Greatest Hits
	Previously released material
	Released on March 1976
	no chart information
	Find it at GEMM
PC 34368 cover [high resolution photo]

I f you don’t have a soft spot for Mott, then maybe your vision of a “loveable underdog” is the one on the bottom getting pooched. Mott The Hoople was the cocky bar band who somehow snuck into the company of giants (David Bowie, Roxy Music, T. Rex) and bravely held their own. True, they only had the one arresting device--removing the rocking guitar riff to reveal a pristine piano underneath--but it worked more often than not. There was also an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to their songwriting that could charm the pants off you: “All The Way From Memphis,” “Hoonaloochie Boogie,” “Roll Away The Stone.” And then there’s the benediction from Bowie, “All The Young Dudes,” which Hunter nearly upends with his over-the-top performance. Mott was always an ephemeral pleasure, and as soon as glam’s fifteen minutes expired so did The Hoople’s. Greatest Hits recaptures some of the magic, picking up the Columbia catalog at All The Young Dudes through to The Hoople. However, too many album tracks slip into the selection, like “Born Late 58” or “Hymn For The Dudes,” that just don’t warrant the attention. Someday, if someone should reconcile the Island and Columbia catalogs on a single disc, you’d have something worth shouting about. As it stands now, Greatest Hits gives the false impression that everything you need to know about Mott The Hoople you’ve already heard. I mean, I like The Hoople as much as the next guy, but three tracks compared to Dude’s one? At least the folks at Columbia wrapped up some loose ends by including the nonalbum singles “Foxy Foxy” (which sounds uncannily like early Split Enz) and “Saturday Gigs.” As greatest hits albums go, this is pretty weak, but why should anything come easy to Mott The Hoople?

PC 34368 back cover	PC 34368 picture sleeve

TRACK LISTING

1. ALL THE WAY FROM MEMPHIS    (Ian Hunter)    3:24
2. HONALOOCHIE BOOGIE    (Ian Hunter)    2:42
3. HYMN FOR THE DUDES    (Ian Hunter/Verden Allen)    5:20
4. BORN LATE '58    (Overend Watts)    3:58
5. ALL THE YOUNG DUDES    (David Bowie)    3:32
6. ROLL AWAY THE STONE    (Ian Hunter)    3:11
7. BALLAD OF MOTT (MARCH 26th 1972 ZURICH)    (Ian Hunter/Overend Watts/Mick Ralphs/Dale Griffin/Verden Allen)    5:22
8. THE GOLDEN AGE OF ROCK 'N' ROLL    (Ian Hunter)    3:25
9. FOXY FOXY    (Ian Hunter)    3:30
10. SATURDAY GIGS    (Ian Hunter)    4:17

CREDITS

VERDEN ALLEN -- piano, organ
ARIEL BENDER -- slide guitar, electric guitars
MORGAN FISHER -- piano, synthesiser
DALE GRIFFIN (BUFFIN) -- drums, backing vocals, hand claps
IAN HUNTER -- piano, lead vocals, acoustic guitar
MICK RALPHS -- lead guitar, rhythm guitar, organ, chorus vocals
OVEREND WATTS -- bass guitar, rhythm guitar, lead vocals, riff guitar
David Bowie -- rhythm guitar, chorus vocals, hand claps (5)
Paul Buckmaster -- cello
Howie Casey -- tenor saxophone
Stuart George -- hand claps (5)
Nicky Graham -- hand claps (5)
Mike Horowitz -- cello (8)
Dan Loggins -- golden tones (8)
Andy Mackay -- tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
Graham Preskett -- tubular bells (9)
Mick Ronson -- lead guitar (10)
Sue & Sunny -- chorus vocals
Thunderthighs -- backing chorus
Mike Dunne -- engineer
Alan Harris -- engineer mixing
Keith Harwood -- engineer, mixing
Bill Price -- engineer, mixing
Roslav Szaybo, CBS Records -- art direction
Norman Moore -- design
Norman Seeff -- front cover photo
Stan Tippins and Mott -- album compilation

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