The band's work bridged elements of 1960s guitar pop, 1970s hard rock, and the emerging punk rock sound, and helped set the template for subsequent power pop artists.
The Greatest Hits is the first compilation album by Cheap Trick. It contains many of Cheap Trick's popular songs, as well as a previously unreleased cover version of The Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour", which according to the liner notes, was an outtake from the Lap of Luxury album.
There's (obviously) good stuff on here- in their prime (the late 70s and early 80s), Cheap Trick were possibly the best power pop/pop-rock group in the USA, with their only serious competition being the Cars; "I Want You to Want Me," "Surrender," "Dream Police," and "Voices" are all killers.
But the selection is pretty haphazard- there's nothing at all from the band's first two (very good) albums; one of the band's hits ("Ghost Town") is actually MIA; and, frankly, the more-recent stuff just isn't as good- "The Flame" was Cheap Trick's biggest hit (their only #1), but it sucks, and so does its cousin "Can't Stop Fallin' Into Love."
The only unique track is a cover of "Magical Mystery Tour"- obviously the Beatles were a major influence on the band, but "Magical Mystery Tour" is hardly a standout track, and Cheap Trick's attempt to inject some mystique into it (drawing out the instrumental coda, dropping in a sample from the bridge of "I Am the Walrus") doesn't really work.
Though it peaked at only #174 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, it remained a steady seller, and was certified platinum for one million U.S. shipments seven years after its release.
Tracklist
1. Magical Mystery Tour - 4:08
Written-By – Lennon-McCartney
2. Dream Police - 3:50
3. Don't Be Cruel - 3:07
4. Tonight It's You - 4:45
Mixed By – Tony Platt
Producer – Jack Douglas
5. She's Tight - 2:58
Engineer – Ian Taylor
Producer – Roy Thomas Baker
6. I Want You To Want Me (Live) - 3:38
Mixed By – Gary Ladinsky
7. If You Want My Love - 3:34
Engineer – Ian Taylor
Producer – Roy Thomas Baker
8. Ain't That A Shame (Live) - 5:10
Mixed By – Gary Ladinsky
9. Surrender - 4:12
10. The Flame - 5:36
11. I Can't Take It - 3:25
Producer – Todd Rundgren
12. Can't Stop Fallin' Into Love - 3:45
Mixed By – Mike Shipley
13. Voices - 4:18
Tracks 6 & 8 were recorded live at Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan in April 1978.
Companies, etc.
- Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
- Copyright © – Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
- Distributed By – Sony Music Canada Inc.
- Recorded At – Budokan
Credits
- Art Direction – Risa Zaitschek
- Engineer – Gary Ladinsky (tracks: 2, 9, 13), Phil Kaffel (tracks: 1, 3, 10, 12)
- Management – Ken Adamany
- Photography By – Caroline Greyshock
- Producer – Cheap Trick (tracks: 1, 6, 8), Richie Zito (tracks: 1, 3, 10, 12), Tom Werman (tracks: 2, 9, 13)
