GREATEST HITS

It is quite bizarre that this compilation reached such heights in the charts. It is the "Queen" best selling album from all time: almost thirty million copies of which over five in the UK only! It is the best selling UK album. Ever!

It holds one of the greatest songs of the band (from the rock history?) : "Rhapsody" of course.

But there are too many weak numbers here that shouldn't have been featured on this "Greatest Hits" like the poor "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" which reached only Nr. 17 in the UK charts. "Play The Game" highest chart position is a meagre Nr. 6 in Norway! And "You're My Best Friends" is surely not the best they have written.

But since the option was to exclude album only tracks, there won't be those lovely songs as "Great King Rat", or "Liar" (just to name two from their first and great effort), nor "Father To Son" or "Ogre Battle" (from their second one) and the fabulous "Brighton Rock" (from "Sheer") is therefore omitted as well.

Needless to say that their sports anthems are included (and which I don't dislike, on the contrary). To recap : I like ten songs out of seventeen which leaves seven tracks out of my taste. This compilation is oriented for those who prefers the pop orientation of the band. But still, some great rocking numbers are available as well : "Seven Seas Of Rhye" and the fantastic "Now, I'm Here".

Three stars. I would suggest to the ones who would like to investigate in this great rock band to get their first five albums. You'll get the essence of their excellent work. What came afterwards is anecdotal IMO.