Slades Greats (1984)
Slades Greats is a compilation album, released by Polydor on 12 May 1984. The compilation, a revised re-issue of the 1980 compilation Slade Smashes!, was released following the band's late 1983-early 1984 success with the singles "My Oh My" and "Run Runaway". It reached No. 89 in the UK charts.
Slades Greats contains sixteen tracks, all of which were hit singles from the 1970s. The track-listing is the same as on Slade Smashes! but with the exclusion of four songs; "Gypsy Roadhog", "In for a Penny", "Give Us a Goal" and "My Baby Left Me/That's Alright Mama".
Background
In November 1980, the band's former label Polydor released Slade Smashes in the wake of new interest in the band following their performance at the 1980 Reading Festival. The album was a success in the UK, reaching No. 21 and gaining a Gold certification in December for selling 200,000 copies. Later in December 1983, the band reached No. 2 with their single "My Oh My" and No. 7 with "Run Runaway" in February 1984. The success of these two singles prompted Polydor to re-issue a revised version of Slade Smashes!, re-titled Slades Greats. Released in May 1984, the compilation, issued on vinyl and cassette, was released in the UK, across Europe and beyond, including New Zealand, Mexico and Canada. Music Week anticipated the compilation would reach the top 20 in the UK Albums Chart, but it climbed no higher than No. 89.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
Chart performance
Australian Albums Chart (Kent Music Report): #70
UK Albums Chart: #89
UK Music Week Heavy Metal Top Albums: #23
Track listing
1. Cum On Feel the Noize (Noddy Holder, Jim Lea) - 4:25
2. My Friend Stan (Holder, Lea) - 2:38
3. Far Far Away (Holder, Lea) - 3:34
4. Coz I Luv You (Holder, Lea) - 3:31
5. Everyday (Holder, Lea) - 3:07
6. Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam) (Holder, Lea) - 4:32
7. The Bangin' Man (Holder, Lea) - 4:09
8. Skweeze Me Pleeze Me (Holder, Lea) - 4:34
9. Mama Weer All Crazee Now (Holder, Lea) - 3:41
10. Look Wot You Dun (Holder, Lea, Don Powell) - 2:54
11. Take Me Bak 'Ome (Holder, Lea) - 3:12
12. Let's Call It Quits (Holder, Lea) - 3:30
13. Merry Xmas Everybody (Holder, Lea) - 3:42
14. How Does It Feel? (Holder, Lea) - 5:53
15. Get Down With It (Bobby Marchan) - 3:50
16. Gudbuy T'Jane (Holder, Lea) - 3:30
Personnel
Slade
Additional personnel
Slades Greats contains sixteen tracks, all of which were hit singles from the 1970s. The track-listing is the same as on Slade Smashes! but with the exclusion of four songs; "Gypsy Roadhog", "In for a Penny", "Give Us a Goal" and "My Baby Left Me/That's Alright Mama".
Background
In November 1980, the band's former label Polydor released Slade Smashes in the wake of new interest in the band following their performance at the 1980 Reading Festival. The album was a success in the UK, reaching No. 21 and gaining a Gold certification in December for selling 200,000 copies. Later in December 1983, the band reached No. 2 with their single "My Oh My" and No. 7 with "Run Runaway" in February 1984. The success of these two singles prompted Polydor to re-issue a revised version of Slade Smashes!, re-titled Slades Greats. Released in May 1984, the compilation, issued on vinyl and cassette, was released in the UK, across Europe and beyond, including New Zealand, Mexico and Canada. Music Week anticipated the compilation would reach the top 20 in the UK Albums Chart, but it climbed no higher than No. 89.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
- "For many moons, Slade were the ultimate in down-to-earth rock 'n' roll knees-ups, and to my mind (and there are few finer), their definitely boisterous brand of Big Grin pop-with-balls has never been bettered, nor ear drums so merrily battered. So any album spanning 16 Slade smashes has gotta be a trusty must, right? Well yes, except the last time I reviewed this album was four years ago when it was called Slade Smashes! and came with exactly the same tracks in exactly the same running order only with an extra two songs on each side. In other words, Polydor are trying to wring a few bob out of their back catalogue now the noise boys have moved on to labels and chart successes new. So long-standing Slade slaves should fink before you buy. This is an album of more use to entirely new fans who've got a lot of catching up to do. You lucky sods." - Sounds
- Robin Smith of Record Mirror gave the compilations five stars and wrote: "A classic compilation guaranteed to make the ducks fall off your living room wall and leave cracks in the plaster. Tracing Slade's career from 1971 to 1976, the album truly captures their power and vitality during the halcyon glam and glitter days. Just crank up the stereo and enjoy such cuts as "Mama Weer All Crazee Now", "How Does It Feel" and "Cum On Feel the Noize". Entertainment guaranteed in every single note."
- "A collection of 16 hits that cover those heady five years in the middle of the Seventies when the Wolverhampton likely lads conquered everything in sight. Wonderful for parties and raucous bops but it's a sobering thought to realise that there are teenagers around who weren't born when the first track was released." - Simon Mares of Reading Evening Post
- Colin Davidson of Aberdeen Evening Express included the compilation under "Get It!" in the newspaper's "Leisure Express Pop" section. He wrote: "On the crest of the latest Slade revival wave come 16 smashes from the 70s re-packaged just for you."
- "What is there to say about Noddy Holder's vocal acrobatics? These early-1970s foot-thumpers are full of the raw power and enthusiasm that is the band's trademark." - Aberdeen Press and Journal
Chart performance
Australian Albums Chart (Kent Music Report): #70
UK Albums Chart: #89
UK Music Week Heavy Metal Top Albums: #23
Track listing
1. Cum On Feel the Noize (Noddy Holder, Jim Lea) - 4:25
2. My Friend Stan (Holder, Lea) - 2:38
3. Far Far Away (Holder, Lea) - 3:34
4. Coz I Luv You (Holder, Lea) - 3:31
5. Everyday (Holder, Lea) - 3:07
6. Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam) (Holder, Lea) - 4:32
7. The Bangin' Man (Holder, Lea) - 4:09
8. Skweeze Me Pleeze Me (Holder, Lea) - 4:34
9. Mama Weer All Crazee Now (Holder, Lea) - 3:41
10. Look Wot You Dun (Holder, Lea, Don Powell) - 2:54
11. Take Me Bak 'Ome (Holder, Lea) - 3:12
12. Let's Call It Quits (Holder, Lea) - 3:30
13. Merry Xmas Everybody (Holder, Lea) - 3:42
14. How Does It Feel? (Holder, Lea) - 5:53
15. Get Down With It (Bobby Marchan) - 3:50
16. Gudbuy T'Jane (Holder, Lea) - 3:30
Personnel
Slade
- Noddy Holder - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Dave Hill - lead guitar, backing vocals
- Jim Lea - bass, piano, violin, backing vocals
- Don Powell - drums
Additional personnel
- Chas Chandler - producer