or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
or
Amazon Prime free trial required. Sign up when you check out. Learn more
More Buying Choices
Leisurezone Ltd Add to Cart
£8.96
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Available to Download Now
 
Buy the MP3 album for £4.49
  
 
 
 
The Best of the Proclaimers
 
See larger image and other views 
Share your own customer images

The Best of the Proclaimers [Original recording remastered]

Proclaimers | Format: Audio CD
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
Price: £4.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.
Want guaranteed delivery by Tuesday, May 29? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
Buy the MP3 album for £4.49 at the Amazon MP3 Downloads store.

Shop on Amazon.co.uk, pay with your currency
Amazon.co.uk Currency Converter
Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More.

Amazon's Proclaimers Store

Music

Image of album by Proclaimers

Photos

Image of Proclaimers
›
Visit Amazon's Proclaimers Store
for 25 albums, 3 photos, discussions, and more.

Frequently Bought Together

The Best of the Proclaimers + Like Comedy + Sunshine on Leith
Price For All Three: £16.97

Show availability and delivery details

Buy the selected items together

  • In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Like Comedy ~ The Proclaimers Audio CD £7.99

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Sunshine on Leith ~ Proclaimers Audio CD £3.99

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Product details

  • Audio CD (13 May 2002)
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Format: Original recording remastered
  • Label: Chrysalis
  • ASIN: B000063984
  • Other Editions: MP3 Download
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,112 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s

Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Samples
Song Title Time Price
Listen  1. Letter From America (Acoustic Version) 4:02£0.89
Listen  2. There's A Touch 3:12£0.89
Listen  3. Let's Get Married 4:16£0.89
Listen  4. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) 3:37£0.59
Listen  5. The Doodle Song 2:30£0.89
Listen  6. I'm On My Way 3:35£0.89
Listen  7. King Of The Road 2:45£0.89
Listen  8. Ghost Of Love 3:11£0.89
Listen  9. Throw The 'R' Away 2:43£0.89
Listen10. What Makes You Cry 2:48£0.89
Listen11. Sunshine On Leith 5:14£0.89
Listen12. When You're In Love 3:13£0.89
Listen13. Cap In Hand 3:21£0.89
Listen14. I Want To Be A Christian 2:03£0.89
Listen15. Act Of Rememberance 5:00£0.89
Listen16. Lady Luck 3:39£0.89
Listen17. Make My Heart Fly 2:29£0.89
Listen18. The Light 3:10£0.89
Listen19. The Joyful Kilmarnock Blues 3:05£0.89
Listen20. Oh Jean 5:55£0.89

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Though The Proclaimers have been having hits since 1987, when "Letter from America" became an unlikely but welcome chart-topper, they have recorded only sporadically. So while the time feels right for a Best Of collection, this is mostly drawn from just four albums. In what is either an apology, or a genuine attempt to provide value for money, or both, three fine new songs are included, plus The Proclaimers' justly popular cover of Roger Miller's "King of The Road" (a collection of cover versions by The Proclaimers remains one of the best albums never made).

What is clear from this 20-track retrospective is that The Proclaimers have not developed at all since they first picked up guitars. Craig and Charlie Reid seem to believe they got it right the first time, and it's difficult to argue otherwise. Certainly, there has never been anyone else like them: The Proclaimers have stuck doggedly to their guns, refusing to forsake their treacle-thick Scottish accents (a decision they sang about on "Throw The R Away") or their worldview (how many self-proclaimed rock & roll outlaws would dare to sing a song called "I Want To Be A Christian" or "Let's Get Married"?). In their perverse and obstinate way, The Proclaimers are about as rock & roll as it gets.

These are simple and direct songs, but they're great simple and direct songs, performed with unashamedly earnest passion by two extraordinary singers--their harmonies merit comparison with those of the brothers Louvin or Righteous. The Reids' awkward appearance made them a staple of parodists, but the way they look should not distract anyone from the way they sound. Anyone who fails to weep at "Sunshine on Leith" is dead, or might as well be. --Andrew Mueller

Product Description

THE PROCLAIMERS The Best Of... (2002 UK 20-track CD album from the brothers Reid who have been quietly producing simple and catchy albums since the 1980s the hits Letter From America their cover of King Of The Road plus the classic Im Gonna Be [500 Miles])
See all Product Description

