Ear Fuel #33: Greatest Hits Albums
Few things can divide a group of music fans quicker than mentioning the mere concept of ‘greatest hits’ albums. While some music lovers don’t really care one way or the other, there is a subset of people who strongly believe they are the bane of the music world.
Sure, greatest hits compilations are a quick way to get the general feel of a band, but others will argue that removing songs from the context of their original album can detract from the song, as well as fail to convey the entirety of a band’s sound.
While some greatest hits releases are little more than a label trying to pump a bit more from a favorite cash cow (see: Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones and any band with more than two such releases), there are a number of occasions where going to a greatest hits album is probably the ideal way to get into a band or; and I know I tread on shaky ground here, sometimes they can be the best representation of a band.
A good friend of mine absolutely despises greatest hits albums. His reasoning for not liking them holds little water; but any time compilation albums are brought up, he is quick to tell everyone within earshot why they are pointless wastes of time and money. Well, today is that friend’s birthday, and he reads this newsletter. So I thought it’d be the perfect time to dig into a few of my favorite greatest hits albums.
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There was a time when it seemed like Bob Marley’s Legend compilation was being issued to every college freshmen on the planet. The album was beyond ubiquitous, and sadly, many feel it is an accurate representation of Bob Marley’s career. There is so much more to The Man than these happy-go-lucky island tunes, and a that reality eventually dawned on those who managed his estate. Though released more than a decade later, Natural Mystic is a spiritual addendum to Legend; giving a far better characterization of the work of one of music’s most important figures.
In the case of Bob Marley, his recorded catalog is so massive, and filled with so many unforgettable songs, that it’s almost intimidating to decide where to start. Having released more than 130 singles and over a dozen albums covering a wide range of reggae, dance hall and dub styles, it can be hard to find a path past the over-played hits. Yet moving further into his catalog uncovers some of his finest work, and Natural Mystic is an excellent next step (or first step) into the Marley universe.
While Legend mostly focused on his lighter side and love songs, Natural Mystic delves into his political and more philosophical side. I still argue to this day that Bob Marley was the greatest writer of political and protest songs, and his perfect Exodus album is a testament to his pen. From iconic indictments of society like “War” and “Pimper’s Paradise” to religious commentary on “One Drop” and the title track, to some of my all-time favorites “Sun Is Shining” and “So Much Trouble In The World,” Natural Mystic is a far more accurate portrayal of who Bob Marley was musically.
I also want to point out the version of “Trenchtown Rock” found on Natural Mystic, as for my money, it’s the definitive recording. Originally released on 1975’s aptly titled Live!, it is sheer perfection; with Aston "Family Man" Barrett’s bassline meandering perfectly under the band’s gorgeous groove.
If all you know of Bob Marley & The Wailers is Legend and maybe one or two other tracks, I cannot recommend highly enough familiarizing yourself with Natural Mystic. The album is a shining example of why greatest hits compilations serve a purpose, and this is certainly one of the best.
Dig in: Spotify
I know it may offend a swath of music fans, but as I see it, Creedence Clearwater Revival never made a great record. Never. They have a number of great songs spread across their seven studio releases; but no single album worthy of legendary status. Due to this, a greatest hits album is the ideal way to experience the band and their work.
While in our current era of streaming music, such a compilation may seem unnecessary; in 1976, a listener would have had to purchase all seven of their studio albums, along with a handful of singles to have all of these songs - and then they’d have to swap records and skip songs. I think the advantage of a greatest hits album is pretty clear in this case.
Chronicle is also one of the rare cases where a band can fill more than an hour’s worth of music with truly great songs. I am sure that different people will argue one or two tracks on Chronicle as “less than,” but that still leaves more than 15 unquestionable rock classics. Few bands have a catalog this strong, and this is the sort of album that is a joy to play from beginning to end.
Whether it’s radio staples like “Down On The Corner” and “Fortunate Son” or killer deep cuts like “Lookin’ Out My Back Door” and “Green River,” Chronicle delivers classic after classic. Truth be told, my only issue with Chronicle is that it omits my all-time favorite CCR song, “Born On The Bayou.” How can that missing the cut be justified???
Finally, a reminder that if you have this album on tape, make sure you don’t leave it in your car…things happen, you know?
Head down to the corner: Spotify
Singles Going Steady served a number of different purposes in the history of Buzzcocks (the band name is not THE Buzzcocks), but at its core, it is a phenomenal greatest hits compilation.
Originally released only in North America as an introduction to the band (ahead of their first US tour), it pulls together 16 of their best songs. After a healthy level of people imported this compilation back to their native UK in 1979 and 1980, their label made the decision to release it in that territory - though strangely, it failed to chart on either side of the Atlantic Ocean.
Similar to Creedence Clearwater Revival, it can be argued that Buzzcocks’ studio albums were inconsistent (save the excellent Another Music In A Different Kitchen). In fact, Singles Going Steady was released the same week as the final studio album from the “classic” lineup of the band - and their music after this era is almost entirely forgettable.
Further, somewhat mirroring the distribution methods for punk rock in the 70s, all of the songs on this compilation came from singles - the first side being the A-side of said singles, and the second side are the corresponding B-sides. The album name is therefore quite literal, and saved music fans the hassle of finding and buying all of the singles in question. It also rises above the idea of a greatest hits album, becoming a unique album onto itself - and a truly fantastic one at that.
Though it was not the original intent, Singles Going Steady became a classic piece of punk rock history, and is one of the finest albums of the era. It feels like an expertly assembled walkthrough of the unique awesomeness of Buzzcocks, when in reality it was just the label putting their existing singles in chronological order.
Basically, you can view Singles Going Steady as an accidental greatest hits album, and save maybe one or two other songs, it gives you every great moment from the only era of Buzzcocks worth hearing.
Get addicted: Spotify
That’s all for this week. As always, share and enjoy.
The Rolling Stones Hot Rocks is a great album. I usually dont like "greatest hits" but sometimes...