The Essential REO Speedwagon | ||||
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Greatest hits album by | ||||
Released | 10 August 2004 | |||
Recorded | 1971–1999 | |||
Genre | Rock, hard rock | |||
Length | 2:35:05 188:12 (3.0 Edition) | |||
Label | Epic, Legacy | |||
Producer | REO Speedwagon; Peter Asher | |||
REO Speedwagon chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
The Essential REO Speedwagon is a greatest hits album by the band REO Speedwagon released through Epic Records and Legacy Recordings. [2] The collection spans the band's history from 1971 through 1999 and the package includes two compact discs. The album consists of tracks from nearly every studio album up to 1999 except "This Time We Mean It" from 1975.
In 2009, the album was re-released as part of the Limited Edition 3.0 series which added a third bonus disc with eight more tracks. [3]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Sophisticated Lady" | Gary Richrath, Terry Luttrell, Gregg Philbin, Neal Doughty, Alan Gratzer | R.E.O. Speedwagon (1971) | 4:00 |
2. | "Music Man" | Kevin Cronin | R.E.O./T.W.O. (1972) | 4:33 |
3. | "Golden Country" | Gary Richrath | R.E.O./T.W.O. (1972) | 6:33 |
4. | "Son of a Poor Man" (10 seconds of guitar intro not on the original Ridin' the Storm Out (1973) album version) | Gary Richrath | A Decade of Rock and Roll 1970 to 1980 (1980) | 3:54 |
5. | "Lost in a Dream" | Mike Murphy, Bruce Hall | Lost in a Dream (1974) | 6:33 |
6. | "Keep Pushin'" | Kevin Cronin | R.E.O. (1976) | 4:06 |
7. | "(I Believe) Our Time is Gonna Come" | Kevin Cronin | R.E.O. (1976) | 5:04 |
8. | "Lightning" | Gary Richrath, Kevin Cronin | R.E.O. (1976) | 5:56 |
9. | "Like You Do" (Live) | Gary Richrath | Live: You Get What You Play For (1977) | 6:53 |
10. | "Flying Turkey Trot" (Live) | Gary Richrath | Live: You Get What You Play For (1977) | 2:33 |
11. | "157 Riverside Avenue" (Live) | Gary Richrath, Terry Luttrell, Gregg Philbin, Alan Gratzer | Live: You Get What You Play For (1977) | 7:36 |
12. | "Ridin' the Storm Out" (Live) | Gary Richrath | Live: You Get What You Play For (1977) | 5:45 |
13. | "Roll with the Changes" | Kevin Cronin | You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish (1978) | 5:37 |
14. | "Time for Me to Fly" | Kevin Cronin | You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish (1978) | 3:42 |
15. | "Say You Love Me or Say Goodnight" | Gary Richrath, Kevin Cronin | You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish (1978) | 4:58 |
Total length: | 77:52 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Back on the Road Again" | Bruce Hall | Nine Lives (1979) | 5:28 |
2. | "Only the Strong Survive" | Gary Richrath | Nine Lives (1979) | 3:52 |
3. | "Don't Let Him Go" | Kevin Cronin | Hi Infidelity (1980) | 3:45 |
4. | "Keep On Loving You" | Kevin Cronin | Hi Infidelity (1980) | 3:21 |
5. | "In Your Letter" | Gary Richrath | Hi Infidelity (1980) | 3:16 |
6. | "Take It on the Run" | Gary Richrath | Hi Infidelity (1980) | 4:01 |
7. | "Keep the Fire Burnin'" | Kevin Cronin | Good Trouble (1982) | 3:55 |
8. | "The Key" | Kevin Cronin | Good Trouble (1982) | 3:26 |
9. | "One Lonely Night" | Neal Doughty | Wheels Are Turnin' (1984) | 3:21 |
10. | "Live Every Moment" | Kevin Cronin | Wheels Are Turnin' (1984) | 5:01 |
11. | "Can't Fight This Feeling" | Kevin Cronin | Wheels Are Turnin' (1984) | 4:54 |
12. | "That Ain't Love" | Kevin Cronin | Life as We Know It (1987) | 4:01 |
13. | "In My Dreams" | Kevin Cronin, Tom Kelly | Life as We Know It (1987) | 4:30 |
14. | "Variety Tonight" | Neal Doughty | Life as We Know It (1987) | 4:30 |
15. | "Here with Me" | Kevin Cronin, Rick Braun | The Hits (1988) | 5:05 |
16. | "Love Is a Rock" | Kevin Cronin | The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken (1990) | 5:35 |
