Customer Reviews

Greatest Hits 1970-1978

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Do not buy this cd unless you prefer to hear classic songs like "Iron Man" fade out two-thirds of the way through the track. What's the point of re-mastering songs for a great album oriented group like Black Sabbath and then do a hatchet job on the tracks you love the most? The generous full 80 minute length was nice until I discovered I'd been had by the butchered tracks. Buyer beware!!

I don't know what the moronic executive producer of this, Sharon Osbourne, was thinking when she decided to cut Ironman in half, it isn't even faded properly, but what a mistake. The target audience of this i would presume is either completist Sabbath collectors who buy everything(like myself) or novice fans who will make this their first and only Black Sabbath purchase. Perhaps the greedy witch Sharon wants them to buy the previously released double greatest hits cd or maybe even the $100 black box to get the full version of Ironman. What a disgrace! I wonder if Ozzy and the other Sabbs(Tony, Geezer & Bill) know about this? Sharon Osbourne as chief power broker of all things Sabbath is the best and worst thing that has happened to the band. They've received lots of pub and a myriad of product releases that only a few years ago seemed unthinkable. On the other hand, they, because of her, now seem as just another money grubbing band looking for one more payday. You want more stuff; OK, but you're going to pay big time! I could imagine what is next to be released by the witch. 1. Color version of "Never say die" from BBC's Top of the pops, 2. 1974 Cal Jam, 3. 1975 Rock Concert followed by each one they did thereafter, 4. How about Sabbath ballads from 1970-78. Disgraceful.

Great reviews from everyone. Why didn't I read them before buying this mistake??!!! Iron Man is my favorite Sabbath tune. Why did they have to edit this one??!!! It did, however, prompt me to go out and immediately purchase a fresh 'Paranoid' CD! What a classic ... Iron Man, War Pigs, Electric Funeral ... it doesn't get any better than that. I'm a huge Zeppelin fan, but 'Paranoid' stands up to any Zep album ... plain and simple. ROCK ON, Guys!!

Black Sabbath (along w/ Led Zeppelin & Deep Purple) are the kings of hard rock, but this collection does not serve Sabbath well at all. For example, you don't fade out "Iron Man," that's like fading Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven" or Purple's "Child In Time." A big, big mistake. Well, I guess Ms. Osbourne is just putting this "money maker" out in time for that Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame ritual.

Honestly, far too many important songs are missing, you'd be better off buying the "Symptom of the Universe" two disc set from a few years back. Matter of fact, Rhino really needs to put together a two disc set of Deep Purple. One disc covering these great bands is inadequate to say the least.

Buyer beware.

I wish I would have read the reviews for this album, because if I had, I never would have bought it. Sure, it has a lot of great songs on it, but why in the hell would you butcher one of the greatest songs ever? Iron Man was the first Sabbath song I ever heard. In my opinion, it is possibly their best tune, and it is DESTROYED on this album. -WHAT THE !@$#? There are also a few songs that should not be on this album and a few that aren't, but should be. If you're just a casual Sabbath fan and don't mind the butcher getting a hold of Iron Man, this would not be a bad album for you. If you are a serious Sabbath fan, or you want to hear their music in its glorious entirety, I would suggest We Sold Our Soul For Rock N Roll (GREAT ALBUM)!!!
I have also seen good reviews for Symptom Of The Universe, but I haven't heard that album yet. You may want to check that one out as well.

Sixteen track compilation,that is strictly for the completist OR someone who,in the past had to pawn off their entire Sabbath catalog to pay rent,make bail,pay off their dealer,etc.Tunes here that make for great listening and all are the band's namesake "Black Sabbath","N.I.B.","Sweet Leaf","Supernaut","Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" among others.It's just that there are plenty of other better compilations of Sabbath's work available out there.

As a huge Sabbath fan,most of these songs are stellar and timeless. It's a bit irksome however to bypass such Sabbath staples as "Fairies Wear Boots" ('Paranoid'; 1970) and "Into The Void"('Master Of Reality'; 1971) in favor of "Rock 'N Roll Doctor" (a so-so track from 1976's 'Technical Ecstacy'),or even "Hole In The Sky"(from 1975's 'Sabotage'). Even "Am I Going Insane(Radio)" or "Symptom Of The Universe" from 'Sabotage' would have much more fitting. Indeed; the edit/fade-out for "Iron Man" is utter sacrilege. It's like editing "Satisfaction" by The Stones. What's the deal there?
"Dirty Women" is an o.k. song,but only one song from 'Technical Ecstacy' would hit the spot. This album is where Sabbath began to lose their way a bit,but still an interesting album nonetheless... If I were to create a 16-track Sabbath single-disc best-of (time constraints for an 80-minute CD aside) it would run something like this:

1.)Black Sabbath
2.)The Wizard
3.)N.I.B.
4.)Paranoid
5.)War Pigs
6.)Iron Man (full-version)
7.)Fairies Wear Boots
8.)Sweet Leaf
9.)Into The Void
10.)Children Of The Grave
11.)Tomorrow's Dream
12.)Supernaut
13.)Sabbath,Bloody Sabbath
14.)Symptom Of The Universe
15.)Dirty Women
16.)Never Say Die

Something like that...

Not a terrible introduction of classic Sabbs,but even the old,compressed onto a single disc double-album best-of 'We've Sold Our Soul For Rock 'N Roll' is better than this (even though that album only covers the years 1970-1975)..

Not a bad best-of,'Greatest Hits 1970-1978',but not all that great either.

This is not a review. I just wanted to say THANKS to everyone who wrote reviews. I had NO IDEA that Iron Man was edited for this disc. Even though I have all of the other Sabbath stuff, I was thinking of buying this just to have it in my collection. I appreciate you letting me know of the awful decision to edit a classic song.

The edit/fade of version of IRON MAN makes no sense to me at all. It's one of their best and most beloved and well known songs and should have been included in its full length version, even if it meant leaving off one of their later, lesser songs. Do yourself a favor and skip this disc and try to buy the remastered versions of PARANOID and MASTER OF REALITY from the Amazon UK site. I would recommend you stay away from any Black Sabbath (or Ozzy disc solo for that matter) that list Sharon Osburne anywhere in the credits. She has done nothing but try to rewrite the history the this great band....what a shame!

for the most part this black sabbath best of compilation is pretty good considering it has most of the best stuff from the ozzy era,however like alot of other reviewers, i think the edited version of iron man is disappointing!! this cd should have included the long version of that song, even if it meant cutting a song like dirty women out of this collection. which i think is the weakest song on this cd.i wish black sabbath would release affordable remasters of the ozzy era stuff like they did last year [2008] with the dio era stuff.