AMG Review of Ultimate Collection

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

Motown is notorious for recycling their catalog as endless hit collections, but The Ultimate Collection is one of the finest series of greatest-hits CDs they have ever assembled. Each disc contains all of the major hits from an artist, plus important B-sides, album tracks, and minor hits. The Marvelettes' entry in the series is no exception to the rule, boasting all their Top Ten pop and R&B hits, not only from their early-'60s heyday but also their late-'60s comeback: "Please Mr. Postman," "Playboy," "Beechwood 4-5789," "Someday, Someway," "Strange I Know," "Don't Mess With Bill," "My Baby Must Be a Magician," "The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game," "When You're Young and in Love." The disc also features a number of smaller hits and B-sides, resulting in a total of 25 tracks. For anyone who wants a definitive hits collection but is hesitant to invest in the double-disc Deliver, The Ultimate Collection is an ideal choice.