Greatest Comedy Hits (Columbia, 1997) by Eddie Murphy

This is a good collection of stand-up material.  However, if a listener has Eddie Murphy and Comedian, there is really no need for this album.  The additions to it are just bits of recordings from his films.  The one thing I can't figure out though is why his legendary routine about Bill Cosby never made it to record.  Even though there is certainly still a sight element to it, it is also funny in audio too.

Eddie Murphy (Columbia, 1982) by Eddie Murphy

This is a great debut.  The first track is incredibly politically incorrect, as well as track 6.  However, there are certain things in here that are quite funny.  The routines about the Christmas gifts and the one about being hit by a car are great.  Murphy's storytelling skills would be sharpened on Comedian, but this album showed great promise and he obviously fulfilled that and then some in his amazing career.

Comedian (CBS, 1983) by Eddie Murphy

This is one of the funniest people ever at his funniest.  Murphy's impressions and brazen attitude are in full-effect on "Faggots Revisited/Sexual Prime" and "Singers."  Along with his Bill Cosby impression from Raw (which unfortunately never made to record), Eddie's James Brown impression is one of the funniest ever.  Cosby's influence on Murphy is still very apparent though with the stories told on this album.  "Ice Cream Man/Shoe Throwin' Mothers" and "The Barbecue" are all experiences that one could see the Huxtable children going through.  However, Murphy put his own twist on it with four letter words and youthful energy which gave him a comedic voice all his own.