Elton John's Greatest Hits

Infobox Album
Name = Elton John's Greatest Hits
Type = Compilation Album
Artist = Elton John


Released = November 4 1974 (U.S.)
November 8 1974 (UK)
Recorded = Mar 1970-Jan 1974
Genre = Rock
Pop
Length = 47:40
Label = MCA, Polydor (US/Canada) DJM Records
Producer = Gus Dudgeon
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:rjyvad7kv8w4 link]
*Robert Christgau (B+) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=elton+john link]
Last album = "Caribou"
(1974)
This album = "Elton John's Greatest Hits"
(1974)
Next album = "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy"
(1975)

"Elton John's Greatest Hits" is the ninth album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released on MCA Records, catalogue MCA 2128, in November of 1974. Spanning the years 1970 to 1974, it compiles ten of John's singles, with one track variation for releases in North America and for Europe and Australia. It topped the album chart in both the United States and Great Britain, staying at #1 for ten consecutive weeks in the former nation and the eleven weeks in the latter. It is his best-selling album to date, being the first to have received an RIAA Diamond certification for US sales of more than 10 mill copies.

Contents

The single "Bennie and the Jets" appeared on the American and Canadian edition of the album, which had topped the charts in both nations but had not been a single in the United Kingdom. It was replaced by "Candle in the Wind" for the U.K. and Australian edition, having been a hit in both of those countries but never released as a single in the U.S. and Canada. The 1992 reissue contains eleven tracks, with both songs included.

"Border Song," an album track on "Elton John" outside of the U.S. and Canada, went to #92 on the Billboard Hot 100 as a single in 1970. All other songs made the Top 40 in the U.K. and the U.S., most also making the top ten, with "Bennie and the Jets" and "Crocodile Rock" topping the chart in the States. John would wait until 1976 to top the singles chart in the U.K., via his duet with Kiki Dee, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart."

With only ten tracks total, the compilers left off several other hit singles from the time period. "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" from the "Madman Across the Water" album made it to #41 and #24 respectively as singles in the U.S., and "The Bitch Is Back," his most recent single, was a #4 in the U.S. and topped the chart in Canada. Although all of these charted higher than "Border Song," its inclusion may have been owing to the fact that it was the first Elton John single to chart in any market.

In 2003, "Elton John's Greatest Hits" was ranked at number 135 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The first of his many compilation albums, later ones include "Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II", "Elton John's Greatest Hits 1976-1986", and "Elton John's Greatest Hits 1970-2002".

All music by Elton John, with lyrics by Bernie Taupin.

Track listing ; main writer : Montalbano

ide One

# "Your Song"
# "Daniel"
# "Honky Cat"
# "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
# "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"

ide Two

# "Rocket Man"
# "Candle in the Wind" or "Bennie and the Jets"
# "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
# "Border Song"
# "Crocodile Rock"

1992 Compact disc

# "Your Song"
# "Daniel"
# "Honky Cat"
# "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
# "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"
# "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)"
# "Bennie and the Jets"
# "Candle in the Wind"
# "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
# "Border Song"
# "Crocodile Rock"

1995 Japanese compact disc issue

# "Your Song"
# "Skyline Pigeon"
# "Daniel"
# "Crocodile Rock"
# "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
# "Take Me to the Pilot"
# "Rock n' Roll Madonna"
# "Candle in the Wind"
# "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (with Kiki Dee)
# "Honky Cat"
# "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"
# "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)"
# "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
# "Border Song"
# "It's Me That You Need"

Chart positions

External links

* [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/_/id/6598722 "Rolling Stone" 500 greatest albums listing]

succession box
before = "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll" by The Rolling Stones
title = "Billboard" 200 number-one album
years = November 30 1974 - February 7 1975
after = "Fire" by Ohio Playerssuccession box
before = "Serenade" by Neil Diamond
title = Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
years = January 20 - February 23 1975
after = "Living in the Seventies" by Skyhooks