Maybe 'HHGHV2' Would Have Been More Apt? (Ghv2 (greatest Hits Volume 2) - Madonna)

Member Name: blackjane

Product:	Ghv2 (greatest Hits Volume 2) - Madonna
Date:	28/11/01 (151 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: An interesting retrospective

Disadvantages: Still waiting for the 'real thing'

[HHGHV2 = 'Half-Hearted Greatest Hits (Volume 2)']

This rather cryptic title is a reference to the fact that despite this being the third 'best of' compilation released by Madonna, it still only scratches the surface of her successful recording career to date. It will surely only be a matter of time before a comprehensive treble CD set of all her hit singles to date is released, although it seems that we must still wait a while yet before this becomes a reality.

Following on from the 'The Immaculatate Collection' that contained seventeen of Madonna's hits from 1984 to 1990, and 'Something To Remember' with fourteen ballads that were recorded between 1984 to 1995, the latest instalment has now hit our shops just in time for Christmas. This time Madonna, in co-operation with her record company, has carefully chosen fifteen singles that were released between 1992 and 2001. There is no place for the likes of 'American Pie', 'Bad Girl', 'Fever', 'You'll See', 'Nothing Really Matters' - in fact you could almost have made up a second disc of all the tracks that were left off!

However, the following tracks have been included:

'Deeper and Deeper' kicks us off with its deep beats and dance influenced rhythms that made the song a number six hit in the UK in December '92. This is one of my personal favourites from this CD as Madonna's voice appears to be perfectly suited to this type of dance track.

In contrast, 'Erotica' shows the more sordid side of Madonna, and displays the shock value that has brought her so much controversy as well as healthy record sales. This single was the debut single release from the 'Erotica' album and set the scene for the rest of the album.

In much the same vein, 'Human Nature' tells of people's reluctance to discuss sex in a frank and open manner - something that Madonna h
erself has never shied away from! This single, as well as the next track 'Secret', comes from the 'Bedtime Stories' album, and continues with some of the themes from the 'Erotica' album.

'Don't Cry For Me Argentina' was featured in the movie 'Evita' and is a very different type of song than most of the other material recorded by Madonna. However, this track (as well as the other singles from the 'Evita' soundtrack that aren't include here) shows new facets to Madonna as a recording artist.

'Bedtime Story' has more of an earthy and trippy feel to it - perhaps due in part to the fact that it was co-written by Bjork. Not one of Madonna's strongest singles, but still comfortably a top five hit in February '95.

'The Power Of Goodbye' was a much stronger song than many of the others that Madonna had chosen to release as singles in the recent past. This song also shows the variety of material from the 'Ray Of Light' album, being very different to each of the first two singles that preceded it.

'Beautiful Stranger' featured on the 'Austin Powers: Spy Who Shagged Me' movie soundtrack and showed a little of Madonna's humourous side, with her also featuring alongside Mike Myers in the video.

The chilling 'Frozen' was the introduction to the 'Ray Of Light' album and deservedly became Madonna's first UK number one single in a decade. Taking a jump back slightly now, and 'Take A Bow' was the first Madonna single that failed to make it into the UK top ten. This was a harsh judgement by the British record buying public as this powerful ballad deserved to do better.

'Ray Of Light' was the phrentic title track from Madonna's final studio album from the 20th century. The song is in stark contrast to the laid back groove of 'Frozen' but worked equally well in re-establishing Mado
nna's chart credentials.

'Don't Tell Me' is a country influenced track from the 'Music' album, and features Madonna in her best cowboy gear in the video. To my mind the style of this song is a little bit out of place, and spoils a run of about five or six good singles that had been released prior to it.

'What It Feels Like For A Girl' is another recent single from the 'Music' album and brings Madonna back into controversial mode with its disturbing undercurrents, including dark spoken sections. Madonna herself describes this song as 'angry', also saying that she wanted a matching visual with an edgy dance mix.

'Drowned World/Substitute For Love' is deeper lyrically than many of Madonna's songs, and looks at the way in which fame and material gains can often appear to be more important than love itself.

Finally, 'Music' is the title track from Madonna's most recent studio album and is an altogether more upbeat offering than most of the material that she was churning out in the mid 1990s. The song was helped by a partially animated video as well as a guest performance by none other than Ali G.


If you don't have the original singles or the albums from which they were taken, then casual Madonna fans will probably find this album a useful addition to their collection. That was certainly my view before choosing to buy it, but I'm just looking forward to the day when Warner Bros. can be bothered to compile a comprehensive CD retrospective.

{Another original Dooyoo opinion
© Blackjane 2001}

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