On his own and as part of
the Commodores, by 1992
Lionel Richie amassed more than enough singles for a greatest-hits collection. Unfortunately, this is one of those compilations that, good intentions aside, falls so flat there's not much point in buying it. By trying to cover his solo material, while touching base with his
Commodores fans, and adding some new cuts, no part of his career is well represented. For the record,
Back to Front lacks "Oh No," "Lady You Bring Me Up," "Ballerina Girl," "You Are," "My Love," "Stuck on You," "Love Will Conquer All," "Se La," and "Dancing on the Ceiling," all Top 40 hits. If Motown had concentrated solely on solo
Richie, with another collection of
Commodores hits, this could have been a solid, career-topping CD. As it is, it's strong, but hearing such gems as "Still," "Truly," "Say You, Say Me," and "Running With the Night" makes you long to hear the cuts that aren't here. Of the three new songs, "Do It to Me" and "My Destiny" are classic, smooth
Richie, but "Love, Oh Love" is very schmaltzy. If you're a casual
Lionel Richie fan, this might suffice, but for anyone who truly enjoys pop music, this collection is not worth your money.