I recently caught a set by the new band of a fellow Townperson, during which they played “My Maria.” I’ve always loved this song but I only had the version by the Gear Daddys.
So I went to buy the original version by BW Stevenson on iTunes and was interested to see that he also did the original version of “Shambala,” the only song by Three Dog Night that I can stomach. Thinking that I may have stumbled onto an as-yet-untapped source of hidden pop gems, I clicked on compilation entitled BW Stevenson: His Very Best. It consisted in its entirety of “My Maria,” “Shambala,” and a remake of “Sunny.” Three songs, that’s it.
This may be one of the first instances of honest marketing that I’ve come across, and it made me wonder, if the record labels were really being candid, which other artist are most deserving of a “Best Of” EP or even a “Best Of” single?
One-hit wonders are excluded from consideration, obviously. But what about bands like the Mamas & the Papas (one of my all-time least favorites)? Surely, their “Best Of” could be distilled down to “California Dreaming” and one other song that I’ve never heard, couldn’t it?
Please keep in mind we’re talking about paring down a “Best Of” compilation, not an original album. I don’t want the Mod to seize this as an opportunity to reiterate his misguided notion that Exile on Main Street would somehow be better as an EP.
http://www.amazon.com/Very-Best-Macy-Gray/dp/B0002VEXRS
🙂
I do dig Sweet — but I think a 4-song EP would sum them up nicely: Ballroom blitz, Fox on the run, Blockbuster and Love is like oxygen. If I only heard those four, I’d think they were truly great.
Is it Rhino that has just what the doctor’s ordered, that “Hi-Five” series of 5-song “best of” collections? If there was a rock ‘n roll bell curve, such a format may ideal for satisfying the tastes of most fans. Then there would be those small parts of our tastes that necessitate the full collection of an artist’s works, including German True Stereo outtakes, and that other small part covering bands we dislike so much that they wouldn’t even justify a “Hi-Five” collection (eg, Journey, Billy Joel, and Love, for me).
A 5-song “best of” EP of Roger Waters-led Pink Floyd might hit the spot for me – and it could still take 45 minutes to play!
Now I’m thinking of bands with a couple of songs I like a lot who, nevertheless, might not fill up a 5-song “best of” EP, such as Moby Grape…
I think we need to keep in mind that “Greatest Hits” and “Very Best Of” are two different things. Any band can have a “Very Best Of” compilation, so the marketing is technically true. It may suck, but it was the very best they could do although discerning “very best” from “best” seems like a heroic effort. What I take umbrage with are “Greatest Hits” packages filled with songs which never graced a chart, especially ones which were never released as singles. Don’t get me started on the concept of an “album hit” as opposed to a hit song released as a single. And get off my lawn!
Good one – and you could include one of their bubblegum songs from when they were “The Sweet” to fill out the collection.
Mott the Hoople could use EPing, too.
I’m always amused by the inclusion of a new song on “best of” albums, included with the presumption that the song is going to be a hit (and that it adds to the desirability of the album). Are there any songs that were unique to a “best of” that are actually viable hits? I’m sure there are some, but it’s not something I’d know off the top of my head.
I see what you’re doing with that Moby Grape comment, Mod. I should probably just ignore that it but I’ll take the bait: Moby Grapes entire first album is a Greatest Hits collection.
Echo and the Bunnymen’s “Songs to Learn and Sing” contained a new song, “Bring on the Dancing Horses” which was a hit, at least in the UK.
Moi?!?!
The Best of OMD did the same thing with “Dreaming”, which was a US hit. I wonder if this happened a lot of with UK groups in the 80s as CDs became popular? Now I need to check on The Cure singles compilation….
disagree – there is a perfect 12 song best of and an even better 2-disc version if you need more.
The Six Teens, Wig Wam Bam, Little Willie, AC/DC (the song)
Best Buy has a series of 4-6 song best-of Cds that they sell for cheap. I know there is a new “Icons” series that are 6-8 song best-of’s out there. The iTunes greates hits EP is a great idea for a quick fix though.
Tom Petty added “Last Dance With Mary Jane” as a new song on their Greatest Hits and it actually became one of their greatest hits.
Hall & Oates did this too: Adult Eduation and Say It Isn’t So were both new songs that became greates hits
sound like a 1-2-3 punch
Tom Petty & the HBs Greatest Hits package included two new songs — “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” and a cover of Thunderclap Newman’s “Something in the Air (produced by Pete Townshend).” MJLD became a smash hit and the SITA didn’t necessarily do poorly.
That’s the only one that comes to mind.
Jungleland beat me to the punch!
Someone’s gonna clobber me with Deep Tracks, but a Raspberries greatest single of Go All the Way / I Wanna Be with You is sufficient, in my book.
poking the crab….
Several of the lesser-lights of the British Invasion who, for my taste, do not have enough to fill out an entire greatest hits lp (much less an expanded cd), could be well served with a 3-5 song ep: e.g., Herman’s Hermits, Dave Clark Five, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Manfred Mann, etc.
