Jason Sean Donovan

[Simon R]

Never ones to miss a trick, PWL and EMI cash-in on Jasonmania with this blast from the past...

Due to phenomenal public support, PWL are set to release Jason Donovan's Greatest Hits through EMI Records on 4th December 2006.
During the late 80s and early 90s, one love story captured the imagination of millions around the world and the two characters entwined in the midst of it soon became household names.
Scott Robinson and Charlene Ramsey were idols for every fan of Australian soap opera 'Neighbours' which achieved global success thanks to the antics of 'the girl next door' and her heartthrob boyfriend.
One half of this infamous couple went on to become an international mega-star and universally adored pop princess, while the other backed away from the public eye for a while. That was until November 2006 when Jason Donovan strode gallantly into the Australian outback to battle the elements in ITV's ratings stomper, "I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here". Still unknown to him, public support has been immense and he's now being tipped to become King Of The Jungle 2006.
After leaving 'Neighbours' in the late 80s, Jason signed to record label PWL - home to some of the decades' biggest selling pop artists - and this partnership lead him to release a string of hit singles, notching up no less than 4 #1 singles in the UK.
Thrown into the world of celebrity at a very young age, he and Kylie continued their friendship after they left the soap and as the world's media speculated, a relationship blossomed. Rumours were fuelled further still when the pair released the UK chart topping duet Especially For You in 1988 which went on to become the fourth-highest selling single of the year.
His success continued to flourish and Jason Donovan became one of the biggest pop stars of the time, gracing the cover of Smash Hits on countless occasions, selling out tours and releasing albums 'TEN GOOD REASONS' (#1) and 'BETWEEN THE LINES' (#2) which yielded two solo #1 singles 'Too Many Broken Hearts' and 'Sealed With A Kiss'.
Between 1988 and 1993 alone, he enjoyed no fewer than 17 hit singles in the UK and a selection of these tracks have now been brought together on one album.
'GREATEST HITS' features an impressive 10 top 10 singles, including Every Day (I Love You More), Nothing Can Divide Us and the fantastic Any Dream Will Do taken from West End musical "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

1. Too Many Broken Hearts
2. Every Day (I Love You More)
3. Especially For You (Duet with Kylie Minogue)
4. Sealed With A Kiss
5. Any Dream Will Do
6. When You Come Back To Me
7. Nothing Can Divide Us
8. Rhythm Of The Rain
9. Hang On To Your Love
10. Happy Together
11. I'm Doing Fine
12. Another Night
13. R.S.V.P.

http://www.pwl-empire.com/news.html#1

You can't blame them really. There's a longer and in some ways better Jase best of from a few years ago that includes lesser known songs like the other duet with Kylie. Neither has any non-PWL third album stuff. A DVD wouldn't go amiss.

Anyone feel the love for the son of Doug Willis and half brother of Sky Mangel?

[Milky Tears]

Apart from missing 'Any Deam Will Do', 'The Very Best of Jason Donovan' (Music Club 1999) has a much better tracklisting. It's one of my favourite albums. Well, probably Top 500.

Sadly, none of them contain the mighty 'Mission of Love' or 'All Around The World' (he'd left PWL by then). Glad I've still got the CD singles and Now 21.


Edited to add: I agree about the DVD release. 'When You Come Back To Me' has a stunning video.

[Dave Lewis]

"When You Come Back To Me" is Jase's finest ever moment. It should be on every Christmas compilation ever released.

"How I wish I could walk through the windows of time... would I see happiness there, every face everywhere, like the songs that you sing when you're lonely..."

Tune!

It's an insult to God and man that "Too Late To Say Goodbye" isn't on the new best of, though.

[Larry]

have to say some of Jason Donovan's songs were not that bad.

[Si Hunt]

The Very Best Of I was listening to the other day has a bit of stodgy cack in the middle, but this falls into the other trap and is too sparse! He deserves more than 13 songs!

Si.

[Simon R]

If "Too Late To Say Goodbye" is the song I'm thinking of then I agree that it's a lost classic. Every PWL album yields one, a great song that so easily coulda woulda shoulda been a single.

We've got the lost non-PWL third album but have never listened to it. There's moody black and white photos in the sleeve and the utterly shameless trick of shoe-horning some old hits on the end. A trick which is coming back in to fashion judging by Jojo, Kelly Clarkson and Rhianna's recent offerings.

[Si Hunt]

"You Can Depend On Me" is a lost gem!

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

Nine top ten hits, and yet I only know three of his songs. Lost classics?

[Dave Lewis]

If "Too Late To Say Goodbye" is the song I'm thinking of then I agree that it's a lost classic. Every PWL album yields one, a great song that so easily coulda woulda shoulda been a single.

"Too late to say goodbye, too late to question why
I won't be there watching you cry
You wanna change my mind
Don't waste your time
I'm sorr-ehh-ehh-ehh*, it's too late to say goodbye..."


It should definitely have been a single instead of the dire cover of "Sealed With A Kiss".



*Jase's pronunciation of 'sorry'.

[Simon R]

PWL were clearly sticking to a winning concept with "Sealed with A Kiss", there's token 1950s ballad covers on most of their big acts from that era...Sonia got "End of the World", Kylie "Tears on my Pillow", Big Fun "Hey There Lonely Girl" and then Jase got "Rhythm of the Rain" on his second album. A cheap but effective trick.

[Si Hunt]

You can't really say "Sealed With A Kiss" shouldn't have been a single Dave, it got to number 1!

He really is looking old in the jungle. I didn't think so at first, but then I was flicking through the sleeve of one of his CD's last night, and he looks awful really. He should bulk up too, he has a very weedy body.

Si.

[Dave Lewis]

You can't really say "Sealed With A Kiss" shouldn't have been a single Dave, it got to number 1!

It did, but I never liked it very much. It was the weakest of all his singles until whatever the one after When You Come Back To Me was called. I maintain that almost any other song from Ten Good Reasons would have made a better choice as single - except Change Your Mind, which is notable only because it features that another great PWL trick of the time, the "ch-ch-ch-change your mind" bit (see also, I Wouldn't Change A Thing, etc).

[Milky Tears]

I hate 'Sealed With A Kiss' as it kept Sir Clifferton of Richard's 'Best of Me' off the top spot.

[Paul Clement]

I've just bought this for Treena as a Christmas present. Luckily, she usually plays her music when I'm at work.