The Very Best of Elton John

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The Very Best of Elton John
Ejtvboej.jpg
Compilation album by
Elton John
Released29 October 1990 [1]
Recorded1970–1990
Genre Rock, pop
Length137:56
Label Polygram
Producer Gus Dudgeon, Clive Franks, Chris Thomas, Don Was
Elton John chronology
Sleeping with the Past
(1989)		The Very Best of Elton John
(1990)		 To Be Continued...
(1990)
Singles from The Very Best of Elton John
  1. "You Gotta Love Someone"
    Released: 8 October 1990
  2. "Easier to Walk Away"
    Released: November 1990
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [3]

The Very Best of Elton John is a greatest hits compilation album by British musician Elton John, released in October 1990. His first career-retrospective compilation album, and fourth official greatest-hits album overall, it was released in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe, and in other countries such as Japan and Australia, but not in the United States, where the box set To Be Continued... was released the following month instead.

Contents

The compilation spans his second album Elton John in 1970 to Sleeping with the Past in 1989. After the double A-sided "Sacrifice"/"Healing Hands" single became a hit and the third best-selling single of 1990 in the United Kingdom, the album became an instant smash in that country. It spent its first two weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart followed by nine weeks at number two, kept there by Madonna's Immaculate Collection . In all, the compilation spent 145 weeks inside the UK top 200 album chart, making a total of 11 re-entries, and it was certified 9× Platinum by the BPI on 1 March 1995. [4]

It includes a total of 28 hit singles plus the new songs "Easier to Walk Away" and "You Gotta Love Someone", both of which also made the charts between 1990 and 1991. The release also spawned a music video compilation, which was originally released on both laserdisc and VHS, and reissued on DVD.

Track listing

Disc one
No.TitleWriter(s)AlbumLength
1."Your Song" Elton John, Bernie Taupin Elton John , 19704:03
2."Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be a Long, Long Time)"John, Taupin Honky Château , 19724:42
3."Honky Cat"John, TaupinHonky Château5:15
4."Crocodile Rock"John, Taupin Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player , 19733:58
5."Daniel"John, TaupinDon't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player3:56
6."Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"John, Taupin Goodbye Yellow Brick Road , 19733:17
7."Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"John, TaupinGoodbye Yellow Brick Road4:57
8."Candle in the Wind"John, TaupinGoodbye Yellow Brick Road3:51
9."Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"John, Taupin Caribou , 19745:38
10."Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" Lennon–McCartney Non-album single, 19746:17
11."Philadelphia Freedom" (edited version)John, TaupinNon-album single, 19755:42
12."Someone Saved My Life Tonight"John, Taupin Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy , 19756:47
13."Pinball Wizard" (not on vinyl) Pete Townshend Tommy soundtrack, 19755:16
14."The Bitch Is Back" (not on vinyl)John, TaupinCaribou3:46
Disc two
No.TitleWriter(s)AlbumLength
15."Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (with Kiki Dee)John, Taupin (but credited to Ann Orson/Carte Blanche, respectively)Non-album single, 19764:32
16."Bennie and the Jets"John, TaupinGoodbye Yellow Brick Road5:21
17."Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"John, Taupin Blue Moves , 19763:51
18."Song for Guy"John A Single Man , 19786:41
19."Part-Time Love"John, Gary Osborne A Single Man3:16
20."Blue Eyes"John, Osborne Jump Up! , 19823:28
21."I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues"John, Taupin, Davey Johnstone Too Low for Zero , 19834:46
22."I'm Still Standing"John, TaupinToo Low for Zero3:04
23."Kiss the Bride"John, TaupinToo Low for Zero3:56
24."Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (single version)John, Taupin Breaking Hearts , 19844:11
25."Passengers"John, Taupin, Johnstone, Phineas MkhizeBreaking Hearts3:24
26."Nikita"John, Taupin Ice on Fire , 19855:45
27."I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That" (not on vinyl)John, Taupin Reg Strikes Back , 19884:00
28."Sacrifice"John, Taupin Sleeping with the Past , 19895:08
29."Easier to Walk Away" (not on vinyl)John, TaupinSoon to be released on To Be Continued... , 19904:25
30."You Gotta Love Someone"John, Taupin Days of Thunder soundtrack, 19905:01