Consider yourself clobbered. I would say at least 40% of their stuff is great, although I think I saw the track listing of their Greatest Hits one time and whoever chose the songs really did them a disservice.
I like Desolation Boulevard. First time my mom heard Sweet FA, I was in big trouble. That album did its job very well!
Tom Petty may have released more music than anyone else that only needs a four or five song ep. It’s funny, none of it is bad, it’s just that so much isn’t great. I could even live without Damn the Torpedoes with a Very Best Of Tom Petty available.
I could use a Bruce Springsteen ep like that, too.
Which makes me wonder, when you get right down to it, wouldn’t Ace of Spades really qualify as all the Motorhead you really need?
You guys are amazing.
You could almost say the same thing about George Harrison. The All Things Must Pass album is pretty much his Greatest Hits, right? That is, unless you really think “I’ve Got My Mind Set On You” is a great song.
I think a modern day example might be Ryan Adams — he puts one good song (maybe) on each album.
Bob Dylan – just boil 40 years of records down to:
Mr. Tambourine Man
Highway 61 Revisited
Like a Rolling Stone
Positively 4th Street
Lay Lady Lay
Tangled Up in Blue
There. He’s covered.
Er, not really. George would be well served by a good, solid, and thorough post-All Things collection. There’s a fair amount of good stuff across all those records and singles.
That’s damn generous of you.
Creedence Clearwater Revival could be adequately served by a Greatest Hits EP.
Suzie Q
Proud Mary
Bad Moon Rising
Fortunate Son
Pardon me while I take my tongue out of my cheek. Yes, Georgie managed a few decent-to-good songs after All Things. However, he pretty much shot his wad on the first album, and the rest was dribbles.
Tonyola: ewwww.
Grateful Dead. Let’s see, ummm…
Truckin’ – nahhh
Sugar Magnolia – [yawn]
Touch of Grey – you’re kidding, right?
I got nothing.
Full disclosure: I saw the Dead in concert a couple of times and they could be damn impressive on a good night. But it’s one of those “you had to be there” things. I can’t think of a single album of theirs – live or studio – that I’d really want to own.
Some sacred cows getting bashed in this one! Love it.
All Things would have made a great EP, but this opinion probably falls under the “Don’t go there!” directive that cdm sent my way.
Hi! I’d like to boil down Led Zep, EP-style, so here it is!
“The Crunge”
“Royal Orleans”
“Bron-Y-Aur Stomp”
“Hot Dog”
How about Steppenwolf as candidate for the distilled EP: Born to be Wild, Magic Carpet Ride and either The Pusher or Rock Me Baby — your choice.
I was thinking that a somewhat related topic would be to think of artists with hits that really don’t represent them – like Extreme’s “More than words,” or The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony.”
As possibly the Hall’s resident Steppenwolf fan (my close personal friend andyr may challenge me for that title), you’ve got to include “Sookie Sookie” and their greatest song, “Hey Lawdy Mama.” As much as I love Steppenwolf, a half dozen songs may be all they’ve got.
I just heard on Sirius Hits 1 (my daughter’s favorite station … I know, I’m a horrible father) a cover of Def Leppard’s “Photograph.” Stay with me — there’s a point here.
It’s a duet done by that Idol dude Chris Daughtery (sp?) and Mr. Carlos Santana. I’m no fan of the Def Lep version, but this cover really sucked eggs. Complete garbage. Even Carlos’ solo couldn’t save it. Very uninspired.
And now to the point — Santana’s Greatest Hits =
1. Soul Sacrifice
2. Oye Como Va
3. Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen
4. No One To Depend On
That’s more than enough for a beginner. Or old timer.
I’m amazed you know that many Santana song titles!
I suggest also including “Snowblind Friend” in the list as evidence that Steppenwolf could handle the occasional poignant ballad.
Santana is one of those groups that got more interesting musically after their pop-hit era ended. Beginning in 1972 Carlos decided to move in a jazzier direction and made a few hit-free but quite good albums for those who had longer attention spans: Caravanserai, Welcome, and Borboletta.
I own and like Caravanserai, but I couldn’t name a song title from it if my life depended on it.
I think you need to add that slow instrumental from Abraxas. It’s really nice. Also Mother’s Daughter.
Is that the one that opens with Carlos bending a note really high on the neck?
This one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teRiRdu9J1g
And here’s another live version from the Beat Club. It has Neil Schon on guitar sporting a gigantic white guy ‘fro and fringe leather jacket. How did he go from being that guy to being the doofus in Journey?
Wow, you know all the Santana songs! I saw them once, and I swear I didn’t know the names of any of the songs, but it was a pretty okay show. I’d be okay with Santana’s Greatest Hit, though. Black Magic Woman and outta there! In fact, it’s quite possible that he just played that for an hour and a half when I saw him.
This is some gripping Santana talk here, people.
I know this isn’t LMS, but are covers allowed here?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuqGm6FwZgY
Sure, why not. That Harrison cover wasn’t bad, and his cover of “If Not For You” would easily make the cut on my All Things ep. (I never heard the original “Got My Mind Set on You” before. I like it!