Elton John's Greatest Hits

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Elton John's Greatest Hits
Compilation album by 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
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (B+) link
Elton John chronology
Caribou (1974) Elton John's Greatest Hits (1974) Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)

Elton John's Greatest Hits is the first compilation album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released in 1974. Spanning the years 1969 to 1974, it includes several of Elton John's top songs. It would later be followed up by Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II, Elton John's Greatest Hits 1976-1986, and Elton John's Greatest Hits 1970-2002.

Contents 1 History 2 Tracklisting 2.1 International LP 2.2 US/Canadian LP 2.3 CD, 1992 2.4 Japanese CD, 1995 3 Chart positions 4 External links

[edit] History

Elton John's Greatest Hits was released in November of 1974, and is to this date his best-selling album, being the first to have received an RIAA Diamond certification for US sales of more than 10 million copies. It was the fifth of seven consecutive Elton John albums to reach Number 1 in the US, and his fourth UK Number 1 album.

Though the album includes many hits from Elton John's early era, it is noted for leaving off several of his more popular songs. For example, "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" from 1971's Madman Across the Water album, as well as the title track from the Friends film soundtrack which Elton had also recorded in 1971, are all absent. All three songs were singles, and rose higher on the charts than "Border Song", which only reached Number 92. It is possible that "Border Song" was included as a historical reference to the fact that it was Elton's first charted single in the United States.

In Britain, where no Elton John singles were released in 1971 other than "Your Song", the collection is a fairly accurate depiction. However, though "Border Song" did not chart in the UK but was included on the album, "Step Into Christmas", Elton's 1973 holiday hit which made it to Number 23 on the UK charts, was not included. This is probably due to "Step Into Christmas" being a holiday song, as holiday songs are not commonly included on "Greatest Hits" albums.

The collection is also missing "The Bitch is Back", the second release from 1974's Caribou, and the forthcoming "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds".

It is also perhaps noteworthy to mention that the original vinyl releases in the US and Canada differed slightly from the rest of the world, with "Bennie and the Jets" appearing on the US and Canadian releases and "Candle in the Wind" appearing on releases everywhere else in the world, as "Bennie" had been released instead of "Candle" in those two countries. However, the 1992 CD reissue (the only version currently in print) includes both tracks.

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.

[edit] Tracklisting

All songs by John/Taupin.

[edit] International LP

1. "Your Song"
2. "Daniel"
3. "Honky Cat"
4. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
5. "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting"
6. "Rocket Man"
7. "Candle In The Wind"
8. "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me"
9. "Border Song"
10. "Crocodile Rock"

[edit] US/Canadian LP

1. "Your Song"
2. "Daniel"
3. "Honky Cat"
4. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
5. "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting"
6. "Rocket Man"
7. "Bennie and the Jets"
8. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
9. "Border Song"
10. "Crocodile Rock"

[edit] CD, 1992

Upon its release, this version became the worldwide standard issue. It includes both "Bennie And The Jets" and "Candle In The Wind".

1. "Your Song"
2. "Daniel"
3. "Honky Cat"
4. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
5. "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting"
6. "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)"
7. "Bennie and the Jets"
8. "Candle In The Wind"
9. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
10. "Border Song"
11. "Crocodile Rock"

[edit] Japanese CD, 1995

The Japanese CD version, featuring an expansion of the international track listing, includes the following tracks:

1. "Your Song"
2. "Skyline Pigeon"
3. "Daniel"
4. "Crocodile Rock"
5. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
6. "Take Me to the Pilot"
7. "Rock n' Roll Madonna"
8. "Candle in the Wind"
9. "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (with Kiki Dee)
10. "Honky Cat"
11. "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"
12. "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long, Long Time)"
13. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
14. "Border Song"
15. "It's Me That You Need"

[edit] Chart positions

Year	Chart	Position
1974	Billboard 200	1
1975

[edit] External links

• Rolling Stone 500 greatest albums listing

Preceded by It's Only Rock 'n' Roll by The Rolling Stones

Billboard 200 number-one album November 30, 1974 - February 7, 1975

Succeeded by Fire by Ohio Players

v • d • e Elton John Elton John • Guy Babylon • Bob Birch • Davey Johnstone • John Mahon • Nigel Olsson Tony Murray • Roger Pope • Barry Morgan • Dee Murray • Ray Cooper • James Newton Howard • Caleb Quaye • Kenny Passarelli • Charlie Morgan Studio albums Empty Sky • Elton John • Tumbleweed Connection • Madman Across the Water • Honky Château • Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player • Goodbye Yellow Brick Road • Caribou • Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy • Rock of the Westies • Blue Moves • A Single Man • Victim of Love • 21 at 33 • The Fox • Jump Up! • Too Low for Zero • Breaking Hearts • Ice on Fire • Leather Jackets • Reg Strikes Back • Sleeping with the Past • The One • Duets • Made in England • The Big Picture • Songs from the West Coast • Peachtree Road • The Captain & The Kid Live albums 11-17-70 • Here and There • Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra • Elton John One Night Only - The Greatest Hits • Elton 60 - Live at Madison Square Garden Soundtracks Friends • The Lion King • The Muse • Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida • The Road to El Dorado Compilations Greatest Hits • Greatest Hits Volume II • The Thom Bell Sessions • Lady Samantha • Milestones • Your Songs • Greatest Hits Vol. 3 • The Complete Thom Bell Sessions • To Be Continued • The Very Best of Elton John • Rare Masters • Greatest Hits 1976-1986 • Chartbusters Go Pop! 20 Legendary Covers from 1969/70 as Sung by Elton John • Classic Elton John • Love Songs • Prologue • Greatest Hits 1970-2002 • Elton John's Christmas Party • Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits DVDs The Very Best of Elton John • One Night Only: Greatest Hits Live at Madison Square Garden • Live in Barcelona • To Russia with Elton • Dream Ticket Tribute album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin Related articles Discography • Band • Awards • Bernie Taupin • Gus Dudgeon • Paul Buckmaster • John Reid • Dick James • Renate Blauel • David Furnish • John/Taupin • Elton John AIDS Foundation