GREATEST HITS

British pinup turned pop star Samantha Fox collected a healthy number of dance-pop hits in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and they are all collected on her 1992 Greatest Hits set. Her early hits, including the steamy Top Ten "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)," which kick-started her career, and its follow-up, the almost-rocker "Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me)," are prime examples of classic 1980s pop, with just a hint of hair-band rock (especially evident on "Spirit of America"). From there the album moves into the straight pop of "Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now," which was produced by hit-making machine Stock, Aiken and Waterman, as was her bubblegum (but highly satisfying) version of Dusty Springfield's "I Only Wanna Be With You." Her other big U.S. Top Five hit, "Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)," is also present, but in a terribly edited version. In the early 1990s, Fox's music took a more straight-forward house/dance turn, evident on great singles like the Top Ten "I Wanna Have Some Fun" and the steamy, red-hot "Love House." Other highlights include the catchy dance track "I Promise You," the terrific single "Another Woman (Too Many People)" (arguably one of the album's best songs), and the bonus, non-listed "U.K. Megamix." Also included are several rarities, including "Hot Lovin'," the guitar-heavy "Giving Me a Hard Time," and "Even in the Darkest Hours." A surprisingly diverse collection from a singer many regarded as little more than a commercial gimmick. ~ Jose F. Promis