Track Listing

1. Greatest Love of All
2. Come Softly to Me
3. I'm Always Chasing Rainbows
4. Stay the Night
5. Song for My Father
6. Some Enchanted Evening
7. Morning, Noon and Nightime
8. Vincent
9. You
10. Last Time I Felt Like This - Johnny Mathis, Jane Olivor
11. Come in from the Rain
12. Best Side of Goodbye
13. He's So Fine
14. Solitaire
15. To Love Again
16. Seasons [Live]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18772 in Music
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2004-06-22
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .19 pounds

Customer Reviews

To each, their own
I just purchased this CD last evening. I was tentative about buying it, even though I adore Jane. My hesitation was based on the fact that I already owned these songs on her other recordings, none of them were particular favorites of mine, and some of the Amazon reviews mentioning the somewhat lackadaisical remastering.

First of all, I consider myself quite picky about sound quality, and these versions are VASTLY improved over the older discs. Jane's voice is right in the forefront, as though she were right in the room with you, against a pristine musical background, with all the previous bad fade-outs corrected quite nicely. Have someone blindfold you and play any one of the numbers on "Best of Jane" back to back with one of the earlier versions, and you will instantly recognize the difference. Keep in mind this isn't a Super Audio CD, just a remaster.

Surely there's enough great J.O. material in the Columbia vaults to create at least a double CD. My dream collection would certainly contain "My First Night Alone Without You", "One More Ride On the Merry-Go-Round", "Lelena", "The French Waltz" and "Golden Pony". But even though the songs on this collection are more generic-pop, they sound so good, I actually dig them for the first time!

The photos of Jane included are worth the price alone. Gorgeous, never-before-seen shots from years ago that never saw the light of day until now.

Let's hope Jane has a deal to make some dinero $$$ off this reissue from the record label.

GOOD, BUT COULD BE BETTER WITH RARITIES
Granted this is the first US remastered Best Of for Jane Olivor, as the only other "Best Of" type recordings were her "Enchanted Evening" LP issued in Australia (with the best album sleeve photos), and the budget-line CD "So Fine". This collection would've had 5 Stars from me if it weren't all the same songs previously released on the Columbia LPs/CDs from 1976-82. There are a couple of rarities that could've been included, and gratefully, one that was.

First of all, "Some Enchanted Evening" was issued as a single close to the release of Jane's second album "Chasing Rainbows". When I purchased that album in 1977, a bonus one-sided while label 45 single was included of a different version of "Some Enchanted Evening" vs. the album version from "First Night". A regular 45 single was also issued with that same single version, which is mostly piano background. The next rarity is the single version of "He's So Fine from "Stay The Night". The single version has a different inflection on the lyric in the middle of the song. Using these two versions over the overly released album versions would have made this collection a "must" for all Jane fans. The saving light is the inclusion for the first time on any Jane collection/album of the wonderful duet with Johnny Mathis of "The Last Time I Felt Like This".

With Jane's resurgance to the concert arena and a devoted following, I hope that all 5 original Columbia albums will go through a superb remaster & add these other rare tracks as bonuses, in addition to expanding the Jane Olivor In Concert CD to include more of or the entire concert vs. the tracks that were only placed on vinyl, with one track "We Go Where There Is Love" possibly being a studio insert. Columbia/Legacy really needs to do some digging & give Jane's releases the polishing and release they deserve. This "Best of" is a start, with a great set of photos.

I've followed Jane's career for years, and this is long over
due, especially the addition of 'The Last Time I Felt Like This' duet with Johnny Mathis. One of music's best pairings. If you've ever witnessed the poetic beauty and primal dance of two birds mating, their uninhibited and excited fluttering, synchronized in a symphonic diving and swirling mid-flight, then you have an idea what their voices did so easily together on this pairing.


When I lived in Chicago I saw Jane perform live several times. I always brought a new group of friends along. Never was anyone disappointed. Jane did have an uneasiness on stage, but it kind of made her more vulnerable and human, an asset to me.


This is Jane's best work, even with 'Beautiful Sadness' not being included (which is as sensitive, intelligent and poetic as 'Vincent').


The violin intro to 'Vincent' made it her song. Her interpretation not only speaks about Vincent van Gogh, but invades his emotional creativity, resurrecting his bloodied and battered spirit. One of the best written songs of my generation.


Jane's version of 'Come In From The Rain' is as beautiful and poignant as Manchester's original version (another one of those perfect songs written).


Jane's 'Some Enchanted Evening' is the best version recorded, or at least that I've heard. That blue bird was me one long ago enchanted evening (and we're still together).


'Solitaire' is one of the few Sedaka that I can listen to years later. I don't know if her version is better than Karen Carpenters. If it's not better, it's at least as good. And so goes the rest of this collection. This collection is for those who can appreciate Streisand with an European flavor.