Greatest Hits (Aerosmith album)
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Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits compilation album by American hard rock band Aerosmith, released by Columbia Records in October 1980.[1] It went multi-platinum and contained the songs that made the band an icon of the 1970s rock era.
Some of the tracks were significantly edited from their original versions. The single version of "Same Old Song and Dance" was used, and was edited down almost a full minute. It also contained an alternate lyric which wasn't heard on Get Your Wings. The original lyric was "Gotcha with the cocaine, found with your gun." The alternate lyric, included on the compilation, was "You shady lookin' loser, you played with my gun." "Sweet Emotion" also used the single version; it begins with the first chorus, cutting out the now famous talk box intro and the coda was replaced with a repeating chorus and fades out. "Kings and Queens" was also edited down, cutting the intro and certain other parts. "Walk This Way" was edited slightly, chanting the first chorus once instead of twice. The other remaining tracks were kept intact.
In 2004, a slightly revised version, Greatest Hits 1973–1988, was released, with the ten tracks in their edited versions retained, with five additional songs from the same era added, plus the 1991 version of "Sweet Emotion" and a live version of "One Way Street".
Greatest Hits is the band's highest RIAA certified album in the United States, having been certified 11x Platinum in 2007.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |  [3] |
| Robert Christgau | A− [4] |
Track listing
Original version
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s)[1] | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dream On" (from Aerosmith, 1973) | Steven Tyler | Adrian Barber | 4:28 |
| 2. | "Same Old Song and Dance" (Single version) (from Get Your Wings, 1974) | Tyler, Joe Perry | Jack Douglas, Ray Colcord | 3:04 |
| 3. | "Sweet Emotion" (Single version) (from Toys in the Attic, 1975) | Tyler, Tom Hamilton | Douglas | 3:15 |
| 4. | "Walk This Way" (Slightly edited version) (from Toys in the Attic) | Tyler, Perry | Douglas | 3:33 |
| 5. | "Last Child" (from Rocks, 1976) | Tyler, Brad Whitford | Douglas, Aerosmith | 3:28 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s)[1] | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Back in the Saddle" (from Rocks) | Tyler, Perry | Douglas, Aerosmith | 4:41 |
| 2. | "Draw the Line" (from Draw the Line, 1977) | Tyler, Perry | Douglas, Aerosmith | 3:24 |
| 3. | "Kings and Queens" (Single version) (from Draw the Line) | Tyler, Whitford, Hamilton, Joey Kramer, Jack Douglas | Douglas, Aerosmith | 3:48 |
| 4. | "Come Together" (from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band: The Original Soundtrack, 1978) | John Lennon, Paul McCartney | Douglas, George Martin | 3:47 |
| 5. | "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" (from Night in the Ruts, 1979) | George Morton | Gary Lyons, Aerosmith | 4:05 |
| Total length: | 37:32 | |||
Track Listing - 2004 reissue
Track details same as Original Version track listing, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dream On" | 4:26 | ||
| 2. | "Mama Kin" (from Aerosmith) | Tyler | Barber | 4:27 |
| 3. | "Same Old Song and Dance" | 3:03 | ||
| 4. | "Seasons of Wither" (from Get Your Wings) | Tyler | Douglas, Colcord | 4:57 |
| 5. | "Sweet Emotion" | 3:13 | ||
| 6. | "Walk This Way" | 3:32 | ||
| 7. | "Big Ten Inch Record" (from Toys in the Attic) | Fred Weismantel | Douglas | 2:15 |
| 8. | "Last Child" | 3:27 | ||
| 9. | "Back in the Saddle" | 4:41 | ||
| 10. | "Draw the Line" | 3:23 | ||
| 11. | "Kings and Queens" | 3:49 | ||
| 12. | "Come Together" | Lennon–McCartney | 3:45 | |
| 13. | "Remember (Walking in the Sand)" | 4:05 | ||
| 14. | "Lightning Strikes" (from Rock in a Hard Place, 1982) | Richard Supa | Lyons, Aerosmith | 4:28 |
| 15. | "Chip Away the Stone" (from Gems, 1988) | Supa | Douglas | 4:01 |
| 16. | "Sweet Emotion" (David Thoener remix - from Pandora's Box Single, 1991; original version from Toys in the Attic) | Tyler, Hamilton | Douglas | 4:36 |
| 17. | "One Way Street" (Live) (from Made in America, 1997/2001; original version from Aerosmith) | Tyler | 6:40 | |
| Total length: | 1:08:40 | |||
Personnel
- Aerosmith
- Steven Tyler – lead vocals, harmonica, percussion, producer, arrangement
- Joe Perry – lead guitar, backing vocals, arrangement, except on "Lightning Strikes"
- Brad Whitford – rhythm guitar, producer, arrangement, except on "Lightning Strikes"
- Tom Hamilton – bass, producer, arrangement
- Joey Kramer – drums, producer, arrangement
- Additional musicians
- Jimmy Crespo – lead guitar, backing vocals on "Lightning Strikes"
- Rick Dufay – rhythm guitar on "Lightning Strikes"
- Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone on "Same Old Song and Dance" and "Big Ten Inch Record"
- Randy Brecker – trumpet on "Same Old Song and Dance"
- Stan Bronstein – baritone saxophone on "Same Old Song and Dance"
- Jon Pearson – trombone on "Same Old Song and Dance"
- David Woodford – saxophone on "Mama Kin"
- Scott Cushnie – keyboards, piano on "Big Ten Inch Record"
- Jay Messina – bass marimba on "Sweet Emotion"
- Production
- Jack Douglas – producer, arrangement
- Adrian Barber – producer
- George Martin – producer
- Ray Colcord – producer
- Jay Messina – engineer
- Vic Anesini – remastering
- Janet Perr – cover concept
- John Berg – design
Charts
The album reached #53 on the Billboard 200 in 1980, #154 in 1987 and #43 in 2013.[5]
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[6] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| Japan (RIAJ)[7] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[8] | 11× Platinum | 11,000,000^ |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Pandora's Box (CD liner). Aerosmith. United States: Columbia Records. 2002 [1991]. C3K 86567.
{{cite AV media notes}}: Unknown parameter|titlelink=ignored (|title-link=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Greatest Hits (CD liner). Aerosmith. United States: Columbia Records. 1993 [1980]. CK 57367.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Prato, Greg. "Allmusic Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
- ^ "Review". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
- ^ "Aerosmith - Billboard Albums". Allmusic. United States: Rovi Corporation. Retrieved November 27, 2010.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Aeromsith – Greatest Hits". Music Canada.
- ^ "Japanese album certifications – Aerosmith – Greatest Hits" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan.
- ^ "American album certifications – Aerosmith – Greatest Hits". Recording Industry Association of America.
External links
- Greatest Hits at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
- Greatest Hits 1973-1988 at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
