Album Title: The Best Years of My Life
Why I Bought It: This isn't, technically, an album; it's #4 of a four-disk set which was, supposedly, the complete Diana Ross. It wasn't, even at the time; it has most of the songs Diana sang lead on with the Supremes, but misses at least one. Anyway, I've been a fan of her work since my early teens, and snatched this up when I ran across it.
What I Like (Religious): "Amazing Grace". It's a fairly good rendition of the old spiritual; not much more to say about that.
What I Like (Joyful): "One Shining Moment". A sweet and soft love song, in the same thematic family with "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me". Honorable Mention: "The Best Years of My Life".
What I Like (Melancholy): "Where Did We Go Wrong". Maybe it's the smoky sax in the background, but this has the feel of a lounge act. I find myself visualizing Michelle Pfeiffer slithering around a grand piano.
Overall: This is a pretty mediocre disk, to me. Some of the songs ("Family", "What a Wonderful World", "This House") come off as mawkish, and the crude religiosity of "Force Behind the Power" doesn't appeal to me much either. Still, most of it is at least pleasant to listen to, and it does serve the needs of completism.