17. | "Building the Bridge" | Kevin Cronin | Building the Bridge (1996) | 4:15 |
18. | "Just for You" | Kevin Cronin, Jim Peterik | The Ballads (1999) | 4:38 |
Total length: | 77:13 |
Note:The Essential REO Speedwagon [3.0] has the same tracks above with an added CD with eight more tracks.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Album | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Do' Wanna Know" | Wheels Are Turnin' (1984) | 4:14 | |
2. | "Out of Season" | Kevin Cronin, Tom Kelly | Hi Infidelity (1980) | 3:07 |
3. | "Sweet Time" | Good Trouble (1982) | 3:08 | |
4. | "Wherever You're Goin' (It's Alright)" | Best Foot Forward (1985) | 5:05 | |
5. | "Blazin' Your Own Trail Again" | You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish (1978) | 3:34 | |
6. | "Being Kind (Can Hurt Someone Sometime)" | R.E.O./T.W.O. (1972) | 6:02 | |
7. | "Tough Guys" | Hi Infidelity (1980) | 3:52 | |
8. | "Live It Up" (Live) | Jesse Harms | The Second Decade of Rock and Roll 1981 to 1991 (1991) | 4:41 |
Total length: | 33:47 |
Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalog # |
---|---|---|---|---|
USA | August 10, 2004 | Epic/Legacy | 2-CD | E2K 86015 |
USA | September 1, 2009 | Epic/Legacy | 3-CD (Limited Edition 3.0) | 88697 54093 2 |
REO Speedwagon is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. The group's best-selling album, Hi Infidelity (1980), contained four US top 40 hits and sold more than 10 million copies.
The Ballads is a 1999 compilation album by REO Speedwagon. It features some of the band's previously recorded hit ballads as well as two additional songs, Just For You and Til The Rivers Run Dry.
Arch Allies is a live album recorded by REO Speedwagon and Styx at Riverport Amphitheatre in Maryland Heights, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. It was released on September 26, 2000, by Sanctuary Records, and a single DVD was also released on November 7, 2000.
The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken is the thirteenth studio album by REO Speedwagon, and was released in 1990.
R.E.O./T.W.O. is the second studio album released by the Illinois-based rock band REO Speedwagon, released in 1972. Under the leadership of guitarist Gary Richrath, this album continued the musical direction set on 1971's REO Speedwagon with Richrath's own compositions carrying the record.
You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish is the seventh studio album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1978. It was their first album to be co-produced by lead singer Kevin Cronin and lead guitarist Gary Richrath. The album was REO's first to make the Top 40, peaking at No. 29. The album sold over 2 million copies in the US, which led it to being certified 2× Platinum.
Live: You Get What You Play For is a live album by rock band REO Speedwagon, released as a double-LP in 1977. It was recorded at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building in Kansas City, Kansas, the Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, Kiel Auditorium in Saint Louis, Missouri and Alex Cooley's Electric Ballroom in Atlanta, Georgia. It peaked at number #72 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1977. The song "Ridin' the Storm Out" reached #94 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, but has since become a classic rock radio staple. The album went platinum on December 14, 1978.
Good Trouble is the tenth studio album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1982 as a follow-up to Hi Infidelity. It peaked at #7 on the Billboard charts. The single "Keep the Fire Burnin'" gave the band a #7 hit on Billboard's Pop Singles Chart and a #2 hit on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, their highest-charting hit on this chart.