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(2)
(2)
(2)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
Agree with these tags?
See all 61 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
44 of 45 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
You may remember 'Letter from America' as a novelty chart hit, but to judge the Proclaimers solely on the strength of that would be like judging Van Morrison on 'Brown Eyed Girl' - great, but only the tip of the iceberg. And this iceberg bears a lot further comparison. These brothers Reid may appear to be at the other end of the musical spectrum from their namesakes in the Jesus and Mary Chain - reverent where they're irreverent, light where they're dark, optimistic where they're cynical. But consider this: both have stuck to their musical and philosophical guns as doggedly and determinedly as the other. It may not sound like rebellion, but overtly Christian singer-songwriters who espouse socio-political issues with such fire and passion are hardly thick on the ground, are they? There has to be room in your ears for tunes of the strength of 'Cap in hand', 'Make my heart fly', 'Joyful Kilmarnock Blues', and the sweeping, moving, aching sweetness of 'Sunshine on Leith'. Okay, so it might be music you listen to more on your own than in company - but don't tell me you don't have a few discs like that which you really, really love. And you will really, really love this one, if you can bring yourself to audition it. Do yourself a favour.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I went to see the Proclaimers live 2 years ago in Falkirk (and i'm English!) and they sound exactly the same as theirs albums. As previous reviewers have said, there are some great songs on this "Best of....". We all know "500 miles" and "Letter From America", but there is still songs on here that put the hairs up on the back of your neck. So who cares if they sound quite similar...............don't fix what isn't broken. It's a pity that Scotland didn't export these much beter than they did! Excellant band and not ashamed to keep that "Scottish twang" in their songs.
I live back in England now and if they ever come my way I would have no hesitation to go see them again. So I will just have to "make do" with their album..............not that i'm complaining!!
Go buy it, it's brill!!

Gary.

Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
35 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
OK, so how can an album by The Proclaimers possibly be full of surprises? It's true, as Amazon's reviewer says, that the Reid brothers' musical style was apparently born fully formed and timeless but for those many people who only knew the hits, there's a lot to discover here. My French wife had never heard of The Proclaimers at all (La Pauvre) but when she came in on "I'm on My Way" she started dancing round the room in seconds.

I admit to buying this album as being the quickest means of finding CD copies of five or six vinyl 45"s. That's no bad reason for buying the album as it happens - anyone who once owned "Letter to America", "Sunshine on Leith", "I'm Gonna Be", etc. on vinyl is unlikely to want to forgo them on CD. However once you start listening to the less famous songs, you may well want to run out and buy the original albums as well: go for it - there are only four, choose quality over quantity every time.

This is a rich, well-balanced selection of highly unusual music - strong melodies, lyrics that run the gamut all the way from jolly to poignant, deeply personal to sing-along party time and it deserves the widest possible audience. BUT remember you may well find yourself buying the other four CDs the same day this Best of selection arrives, you have been warned! Oh, and a special mention: the sleeve notes are first class too!

Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fantastic album
I should've bought this album sooner, it's brilliant! They have such a distinctive sound and yet this album is anything but samey. Definitely recommend.
Published 1 month ago by Michelle
The Proclaimers - The Best of
This is a great CD with a lot of my favourite Proclaimers' songs including "I Would Walk 500 Miles. I would recommend it.
Published 1 month ago by M. G. Bennet
excellent
excellent, no problems, easy transaction, good cd, very happy, bought as a gift, my friend loves it, thank you very much
Published 1 month ago by Ms. Kirsty Mckellar
sweaty socks
The proclaimers have a unique sound and they are very good lyricists. I wasn't aware that they think of themselves as Scottish and not British and this comes through in the music. Read more
Published 8 months ago by bart4books
Excellent service
Product as described, in good condition and at a good price. Arrived promptly so I am a very happy buyer.
Published 15 months ago by LRB
Present
I love this cd and bought it as a gift.The item was delivered within 4 days and was very satisfactory.
Published on 21 Feb 2010 by Mrs. Isabelle Prentice
Buy it now, you'll never regret it
Does exactly what it promises. I bought it for one track, but fell in love with many more. A record collection does not exist without this album.
Published on 18 Oct 2009 by T. J. Triffitt
Proclaimers - What a :(
I thought that with a cracking tune like 'I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)' the rest of the album might have some decent stuff on it, but other than 'King Of The Road', an interesting take... Read more
Published on 11 Jun 2009 by Leon Crawley
Kings of the harmonic folk song
As a fan of the Scottish twins' laidback folk-tinged pop in the late 80s and early 90s, I snapped this up when I discovered it on Amazon. Read more
Published on 9 May 2009 by Captain Pugwash
Beating the Blues
One of the best CDs ever for beating the blues. Just infectious tunes that carry you along - the Proclaimers have never been fashionable but they're extremely good at what they... Read more
Published on 4 Aug 2006 by Alison Petrie
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

› Explore similar items

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject





i.e., each product must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback


Amazon.co.uk Privacy Statement Amazon.co.uk Delivery Information Amazon.co.uk Returns & Exchanges