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4.0 out of 5 stars
Not Quite the Definitive Elton John Collection, Jul 10 2004
Music: 4.5 Stars Compilation: 3.5 StarsThere have been many Elton John collections over the years, even more so in Europe than here in the US. The release of "Greatest Hits 1970-2002" (34 tracks, 157 min.) is intended to be the truly definitive "greatest hits" collection. Did they get it right this time? Given the time limitation of a CD, the compiler(s) had two choices: either to collect truly the greatest and biggest hits of Elton John (which would have inevitably skewed the compilation towards the earlier years), or present a "balanced" compilation that includes songs from all phases of Elton's career, regardless how big or small a hit they were. Unfortunately, the compiler(s) chose the latter route. As a result, a number of weaker songs from the later years were included, and thus a number of better known and bigger hits not being included. Just to name the biggest oversights: "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (a top 5 hit in 1974), "Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" (Elton's tribute to the slain John Lennon, a top 10 hit in 1981), "Song for Guy" (Elton's only instrumental hit ever, from 1978, a top 5 hit in most of Europe), "Pinball Wizzard" (1976 hit from the "Tommy" soundtrack), and even the novelty-hit "Step Into Christmas". But the biggest blunder of them all is the inexusable absence of a little thing called "Candle in the Wind 1997". Hello record company? It's only THE BIGGEST SELLING SINGLE OF ALL TIME, EVER, ANYWHERE!!!! Add those 6 songs instead of "The One", "Believe", "Blessed", "Something About the Way You Look Tonight", "Written in the Stars" and "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore", and then you truly would have had something called Elton John's "Greatest Hits 1970-2002".
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~ Gordon Lightfoot
See all 17 tracks on this disc