R.E.O. Speedwagon is the debut studio album by American rock band REO Speedwagon. Released in 1971, it was the only album recorded with singer Terry Luttrell, who would go on to join Starcastle. Kevin Cronin joined the band for R.E.O./T.W.O. This album concluded with a progressive rock song unlike the later arena rock songs that made them famous.
This Time We Mean It is the fifth studio album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1975. It peaked at number 74 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1975, It was the third and last album to feature Mike Murphy on vocals and features the single "Reelin'" written by Murphy.
Lost in a Dream is the fourth studio album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1974. It peaked at number 98 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1975, It was the second album to feature Mike Murphy on vocals. The title track was written by Murphy and future bassist Bruce Hall, who would join the band in 1978. The title track was featured on the compilation A Decade of Rock and Roll: 1970-1980. The album was in print on CD format in 1992 for two months before being quickly deleted.
Nine Lives is the eighth studio album by REO Speedwagon. It peaked at number #33 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1979. The album went gold on December 5, 1979. The title Nine Lives was chosen because the album was the band's ninth, including their live album, and it also featured nine songs. It was the last REO album to prominently feature a more hard rock sound. The group would turn to more pop-oriented material with 1980's Hi Infidelity. In 2013, the album was released on CD by UK-based company Rock Candy Records, with expanded liner notes and photos.
Building the Bridge is the fourteenth studio album by REO Speedwagon. It became the group's first non-charting album since 1972's R.E.O./T.W.O.. This is the only studio album by the band not in the ITunes Store, though the title track is available on The Essential REO Speedwagon. The album was re-released on May 27, 2022 on Jimmy Buffett's Mailboat Records on CD, LP and digital.
R.E.O. is the sixth studio album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1976. It peaked at number 159 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1976. It marked the return of Kevin Cronin to the band after a four-year absence. Five of the songs were featured on the band's subsequent live album, Live: You Get What You Play For. Many fans refer to the album as C.O.W. due to the background of the cover art.
Ridin' the Storm Out is the third studio album by REO Speedwagon, released in 1973. It peaked at number 171 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1981, and reached platinum status in 1989. It was the first album to feature Mike Murphy on vocals. The sessions started out with Kevin Cronin, but he left the band before the album was finished, due to creative differences. The title track would later become a hit for the band on their live album, after Cronin had returned to the band. The song refers to the band being stuck in a harsh winter blizzard after a show in Boulder, Colorado, at a bar named Tulagi.
The Hits is a compilation album from REO Speedwagon. It contains hits such as "Can't Fight This Feeling" and "Keep on Loving You", as well as new tracks "Here with Me" and "I Don't Want to Lose You". "Here with Me" cracked the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. and the top ten on the Adult Contemporary chart; however, it would be the last single to feature drummer Alan Gratzer and guitarist Gary Richrath, as they each left the band within the year following this album's release. The album has sold over 4 million copies in the U.S. which led it to go 4× Platinum.
"Keep the Fire Burnin'" is a song by REO Speedwagon from their 1982 album Good Trouble. This single was the only track from the Good Trouble album to make the top ten on the pop charts, cresting at number seven.
"Don't Let Him Go" is a song written by Kevin Cronin. It was originally released as the opening song for REO Speedwagon's #1 album Hi Infidelity. It was also released as a single, reaching #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "Don't Let Him Go" has appeared on several REO Speedwagon greatest hits albums.
Not So Silent Night ... Christmas with REO Speedwagon is the sixteenth and most recent to date, studio album by REO Speedwagon. It was released on November 3, 2009 by Sony Music, two years after the band's previous studio album, Find Your Own Way Home.
"I Do' Wanna Know" is a song written by Kevin Cronin that was the lead single from REO Speedwagon's 1984 album Wheels Are Turnin'. It was more of a rocker reminiscent of the songs REO Speedwagon had released in the 1970s than the ballads the band had been successful with in the early 1980s. It had limited success on popular music charts, which was blamed for delaying sales of the album until the release of the follow up single, the ballad "Can't Fight This Feeling." The video to the song was nominated for several awards.