Greatest Hits

1	Never Again, Again 3:45
2	You've Got to Talk to Me 3:35
3	The Fool 3:34
4	A Little Past Little Rock 4:17
5	(Now You See Me) Now You Don't 2:40
6	I'll Think of a Reason Later 3:39
7	I Hope You Dance 4:56
8	Ashes by Now 4:12
9	Why They Call It Falling 3:36
10	Something Worth Leaving Behind 3:50
11	Mendocino County Line 4:34
12	Does My Ring Burn Your Finger 3:29
13	The Wrong Girl 3:01
14	Time for Me to Go 2:52

Barnes & Noble

Not only is Lee Ann Womack's Greatest Hits chockablock with state-of-the-art mainstream country smashes, but its sequence shows the artist's progression from a Reba-style country gal to a polished pop-country chanteuse. This overview underscores Womack's nuanced style, alternately marked by breathy passages and soaring displays of robust vocal bravado, along with the increasing complexity of her arrangements, which progress from basic contemporary country with a rock-'n'-roll edge to ambitious, layered pop-country replete with synths, strings, orchestral swoops, and velvety background voices. Regardless of the setting, though, the songs and Womack's delivery offer meaty musings on the ways of the heart and philosophical entreaties to live life to the fullest. Whether it's the classic honky-tonk strains fueling the laments of "Never Again, Again" or the tropical edge that sets up Womack's scorching remonstration on a superb reading of Rodney Crowell's "Ashes by Now," the music and the singing take care never to land in the same place twice. The career-making hit "I Hope You Dance" is a natural centerpiece here, but early, bruising fare, such as the stomping "You've Got to Talk to Me," as well as more recent entries, such as the spare, driving take on Buddy & Julie Miller's "Does My Ring Burn Your Finger" and a lilting, string-rich duet with Willie Nelson on "Mendocino County Line," bespeak a sharp intellect informing the interpretive choices and an open heart behind the vocals. Greatest Hits is a real winner, and a pretty good object lesson in retaining a country essence while incorporating radio-friendly pop aspects into the presentation. David McGee

All Music Guide

Released seven years and four albums after Lee Ann Womack began her career with her eponymous 1997 debut, Greatest Hits chronicles her career to date. The 14-track collection contains all of her biggest hits -- "Never Again, Again," "The Fool," "A Little Past Little Rock," "I'll Think of a Reason Later," "I Hope You Dance," "Ashes by Now" -- along with the Grammy-winning Willie Nelson duet "Mendocino County Line" from his The Great Divide album, and two solid new songs, "The Wrong Girl" and "Time for Me to Go." Although there are couple of minor singles missing -- "Buckaroo," "Why They Call It Falling," "Forever Everyday" -- Greatest Hits nevertheless offers a good summary and introduction to the first part of Womack's career, when she grew to be one of the more popular female mainstream country vocalists of the late '90s/early 2000s. Stephen Thomas Erlewine