Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II

Last updated

Greatest Hits Volume II
Elton John - Greatest Hits Volume Ii-front.jpg
Greatest hits album by
Released30 September 1977 [1]
Recorded1971, 1974–1976
Genre Pop rock
Length48:20 (DJM)
48:33 (MCA)
52:03 (Polydor)
Label MCA (US)
DJM (UK)
Polydor (reissue)
Producer Gus Dudgeon
Elton John chronology
Blue Moves
(1976)
Greatest Hits Volume II
(1977)
A Single Man
(1978)

Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II is the sixteenth official album release for English musician Elton John, and the second compilation. The original 1977 US version features one song from 1971 and two songs from 1974 that were not on the first greatest hits album. It also features several hit songs from 1975 and two hit singles from John's past year of performing in 1976. The cover photograph was taken by Gered Mankowitz.

Contents

Release

There are several versions of the album. There were two original versions, one in the United States and Canada and another for Great Britain and the rest of the world, both released in 1977. The British version, released on DJM Records, included "Bennie and the Jets", a song that had appeared on the 1973 album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road but had only recently been released as a single (1976) in Elton John's home country. In North America, where the album was released by MCA Records, this song had already appeared on the first volume of Greatest Hits . It was replaced with "Levon", an even older song (from 1971's Madman Across the Water album) that had not yet been collected.

The album also contained two songs that would later be replaced, "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (with Kiki Dee) both from 1976. These were the newest songs on the collection, and the only two not owned by DJM/This Record Company. They had been released on Elton John's own label named The Rocket Record Company and were owned by his own royalty collection company, Sackville Productions. They appeared on this DJM album by mutual agreement. In North America, all his records were released by MCA (the singles from 1976 as well as the Blue Moves album also carried the Rocket logo), so, at that time, no agreement was necessary.

The original album contained a booklet containing lyrics to the songs (even to the covers of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "Pinball Wizard"), with illustrations or performance photos for each song.

In 1992, a new version was released worldwide. Elton John had moved to PolyGram Records, who got the rights to all of his DJM recordings (pre-1976). MCA now controlled his post-DJM recordings, including his later work on Geffen Records which had been taken over by MCA. Geffen's Greatest Hits Volume III was deleted and replaced with Greatest Hits 1976–1986 , which also contained "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" from the original version of Greatest Hits – Volume 2. On the new edition, those two songs were replaced with two singles not on the original version, 1971's "Tiny Dancer" and 1975's "I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)". Meanwhile, since the 1992 edition of Greatest Hits included "Bennie and the Jets" worldwide, Volume II then included "Levon" worldwide.

In the US, it was certified gold in September 1977, platinum in November 1977, 3× platinum in March 1993, 4× platinum in September 1995, and 5× platinum in August 1998 by the RIAA.

All of these versions contain "The Bitch Is Back", "Someone Saved My Life Tonight", "Philadelphia Freedom", "Island Girl", "Grow Some Funk of Your Own" and John's covers of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "Pinball Wizard".

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [2]
Christgau's Record Guide B+ [3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Tom Hull – on the Web B+ ( Five Pointed Star Solid.svg Five Pointed Star Solid.svg ) [5]

Reviewing in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau wrote:

"The two previously-unavailable-on-LP originals here are peaks, but the two covers are dippy. Plus the lead cut from Caribou and two hits from Rock of the Westies and leftovers from 1971 and 1976 and the climax of Captain Fantastic . Is this product necessary? Depends on who's doing the needing." [3]

Track listing

Original North American version

No.TitleWriter(s)AlbumLength
1."The Bitch Is Back" (fades out early) Elton John, Bernie Taupin Caribou (1974)3:39
2."Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" John Lennon, Paul McCartney Non-album single (1974)5:58
3."Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"John, Taupin Blue Moves (1976)3:43
4."Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (duet with Kiki Dee)John, Taupin
as Ann Orson, Carte Blanche
Non-album single (1976)4:23
5."Someone Saved My Life Tonight"John, Taupin Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)6:45
6."Philadelphia Freedom"John, TaupinNon-album single (1975)5:20
7."Island Girl"John, Taupin Rock of the Westies (1975)3:43
8."Grow Some Funk of Your Own"John, Taupin, Davey Johnstone Rock of the Westies4:16
9."Levon"John, Taupin Madman Across the Water (1971)5:21
10."Pinball Wizard" Pete Townshend Tommy soundtrack (1975)5:10

