Greatest Hits (The Pretenders)
Encyclopedia
Greatest Hits is a compilation album
released by rock
band The Pretenders
in 2000. It was only their second greatest hits in 22 years, but less successful than its predecessor, The Singles, released in 1987. It contained only seven songs ("Human", "Forever Young", "Night in My Veins", "Spiritual High (State of Independence)", "Breakfast in Bed", "Popstar" and "I'll Stand by You") not featured on the previous compilation.
The track "Human" is a cover of the 1995 song "Human On the Inside
" by Divinyls
" (James Honeyman-Scott
/Chrissie Hynde
) – 3:06
2. "Message of Love" (Chrissie Hynde) – 3:25
3. "Don't Get Me Wrong
" (Chrissie Hynde) – 3:48
4. "Kid" (Chrissie Hynde) – 3:04
5. "Human
" (Mark McEntee
, Shelly Peiken
) – 3:48
6. "I Go to Sleep" (Ray Davies
) – 2:56
7. "Forever Young
" (Bob Dylan
) – 5:04
8. "I Got You Babe
" (performed by UB40
with Chrissie Hynde) (Sonny Bono
) – 3:11
9. "Night in My Veins" (Chrissie Hynde/Tom Kelly
/Billy Steinberg
) – 3:17
10. "Spiritual High (State of Independence
)" (performed by Moodswings
featuring Chrissie Hynde) (Jon Anderson
/Vangelis
) – 4:30
11. "Talk of the Town" (Chrissie Hynde) – 3:13
12. "Stop Your Sobbing" (Ray Davies) – 2:38
13. "Hymn to Her" (Meg Keene) – 4:57
14. "2000 Miles
" (Chrissie Hynde) – 3:40
15. "Breakfast in Bed
" (performed by UB40
featuring Chrissie Hynde) (Eddie Hinton
/Donnie Fritts
) – 3:17
16. "Popstar" (Chrissie Hynde, Adam Seymour
) – 3:34
17. "Middle of the Road
" (Chrissie Hynde) – 4:08
18. "Thin Line Between Love and Hate
" (Richard Poindexter/Robert Poindexter/Jackie Members) – 3:33
19. "Back on the Chain Gang
" (Chrissie Hynde) - 3:44
20. "I'll Stand by You
" (Chrissie Hynde/Billy Steinberg/Tom Kelly) – 3:59
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
released by rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band The Pretenders
The Pretenders
The Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
in 2000. It was only their second greatest hits in 22 years, but less successful than its predecessor, The Singles, released in 1987. It contained only seven songs ("Human", "Forever Young", "Night in My Veins", "Spiritual High (State of Independence)", "Breakfast in Bed", "Popstar" and "I'll Stand by You") not featured on the previous compilation.
The track "Human" is a cover of the 1995 song "Human On the Inside
Human On the Inside
"Human On the Inside" is a song by Australian rock duo Divinyls, released in 1996 as the third single from their fifth studio album Underworld.-Background:...
" by Divinyls
Divinyls
Divinyls were an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1980 and featuring vocalist Christina Amphlett and guitarist Mark McEntee. As the focal point, Amphlett performed on stage wearing a school uniform and fishnet stockings, often using an illuminated neon tube as a prop and displaying...
Track listing
1. "Brass in PocketBrass In Pocket
"Brass in Pocket" is a single by The Pretenders. It was written by Chrissie Hynde and James Honeyman-Scott, and produced by Chris Thomas.-Release:...
" (James Honeyman-Scott
James Honeyman-Scott
James Honeyman-Scott , commonly referred to as "Jimmy", was an English rock guitarist, songwriter and founding member of the band The Pretenders....
/Chrissie Hynde
Chrissie Hynde
Christine Ellen "Chrissie" Hynde is an US musician best known as the leader of the rock/new wave band the Pretenders. She is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.-Early life and career:Hynde is the daughter of a part-time...
