well back then big acts would release an album every year and each one might only have 1 or 2 big hits, so i can see how those comps were a lot more useful or essential in the pre-pre-pre-pre-iTunes era
― some dude, Friday, 16 March 2012 15:32 (twelve years ago) link
The Beatles comp to which you are referring is Rock and Roll?
― Everything You POLL Is RONG (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 March 2012 17:06 (twelve years ago) link
Red and Blue albums, I think.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 16 March 2012 17:09 (twelve years ago) link
When did these actually come out? They seemed to always be around so I assume very early seventies.
― Everything You POLL Is RONG (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 March 2012 17:12 (twelve years ago) link
wiki says 1973
― some dude, Friday, 16 March 2012 17:15 (twelve years ago) link
"Best Of"s were actually much bigger business in the late 80s/early 90s though.
― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Friday, 16 March 2012 17:23 (twelve years ago) link
Why is that? Just from CDs coming in and boomers throwing out all those musty old records for one convenient little disc with all the favorites etc? Or Gen X/Y types playing catchup?
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 16 March 2012 17:24 (twelve years ago) link
well, the music industry as a whole was. but it seems like a lot of the really ridiculously big 10+ million selling greatest hit comps (beatles, eagles) came out in the '70s. (xpost)
― some dude, Friday, 16 March 2012 17:26 (twelve years ago) link
Oh yeah, The Eagles, of course.
I bought some greatest hits back in the day such as Hot Rocks but I steered clear of the Red and the Blue albums, they were too unwieldy. Why buy four LPs worth of material with what maybe a quarter of the groups entire output? To avoid "Mr Moonlight" and "Wild Honey Pie"? I think pretty much the entire Hey Jude/Beatles Again album was taking up one of those LPs.
― Everything You POLL Is RONG (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 March 2012 17:51 (twelve years ago) link
A lot of those grew up with Red and Blue, and as far as no-nonsense comps go they're still exemplary.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 16 March 2012 17:51 (twelve years ago) link
Fair enough. But I think there was another opinion that they were a little bit on the tamer side of the catalogue, which is where the Rock and Roll comp came in.
― Everything You POLL Is RONG (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 March 2012 17:54 (twelve years ago) link
Similarly I recall hearing "Don't Let The Sun Go Down" on the radio way more often after the live George Michael duet blew up early '92 which I had forgotten about until like 5 minutes ago.. Although it was on "Greatest Hits" I dunno if it was on the radio all that much throughout the 80s.
― billstevejim, Friday, 16 March 2012 20:54 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, and at the same time I feel like the death of the mass-audience greatest-hits album is sort of a loss, in the sense that an artist could always toss on two or three songs that weren't actually big hits at all, or even just album cuts, and make them part of their canon by fiat. Millions of kids would grow up hearing these kind of minor songs right alongside giant blockbusters in the tracklist. It's like this last chance for the artist/record company to say "No, really, this was a good one, it deserved better!"
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 16 March 2012 21:13 (twelve years ago) link
Well, then there's the case of Tom Petty's first comp, boasting songs we've all heard for years and not a single surprise but was and remains a massive seller.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 16 March 2012 21:15 (twelve years ago) link
Well, except "Mary Jane's Last Dance," but that's a whole different animal of the "new song thrown on the comp," a la Slip Slidin' Away.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 16 March 2012 21:46 (twelve years ago) link
Also, actually, looking at that Petty list some of it is definite non-hit canon stuff, but I don't know how many of them had become giant radio staples by the time the thing came out. I mean, "American Girl" never charted in the US but I assume it was a well-known song by 1993! "Listen To Her Heart" peaked at #59, tying "Here Comes My Girl," "Into The Great Wide Open" at #92, and "Even The Losers" was an album track.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 16 March 2012 21:51 (twelve years ago) link
I mean, we're now pretty far afield of Elton but - I bet that Steve Miller greatest hits would rack up a pretty similar range, those have all become beloved barbecue-and-road-trip classics on the strength of the, what, five or six actual hits that were on it? I could be totally wrong though.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 16 March 2012 21:53 (twelve years ago) link
It kinda blows my mind people not hearing Tiny Dancer a lot. Maybe I just heard it a disproportionate amount because my dad played Madman Across The Water a LOT.
― butvi wouls (Phil D.), Friday, 16 March 2012 22:18 (twelve years ago) link
Like some dude, I never really heard it too much until That Movie
― Everything You POLL Is RONG (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 March 2012 22:20 (twelve years ago) link
thing about Candle in the Wind is I always preferred his solo live piano version where he riffs a bit vocally at the end than the full-band version on the original.
the Di version was an atrocity. The rhyme scheme and meter didn't fit at all.
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Friday, 16 March 2012 22:21 (twelve years ago) link
"Tiny Dancer" peaked at 41 and was on the US charts for seven we
― Everything You POLL Is RONG (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 March 2012 22:30 (twelve years ago) link
weeks in 1972
Yeah Elton had more than 10 a-sides prior to "Greatest Hits" getting released ..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elton_John_discography
The 9 biggest hits were all included, and it looks like the 10th song could've been a toss up between Levon, Tiny Dancer or Friends which were all Top 40 (Top 41, whatever)... Levon charted the highest out of those 3.. It's possible Tiny Dancer wasn't included because of its length... Candle In The Wind didn't initially chart at all.
