Description
Kiki Dee's recording career began in 1963, when she was signed to the Fontana label. Despite releasing twelve singles, an album ("I'm Kiki Dee"), film and TV appearances and numerous foreign language versions of her singles, major success eluded her. The Motown label was the next to spot her vocal talents - she was the first female UK artist to be signed to the label. Recorded with Motown's finest, her sole album "Great Expectations" didn't chart, and Kiki Dee returned to her day job as backing vocalist for Dusty Springfield, Elton John and others (and even Robert Plant on his debut solo single). When Elton started up his Rocket Records label in 1973, Kiki was his first signing, and he produced the first album "Loving And Free", utilising his own band and a "who's who" of UK session musicians. The single "Amoureuse" reached # 13, and Kiki's solo career finally took off. In 1974 she formed the Kiki Dee Band, and again hit the charts with the single and album "I've Got The Music In Me". In 1975 she recorded an album in LA, "Cage The Songbird" - for reasons that will be revealed in the extensive annotation in this book set, this album was shelved and did not see a release until 2008. It now takes its correct place in this collection of Kiki's recordings for the Rocket label. The summer of 1976 saw Kiki occupy the UK # 1 singles spot for six weeks with her old friend Elton, with "Don't Go Breaking My Heart". It was also # 1 in the US, where it sold over a million copies. Further success came with two more albums for Rocket, "Kiki Dee" (1977) and "Stay With Me" (1978), featuring the singles "Chicago" and "First Thing In The Morning". Containing all five albums and lavishly illustrated with photos and ephemera from Kiki's own collection, and with annotation by Alan Robinson based on a brand new interview, this media book package also features ten bonus tracks, including "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", and its B-side "Snow Queen", on CD for the first time outside Australia.

This Amazon Exclusive Edition comes with a limited edition signed print.

[tracklisting][CD1: Loving And Free]
1. Loving And Free
2. If It Rains
3. Lonnie And Josie
4. Travelling In Style
5. You Put Something Better Inside Of Me
6. Supercool
7. Rest My Head
8. Amoureuse
9. Song For Adam
10. Sugar On The Floor
Bonus Tracks:
11. The Last Good Man In My Life
12. Six Days On The Road

[CD2: I've Got The Music In Me]
1. I've Got The Music In Me
2. Someone To Me
3. Step By Step
4. Water
5. Out Of My Head
6. Do It Right
7. Little Frozen One
8. Heart And Soul
9. You Need Help
Bonus Tracks:
10. Hard Luck Story
11. Everyone Should Have Their Way
12. Simple Melody
13. How Glad I Am
14. Peter

[CD3: Cage The Songbird]
1. Cage The Songbird
2. Uphill Peace Of Mind
3. Prince Of Fools
4. Once A Fool
5. Bright Medallion
6. Chicago [original version]
7. Man After My Own Heart
8. Rock 'N' Roll Me Baby
9. First Thing In The Morning [original version]
10. Cry Like A Baby
11. A Change Is Gonna Come
Bonus Tracks:
12. Don't Go Breaking My Heart
13. Snow Queen

[CD4: Kiki Dee]
1. How Much Fun
2. Sweet Creation
3. Into Eternity
4. Standing Room Only
5. Bad Day Child
6. Chicago
7. Night Hours
8. Keep Right On
9. In Return
10. Walking
11. First Thing In The Morning
Bonus Track:
12. The Man Who Loved To Dance

[CD5: Stay With Me]
1. One Step
2. Talk To Me
3. Don't Stop Loving Me
4. Dark Side Of Your Soul
5. Stay With Me
6. One Jump Ahead Of The Storm
7. You're Holding Me Too Tight
8. Love Is A Crazy Feeling
9. Safe Harbour[/tracklisting]

Amazon UK Exclusive Edition (shown above)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NSFQLF5/?tag=imwan-21

Amazon USA
US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N3RGZTD/?tag=imwan-20
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07N3RGZTD/?tag=imwan-21

I have Kiki's Original Album Series box set which includes all five of these albums (no bonus tracks or liner notes), so that's all the Kiki I really want or need. It would be nice to finally have "Snow Queen" on CD, but can't justify buying this set just for that one track. I'll just keep my fingers crossed (probably in vain) for a good Elton b-sides collection someday.

I was delighted about a year ago to discover that one of our grandkids knew the song "Don't Go Breaking My Heart"

An Amazon UK Exclusive Edition of this box set has been announced, which includes a limited edition signed print. Edsel's Amazon exclusives tend to sell out quickly (usually before the release date), so it's probably best not to wait:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NSFQLF5/?tag=imwan-21