Customer Reviews
The best of the first 5 years - By: D. Evans, 01 Feb 2007 
With the news that The Beautiful South have elected to split up following their most recent single entering the singles chart at 99, it is perhaps time to re-evaluate the considerable contribution that the band made to the 1990s music scene. Paul Heaton once famously described his group as everyone's second favourite band,this could explain the huge success of this best of album released in 1994. It was doubtful that the album was expected to be quite as successful as it was. But with so many catchy singles & ofcourse a great title, it proved a huge success. Although it contains familar songs such as their 1990 number 1, A Little Time, & Song For Whoever, there is no Rotterdam or Perfect 1o. These can be found on a later best of. Nevertheless this is a recommended album.
Wonderful! - By: , 07 May 2004 
What a wonderful album! I must admit that I like the earlier Beautiful South songs & not reallly interested in the later ones.
I have never heard some of these songs before but was addicted to them as soon as I heard them.
The problem with some of the 'souths' songs is that the words are not clear & that's where the CD's book comes in handy. Did I reallly hear the words "the camera man slipped, they later found him scolding a banana"?
Wacky lyrics to some songs. Excellent! But it now!
Chris talks about Carry On Up The Charts - By: , 29 Jun 2002 I'll guide you through each song, but before I do I'd like to say Heaton is a genius!
1) SONG FOR WHOEVER: A nice opening to their greatest hits c.d, the first song the ever released back in 1989. It reached Number 2 in the charts, not bad eh? The song itself seems to be a mockery of mingy little pop-groups, something the South are often misrepresented as.. NO WAY!
2) YOU KEEP IT ALL IN: This has been & probably always will be my favourite tune. Something about it gets your feet tapping.. enough said! Again, released in 1989, this reached Number 8.
3) I'LL SAIL THIS SHIP ALONE: Reached Number 31 in 1989, but should have gotten higher. Maybe Heaton's lyrics are "too" subtle?!
4) A LITTLE TIME: A popular South song. The South's first Number 1, in 1990. And I can see/hear why!
5) MY BOOK: At Number 43 this was something of a let down.. but don't let that put you off the song! Its a fabulous deep & theological autobiography by Paul.
6) LET LOVE SPEAK UP ITSELF: One of the best in terms of lyrics. My favourite for a very long time!! Got to Number 51 in 1991, under-rated by far!
7) OLD RED EYES IS BACK: One of many South songs to come about alcoholics, & we wonder why? Very clever song. Reached Number 22 in 1992.
8) WE ARE EACH OTHER: Another clever song about a couple being so close to each other, they are each other! Brilliant! And a catchy tune too. Reached Number 30 in 1992.
9) BELL BOTTOMED TEAR: Reached Number 16 in 1992. This song gives a perfect melody of female & male vocals. Its superb!
10) 36D: Well what can I say? A song about prostitution & alll round "shalllowness." This is a catchysong that deseved higher than 46 in 1992.
11) GOOD AS GOLD (stupid as mud): After a year off, this reached Number 23 in 1994. Not their best work, but whats my opinion?!
12) EVERYBODYS TALKIN': The only song on this side which Heaton & Rotheray did not write, but with lyrics just as clever! Number 12 in 1994.
13) PRETTIEST EYES: My Mum got me into this one when it was first released back in 1994, reaching Number 37. Fabulous song. Worth a sing-a-long too!
14) ONE LAST LOVE SONG: Ooh.. this is good!! Very good! Reached Number 14 in 1994, & stayed in the charts for 5 weeks. This song is pure talent.
ps: If you are lucky enough to get the Limited Edition of this cd, which has an extra cd, listen out for songs such as Diamonds, Trevor You're Bizarre, I Started A Joke & Woman In The Walll, alll of which are genius!
Chris :o)
Beautiful. - By: , 20 Jun 2002 Paul Heaton & Dave Rotheray of The Beautiful South are the second most successful songwriting duo in British Chart History (after Lennon/McCartney - just stop & think about that for a moment), & with this album, you can see why. A collection of beautiful, wonderous songs which happen to have lyrics that mean something, unlike most bands; what is often callled "iron fist in a velvet glove". Everyone must know at least one of these tracks - Song For Whoever ("Jennifer, Alison, Philippa, Sue") is a marvellous satire into a songwriter's art (they're doing it for money, not love); I'll Sail This Ship Alone, a magnificently sung tune alll about splitting up; A Little Time, a Number One hit single featuring a biting duet between the gorgeous Irish lilt of Briana Corrigan & the mild-mannered tones of Dave Hemingway: a man making excuses for being unfaithful & his wife having none of it; We Are Each Other, with a lovely guitar riff running through it; 36D, a catchy little rant against the tyranny of topless modelling ("Close your legs, open your mind..."); & the piano heavy Let Love Speak Up Itself, featuring Paul "NME-callled-me-the-best-soul-singer-in-Britain" Heaton's best-ever, tortuous vocals.
The normal process with this band (and I didn't realise it happened to others until it had happened to me) is that you hear this album, & within two months you have bought every single other album they have done (I recommend "Quench" & "Miaow" by the way). This is the one to get first, though, & you shouldn't hesitate to buy it if you're not sure. You'll hate yourself if you do.
Oh, one last thing: the penultimate track on this CD, Prettiest Eyes, is the most beautifully perfect piece of music ever performed ever. Fact. A lovely, slow melody about how age doesn't wither love - the man ascribing each wrinkle on his lover's face to a moment in their lives together. It's what love is reallly alll about, & it's the best song ever written.
andrew
Timeless and beautiful and honest - By: culver@ath.forthnet.gr, 08 Dec 2001 I have had this cd for a few years & have loved the Beautiful South ever since I first heard "I'll Sail this Ship Alone". Now, so many years later I am addicted again. I calll up friends & say "here, listen to this", or "let me read you these lyrics" & instead of brushing me off as an annoyance the response is "Wow, that is beautiful, who is it?". I cannot even begin to describe the intense joy & release I receive from these songs, it is an emotional & artistic experience that you will never forget. Buy this cd as an intro & you will immediatly return to buy the rest.
