night" with Albright wasn't included.

Other highlights include a live performance of the classic "The Way You Look Tonight" and the single version of "Least You Can Do", a great ballad from Collins' 2002 album "Testify". This album is a little heavy on material from "Both Sides", but tracks from Collins' first two solo albums provide balance, including the very underappreciated "Don't Let Him Steal Your Heart Away". The newest track, "Tearing and Breaking", may seem unimpressive on first listen (it did to me anyway), but the song manages to take hold with a few more listens.

A great collection of tunes for fans of songwriting.

If music really can soothe a savage beast, this CD would have been all Van Helsing needed to get through Dracula - plus all his offspring, and all Dean Koontz heroes (from his man-fiddling-with-nature stories) would only need a CD player to end the story swiftly on a quiet note.

This is a gigantic collection of ballads, with every slow Phil Collins song you ever (and never) heard of. Even fans of Phil's would consider themselves full with two CD's of slow songs - a somnambulist's dream.

You know most of the songs by heart, and maybe the perfect time to listen to this would be on a romantic evening with the rain falling softly outside.

Warning: Do NOT listen to this album while operating heavy machinery, while driving on a highway, or while driving heavy machinery down a highway.

Amanda Richards, November 11, 2004

Plain and simple...this man has written some of the most beautiful and heart wrenching love songs and finally they are together in one set to enjoy. His love songs from the early 80's like "Don't Let him Steal Your Heart Away", "This Must Be Love" and "If Leaving Me Is Easy"(my personal favorite) are included in this set and are some of the best ballads he has ever written. They will surely be a treat to Phil's younger fans who will be hearing some of these songs for the very first time. Unfortunately, one of Phil's most heart breaking ballads "You Know What I Mean" did not make the set. I highly recommend this CD set to anyone who has found or lost love - there is sure to be a song here that will make you say to yourself... "That is EXACTLY how I feel!"

Phil Collins' "Love Songs" is a 2-CD set containing a great selection of Phil's greatest ballads. It's a terrific companion set to his "Hits" album, featuring not only such favorites as "One More Night," "Against All Odds," "Groovy Kind Of Love" and "Two Hearts," but also such buried Phil treasures as "Can't Turn Back The Years," "This Must Be Love," "Testify," and "If Leaving Me Is Easy." There's one new song, the lovely "Tearing And Breaking," which is an outtake from the "Testify" album, as well as "I've Been Trying," a song that Phil recorded for a Curtis Mayfield tribute album, and "Somewhere," the old Broadway classic from "West Side Story" that Phil did for another tribute album a few years back. And finally, if that weren't enough, the double CD set concludes with some excellent live material, including live renditions of "Separate Lives," and the old Sinatra fave, "The Way You Look Tonight." This is a great double album to own whether you're a diehard Phil fan OR just a casual listener. Quite simply, if you like Phil Collins, then you're gonna love "Love Songs."

Invite someone special over to the couch, put on some wood on the fireplace, turn down the lights and pop these two cds into your stereo. It doesn't get any better than this for romance.
Favorite track: "If Leaving Me is Easy." Highly recommended.

I picked up the CD the day it came out. Being a big fan for many years now, I figured I had to have a copy!
The first track, "Tearin' and Breakin' " was a welcome change so to speak for Phil....the song starts off with vocal harmonies that literally blow you away....It is then accented with soft piano and a beautiful horn solo. Truly a great song....one I already love.

The album has quite a few of the "no brainers" : Against All Odds, Groovy Kind Of Love, One More Night, just to name a few. But, then there are the surprises: Can't Turn Back the Years, I've Forgotten Everything, Least You Can Do, and many more. The fact that some lesser "known" songs are in the CD makes it that much more gratifying for me as alot of these "surprises" are some of my personal favorites I thought nobody else liked since they didn't go "mainstream".

If you like Phils voice and the way he writes/sings...this is a MUST have.....It has songs for all occasions....weddings/breakups/SEX!

Thx for reading,
Jeff

It is just so hard to imagine that when it really comes to Greatest Love Songs records these days, there really can be a plus, and there happens to be some minuses in a lot of them. Of course none of them are really perfect. There are some good ones that came out in the past few years from Vanessa Williams, and Patti LaBelle. Nevertheless, Phil Collins has had somegreat Pop songs that he conjured as a middle of the road vocalist. His songs are just truly definitive gems that brought delight into so many people. Unfortunately, his love songs album is just the middle of the road as well.

Love Songs: A Compilation Old & New, is a double album reflecting Phil's sincere feeling for love songs. The 25 songs on the album does have some good sides, but does seem to be a miss for most die hard Phil Collins fans. There are some great gems here such as One More Night, A Groovy Kind Of Love, Against All Odds, Two Hearts, and his Oscar-winning song You'll Be In My Heart from Tarzan. There also are a few soulful songs here that were overshadowed and overlooked that could've been included from Phil collins 1998 Hits album that are on this record as well, like Everyday, Do You Remember?, and It's In Your Eyes. The album also includes some live versions of songs Phil recorded that were just delightful like a elegantly recorded Seperate Lives, and a wonderful acapella version of True Colors.

Even though the songs are great on this album, there also are some disadvantages with this record. One of them, is that several Collins songs were not included on this record like All Of My Life, Look Through My Eyes from the Disney film, Brother Bear, and surprisingly, his remake of The Supremes You Can't Hurry Love, was also not included on this record. Another problem, is that the album overlooks songs that Phil recorded as a part of Genesis that also were great love songs like Hold On My Heart, In Too Deep, Never A Time, and many other songs. A third problem, is that the record is relatively short, and could've included some more songs than just the twenty-five tracks for this record.

For newcomers to Phil Collins music, this is a respectful addition to your library. Unfortunately, most die hard Phil Collins fans might consider passing this record up, and consider a future Greatest Hits collection instead. Still, Phil Collins does make some great songs, and this album does showcase itself fairly well.


Overall Rating: C+

Phil Collins has long been one of the most "honest" artists out there. His music always finds a vein in the hurt lover in all of us. This 2-disc collection of his better previously-released love songs and new material is an excellent listening experience. The title says it all, so many of his standards are missing from this collection ("In the Air Tonight", "I Wish It Would Rain Down", etc), but his love songs are here ("One More Night", "Do You Remember", "Separate Lives" are just a sampling of what you'll find). His new songs are good too, and show a good direction for the future (I was never a fan of his big band years). While another "best of" collection seems strange with the release of his other one not long ago, this one is different because it's themed to just his love songs. Four live songs are included here too, including his cover of the old song "The Way You Look Tonight". Recommended.