Ken Boothe - The Ken Boothe Collection: Eighteen Classic Songs (1987)

Mostly taken from the albums Boothe cut with producer Lloyd Charmers in the early '70s, 18 Classic Songs represents the peak of Boothe's long career. And while both his rocksteady work for Clement "Coxsone" Dodd and early-reggae sides with Leslie Kong are classics in their own right, the marriage of Charmers' sophisticated charts and Boothe's gruff and soulful voice really hit the heights. This was Boothe's most successful stretch, too, as he scored the British hits "Everything I Own" and "Crying Over You." These and many other fine Charmers sides are included here. Along with two solid originals of his own, "Silver Words" and "Black, Gold, & Green," Boothe also makes fine work of such contemporary soul hits as Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" and Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine," not to mention a worthy rendition of Marley's "No Woman, No Cry." Topped off with one of his biggest hits for Kong, "Freedom Street," this roundup of Boothe's early-'70s work is a must for fans of classic soul-drenched reggae.

Tracklist:
1 01. Ken Boothe - Everything I Own (03:44)
1 02. Ken Boothe - Come Softly to Me (aka Dum Dum) (02:34)
1 03. Ken Boothe - Let's Get It On (03:05)
1 04. Ken Boothe - Silver Words (02:36)
1 05. Ken Boothe - You Send Me (02:50)
1 06. Ken Boothe - African Lady (03:53)
1 07. Ken Boothe - Love Don't Love Nobody (03:55)
1 08. Ken Boothe - Freedom Street (02:47)
1 09. Ken Boothe - (It's the Way) Nature Planned It (02:45)
1 10. Ken Boothe - Crying Over You (03:31)
1 11. Ken Boothe - Speak Softly Love (Theme from The Godfather) (02:48)
1 12. Ken Boothe - Ain't No Sunshine (02:18)
1 13. Ken Boothe - No Woman No Cry (03:02)
1 14. Ken Boothe - Black, Gold and Green (03:09)
1 15. Ken Boothe - Out of Love (aka I'm the One That Love Forgot) (03:29)
1 16. Ken Boothe - Is It Because I'm Black? (03:42)
1 17. Ken Boothe - Now You Can See Me Again (03:16)
1 18. Ken Boothe - Walk Away from Love (08:25)