― billstevejim, Friday, 16 March 2012 23:17 (twelve years ago) link
And IIRC that album actually has multiple tracklists since CiTW did chart in the UK. Greatest Hits are funky things.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 16 March 2012 23:27 (twelve years ago) link
Just saw "Friends" when I looked at the charts. Wouldn't be able to tell you how that went
― Everything You POLL Is RONG (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 March 2012 23:39 (twelve years ago) link
I don't think "Friends" had much longevity chart-wise, but it was on "Freedom Rock."
It was also on this "deep cuts" comp that I used to listen to a lot... It had one of those "Nice Price" stickers on it.http://991.com/NewGallery/Elton-John-Your-Songs-521516.jpg
― billstevejim, Friday, 16 March 2012 23:47 (twelve years ago) link
The only version of "Candle in the Wind" I can listen to is the one most of us knew growing up: the Live in Australia one that became a top ten hit in late '87 or early '88.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 17 March 2012 01:40 (twelve years ago) link
yep that one.
― Bo Jackson Overdrive, Saturday, 17 March 2012 01:47 (twelve years ago) link
Drunk. Listening to "Funeral For a Friend" on really good speakers for like the first time ever. It may be the best thing ever recorded.
― Doctor Casino, Monday, 3 September 2012 23:31 (eleven years ago) link
no wait i was wrong, it's "goodbye yellow brick road"
― Doctor Casino, Monday, 3 September 2012 23:40 (eleven years ago) link
specifically the drums
― Doctor Casino, Monday, 3 September 2012 23:41 (eleven years ago) link
one thing's for sure it's not the fuckin spotify ads, man do i need to get a new needle post-haste
― Doctor Casino, Monday, 3 September 2012 23:43 (eleven years ago) link
Man, I miss those speakers.
― Doctor Casino, Wednesday, 3 April 2013 19:13 (eleven years ago) link
yeah peak period Elton loud on great speakers while drunk.. a pleasure i've had many a time.
was there ever a proper EJ poll? i missed it if so.
― piscesx, Thursday, 4 April 2013 18:25 (eleven years ago) link
It's in the cards over at the ballot poll order/timing coordination thread! S'what made me think of this thread actually.
― Doctor Casino, Thursday, 4 April 2013 18:56 (eleven years ago) link
Love Lies POLLing...
― Vol. 3: The Life & Times of E. "Boom" Carter (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 4 April 2013 19:49 (eleven years ago) link
alvin tostig has a poll today.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:20 (eleven years ago) link
POLL Me Closer, ILXor
― Doctor Casino, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:39 (eleven years ago) link
i have little time for elton john, but i picked up the leon russel collab today in local charity shop .. one listen through - i really enjoyed it.a few more spins required to really feel the old school gospel'd up funk vibe did anyone else listen to it ?
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:56 (eleven years ago) link
ahhh ..
A Thread For Elton John-Leon Russell's "The Union"
― mark e, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:57 (eleven years ago) link
woah..
http://theseconddisc.com/2014/01/30/goodbye-yellow-brick-road-40/
― piscesx, Thursday, 30 January 2014 17:58 (ten years ago) link
''that didn't seem to have a dud on it''
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 31 January 2014 00:40 (ten years ago) link
A reminder to visit and comment here: Mama Can't Buy You Love: The Official ILM Track-By-Track ELTON JOHN 1978-1988 Listening Thread
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 31 January 2014 00:50 (ten years ago) link
Disc 2: Bonus material - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Revisited…and Beyond (previously unreleased)
Candle in the Wind – Ed SheeranBennie and The Jets – MiguelGoodbye Yellow Brick Road – Hunter HayesGrey Seal – The Band PerrySweet Painted Lady – John GrantAll the Girls Love Alice – Emili SandeYour Sister Can’t Twist (But She Can Rock ‘N Roll) – Imelda MaySaturday Night’s Alright for Fighting – Fall Out BoyHarmony – Zac Brown Band
Curious to hear whether Miguel can redeem one of my least favourite songs ever. Not the least bit curious to hear anything else here.
― Inside Lewellyn Sinclair (cryptosicko), Friday, 28 February 2014 17:19 (ten years ago) link
Miguel could redeem "In Neon."
― Bryan Fairy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 28 February 2014 17:22 (ten years ago) link
"Candle in the Wind – Ed Sheeran"
can this prevented? court injunction, something?
― col, Friday, 28 February 2014 17:26 (ten years ago) link
they should have let him do that, then, and saved "bennie and the jets" for biz markie.
― fact checking cuz, Friday, 28 February 2014 17:29 (ten years ago) link
Miguel and Band Perry the only ones there I'm kinda interested in. Gotta say I wish Miguel was on more of a song but I can sorta picture him making 'Bennie' work with the psychedelic angle.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 28 February 2014 18:01 (ten years ago) link
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding has nary a note out of place. Johnstone's guitar fills compliment the piano so so well.
― Neanderthal, Saturday, 29 March 2014 15:04 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_HJAWe8z9I
― an office job is as secure as a Weetabix padlock (snoball), Saturday, 29 March 2014 15:19 (ten years ago) link