Original international version

No.TitleWriter(s)AlbumLength
1."The Bitch Is Back" (fades out early)John, TaupinCaribou3:39
2."Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"Lennon, McCartneyNon-album single5:58
3."Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"John, TaupinBlue Moves3:43
4."Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (duet with Kiki Dee)John, Taupin
as Orson, Blanche
Non-album single4:23
5."Someone Saved My Life Tonight"John, TaupinCaptain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy6:45
6."Philadelphia Freedom"John, TaupinNon-album single5:20
7."Island Girl"John, TaupinRock of the Westies3:43
8."Grow Some Funk of Your Own"John, Taupin, JohnstoneRock of the Westies4:16
9."Bennie and the Jets"John, Taupin Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)5:10
10."Pinball Wizard"TownshendTommy5:10

1992 Polydor reissue

No.TitleWriter(s)AlbumLength
1."The Bitch Is Back" (fades out early)John, TaupinCaribou3:39
2."Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"Lennon, McCartneyNon-album single5:58
3."Tiny Dancer"John, TaupinMadman Across the Water6:13
4."I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)"John, TaupinRock of the Westies5:28
5."Someone Saved My Life Tonight"John, TaupinCaptain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy6:45
6."Philadelphia Freedom"John, TaupinNon-album single5:20
7."Island Girl"John, TaupinRock of the Westies3:43
8."Grow Some Funk of Your Own"John, Taupin, JohnstoneRock of the Westies4:16
9."Levon"John, TaupinMadman Across the Water5:21
10."Pinball Wizard"TownshendTommy5:10

Charts

Chart (1977–1978)Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [6] 46
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [7] 6
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [8] 6
UK Albums (OCC) [9] 6
US Billboard 200 [10] 21

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [11] 2× Gold40,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [12] 2× Platinum200,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [13] Platinum300,000^
United States (RIAA) [14] 5× Platinum5,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Elton John</i> (album) 1970 studio album by Elton John

Elton John is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Elton John. It was released on 10 April 1970 through DJM Records. Including John's breakthrough single "Your Song", the album helped establish his career during the rise of the singer-songwriter era of popular music.

<i>Tumbleweed Connection</i> 1970 studio album by Elton John

Tumbleweed Connection is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter Elton John. It was recorded at Trident Studios, London, in March 1970, and released in October 1970 in the UK and January 1971 in the US. It is a concept album based on country and western and Americana themes. All songs are written by John and Bernie Taupin, with the exception of "Love Song" by Lesley Duncan.

<i>Madman Across the Water</i> 1971 album by Elton John

Madman Across the Water is the fourth studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 5 November 1971 by DJM and Uni Records. The album was his third album to be released in 1971, at which point John had been rising to prominence as a popular music artist. John's first progressive rock album, Madman Across the Water contains nine tracks, each composed and performed by John and with lyrics written by songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman plays Hammond organ on two songs.

<i>Goodbye Yellow Brick Road</i> 1973 album by Elton John

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is the seventh studio album by English singer, pianist, and composer Elton John. A double album, it was released on 5 October 1973, by DJM Records. Recorded at the Château d'Hérouville in France, the album became a double LP once John and his band became inspired by the locale. Among the 17 tracks, the album contains the hits "Candle in the Wind", US number-one single "Bennie and the Jets", "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" and "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting", along with the live favourite "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding".

<i>Caribou</i> (album) 1974 studio album by Elton John

Caribou is the eighth studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 24 June 1974 by MCA Records in the US and on 28 June by DJM Records in the UK. It was his fourth chart-topping album in the United States and his third in the United Kingdom. The album contains the singles "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", which reached number 16 in the UK Singles Chart and number two in the US, and "The Bitch Is Back", which reached number 15 in the UK and number four in the US. Both singles reached number one in Canada on the RPM 100 national Top Singles Chart, as did the album itself.

<i>Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy</i> 1975 studio album by Elton John

Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy is the ninth studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 23 May 1975 by DJM Records in the UK and MCA Records in the US. The album is an autobiographical account of the early musical careers of Elton John and his long-term lyricist Bernie Taupin. An instant commercial success, the album was certified gold before its release, and reached No. 1 in its first week of release on the US Billboard 200, the first album to achieve both honours. It sold 1.4 million copies within four days of release, and stayed in the top position in the chart for seven weeks.

<i>Rock of the Westies</i> 1975 studio album by Elton John

Rock of the Westies is the tenth studio album by English musician Elton John, released on 24 October 1975. The title is a pun on the phrase "West of the Rockies", the album having been recorded at Caribou Ranch in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Elton John album) 1974 greatest hits album by Elton John

Greatest Hits is the eleventh official album release for English musician Elton John, and the first compilation. Released on 8 November 1974, it spans the years 1970 to 1974, compiling 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 the United Kingdom, staying at number one for ten consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200 and eleven weeks on the UK Albums Chart. In Canada, it was number one for 13 weeks between 14 December 1974, and 22 March 1975, missing only 28 December 1974, at number two to Jim Croce's Photographs & Memories.

