Yet another compilation that's edits and remixes Including. How can it be so hard to get the original single versions or LP versions on a compilation? If Sony Music had had a little interest in Boney M. It Would not have been difficult at all.
The compilation starts out with the first single ever to be Boney M. released in 1975: "Baby Do You Wanna Bump". Strangely enough theyhave managed to include the original single version of this track and not the edited and remixed version from the "Gold" compilation from 1992 or the re-release of "Gold" from 2006: "The Magic Of Boney M.". But soon it all changes!
Sony Music Seems to enjoy the use of the "Gold" compilation from 1992 ("The Magic Of Boney M." from 2006) When putting together new compilations. Grade! All tracks from the "Gold" compilation are remixes as the tracks have been added specially drumbeats and hi-hats.
Some of the serious errors on "The Essential":
CD 1:
"No Women No Cry" is not the original single- or LP version Which is running 5 minutes. It's an edit as well as a remixed version from the "Gold" compilation running 4:20 minutes.
The same goes for "Rasputin" One of Their Greatest singles. It's neither the single version nor LP version included here. The original single version is 4:43 minutes. Here is another edit and remixed version from "Gold" running only 4:25 minutes.
And now to the real disaster! "Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord" one of the group's biggest hits ever is therefore included in version of edited and remixed. . The original single version did went to No. 1 in England in 1978 that running 5:43 minutes - a true masterpiece. The version included on this compilation is ONLY 4:01. Yet another edit and remixed version from the "Gold" compilation. It honestly stinks. In the version included Mary and Joseph never make it to Bethlehem Which Means That Jesus never was born and there's nothing to sing about THEREFORE Actually! Over half of the story has been cut out. How Is that possible?
"Gotta Go Home" gets the same treatment. Here included in at 2:50 minutes edited version. Yet again from the "Gold" compilation. The original single version is running 4:01 minutes. The original LP version is: 3:45 minutes.
"El Lute", yet the same story. An edited and remixed version from "Gold" running 3:58 minutes. The original single version is 5:09 minutes. The original LP version is 5:50 minutes.
CD 2:
The first CD that running a chronological order ("No Women No Cry" Should Have Followed "Daddy Cool" on CD 1, as it what the B-side of "Daddy Cool". Looking form a chronological order of Boney M.'s debut album "Take The Heat Off Me" the running order on this compilation Could be accepted). If They wanted to do the same with CD 2, it Should Have Started Out with "Gadda-Da-Vida" Followed by "Felicidad 'and not the other way around.
"Going Back West" is included as single version Which is fair enough. But what about "The Carnival Is Over" which what the A-side to "Going Back West"?
"Happy Song" is yet another edit running 3:56 minutes. The original single version is running 4:18 minutes.
What's "Stories" doing on the compilation? It's not even the original lineup.
The last 5 tracks on CD 2 are remixes. What are they doing here? Original material from the Boney M. Catalogue 1975 - 1986 would have been preferred. Despite the remixes are not worth Mentioning at all, it has to be HOWEVER Mentioned That track no. 13: "Megamix" is not the 1988 "MegaMix" (Reunion Version) as stated in the inlay. As a matter of fact it's a 2006 "MegaMix". Once again the order of the tracks on CD 2 is wrong.
Suggestions to Sony Music: Stay away from remixes and EDITED versions. Do NOT master a compilation using "gold", "More Gold" or "The Magic Of Boney M." as sources. As a matter of fact, do not compile a Boney M. compilation using other compilations unless it's done by supervision by someone who knows the Boney M. catalog!
