In the Seventies, the Fania label ruled the Latin music scene in New York - and, arguably, the world. This two-CD comp moves from Cuban traditionalism to the R&B fusion called boogaloo to salsa, the pan-Latin genre that - via its marketing smarts and talent monopoly - Fania basically invented. The hits are here: Willie Colón's "Che Che Colé," Hector Lavoe's anthems "El Cantante" and "Mi Gente," Rubén Blades' "Mack the Knife"-script-flip "Pedro Navaja." On "Quimbara," Celia Cruz reclaims salsa's grafted Cuban roots as birthright, bringing it all back home.

Listen to Willie Colón's "Che Che Colé":

Gallery: Random Notes, Rock's Hottest Photos

“Oh Sherrie”

Steve Perry's girlfriend Sherrie Swafford was actually in the studio when Perry began writing this song--his lone Top Ten hit as a solo act--with two co-writers. The trio began at midnight one night with just "Oh, Sherrie!" and "hold on, hold on." Three hours later, they had a complete song. Swafford, however, had to wait until the next day to hear it. "Sherrie actually got tired and went to bed," Perry said. She also appeared in the video, but their relationship did not hold on for long.