Little Anthony & The Imperials - The Best Of Little Anthony & The Imperials (1989)

Rhino's Best of Little Anthony & the Imperials remains one of the best collections of the group's work, spanning their tear-stained doo wop as well as their later forays into pop and soul. Along with gathering the highlights of these styles, such as "Tears on My Pillow," "Shimmy Shimmy Ko Ko Bop," "Goin' Out of My Head," and "Hurts So Bad," the album also includes 14 other notable tracks. Songs like "Two People in the World," "Diary," "So Much," and "Wishful Thinking" aren't as distinctive as the group's doo wop hits, although "A Prayer and a Jukebox" distinguishes itself with a cool, gospel-inspired organ. The wittily-named "Taking a Vacation From Love" and "I'm Alright," along with some of the other upbeat tracks, explore the more soulful direction Little Anthony & the Imperials took on their later, more successful singles. "I'm on the Outside (Lookin' In)" is a beautiful balance of their lovelorn roots and the soulful leanings of their later work, and sounds almost like a test run for the success they would have with "Goin' Out of My Head" and "Hurts So Bad." 1965's intimate "Take Me Back" and theatrical "I Miss You So" close out the collection, reflecting the directions their later work would take. 25 Greatest Hits may be the most complete single-disc look at the group's music at this point, but Best of Little Anthony & the Imperials is still a solid collection of most of their greatest moments.