Mel McDaniel - Greatest Hits (1987)

Released in 1987, Greatest Hits remains the only collection of Mel McDaniel's original hits on the market two decades later, and maybe the reason it hasn't been updated is because it really can't be topped. Sure, at ten tracks it's brief, but it also has all the hits, from "Louisiana Saturday Night" to "Big Ole Brew" to "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On," and showcases McDaniel's easy charm to great effect. Other, longer compilations may eventually surface, but none will get to the core of his spirit as quickly and effectively as this addictive ten-track set. © Stephen Thomas Erlewine