AMG Review of Definitive Collection

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

Universal's 2007 set The Definitive Collection is a retitled reissue of the previously released 1997 comp His Best. No matter the title, this is an excellent 20-track roundup of Bo basics. To be sure, not everything great that he did is here by any means -- a bunch of great singles are missing, such as the crushing boogie of "Diddly Wah Diddy," and it has few of his really funny, really gonzo, really out-there singles (for those, turn to the superb, absolutely essential Chess U.K. double-disc set The Story of Bo Diddley). Still, this presents the bulk of the classics ("Bo Diddley," "I'm a Man," "Who Do You Love?," "Bring It to Jerome," "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover," "Before You Accuse Me," "Road Runner," "Crackin' Up") in a thoroughly entertaining fashion, making it a good summary for most listeners.