Rarely has a greatest-hits collection been as effective as Elton John's first compilation of Greatest Hits. Released at the end of 1974, after Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Caribou had effectively established him as a superstar, Greatest Hits is exactly what it says it is -- it features every one of his Top Ten singles ("Your Song," "Rocket Man," "Honky Cat," "Crocodile Rock," "Daniel," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," "Bennie and the Jets," "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"), plus the number 12 "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" and radio and concert favorites "Border Song" and "Candle in the Wind." Despite the exclusion of a couple of lesser hits from this era, most notably "Levon" and "Tiny Dancer," Greatest Hits is a nearly flawless collection, offering a perfect introduction to Elton John and providing casual fans with almost all the hits they need. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Toni Tennille (Vocals (Background)), Elton John (Organ), Elton John (Flute), Elton John (Piano), Elton John (Keyboards), Elton John (Piano (Electric)), Elton John (Vocals), Elton John (Mellotron), Elton John (Main Performer), Elton John (Farfisa Organ), Madeline Bell (Vocals (Background)), Roger Cook (Vocals (Background)), Lesley Duncan (Vocals (Background)), Tony Hazzard (Vocals (Background)), Bruce Johnston (Vocals), Bruce Johnston (Vocals (Background)), Bruce Johnston (Vocal Arrangement), Davey Johnstone (Guitar (Acoustic)), Davey Johnstone (Banjo), Davey Johnstone (Guitar), Davey Johnstone (Guitar (Electric)), Davey Johnstone (Vocals (Background)), Davey Johnstone (Guitar (Leslie)), Carl Wilson (Vocals (Background)), Ken Scott (Synthesizer), Ken Scott (Engineer), Brian Dee (Organ), Jacques Bolognesi (Trombone), Paul Buckmaster (Arranger), Paul Buckmaster (Conductor), Tony Burrows (Vocals (Background)), Robin Geoffrey Cable (Engineer), Jean Louis Chautemps (Saxophone), Ray Cooper (Tambourine), Ray Cooper (Bells), Daryl Dragon (Assistant), Gus Dudgeon (Producer), Gus Dudgeon (Compilation), Gus Dudgeon (Brass Arrangement), Clive Franks (Engineer), Kay Garner (Vocals (Background)), Colin Green (Guitar), Alain Hatot (Saxophone), David Hentschel (Synthesizer), David Hentschel (Engineer), Clive Hicks (Guitar), Clive Hicks (Guitar (12 String)), Billy Hinsche (Vocals (Background)), Ivan Julian (Trumpet), Ivan Jullien (Trumpet), Barry Morgan (Drums), Dee Murray (Guitar (Bass)), Dee Murray (Vocals (Background)), Del Newman (Horn Arrangements), Del Newman (Orchestral Arrangements), Nigel Olsson (Drums), Nigel Olsson (Maracas), Nigel Olsson (Vocals (Background)), Dave Richmond (Guitar (Bass)), Frank Clark (Guitar (Acoustic)), Roberta Ballard (Production Manager), David Larkham (Art Direction), David Larkham (Design), David Larkham (Photography), Terry O'Neill (Photography), Terry O'Neill (Cover Photo), Barbara Moore (Leader), Barbara Moore (Choir Master), Steve Hoffman (Mastering)
Elton John's Greatest Hits is the ninth album by Britishsinger/songwriterElton John, released on MCA Records, catalogue MCA 2128, in November 1974. Spanning the years 1970 to 1974, it compiles 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 Great Britain, staying at #1 for ten consecutive weeks in the former nation and the eleven weeks in the latter. It is his best-selling album to date, being the first to have received an RIAA Diamond certification for US sales of more than 17 million copies and has sold over 32 million copies worldwide.
The single "Bennie and the Jets" appeared on the American and Canadian edition of the album, which had topped the charts in both nations but had not been a single in the United Kingdom. It was replaced by "Candle in the Wind" for the U.K. and Australian edition, having been a hit in both of those countries but never released as a single in the U.S. and Canada. The 1992 reissue contains eleven tracks, with both songs included.
"Border Song," an album track on Elton John outside of the U.S. and Canada, went to #92 on the Billboard Hot 100 as a single in 1970. All other songs made the Top 40 in the U.K. and the U.S., most also making the top ten, with "Bennie and the Jets" and "Crocodile Rock" topping the chart in the States. John would wait until 1976 to top the singles chart in the U.K., via his duet with Kiki Dee, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart."
With only ten tracks total, the compilers left off several other hit singles from the time period. "Tiny Dancer" and "Levon" from the Madman Across the Water album made it to #41 and #24 respectively as singles in the U.S., and "The Bitch Is Back," his most recent single, was a #4 in the U.S. and topped the chart in Canada. Although all of these charted higher than "Border Song," its inclusion may have been owing to the fact that it was the first Elton John single to chart in any market.
