Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods - Best of Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods (CD)

All Music Guide

Bo Donaldson the Haywoods are remembered for one hit -- the silly number one hit "Billy, Don't Be A Hero." They happened to have four other hits -- "Special Someone," "Who Do You Think You Are?," "The Heartbreak Kid," and "Our Last Song Together" -- but "Billy, Don't Be A Hero" was one of the cornerstone songs of early '70s AM radio and overshadowed the rest of their material. That's not the case on Varese Sarabande's Best of Bo Donaldson the Haywoods, a single-disc collection which is easily the most comprehensive compilation that could ever be assembled on the pop group. Most of the songs sound like variations on "Billy, Don't Be A Hero" or are sweet, polished love ballads. Certainly, the quality of the songwriting isn't very high, but fans of the sound of early '70s pop should find much of this collection enjoyable. Nevertheless, the compilation doesn't do much to erase the image of Bo Donaldson the Haywoods as a one-hit wonder.

- Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide