Greatest Hits (titled Greatest Hits Vol. II in Australia) is a compilation of hits by the Australian band Little River Band, released in November 1982. The album peaked at No. 13 on the Australian Kent Music Report albums chart, at No. 1 in New Zealand, and at No. 33 on the Billboard 200. It included two new tracks, "The Other Guy" and "Down on the Border", to introduce the band's new lead singer, John Farnham.[3] In 1992, it was certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA.
| Greatest Hits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Greatest hits album by | ||||
| Released | November 1982 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 49:43 77:14 (Expanded edition) | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Little River Band chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Greatest Hits | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   (1982)[1] |
| AllMusic | (2000)[2] |
The album was digitally remastered and repackaged with additional tracks in an expanded edition in 2000.[4]
Reception
editCash Box magazine said "This is a unique 'best of' package in that it serves to close the door of one era of this most popular Australian band's career while ushering in another. Glenn Shorrock, the 'voice' of LRB for so many years, has departed for a solo flight, while the 'new' lineup with lead singer John Farnham is represented here by the currently rising Top 40 tune 'The Other Guy' and 'Down on the Border'. Fans of LRB can reminisce over 'Reminiscing', 'Lady', 'Help Is On The Way' [sic], 'Lonesome Loser', 'Happy Anniversary', 'Night Owls' and the more recent hits, 'Man On Your Mind' and 'Take It Easy On Me'."[5]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Graham Goble, unless otherwise noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "It's a Long Way There" (short version) | Little River Band (1975) | 4:12 | |
| 2. | "Help Is on Its Way" | Glenn Shorrock | Diamantina Cocktail (1977) | 4:04 |
| 3. | "Reminiscing" | Sleeper Catcher (1978) | 4:13 | |
| 4. | "Man on Your Mind" | Glenn Shorrock; Kerryn Tolhurst | Time Exposure (1981) | 4:16 |
| 5. | "The Other Guy" | New song | 2:49 | |
| 6. | "The Night Owls" | Time Exposure (1981) | 5:19 | |
| 7. | "Lonesome Loser" | David Briggs | First Under the Wire (1979) | 3:58 |
| 8. | "Take It Easy on Me" | Time Exposure (1981) | 3:45 | |
| 9. | "Down on the Border" | new song | 2:55 | |
| 10. | "Happy Anniversary" | David Briggs; Birtles | Diamantina Cocktail (1977) | 4:03 |
| 11. | "Lady" | Sleeper Catcher (1978) | 4:55 | |
| 12. | "Cool Change" | Glenn Shorrock | First Under the Wire (1979) | 5:14 |
| Total length: | 49:43 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lonesome Loser" | David Briggs | First Under the Wire (1979) | 4:12 |
| 2. | "I'll Always Call Your Name" | Beeb Birtles | Little River Band (1975) | 3:38 |
| 3. | "Down on the Border" | New song | 2:35 | |
| 4. | "Broke Again" | Graham Goble; Beeb Birtles | After Hours (1976) | 3:25 |
| 5. | "The Other Guy" | New song | 2:50 | |
| 6. | "Long Jumpin' Jeweller" | Glenn Shorrock | After Hours (1976) | 4:47 |
| 7. | "The Night Owls" | Time Exposure (1981) | 3:51 | |
| 8. | "Take It Easy on Me" | Time Exposure (1981) | 3:45 | |
| 9. | "St. Louis" | Harry Vanda; George Young | New Song | 3:35 |
| 10. | "Statue of Liberty" | Glenn Shorrock | Little River Band (1975) | 3:28 |
| 11. | "It's Not a Wonder" | First Under the Wire (1979) | 3:55 | |
| 12. | "Cool Change" | Glenn Shorrock | First Under the Wire (1979) | 5:09 |
| Total length: | 45:10 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original album | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lonesome Loser" | David Briggs | First Under the Wire (1979) | 3:58 |
| 2. | "Help Is on Its Way" | Glenn Shorrock | Diamantina Cocktail (1977) | 4:04 |
| 3. | "Cool Change" | Glenn Shorrock | First Under the Wire (1979) | 5:14 |
| 4. | "Take It Easy on Me" | Time Exposure (1981) | 3:45 | |
| 5. | "Face in the Crowd" | No Reins (1986) | 4:38 | |
| 6. | "Reminiscing" | Sleeper Catcher (1978) | 4:13 | |
| 7. | "The Night Owls" | Time Exposure (1981) | 5:19 | |
| 8. | "Lady" | Sleeper Catcher (1978) | 4:55 | |
| 9. | "We Two" | The Net (1983) | 4:33 | |
| 10. | "The Other Guy" | New song | 2:49 | |
| 11. | "Man on Your Mind" | Glenn Shorrock; Kerryn Tolhurst | Time Exposure (1981) | 4:16 |
| 12. | "I'll Always Call Your Name" | Beeb Birtles | Little River Band (1975) | 4:49 |
| 13. | "Down on the Border" | The Net (1983) | 2:55 | |
| 14. | "Happy Anniversary" | David Briggs; Beeb Birtles | Diamantina Cocktail (1977) | 4:00 |
| 15. | "Playing to Win" | John Farnham; Graham Goble; David Hirschfelder; Stephen Housden; Wayne Nelson; Steve Prestwich; Spencer Proffer | Playing to Win (1985) | 4:25 |
| 16. | "It's Not a Wonder" | First Under the Wire (1979) | 3:58 | |
| 17. | "You're Driving Me out of My Mind" | Graham Goble; Beeb Birtles | The Net (1983) | 5:11 |
| 18. | "It's a Long Way There" (short version) | Little River Band (1975) | 4:12 | |
| Total length: | 77:14 | |||
Versions
editInitial copies of the digitally remastered 2000 edition contained never-before-heard alternative versions of three of its tracks:
When the band recorded the album Time Exposure in Montserrat with George Martin, two versions of this song were recorded, with Glenn Shorrock and Wayne Nelson respectively on lead vocal. "The Night Owls", with Nelson on lead vocal, had already been selected as the first single from the album. When Martin selected the Nelson version of "Take It Easy on Me" for the album and second single, Shorrock complained, and his version of the song was used instead.[6] It is the Nelson version of "Take It Easy on Me" that appeared on the first 2000 release of Greatest Hits.
The alternative version uses a horn section in the backing music.
- "The Night Owls"
The alternative version has a heavier guitar sound.
Some members of the band objected to these alternative tracks. The remaining CDs were removed from the market and reissued with the original album tracks. The "unauthorised" version is keenly sought by collectors.[7] However, the "unauthorised" version is still used on the Spotify streaming version of Greatest Hits.[8]
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[13] | 3× Platinum | 45,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[14] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ Greatest Hits at AllMusic
- ^ Greatest Hits at AllMusic
- ^ "Little River Band - The Other Guy". Discogs.com. 1982. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ Adams, Bret. "Greatest Hits [Expanded Edition]". allmusic.com. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
- ^ "Album Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 27 November 1982. p. 6. Retrieved 6 December 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ^ Miller, Chuck (17 October 2004). "Little River Band: Born in the Sign of Water". Goldmine (640). Retrieved 12 June 2010.
- ^ Au, Frankie (2000). "The late great years ... 1988 - today ..." Lrb.net. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
- ^ "Definitive Greatest Hits". Open.spotify.com. 1 January 2000. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 179. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Little River Band – Greatest Hits" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Little River Band – Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
- ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1983 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
- ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Little River Band – Greatest Hits". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
- ^ "American album certifications – Little River Band – Greatest Hitsr". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 17 July 2021.