B-sides

SongFormat
"Medicine Man""You Gotta Love Someone" 7"/12"/CD (UK)
"Medicine Man" (with Adamski)"You Gotta Love Someone" 12"/CD (UK)
"Made for Me""Easier to Walk Away" 12"/CD (UK)
"I Swear I Heard the Night Talkin'""Easier to Walk Away" 7"/12"/CD (UK)
"You Gotta Love Someone" 7" (France)

Music video compilation

  1. "Your Song" ( Top of the Pops 1971 live version)
  2. "Daniel" (Top of the Pops 1973 live version)
  3. "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (Top of the Pops 1973 live version)
  4. "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (with Kiki Dee)
  5. "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (BBC Live Christmas Show version)
  6. "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going to Be a Long Long Time)" (live at Wembley 1977 version)
  7. "Blue Eyes"
  8. "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues"
  9. "I'm Still Standing"
  10. "Kiss the Bride"
  11. "Sad Songs (Say So Much)"
  12. "Passengers"
  13. "Nikita"
  14. "Wrap Her Up"
  15. "Candle in the Wind" (live in Australia 1986 version)
  16. "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" (live in Prince's Trust 1987 version)
  17. "I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That"
  18. "Philadelphia Freedom" (live in Verona 1989 version)
  19. "Sacrifice"
  20. "You Gotta Love Someone"

Charts

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [30] 6× Platinum420,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria) [31] 3× Platinum150,000*
Belgium (BRMA) [32] 3× Platinum150,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [33] Gold100,000*
Finland (Musiikkituottajat) [34] Gold25,000 [34]
France (SNEP) [35] Diamond2,300,000 [36]
Germany (BVMI) [37] 2× Platinum1,000,000^
Italy (FIMI) [38] Platinum450,000 [38]
Netherlands (NVPI) [39] 2× Platinum200,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [40] Platinum15,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway) [41] Platinum100,000 [41]
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [42] 3× Platinum300,000^
Sweden (GLF) [43] Platinum100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [44] 4× Platinum200,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [4] 9× Platinum2,700,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ "Elton John albums".
  2. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r471536
  3. ↑ 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.
  4. 1 2 "British album certifications – Elton John – The Very Best of Elton John". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 5 December 2024.
  5. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Elton John – The Very Best of Elton John". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Elton John – The Very Best of Elton John" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Elton John – The Very Best of Elton John" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  8. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN   978-951-1-21053-5.
  9. ↑ "Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste – J". Infodisc.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2012.Select Elton John from the menu, then press OK.
  10. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Elton John – The Very Best of Elton John" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 12 March 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Elton John".
  12. ↑ "Charts.nz – Elton John – The Very Best of Elton John". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Elton John – The Very Best of Elton John". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  14. ↑ Music & Media, vol. 7, issue 51; December 22, 1990.
  15. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  16. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Elton John – The Very Best of Elton John". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Elton John – The Very Best of Elton John". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Elton John | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Elton John – The Very Best Of Elton John" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  20. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Elton John – The Very Best Of Elton John" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  21. ↑ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1996. 7. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  22. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1991". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  23. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1991". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  24. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1991". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  25. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  26. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1991". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  27. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1991". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  28. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1995". Ultratop. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  29. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1995". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  30. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  31. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Elton John – Very Best of" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  32. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1995". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  33. ↑ "Brazilian album certifications – Elton John – The Very Best of Elton John" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.
  34. 1 2 "Elton John" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland . Retrieved 14 October 2012.
  35. ↑ "French album certifications – Elton John – The Very Best of" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  36. ↑ "Elton John - 30 Years of Music". Billboard. 4 October 1997. p. EJ-34.
  37. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Elton John; 'The Very Best of Elton John')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  38. 1 2 "Elton Racks 'Em Up" (PDF). Music & Media. 23 March 1991. p. 10. Retrieved 4 January 2020– via American Radio History.
  39. ↑ "Dutch album certifications – Elton John – The Very Best of Elton John" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers.Enter The Very Best of Elton John in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1995 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  40. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Elton John – The Very Best of Elton John". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  41. 1 2 "Bernie Taupin Elton John The Very Best of Elton John Norwegian "Platinum" Record Award". 27 February 2023.
  42. ↑ Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. p. 931. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  43. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011.
  44. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Very Best of Elton John')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
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