The Very Best of Slade (2005)
The Very Best of Slade is a two-disc compilation album, released by Polydor on 28 November 2005. It reached No. 39 in the UK and remained in the charts for four weeks. The album has sold 139,390 copies as of November 2015 and was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry in 2013.
A DVD of the same name was also released at the same time. It features the same material that had appeared on the 1991 VHS compilation Wall of Hits. In addition, the band's 1972 Set of Six for Granada TV is included, alongside an additional number of other clips. It too received a Gold sales certification by BPI in 2017.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
Chart performance
Scottish Albums Chart: #52
UK Albums Chart: #39
Track listing
Disc One
1. Get Down and Get with It (Bobby Marchan) - 3:51
2. Coz I Luv You (Noddy Holder, Jim Lea) - 3:26
3. Look Wot You Dun (Holder, Lea, Don Powell) - 2:58
4. Take Me Bak 'Ome (Holder, Lea) - 3:16
5. Mama Weer All Crazee Now (Holder, Lea) - 3:45
6. Gudbuy T'Jane (Holder, Lea) - 3:33
7. Cum On Feel the Noize (Holder, Lea) - 4:26
8. Skweeze Me Pleeze Me (Holder, Lea) - 4:31
9. My Friend Stan (Holder, Lea) - 2:42
10. Everyday (Holder, Lea) - 3:11
11. The Bangin' Man (Holder, Lea) - 4:12
12. Far Far Away (Holder, Lea) - 3:37
13. How Does It Feel? (Holder, Lea) - 5:54
14. Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam) (Holder, Lea) - 4:35
15. In for a Penny (Holder, Lea) - 3:36
16. Let's Call It Quits (Holder, Lea) - 3:32
17. We'll Bring the House Down (Holder, Lea) - 3:35
18. My Oh My (Holder, Lea) - 4:11
19. Run Runaway (Holder, Lea) - 3:46
20. Merry Xmas Everybody (Holder, Lea) - 3:28
Disc Two
1. All Join Hands (Holder, Lea) - 4:16
2. Gypsy Roadhog (Holder, Lea) - 3:24
3. My Baby Left Me - That's All Right (Arthur Crudup) - 2:24
4. Lock Up Your Daughters (Holder, Lea) - 3:30
5. Wheels Ain't Coming Down (Holder, Lea) - 3:40
6. Born to Be Wild (Mars Bonfire) - 3:13
7. Ruby Red (Holder, Lea) - 2:53
8. (And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie (Holder, Lea) - 3:47
9. 7 Year Bitch (Holder, Lea) - 4:00
10. Myzsterious Mizster Jones (Holder, Lea) - 3:37
11. Do You Believe in Miracles (Holder, Lea) - 4:13
12. Still the Same (Holder, Lea) - 3:55
13. Radio Wall of Sound (Lea) - 3:47
14. Universe (Lea) - 4:14
Personnel
Slade
Production
A DVD of the same name was also released at the same time. It features the same material that had appeared on the 1991 VHS compilation Wall of Hits. In addition, the band's 1972 Set of Six for Granada TV is included, alongside an additional number of other clips. It too received a Gold sales certification by BPI in 2017.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
- "The Very Best of... Slade effectively renders every past Slade hits collection redundant, as remastered sound and a sharp eye for all the band's U.K. chart entries serve up a peerless examination of what remains one of British rock's most flawless careers. No matter that the hits went so badly off the boil around 1975-1976 - still, three-quarters of disc one is nonstop solid gold and the remainder of the set isn't far behind, as Slade's mid-'80s renaissance delivers further smashes "My Oh My" and "Run Runaway." Which would be hits enough for anybody, but the fun doesn't end there. A bonus second disc then digs into the darker recesses of the Top 75 to pull out the band's lesser successes. It's not a complete guide to Slade on 45, but it comes close enough." - Dave Thompson of AllMusic
Chart performance
Scottish Albums Chart: #52
UK Albums Chart: #39
Track listing
Disc One
1. Get Down and Get with It (Bobby Marchan) - 3:51
2. Coz I Luv You (Noddy Holder, Jim Lea) - 3:26
3. Look Wot You Dun (Holder, Lea, Don Powell) - 2:58
4. Take Me Bak 'Ome (Holder, Lea) - 3:16
5. Mama Weer All Crazee Now (Holder, Lea) - 3:45
6. Gudbuy T'Jane (Holder, Lea) - 3:33
7. Cum On Feel the Noize (Holder, Lea) - 4:26
8. Skweeze Me Pleeze Me (Holder, Lea) - 4:31
9. My Friend Stan (Holder, Lea) - 2:42
10. Everyday (Holder, Lea) - 3:11
11. The Bangin' Man (Holder, Lea) - 4:12
12. Far Far Away (Holder, Lea) - 3:37
13. How Does It Feel? (Holder, Lea) - 5:54
14. Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam) (Holder, Lea) - 4:35
15. In for a Penny (Holder, Lea) - 3:36
16. Let's Call It Quits (Holder, Lea) - 3:32
17. We'll Bring the House Down (Holder, Lea) - 3:35
18. My Oh My (Holder, Lea) - 4:11
19. Run Runaway (Holder, Lea) - 3:46
20. Merry Xmas Everybody (Holder, Lea) - 3:28
Disc Two
1. All Join Hands (Holder, Lea) - 4:16
2. Gypsy Roadhog (Holder, Lea) - 3:24
3. My Baby Left Me - That's All Right (Arthur Crudup) - 2:24
4. Lock Up Your Daughters (Holder, Lea) - 3:30
5. Wheels Ain't Coming Down (Holder, Lea) - 3:40
6. Born to Be Wild (Mars Bonfire) - 3:13
7. Ruby Red (Holder, Lea) - 2:53
8. (And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie (Holder, Lea) - 3:47
9. 7 Year Bitch (Holder, Lea) - 4:00
10. Myzsterious Mizster Jones (Holder, Lea) - 3:37
11. Do You Believe in Miracles (Holder, Lea) - 4:13
12. Still the Same (Holder, Lea) - 3:55
13. Radio Wall of Sound (Lea) - 3:47
14. Universe (Lea) - 4:14
Personnel
Slade
- Noddy Holder - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Dave Hill - lead guitar, backing vocals
- Jim Lea - bass, piano, violin, keyboards, backing vocals
- Don Powell - drums
Production
- Chas Chandler - producer (tracks 1-16, 20 on Disc One, tracks 2-3 on Disc Two)
- Slade - producers (track 17 on Disc One, tracks 4-7 on Disc Two)
- John Punter - producer (tracks 18-19 on Disc One, tracks 1, 9-12 on Disc Two)
- Jim Lea - producer (tracks 8, 13-14 on Disc Two)