Greatest Hits, Etc.

Greatest Hits, Etc.
Greatest hits album by Paul Simon
Released November 1977
Recorded 1971-77
Genre Folk rock
Length 51:38
Label Columbia
Producer Paul Simon
Paul Simon chronology
Still Crazy After All These Years
(1975)		 Greatest Hits, Etc.
(1977)		 One-Trick Pony
(1980)

Greatest Hits, Etc. is the first greatest hits compilation album by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon, released in November 1977 by Columbia Records. It was his first compilation, spanning the first six years of his solo career. Its release was prompted by the facts that two years after his last studio album, Simon didn't yet have enough material to release a new full-length album, and his contract with Columbia was finished but a new album was needed to fulfill it. Simon later signed with Warner Bros. Records. The album was initially supposed to be called Blatant Greatest Hits.[1]

The album included two new songs: the smooth ballad "Slip Slidin' Away", a US top 5 hit previously considered for Still Crazy After All These Years, and the upbeat "Stranded in a Limousine", which failed to chart in the US. "Slip Slidin' Away" was not available in any other album until 1988's Negotiations and Love Songs and "Stranded in a Limousine" was added as a bonus track on the CD reissue of One Trick Pony.

Half of the songs on the album were hit singles (including all of the five top 5 singles Simon achieved in his entire solo career in the US). The rest was filled with its two new tracks ("Slip Slidin' Away" and "Stranded in a Limousine"), some album tracks (particularly the radio favorite "Something So Right"), and live versions of "Duncan" (from the Live Rhymin' recording) and "American Tune". From this diversity came the Etc. on the album title. This collection omits two hits during the period covered by this compilation – the duet with Phoebe Snow, "Gone at Last" and his reunion single with Art Garfunkel, "My Little Town".

The album reached #18 in the US and #3 in the UK. Originally issued as an LP, it was pressed for a short time in the 1980s in CD format by Columbia Records. The pressing of the CDs was stopped upon the release of Simon's compilation album Negotiations and Love Songs, which was issued on Warner Bros. Records and designed to supersede this album. However, a few cuts, including "Stranded in a Limousine" and "American Tune", were not included on Negotiations.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Robert ChristgauA[3]

Track listing

All the songs were written and composed by Paul Simon, and were performed in the studio by Simon accompanied with many of the leading session musicians of the day.[4]

Side 1

  1. "Slip Slidin' Away" – 4:43
  2. "Stranded in a Limousine" – 3:09
  3. "Still Crazy After All These Years" – 3:24
  4. "Have a Good Time" – 3:25
  5. "Duncan" (Live) – 5:03
  6. "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" – 2:45
  7. "Something So Right" – 4:34

Side 2

  1. "Kodachrome" – 3:32
  2. "I Do It for Your Love" – 3:35
  3. "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" – 3:33
  4. "American Tune" (Live) – 4:09
  5. "Mother and Child Reunion" – 2:50
  6. "Loves Me Like a Rock" – 3:28
  7. "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" – 3:28

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1977/78) Position
Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart[5] 22
Canadian RPM Albums Chart[6] 17
Dutch Mega Albums Chart[7] 16
Japanese Oricon Albums Chart[8] 69
New Zealand Albums Chart [9] 16
Spanish Albums Chart[10] 26
UK Albums Chart [11] 3
United States Billboard Pop Albums[12] 18

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Canada (Music Canada)[13] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[14] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[15] Platinum 1,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ Casey Kasem's American Top 40 from November 12th, 1977
  2. ↑ AllMusic Review
  3. ↑ Robert Christgau Review
  4. ↑ Discogs listing of credits
  5. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. ↑ Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2012-02-12
  7. ↑ "dutchcharts.nl Paul Simon - Greatest Hits, Etc." (ASP). dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 2011-08-28.
  8. ↑ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  9. ↑ "charts.org.nz - Paul Simon - Greatest Hits, Etc." (ASP). Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 2011-08-28.
  10. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  11. ↑ "Chart Stats - Paul Simon - Greatest Hits, Etc." (PHP). UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 2011-08-19.
  12. ↑ Allmusic - Greatest Hits, Etc. > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums
  13. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Paul Simon – Greatest Hits". Music Canada.
  14. ↑ "British album certifications – Paul Simon – Greatest Hits". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Greatest Hits in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search
  15. ↑ "American album certifications – Paul Simon – Greatest Hits, Etc.". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
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