) – 3:06
- From 1980 album The Pretenders
2. "Message of Love" (Chrissie Hynde) – 3:25
- From 1981 EP Extended PlayExtended Play (The Pretenders EP)Extended Play is an EP released by new wave band The Pretenders. "Message of Love" and "Talk of the Town" were included on their second album released later in the year. "Porcelain" and "Cuban Slide", outtakes from the first album, were included on the 2006 remastered edition of Pretenders, as well...
and album Pretenders IIPretenders IIPretenders II is the second studio album by British rock band the Pretenders.-History:The success of the Pretenders' debut album in 1980 created a great demand for more material from the fledgling band; however, a lack of songs precluded the quick release of a followup album...
3. "Don't Get Me Wrong
Don't Get Me Wrong
"Don't Get Me Wrong" is a song released by the pop-rock group The Pretenders. It was the first single taken from the group's 1986 album, Get Close. It can also be found on the band's The Singles album, released in 1987....
" (Chrissie Hynde) – 3:48
- From 1986 album Get CloseGet CloseGet Close is the fourth album by rock group The Pretenders, released in 1986. Officially, the band for this album now consisted of Chrissie Hynde , Robbie McIntosh , T.M. Stevens and Blair Cunningham ; however, this line-up played on only five of the album's eleven tracks...
4. "Kid" (Chrissie Hynde) – 3:04
- From 1980 album The Pretenders
5. "Human
Human On the Inside
"Human On the Inside" is a song by Australian rock duo Divinyls, released in 1996 as the third single from their fifth studio album Underworld.-Background:...
" (Mark McEntee
Mark McEntee
Mark McEntee is an Australian musician, he was the guitarist for the rock band Divinyls. In May 2001, Divinyls' "Science Fiction", written by lead singer Christina Amphlett and McEntee, was selected by Australasian Performing Right Association as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time...
, Shelly Peiken
Shelly Peiken
Shelly Peiken is a multi-platinum Grammy nominated songwriter who is best known for her #1 hits "What a Girl Wants" and "Come on Over Baby ".Shelly and Meredith Brooks earned a Grammy nomination for Brooks's hit song "Bitch"....
) – 3:48
- From 1999 album Viva el AmorViva el Amor¡Viva El Amor! is the seventh studio album by the rock band The Pretenders, released in 1999. The band's lineup for the album is the same as that credited on 1994's Last of the Independents: Chrissie Hynde Martin Chambers , Andy Hobson and Adam Seymour...
6. "I Go to Sleep" (Ray Davies
Ray Davies
Ray Davies, CBE is an English rock musician. He is best known as lead singer and songwriter for the Kinks, which he led with his younger brother, Dave...
) – 2:56
- From 1981 album Pretenders IIPretenders IIPretenders II is the second studio album by British rock band the Pretenders.-History:The success of the Pretenders' debut album in 1980 created a great demand for more material from the fledgling band; however, a lack of songs precluded the quick release of a followup album...
7. "Forever Young
Forever Young (Bob Dylan song)
"Forever Young" is a song by Bob Dylan. The song first appeared on Dylan's 1974 album Planet Waves.- Analysis :In the notes for the 2007 album titled DYLAN, Bill Flanagan had the following to say about "Forever Young":...
" (Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
) – 5:04
- From 1994 album Last of the IndependentsLast of the IndependentsLast of the Independents is the sixth album by rock group The Pretenders, released in 1994. For this album, the band is officially credited as being Chrissie Hynde , Adam Seymour , Andy Hobson and Martin Chambers...
8. "I Got You Babe
I Got You Babe
"I Got You Babe" is a 1965 #1 single by American pop music duo Sonny & Cher.-Background and composition:Sonny Bono, a songwriter and record producer for Phil Spector, wrote the lyrics to and composed the music of the song for himself and his then-wife, Cher, late at night in their basement. Session...
" (performed by UB40
UB40
UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.Their hit singles...
with Chrissie Hynde) (Sonny Bono
Sonny Bono
Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono was an American recording artist, record producer, actor, and politician whose career spanned over three decades.-Early life:...
