Greatest Hits (James Taylor album)
| Greatest Hits | ||||
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| Greatest hits album by James Taylor | ||||
| Released | November 1, 1976 | |||
| Recorded | December 1969 – October 1976 | |||
| Genre | Folk-Rock | |||
| Length | 43:42 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Producer | Peter Asher, David Spinozza, Lenny Waronker, Russ Titelman | |||
| James Taylor chronology | ||||
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Greatest Hits is singer-songwriter James Taylor's first compilation album. Released on November 1, 1976. To this day, it is the best-selling album of his career.
The album featured newly recorded versions of "Carolina in My Mind" and "Something in the Way She Moves", and a previously unavailable live version of "Steamroller".
The album did not rise higher than #23 on the Billboard albums chart on its original release. However it became a steady seller for many years, and Greatest Hits has sold over 11,000,000 copies certifying it as a platinum album eleven times over, and a diamond album once (for 10 million copies).
In August 2012, the album re-entered the Billboard albums chart at #15, which gave the album a new peak.
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| MusicHound | 3.5/5[2] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [3] |
Contents
Track listing
Side 1:
- "Something in the Way She Moves" (1976 Version) – 3:14
- "Carolina in My Mind" (1976 Version) – 4:00
- "Fire and Rain" – 3:26
- "Sweet Baby James" – 2:55
- "Country Road" – 3:26
- "You've Got a Friend" (Carole King) – 4:33
Side 2:
- "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" – 2:39
- "Walking Man" – 3:36
- "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" (Holland, Dozier, Holland) – 3:39
- "Mexico" – 3:01
- "Shower the People" – 4:01
- "Steamroller" (Live) – 5:19
All songs written by James Taylor, except where noted.
Personnel
- James Taylor - acoustic guitar, vocals
- Kenny Ascher - electric piano (track 8)
- Byron Berline - fiddle (track 2)
- Michael Brecker - tenor saxophone (track 7)
- David Crosby - harmony vocals (track 10)
- Nick DeCaro - hornorgan, voiceorgan (track 11)
- Craig Doerge - piano (track 7)
- Dan Dugmore - steel guitar (tracks 1, 2)
- Victor Feldman - orchestra bells, vibes (track 11)
- Andrew Gold - harmonium, backing vocals (track 2)
- Milt Holland - percussion (track 10)
- Jim Keltner - drums (track 9)
- Carole King - piano, backing vocals (tracks 3–5)
- Danny Kortchmar - electric guitar (tracks 7, 9–10, 12); credited as Danny Kootch - acoustic guitar, congas (track 6)
- Russ Kunkel - drums (tracks 2–7, 10–12); congas (tracks 6–7); cabasa (track 6); tambourine (track 9); shaker (track 10)
- Gayle Levant - harp (track 10)
- John London - bass guitar (track 4)
- Rick Marotta - drums (track 8)
- Ralph MacDonald - percussion (track 8)
- Clarence McDonald - piano (tracks 2, 9, 12); Fender Rhodes (tracks 9, 11); voiceorgan (track 11)
- Randy Meisner - bass guitar (track 5)
- Joni Mitchell - backing vocals (track 6)
- Andy Muson - bass guitar (track 8)
- Graham Nash - harmony vocals (track 10)
- Gene Orloff - strings (concert master) (track 8)
- Herb Pedersen - backing vocals (track 1)
- Red Rhodes - steel guitar (track 4)
- David Sanborn - saxophone (track 9)
- Carly Simon - harmony vocals (tracks 9, 11)
- Leland Sklar (credited as "Lee" Sklar) - bass guitar (tracks 1–2, 6–7, 9–12)
- David Spinozza - electric guitar; acoustic guitar (track 8)
- Bobby "Wild Wild" West - double bass (track 3)
