When ELO's Greatest Hits was released in time for Christmas 1979, HERC SR. already owned Olé ELO and despite a five song overlap between the two albums he snapped up ELO's Greatest Hits and HERC listened to both albums often but if there were to be a showdown, ELO's Greatest Hits is his favorite of the two. HERC later bought copies of each album for his own collection and distinctly remembers ELO's Greatest Hits as one of the earliest CDs he ever bought, months before he had a CD player to play it on. There have been other collections of Electric Light Orchestra songs since 1979 (even a non-US Greatest Hits Volume 2) but for purely sentimental reasons HERC prefers the eleven tracks from ELO's Greatest Hits - they are exactly what they say they are, the best songs from the albums that had been released from 1971-1978. For comparison purposes, HERC compiled the table below:
| Electric Light Orchestra single disc compilations released in the United States (1976-2005) | Olé ELO (1976) | Greatest Hits (1979) | Essential (2003) | All Over The World (2005) | ||
| total running time | 43:49 | 44:05 | 59:49 | 01:18:20 | ||
| total tracks | 9 | 11 | 15 | 20 | ||
| year | song title | |||||
| 1972 | 10538 Overture | ELO | ||||
| 1973 | Kuiama | ELO | ||||
| 1973 | Roll Over Beethoven (single edit) | ELO | ELO | |||
| 1973 | Showdown | ELO | ELO | ELO | ||
| 1973 | Ma-Ma-Ma Belle | ELO | ELO | ELO | ||
| 1974 | Can't Get It Out Of My Head | ELO | ELO | ELO | ||
| 1974 | Boy Blue (single edit) | ELO | ||||
| 1975 | Evil Woman | ELO | ELO | ELO | ELO | |
| 1975 | Strange Magic | ELO | ELO | ELO | ELO | |
| 1976 | Livin' Thing | ELO | ELO | ELO | ||
| 1977 | Turn To Stone | ELO | ELO | ELO | ||
| 1977 | Rockaria! | ELO | ELO | |||
| 1977 | Telephone Line | ELO | ELO | ELO | ||
| 1977 | Do Ya | ELO | ||||
| 1978 | Sweet Talkin' Woman | ELO | ELO | ELO | ||
| 1978 | Mr. Blue Sky | ELO | ELO | ELO | ||
| 1978 | Wild West Hero | ELO | ||||
| 1979 | Shine A Little Love | ELO | ELO | |||
| 1979 | Don't Bring Me Down | ELO | ELO | |||
| 1979 | The Diary Of Horace Wimp | ELO | ||||
| 1979 | Confusion | ELO | ||||
| 1980 | All Over The World | ELO | ||||
| 1981 | Hold On Tight | ELO | ELO | |||
| 1983 | Rock N Roll Is King (edit) | ELO | ELO | |||
| 1986 | Calling America | ELO | ||||
| 2000 | Xanadu (new version) | ELO | ||||
| 2001 | Alright | ELO | ||||
That 1979 compilation is just about perfect. If they had included "Do Ya" (#24, 1977) in the place of one of their early non-charting singles, it would be perfect. As it is, I have to give the edge to the 2003 compilation even though I prefer the cover art of the 1979 album. Admit it, HERC you've always coveted an ELO medal, haven't you?
ReplyDeleteThe three tracks I would have liked to seen included, in addition to the original listing, are:
Delete"10538 Overture", "Roll Over Beethoven" and "Do Ya".
That ELO Medal, along with the customized horn from the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band movie, would be the crowning jewels in my iconic rock memorabilia collection as I already have a vial of Purple Rain.