) – 3:11
- From UB40 1985 album BaggariddimBaggariddimBaggariddim is an album by UB40, released in 1985. Most of the tracks are reworkings of previous UB40 recordings that originally appeared on Labour of Love and Geffery Morgan, here showcasing guest singers and "toasters" on vocals...
9. "Night in My Veins" (Chrissie Hynde/Tom Kelly
Tom Kelly (musician)
Thomas F. Kelly is an American musician, best known for his songwriting partnership with Billy Steinberg. Steinberg and Kelly co-wrote numerous hit songs for popular music artists, including five number-one singles on the Billboard Top 100 chart in the 1980s....
/Billy Steinberg
Billy Steinberg
William Endfield "Billy" Steinberg is an American songwriter. He has achieved most of his success as part of a song writing team, most notably with Tom Kelly. He has also co-written several hit songs with Rick Nowels.-Biography:...
) – 3:17
- From 1994 album Last of the IndependentsLast of the IndependentsLast of the Independents is the sixth album by rock group The Pretenders, released in 1994. For this album, the band is officially credited as being Chrissie Hynde , Adam Seymour , Andy Hobson and Martin Chambers...
10. "Spiritual High (State of Independence
State of Independence
"State of Independence" is a song originally written and recorded by Jon and Vangelis for their 1981 album The Friends of Mr. Cairo.- Jon and Vangelis version :...
)" (performed by Moodswings
Moodswings (band)
Moodswings is a musical duo composed of Grant Showbiz and James F.T. Hood. Grant Showbiz was a onetime roadie and guitar tech who later produced albums by The Smiths, Billy Bragg, Silverfish, and Gong. James Hood was a former drummer for The Pretenders, The Impossible Dreamers, Kid Creole & the...
featuring Chrissie Hynde) (Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson
Jon Anderson is an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the former lead vocalist in the progressive rock band Yes...
/Vangelis
Vangelis
Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou is a Greek composer of electronic, progressive, ambient, jazz, pop rock and orchestral music, under the artist name Vangelis...
) – 4:30
- From Moodswings' 1992 album MoodfoodMoodfood-Track listing:All tracks by J.F.T. Hood and Showbiz except were noted# "Throw off the Shackles" – 6:19# "Moodswings Overture" – 5:56# "Problem Solved" – 8:11# "Skinthieves" – 6:08# "Rainsong" – 6:29# "100% Total Success" – 3:51...
11. "Talk of the Town" (Chrissie Hynde) – 3:13
- From 1981 EP Extended PlayExtended Play (The Pretenders EP)Extended Play is an EP released by new wave band The Pretenders. "Message of Love" and "Talk of the Town" were included on their second album released later in the year. "Porcelain" and "Cuban Slide", outtakes from the first album, were included on the 2006 remastered edition of Pretenders, as well...
and album Pretenders IIPretenders IIPretenders II is the second studio album by British rock band the Pretenders.-History:The success of the Pretenders' debut album in 1980 created a great demand for more material from the fledgling band; however, a lack of songs precluded the quick release of a followup album...
12. "Stop Your Sobbing" (Ray Davies) – 2:38
- From 1980 album The Pretenders
13. "Hymn to Her" (Meg Keene) – 4:57
- From 1986 album Get CloseGet CloseGet Close is the fourth album by rock group The Pretenders, released in 1986. Officially, the band for this album now consisted of Chrissie Hynde , Robbie McIntosh , T.M. Stevens and Blair Cunningham ; however, this line-up played on only five of the album's eleven tracks...
14. "2000 Miles
2000 Miles
"2000 Miles" is a song by The Pretenders released in 1983 as the preceding single to their 1984 album, Learning to Crawl. In the US, it was released as both 7 inch 45 as the B-side of the single "Middle of the Road" and a 12 inch remix. It was most popular in the UK, where it charted at #15...
" (Chrissie Hynde) – 3:40
- From 1984 album Learning to CrawlLearning to CrawlLearning to Crawl is the Pretenders' third album, released in 1984 after a two-year hiatus, during which time James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon both died of drug overdoses....
15. "Breakfast in Bed
Breakfast in Bed
"Breakfast in Bed" is a soul–R&B song written by Muscle Shoals songwriters Eddie Hinton and Donnie Fritts for Dusty Springfield. It takes a knowing spin on the line "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me", the title of a song which had previously been a number one hit for her in the UK...
" (performed by UB40
UB40
UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.Their hit singles...
featuring Chrissie Hynde) (Eddie Hinton
Eddie Hinton
Eddie Hinton was an American songwriter and session musician best known for his work with soul music and R&B singers...
/Donnie Fritts
Donnie Fritts
Donnie Fritts is an American session musician and songwriter. A recording artist in his own right, he has been Kris Kristofferson's keyboard player for over twenty years...
) – 3:17
- From UB40 1988 album UB40
16. "Popstar" (Chrissie Hynde, Adam Seymour
Adam Seymour
Adam Charles Hilton Seymour is a former English cricketer who played for a variety of teams in his 12-year career; most of his games were for Essex and Worcestershire....
) – 3:34
- From 1999 album Viva el AmorViva el Amor¡Viva El Amor! is the seventh studio album by the rock band The Pretenders, released in 1999. The band's lineup for the album is the same as that credited on 1994's Last of the Independents: Chrissie Hynde Martin Chambers , Andy Hobson and Adam Seymour...
17. "Middle of the Road
Middle of the Road (song)
"Middle of the Road" is a single that appears on The Pretenders' album Learning to Crawl.It is a song that has a 60s-style rhythm, and it peaked at #19 on the US pop singles chart and #2 on the US mainstream rock chart in January 1984, where it stayed for four weeks.The number is at least...
" (Chrissie Hynde) – 4:08
- From 1984 album Learning to CrawlLearning to CrawlLearning to Crawl is the Pretenders' third album, released in 1984 after a two-year hiatus, during which time James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon both died of drug overdoses....
18. "Thin Line Between Love and Hate
Thin Line Between Love and Hate
"Thin Line Between Love and Hate" is the title of a 1971 song by the New York City-based R&B vocal group The Persuaders. The song was written and produced by the Poindexter brothers, Robert and Richard, and was also co-written by Jackie Members....
" (Richard Poindexter/Robert Poindexter/Jackie Members) – 3:33
- From 1984 album Learning to CrawlLearning to CrawlLearning to Crawl is the Pretenders' third album, released in 1984 after a two-year hiatus, during which time James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon both died of drug overdoses....
19. "Back on the Chain Gang
Back on the Chain Gang
"Back on the Chain Gang" is a song by the English-American band The Pretenders, released as single by Sire Records in November 1982. The song was also released on The King of Comedy soundtrack album in March 1983 and later included on The Pretenders' next album Learning to Crawl in January 1984...
" (Chrissie Hynde) - 3:44
- From 1984 album Learning to CrawlLearning to CrawlLearning to Crawl is the Pretenders' third album, released in 1984 after a two-year hiatus, during which time James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon both died of drug overdoses....
20. "I'll Stand by You
I'll Stand by You
"I'll Stand by You" is a 1994 song recorded by The Pretenders from their sixth studio album, Last of the Independents. Written by Chrissie Hynde in collaboration with the songwriting team of Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg , it was the Pretenders' most recent significant hit single, and their last...
" (Chrissie Hynde/Billy Steinberg/Tom Kelly) – 3:59
- From 1994 album Last of the IndependentsLast of the IndependentsLast of the Independents is the sixth album by rock group The Pretenders, released in 1994. For this album, the band is officially credited as being Chrissie Hynde , Adam Seymour , Andy Hobson and Martin Chambers...
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | US Billboard Album Chart Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
— |
| 2001 | UK Album Chart | 21 |