The Essential Luther Vandross

The Essential Luther Vandross
The Essential Luther Vandross
Greatest hits album by Luther Vandross
Released	March 5, 2002 (United Kingdom); June 10, 2003 (North America)
Genre	R&B; pop; soul;
Label	Epic; Sony; Legacy;
Producer	Luther Vandross; Nat Adderley Jr.; Marcus Miller; Walter Afanasieff; Ray Bardani (compilation producer); Leo Sacks (compilation producer);
Luther Vandross chronology

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]

The Essential Luther Vandross is a greatest hits album by American singer Luther Vandross, released on March 5, 2002 in the UK and June 10, 2003 in the US, by Sony Music and Legacy Recordings as part of The Essential Series. The two-disc compilation features thirty-five tracks from Vandross's recording catalog. The collection contains R&B and pop hit songs spanning from Vandross earlier albums to the later—Dance with My Father, a Grammy win for Best R&B Album.

The set also includes hit duets with Janet Jackson, Dionne Warwick, and Mariah Carey. In 2005, The Essential Luther Vandross Plus was released with a bonus DVD of music videos, and 2008 as The Essential 3.0 included a bonus disc of songs. Unreleased tracks of "Love It, Love It", "Look To The Rainbow", and remixes of charting hit tracks.

Background[]

The Essential Luther Vandross originally released in 2002 was a 30-track hits collection by the R&B/soul singer. The later updated 2015 version of The Essential Luther Vandross contains 35 tracks, from uptempo dance, sultry ballads, pop, two featured lead vocal tracks with Change to his 1981 debut album Never Too Much, 1990s albums and the multi-platinum hit album, Dance with My Father (2003).

Vandross pop hit duets with Janet Jackson ("The Best Things in Life Are Free"), Mariah Carey ("Endless Love"), and Beyonce ("The Closer I Get To You"). Some of his best charting hits is featured from "Never Too Much"; "Superstar"; "Give Me the Reason"; "Any Love"; "So Amazing"; "Wait for Love"; "Here and Now"; "Creepin'", to "Take Me Out" and "Dance With My Father" which won Grammys for Best R&B Vocal, Male and Song of the Year". The compilation also includes a cover performance of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" with Paul Simon and Jennifer Holliday.

Track listings[]

UK edition (2002)[]

Disc 1

"Searching" (with Change)
"The Glow of Love" (with Change)
"Never Too Much"
"Sugar and Spice (I Found Me a Girl)"
"She's a Super Lady"
"Give Me the Reason"
"Stop to Love"
"See Me"
"I Really Didn't Mean It"
"Any Love"
"Here and Now"
"Love the One You're With"
"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" (Morales Remix)
"I Gave It Up (When I Fell in Love)" (Marcus Miller Mix)
"Power of Love/Love Power" (Dance Radio Mix)

Disc 2

"Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now"
"Always and Forever"
"Endless Love" (with Mariah Carey)
"She's So Good to Me"
"So Amazing"
"I Gave It Up (When I Fell in Love)"
"Your Secret Love"
"Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)"
"Heaven Knows"
"A House Is Not a Home"
"Power of Love/Love Power"
"My Sensitivity (Gets in the Way)"
"The Night I Fell in Love"
"Never Too Much"
"Stop to Love" (Marcus Miller Mix)

US edition (2003)[]

Disc 1

"Any Love"
"So Amazing"
"Wait for Love"
"Power of Love/Love Power"
"For You to Love"
"I (Who Have Nothing)" (with Martha Wash)
"Anyone Who Had a Heart"
"A House Is Not a Home"
"Never Too Much"
"Since I Lost My Baby"
"Stop to Love"
"It's Over Now"
"Your Secret Love"
"Superstar"
"Here and Now"

Disc 2

"Knocks Me Off My Feet"
"Going Out of My Head"
"If Only for One Night"
"Creepin'"
"She's So Good to Me"
"Give Me the Reason"
"She Loves Me Back"
"The Night I Fell in Love"
"If This World Were Mine" (with Cheryl Lynn)
"Don't Want to Be a Fool"
"There's Nothing Better Than Love" (with Gregory Hines)
"How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye" (with Dionne Warwick)
"Love the One You're With"
"Endless Love"
"I Want the Night to Stay"

Special edition reissue

These bonus versions are special addendums to the US release. Essential Plus DVD was originally released in 2004 titled From Luther with Love: The Videos.

