One hates to break the supernal sounds of master rock & roll balladeer Roy Orbison down by numbers, but here goes: 16 Biggest Hits offers exactly what it advertises. Meanwhile, Rhino's For the Lonely: A Roy Orbison Anthology (1959-65) tops it with 18 Orbison classics, Virgin's The Very Best of Roy Orbison clocks in with 19 cuts, and the old standby The All-Time Greatest Hits of Roy Orbison, Volumes 1 & 2 tops them all with 20 hits. All four retrospectives are laden with recordings that have become rock & roll touchstones--"Only the Lonely," "Running Scared," "In Dreams," "It's Over," "Oh, Pretty Woman." 16 Biggest Hits is bargain priced, but its ho-hum packaging leaves much to be desired. --Steven Stolder

Customer Rating:
Summary: CREME DE LA CREME
Comment: THESE SONGS WARMED UP MY RADIO IN THE SIXTIES AND THEY ALWAYS MADE ME HAPPY FOR SOME REASON. THEY STILL DO...

SIMPLY THE BEST MUSIC AND THE BEST SINGER OF THEM ALL.

THIS CD BRINGS BACK THE MEMORIES...GOOD STUFF THIS

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Roy
Comment: We lost a great entertainer when he died, but thank goodess we have his music to live on for years to come. Thanks Roy for all the memories.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: I,m really happy about getting this CD because I have wanted it for a long time
Comment: I am amazed how simple it is to purchase music CDs via Internet and I am very satisfied with the service provided by Amazon. Music is great and I enjoy it.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Roy sold his songs without even trying--and that's no small feat !!!
Comment: Roy Orbison possessed the fantastic ability to take a song and turn it into a magnificent tour de force; his voice was great and he never missed a beat. This CD is not the most complete retrospective of his hits; but it's good for people on a budget and you do get quite a bit for your money.

The track set begins with "Only The Lonely." "Only The Lonely" mixes a country flavor with rock to create an excellent tune. Roy's voice, clear and rich, never sounded better; and the backup chorus harmonizes to perfection. "Only The Lonely" lets Roy sing of how lonely he is now that his woman has left him for another man.

"Running Scared" has a great guitar arrangement to go along with Roy's excellent delivery of this ballad. "Running Scared" has extra guitars to bolster the melody; and Roy sings "Running Scared" with a superfluous note. "Crying," a classic Roy Orbison ballad, features Roy at the top of his game. The country/rock melody goes perfectly with his passionate vocals on "Crying." Roy explores the upper area of his vocal range on "Crying" as well. Moreover, "Candy Man" begins with some great harmonica that continues through the song; Roy sings of how he wants romantic time with his woman. Love that backup chorus, too!

"Falling" is a passionate ballad that gets the fully royal treatment from Roy; he delivers "Falling" with great sensitivity. The backup chorus and the light Latin beat enhance "Falling" greatly. "It's Over" lets Roy sings of a love gone awry; and the guitars work wonders for "It's Over."

Last but not least, the track set ends with Roy's classic rendition of "Oh, Pretty Woman." The upbeat, catchy melody stuns me with its beauty; and Roy sings with all his heart about a woman he wants to make his girlfriend. "Oh, Pretty Woman" gives us a strong ending for this album.

The liner note artwork is good; and we get the song credits, too. There is no essay but this is a minor disappointment.

Overall, this fine CD is a great budget priced item for people who want an introduction to Roy's artistry; and people who want an inexpensive retrospective of his work will find this enjoyable as well. Heck, ANYONE interested in good, creative music will appreciate this CD.

Thank you, Roy! We miss you!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: The Big "O"
Comment: It seems strange to hear different versions of him singing these favorites. But, he sounds good, but the recording could be better. My CD player isn't HDCD equiped, so I don't know if their is any difference.
All in all, worthy to any Big "O" fan.

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