Album Review

RCA/Legacy's 2005 reissue of the 1962 LP The Best of Sam Cooke retains the original 12-song running order and adds three bonus tracks, none of them huge hits: "Win Your Love for Me," "You Were Made for Me," and "Nothing Can Change This Love." The reasoning behind this, according to the back cover, is because: "This Best of Sam Cooke album was the beacon that kept Cooke's most popular songs in the public eye. For a couple of generations this was the first -- and often only -- Sam Cooke album they owned. Although there are more ambitious collections that show Cooke's remarkable range and diversity, this is still the best starting place." Which is all well and good, but Abkco's most recent hit collection, 2003's Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964, not only contains all 12 songs from the original Best Of, but it contains the three bonus tracks on this edition as well. Also, at a generous 30 tracks on a single disc, it's also twice as long. So, all things considered, that's a better bargain and introduction. Nevertheless, as the back cover copy says, this does contain all of the biggest hits, so it's a good, concise overview of and introduction to Sam Cooke at his best. But if given a choice, it's better to go for more Sam Cooke, not less. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi