Who's Better, Who's Best

Track Listings

1. My Generation

2. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere

3. Kids Are Alright

4. Substitute

5. I'm a Boy

6. Happy Jack

7. Pictures of Lily

8. I Can See for Miles

9. Who Are You

10. Won't Get Fooled Again [Extended Version]

11. Magic Bus

12. I Can't Explain

13. Pinball Wizard

14. I'm Free

15. See Me, Feel Me

16. Squeeze Box

17. Join Together

18. You Better, You Bet

19. Baba O'Riley [*]

Tracks:

My Generation
Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
Kids Are Alright
Substitute
I'm a Boy
Happy Jack
Pictures of Lily
I Can See for Miles
Who Are You
Won't Get Fooled Again [Extended Version]
Magic Bus
I Can't Explain
Pinball Wizard
I'm Free
See Me, Feel Me
Squeeze Box
Join Together
You Better, You Bet
Baba O'Riley [*]

Customer Reviews:

The Who Who's Better Who's Great.......2007-03-03

This is a great album it has all of the good songs on most of the albums it is Better And Best

Let Us Compare Anthologies.......2006-05-25

The Who's catalog is flooded with compilations, to the point that one has to wonder how it is worth anyone's time and money for most of them to even exist. While compiling the actual best songs by Townshend and Co. would be almost impossible, putting together their biggest hits along with a few treat tracks should be less of a chore. For the frugal compilation seeker, it comes down to four choices among the dozens: Meaty Beaty Big & Bouncy, Who's Better Who's Best, My Generation: The Very Best of The Who, and the 2-disc The Ultimate Collection. So to paraphrase the title of Leonard Cohen's first book, let us compare anthologies.

Many purists would argue that Meaty Beaty Big & Bouncy - the first Who collection - is the best. It is difficult to disagree with this assessment. Released in between Tommy and Who's Next, there is really nothing missing that one could reasonably hope for from a single disc. All of the big hits from "I Can't Explain" to "Pinball Wizard" are there, as are two nice bonuses: the smaller hit "A Legal Matter", and John Entwistle's awesome non-hit "Boris the Spider", both of which make this anthology of their early years all the more enjoyable and complete. The newcomer will be pleased to see all of the titles s/he recognizes - "My Generation", "Substitute", "I Can See For Miles" - as well as several s/he may not - "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere", "I'm A Boy" - but by which s/he will be very impressed and pleasantly surprised. Furthermore, the timing of this release could not have been better. Who's Next, which came out later the same year, was to be a very different beast than its predecessors. And since Tommy had started to indicate a change in the band's sound already, the inclusion of "Pinball Wizard" makes this a perfect Janus-faced marker. As the first Who compilation, MBB&B is literally perfect, and a model for any greatest hits collection.

Now, what about those folks whose first exposure to The Who was from "You Better, You Bet" on MTV, and who were always a bit more into songs like "Baba O'Reilly"? Well, we have two choices - Who's Better Who's Best and My Generation: The Very Best. Unfortunately, the former has been overlooked in favor of the latter, but the difference between the two discs is a matter of only a few songs. The Very Best scores some points with the inclusion of "Boris the Spider", and it also includes "The Seeker", which I personally can do without. So at this point, each disc has two songs that the other doesn't: WBWB has "I'm Free" and "See Me Feel Me", and The Very Best has "5:15" and the horribly vapid "Let's See Action". With this difference as the deal breaker, I think that WBWB is, well, better.

But both have certain imperfections. "Join Together", "Squeeze Box", and "Who Are You", none of which are among The Who's best songs, are included on each of them. I suppose that they are included for the sake of completeness, but they could have been scraped to make room for "A Quick One (While He's Away)" and/or
"Love Reign O'er Me" on both, and for "Boris the Spider" on WBWB. (Both are also missing "Behind Blue Eyes", and the WBWB version of "Won't Get Fooled Again" is inexplicably shortened in the middle. These are moot points: anyone with enough interest in The Who to buy a compilation should also own Who's Next, the parent album of both of these songs.) Still, I am glad that both have "You Better, You Bet", which finds the band embracing rock 'n roll elder statesmanship as well as "My Generation" found them embracing youth.

Finally, there is the 2-disc set The Ultimate Collection. It seems like this would be the most obvious place for a newcomer to start, because it has the most songs on it (35, to be exact). But that might also be part of its problem. Stretching so many tracks over the course of 2 discs can dampen the impact of the individual songs. However, with the exception of "A Quick One", it includes all of the songs mentioned in this review, as well as "Call Me Lightning", "Bargain" and Entwistle's "My Wife" from Who's Next, "Long Live Rock", and the latter-day tracks "Sister Disco" and "Eminence Front". So for someone determined to have only a compilation in their library, The Ultimate Collection is the one to have. But s/he should not be surprised if his/her appetite is whetted enough that s/he goes out and buys several other Who CDs as well.

And on that note, let me make it clear that no collection is sufficient as the only Who CD on one's shelves. The superb CD The Who Sell Out is represented only by "I Can See For Miles" on all four described above, and Tommy only by "Pinball Wizard" and "See Me Feel Me" (which doesn't actually appear in it's single form on that CD). Moreover, Live At Leeds lives up to its reputation as a seminal live recording, and it does have "A Quick One" on it. And if it isn't clear by now, every self-respecting rock fan should have Who's Next. So which compilation do I actually recommend? I have to vote against The Ultimate Collection, as it is simply overkill. The Very Best is weaker, for my tastes, than WBWB. Therefore, it comes down to WBWB or MBB&B. And my suggestion is, the envelope please...Who's Better Who's Best. It may be the neglected stepchild of the compilations, but it spans their entire career, contains missteps that are on the other comps anyway, and features 2 great songs that aren't on The Very Best or MBB&B.

Get WBWB and Who's Next. Where you go from there is up to you. I recommend The Who Sell Out and Live At Leeds, which - even if you are leery of live albums - really is that great.

Good, but not best WHO compilation.......2005-07-16

I love the WHO, they rank only after the Beatles as my favorite group. I have all of their CDs. This CD at the time of its release was fine, it was a good career spanner. But I think it misses too much, for example, it does not have any Quadrophenia material. I would say buy this only if you are a completist. I prefer the Who's Greatest, even though that one is shorter and also inexplicably omits material. The Who Hits CD to get is the Ultimate Collection. IT is the only WHO hits package that contains Eminence Front. So for this one, 4 stars, because of the incomparable material; would be five if it had a couple of more vital songs on it.

The Who's Best definately, but could be a little bit better.......2004-02-22

This ia great album and I would definatly reccomend not only to beginners but also to collecters. This site is one of the only places in the world that has this album new. The two things that could make this album the best album from 1988 would be changing the shortened versions of 'Who Are You' and 'Won't Get Fooled Again' into there full length version. Otherwise, this is definately The Who's Best. GET IT!!!

Who's better than the Who?.......2003-06-26

You could make a case for the Who being a single act. After all, they only released ten studio albums during their long career. They released many singles that didn't come from albums, especially in the early years. Every song here is a certified Who classic. But there are really too many Who classics to fit on a single CD. You would be better off buying the two disc Ultimate Collection. However, if you really want a single disc Who compilation, this one does an adequate job.

Average customer rating:

Movie Romance
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Avalon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Easy Listening | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00006NSIZ
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Tracks:

My Hear Will Go On
The Godfather (Love Theme)
Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)
Beauty and the Beast
Do You Know Where You're Going To?
Everything I Do I Do It For You
Summer of '42
The Way We Were
A Time For Us
I Will Always Love You
Nobody Does It Better
Can You Feel The Love Tonight?
Save the Best For Last

Average customer rating:

The Best of Gilbert & Sullivan

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004SSJR
Release Date: 2002-11-05

Tracks:

The Mikado: Overture
The Mikado: A Wandering Minstrel I
The Mikado: Our Great Mikado, Virtuous Man
The Mikado: Young Man, Despair
The Mikado: Behold The Lord High Executioner!...Taken From The County Jail
The Mikado: As Some Day It May Happen
The Mikado: Three Little Maids From School Are We
The Mikado: Were You Not To Ko-Ko Plighted
The Mikado: I Am So Proud
The Mikado: The Sun, Whose Rays
The Mikado: Here's A How-De-Do!
The Mikado: Miya Sama (Entrance Of The Mikado)
The Mikado: A More Humane Mikado Never
The Mikado: The Criminal Cried
The Mikado: See How The Fates Their Gifts Allot
The Mikado: The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring
The Mikado: Alone, And Yet Alive!...Hearts Do Not Break!
The Mikado: On A Tree By A River
The Mikado: There Is Beauty In The Bellow Of The Blast
The Mikado: For He's Gone And Married Yum-Yum
Trail By Jury: The Learned Jungle
H.M.S. Pinafore: I'm Called Litttle Buttercup
H.M.S. Pinafore: My Gallant Crew...I Am The Captain Of The Pinafore
Sorry Her Lot Who Loves Too Well
H.M.S. Pinafore: When I Was A Lad I Served A Term

Tracks:

H.M.S. Pinafore: Fair Moon, To Thee I Sing
H.M.S. Pinafore: Things Are Seldom What They Seem
H.M.S. Pinafore: The Hours Creep On Apace
H.M.S. Pinafore: Never Mind The Why And Wherefore
The Pirates Of Penzance: Oh, Better Far To Live And Die
The Pirates Of Penzance: Oh, Is There Not One Maiden Breast
The Pirates Of Penzance: Poor Wandering One!
The Pirates Of Penzance: I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major-General
The Pirates Of Penzance: When The Foeman Bears His Steel
The Pirates Of Penzance: Ah, Leave Me Not To Pine
The Pirates Of Penzance: When A Felon's Not Engaged In His Employment
The Pirates Of Penzance: With Cat-Like Tread
Patience: The Soldiers Of Our Queen...If You Want A Receipt For That Popular Mystery
Patience: Am I Alone And Unobserved...If You're Anxious For To Shine
Patience: Sad Is That Woman's Lot...Silvered Is The Raven Hair
Patience: A Magnet Hung In A Hardware Shop
Patience: Love Is A Plaintive Song
Patience: So Go To Him And Say To Him
Patience: When I Go Out Of Door
Patience: After Much Debate (Finale Act 2)
Iolanthe: When I Went To The Bar As A Very Young Man
The Lady Of My Love...(Finale Act 1)

Tracks:

When All Night Long A Chap Remains
When Britain Really Ruled The Waves
When You're Lying Awake With A Dismal Headache
If You Go In, You're Sure To Win
Ruddigore: My Boy, May Take It From Me
Ruddigore: The Battle's Roar Is Over
Ruddigore: In Sailing O'er Life's Ocean Wide
Ruddigore: You Understand?
Ruddigore: When The Night Wind Howls
Ruddigore: My Eyes Are Fully Open
Ruddigore: There Grew A Little Flower
The Gondoliers: We're Called Gondolieri
The Gondoliers: From The Sunny Spanish Shore...In Enterprise Of Martial Kind
The Gondoliers: I Stole The Prince
The Gondoliers: When A Merry Maiden Marries
The Gondoliers: Take A Pair Of Sparkling Eyes
The Gondoliers: Dance A Cachucha, Fandango, Bolero
The Gondoliers: There Lived A King, As I've Been Told
The Gondoliers: I Am A Courtier Grave And Serious
The Yeoman Of The Guard: I Have A Song To Sing, O!
The Yeoman Of The Guard: How You Say Maiden, Will You Wed
The Yeoman Of The Guard: Where I Thy Bride
The Yeoman Of The Guard: Oh! A Private Buffoon Is A Light Hearted Loon
The Yeoman Of The Guard: Comes The Pretty Young Bride

Average customer rating:

Swings But Misses
Better than Greatest Hits, but there are still problems.
WOnderful COllection Of Who's Best Songs!
which who compilation??

Who's Better Who's Best

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000568NE
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Customer Reviews:

Swings But Misses.......2002-12-10

It's probably true that The Who's catalogue is too deep for any one-disc compilation to ever get it exactly right; "Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy" is my personal favorite, but it only really covers the early period, up to "Tommy." This one has some of the later material, like "Baba O'Riley" and "Who Are You," and that is definitely to its credit; but a few omissions, particularly "The Seeker" (which some consider their best song), stand out badly. Then there's "Won't Get Fooled Again," which has been edited down for reasons that passeth understanding. Call me an old fuddy-duddy purist, but I can't think of any reason on earth for what amount to glaring jump-cuts in one of their most seminal songs. If it was purely a matter of limited disc space I'd have happily traded the entirety of "Squeeze Box" for the full version of "Won't Get Fooled Again." In the end, you probably ought to just get the two-disc "Ultimate Collection," or go ahead and start picking up individual albums--you simply can't go wrong with "Who's Next" and the stunning rerelease of "Live at Leeds."

Better than Greatest Hits, but there are still problems........2002-08-10

The CD version of this album contains Baba O'Riley as a bonus
track, and the tracks are recorded from analog tapes, and the
problem is evident in certain tracks. I don't know why they
include mono versions of certain tracks, and not others.
Here's the track listing:
1.My Generation (mono)
2.Anywhere, Anyway, Anyhow (mono)
3.The Kids Are Alright (mono)
4.Substitute (mono)
5.I'm A Boy
6.Happy Jack (mono)
7.Pictures of Lily (mono)
8.I Can See For Miles (mono)
9.Who Are You
10.Won't Get Fooled Again
11.Magic Bus
12.I Can't Explain - (mono)
13.Pinball Wizard
14.I'm Free
15.See Me, Feel Me
16.Squeeze Box
17.Join Together
18.You Better, You Bet
19.Baba O'Riley - (bonus track)

WGFA isn't even the full version. This abridged version
is only 3:37, and Bargain is nowhere to be found on this
disc. Granted, this compilation album to date is more
comprehensive than Meaty, Beaty, Big And Bouncy, Greatest
Hits, or even The Kids Are Alright soundtrack, this
album isn't worthy of five stars, but it's a nice
followup to Greatest Hits.

WOnderful COllection Of Who's Best Songs!.......2002-07-18

The Who was there at the creation of sixties rock, or so it seems in retrospect. Certainly this very talented band, with Peter Townshend, John Entwhistle, and Roger Daltry all contributing artistically to the strength of the group, was in the spotlight most of the time by the late 1960s, and their creative juices were often exercised in pursuit of a number of artistic activities. This album of their greatest hits is a reflection of just some of those accomplishments, ranging from some trend-setting efforts such as "Substitute", "The Seeker", "you Better You Better You Bet", and "The Magic Bus", as well as more experimental forms as were included in the rock opera "Tommy" with songs like "Pinball Wizard" arising from it. Also featured are songs such as the classic "Won't Get Fooled Again", "Squeeze Box", and "5:15". My single favorite is, of course, "Who Are You?", with its expletive-included mid-song. Who are you, indeed? This is a nice, tight collection, nowhere near comprehensive, but fairly representative of both their range and genius. Enjoy!

which who compilation??.......2002-05-25

wondering which who compilation to buy? Lord knows there's already about a billion out there. From the originals (meaty, beay, big, and bouncy and greatest hits) to some of the later ones (My Generation and The Kids Are Alright). This one certainly ranks high up there. In fact, it's probably a toss up between this one and My Generation for the best single cd collection. It's just really difficult to get all of their best song into one cd. Both of them have pretty much all of the major hits- My Generation, Magic Bus, Pinball Wizard, Baba O'Reilly. This one lacks Boris the Spider while My Generation lacks The Kids Are Alright. Both are missing Summertime Blues and Behind Blue Eyes which is definately one of the Who's best songs. Other than that both cd's are great. I think the edge though (a very small edge) probably goes to My Generation. Another song that Who's Better, Who's Best is missing is the Seeker.

Despite these small complaints (I'm sure other Who fans have many more) this, as well as My Generation are both good compilations and probably the best cd's for any new Who fan to start out with. Out of all the compilations though, my favorite (despite the fact that it hasn't been released yet) is the Ultimate Collection. It finally did what me and a lot of other Who fans have been saying for a long time-"Make a two cd compilation." And, judging from the songlist, they've done an outstanding job. Practically every song left out on all the other compilations are on the Ultimate Collection and I can't wait till it comes out June 11. Hopefully it will be better than the overblown 30 Years of Maximum R&B.

Who's Better Who's Best
Average customer rating:
Who's Better Who's Best
Who
Manufacturer: Phantom Sound & Vision
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000DERM6
Release Date: 2001-12-04

Music Review:

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Front and Center

Once Upon a Time: The Singles

1. My Generation
2. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere
3. Kids Are Alright
4. Substitute
5. I'm a Boy
6. Happy Jack
7. Pictures of Lily
8. I Can See for Miles
9. Who Are You
10. Won't Get Fooled Again [Extended Version]
11. Magic Bus
12. I Can't Explain
13. Pinball Wizard
14. I'm Free
15. See Me, Feel Me
16. Squeeze Box
17. Join Together
18. You Better, You Bet
19. Baba O'Riley [*]