US Essential Plus bonus DVD (2005)

"Don't Want to Be a Fool"
"Your Secret Love"
"Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)"
"I Can Make It Better"
"Stop to Love"
"Here and Now"
"Always and Forever" (Live)
"It's Over Now"
"She Won't Talk to Me"
"Never Too Much"
"There's Nothing Better Than Love" (with Gregory Hines)
"Power of Love/Love Power"
"Endless Love" (Live) (with Mariah Carey)
"Love the One You're With"
"Superstar" (Live)
Dear Friends
The Making of "Songs"/Medley: "Hello"/"The Impossible Dream"
"A House Is Not a Home" (Live)
Biography, Discography, and Photo Gallery

US Essential 3.0 bonus CD (2008)

"My Sensitivity (Gets in the Way)" - 3:27
"Are You Gonna Love Me" - 5:11
"I'm Gonna Start Today" - 6:15
"Love Me Again" - 6:08
"Crazy Love" - 5:14
"Love Don't Love You Anymore" - 5:14
"Dance with My Father" - 4:25

US edition reissue (2015)[]

Disc 1

"Love It, Love It"
"Searching" (with Change)
"The Glow Of Love" (with Change)
"Never Too Much"
"A House Is Not A Home"
"Don't You Know That?"
"If This World Were Mine" (duet with Cheryl Lynn)
"Bad Boy / Having A Party" (Single Version)
"How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye" (duet with Dionne Warwick)
"Superstar"
"It's Over Now" (Single Version)
"Wait For Love" (Single Version)
"If Only For One Night"
"Creepin'"
Anyone Who Had A Heart"
"Give Me The Reason"
"There's Nothing Better Than Love" (duet with Gregory Hines)
"So Amazing"

Disc 1

"Stop To Love"
"Bridge Over Troubled Water" (with Paul Simon and Jennifer Holliday)¹
"Any Love" (Single Mix)
"Here And Now"
"Look To The Rainbow"
"Power Of Love / Love Power" (Master Single Version)
"Don't Want To Be A Fool"
"The Best Things In Life Are Free" (duet with Janet Jackson)
"Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)" (Single Version)
"Endless Love" (duet with Mariah Carey)
"Your Secret Love"
"Are You Using Me?" (Masters at Work Radio Remix)
"Take You Out" (Radio Edit)
"I'd Rather
"Dance with My Father"
"The Closer I Get to You" (Radio Edit)
"Shine" (Freemasons Mixshow)

¹ "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (Live) from the televised special Cinemax Sessions - The All-Star Gospel Session

Charts[]

Chart (2003)	Peak position
Scottish Albums (OCC)^[2]	55
UK Albums (OCC)^[3]	18
UK R&B Albums (OCC)^[4]	7
US Billboard 200^[5]	154
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[6]	49

References[]

^ The Essential Luther Vandross at AllMusic
^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
^ "Luther Vandross | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
^ "Luther Vandross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
^ "Luther Vandross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2017.

[1] The Essential Luther Vandross at AllMusic

[ac_Scotland_-2] "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 8, 2017.

[ac_UK_Luther_Vandross-3] "Luther Vandross | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved February 8, 2017.

[ac_UKR&B_-4] "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 8, 2017.

[ac_Billboard200_Luther_Vandross-5] "Luther Vandross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2017.

[ac_BillboardRandBHipHop_Luther_Vandross-6] "Luther Vandross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2017.

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hide v t Luther Vandross
Discography Tours
Studio albums	Never Too Much Forever, for Always, for Love Busy Body The Night I Fell in Love Give Me the Reason Any Love Power of Love Never Let Me Go Songs This Is Christmas Your Secret Love I Know Luther Vandross Dance with My Father
Compilation albums	The Best of Luther Vandross... The Best of Love One Night with You: The Best of Love, Volume 2 Love Is on the Way Always & Forever: The Classics Greatest Hits Super Hits Smooth Love The Ultimate Luther Vandross Stop to Love The Very Best of Love The Essential Luther Vandross Artist Collection: Luther Vandross Love, Luther Lovesongs
Live albums	Live Radio City Music Hall 2003
Singles	"Never Too Much" "Don't You Know That?" "If This World Were Mine" "Bad Boy"/"Having a Party" "Since I Lost My Baby" "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye" "I'll Let You Slide" "Superstar"/"Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" (Medley) "Til My Baby Comes Home" "It's Over Now" "Wait for Love" "Give Me the Reason" "Stop to Love" "There's Nothing Better Than Love" "I Really Didn't Mean It" "So Amazing" "Any Love" "She Won't Talk to Me" "For You to Love" "Here and Now" "Treat You Right" "Power of Love/Love Power" "Don't Want to Be a Fool" "The Rush" "Sometimes It's Only Love" "The Best Things in Life Are Free" "Little Miracles (Happen Every Day)" "Heaven Knows" "Never Let Me Go" "Endless Love" "Always and Forever" "Love the One You're With" / "Going in Circles" "Every Year, Every Christmas" "Your Secret Love" "I Can Make It Better" "Nights in Harlem" "I Know" "Take You Out" "Can Heaven Wait" "I'd Rather" "Dance with My Father" "Think About You" "Buy Me a Rose" "The Closer I Get to You" "One Shining Moment" "Shine"
Other songs	"A House Is Not a Home" "Any Day Now"
Tribute albums	Forever, for Always, for Luther So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross Forever, for Always, for Luther Volume II
Related articles	Luther (album) This Close to You Change (band) Luther Burger