Tiny Dancer 1972 single by Elton John

"Tiny Dancer" is a song written by English musician and composer Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was originally released on John's 1971 album Madman Across the Water, and was later produced and released as a single in 1972.

<i>Greatest Hits 1970–2002</i> 2002 greatest hits album by Elton John

Greatest Hits 1970–2002 is a career-spanning compilation album of popular songs by English musician Elton John, released on UTV Records in 2002. It debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at number 12 on 30 November 2002, for a total run of 67 weeks. It was certified gold and platinum in December 2002, double platinum in March 2003, triple platinum in August 2004, four- and five-times platinum simultaneously in February 2011, and 6× platinum in April 2016 by the RIAA.

<i>Elton Johns Greatest Hits Vol. 3</i> 1987 greatest hits album by Elton John

Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume III is the twenty-seventh album released by English musician Elton John. Released in 1987, 10 years after Elton John's Greatest Hits Volume II, the compilation album features his greatest hits from 1979 to 1986 and was made available only in the United States and Canada. All of the songs featured had previously been released on a previous album.

<i>Love Songs</i> (Elton John album) 1995 compilation album by Elton John

Love Songs is a compilation album by English musician Elton John. It was released on 6 November 1995 by John's own label The Rocket Record Company, in conjunction with Mercury Records, and in North America by MCA Records on 24 September 1996. In the US, it was certified gold in December 1996, platinum in March 1997, double platinum in December 1998 and triple platinum in August 2000 by the RIAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davey Johnstone</span> British guitarist

David William Logan Johnstone is a Scottish rock guitarist and vocalist, best known for his long-time collaboration with Elton John as a member of the Elton John Band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dee Murray</span> English bass guitarist (1946–1992)

David Murray Oates, known as Dee Murray, was an English bass guitarist. He was best known for his long-time collaboration with Elton John as a member of the Elton John Band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Levon (song)</span> 1971 song by Elton John and Bernie Taupin

"Levon" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was recorded on 27 February 1971, and was released on John's 1971 album, Madman Across the Water. Backing vocals are provided by Tony Burrows. Paul Buckmaster wrote the orchestral arrangements and conducted the orchestra.

<i>Greatest Hits 1976–1986</i> 1992 greatest hits album by Elton John

Greatest Hits 1976–1986 is a collection of hits by Elton John released in the United States only by MCA Records in 1992. It replaced an earlier compilation, Geffen's 1987 release Elton John's Greatest Hits Vol. 3. This was necessitated because of a shift in the control of copyrights and a resulting reshuffling of compilation albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bennie and the Jets</span> 1974 single by Elton John

"Bennie and the Jets" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. The song first appeared on the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album in 1973. "Bennie and the Jets" has been one of John's most popular songs and was performed during his appearance at Live Aid.

Caleb Quaye is an English rock guitarist and studio musician best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s with Elton John, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, Paul McCartney, Hall & Oates and Ralph McTell, and also toured with Shawn Phillips in the 1970s. He is the son of singer/pianist Cab Kaye, younger brother of musician Terri Quaye, and elder half-brother of singer Finley Quaye.

"I've Been Loving You" is the 1968 debut single by English musician Elton John with lyrics credited to Bernie Taupin. The B-side is "Here's to the Next Time", an Elton John composition. "I've Been Loving You" was not originally included on any album and the single was withdrawn shortly after its release. Neither side appeared on any official album release until the 1992 Rare Masters box set.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harmony (Elton John song)</span> 1974 single by Elton John

"Harmony" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It is the final song on the 1973 double album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The song was recorded in May 1973, at Château d'Hérouville, France.

References

  1. "Music Week" (PDF). p. 92.
  2. Elton John's Greatest Hits Vol II, AllMusic , retrieved 5 January 2012
  3. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: J". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved 27 February 2019 via robertchristgau.com.
  4. Larkin, Colin (2011). "John, Elton". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). London: Omnibus Press. p. 2,003. ISBN   978-0-85712-595-8.
  5. Hull, Tom (22 June 2021). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 158. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  7. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5455a". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  8. "Charts.nz – Elton John – Greatest Hits Volume II". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  9. "Elton John | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  10. "Elton John Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  11. "Elton John Australian Award". 4 April 2023.
  12. "Bernie Taupin-Elton John, Elton John's Greatest Hits Canadian "Platinum" Record Award" . Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  13. "Bernie Taupin-Elton John Greatest Hits Record Award" . Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  14. "American album certifications – Elton John – Greatest Hits, Volume II". Recording Industry Association of America.