History America's Greatest Hits (Rpkg)

America | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 28, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rhino
• ASIN: B0002VEPGW
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,954 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Horse With No Name

2. I Need You

3. Sandman

4. Ventura Highway

5. Don't Cross the River

6. Only in Your Heart

7. Muskrat Love

8. Tin Man

9. Lonely People

10. Sister Golden Hair

11. Daisy Jane

12. Woman Tonight

Editorial Reviews

America, History: America's Greatest Hits

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A 70's classic, but now obsolete, July 24, 2006

By 

A Fan (VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: History America's Greatest Hits (Rpkg) (Audio CD)

This was a must have album when it was released in 1975. It was a big hit (peaking at number 3 on the Billboard album chart) and was one of the biggest selling albums of the 70's, selling more than 5 million copies. Every song on here is good and was a hit, however this collection has become obsolete since the release of America's Complete Greatest Hits. Every song on this CD is on Complete Greatest Hits, plus 10 more songs.

The only reason to buy this CD is to get the George Martin remixes of their early hits. Legendary Beatles producer Sir George Martin did not start producing America's music until their 4th album "Holiday". When this album was released, Martin remixed the hits from their first 3 albums (Horse With No Name, I Need You, Sandman, Ventura Highway, Don't Cross The River, Only In Your Heart, and Muskrat Love). So they do sound a little different on this CD than on any other. I actually prefer the original mixes on most of them, except for Don't Cross the River. Martin adds a fiddle to the song and it really works well. So unless you are a hardcore America or George Martin fan who has to have every mix of a song, you would be better off buying America's Complete Greatest Hits CD.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice set, since updated, February 19, 2005

By 

Tim Brough "author and music buff" (Springfield, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: History America's Greatest Hits (Rpkg) (Audio CD)

The 22 song collection "America - The Complete Greatest Hits" supplants the old "History" by updating the America output from the both the Warners and Capitol years (but leaving out "Silent Letter" and "Alibi" or any of the post Capitol albums, especially the fine "Hourglass").

The surprising thing is just how many of these light weight acoustically based ditties made the top ten in the band's heyday. Even more so is just how well many of them have held up. The CSN&Y sound alike of their first hit, "Horse With No Name," brought them their first attention. A lot of folks were shocked that this trio was actually a couple of American Army brats (Dan Peek and Gerry Beckley) who had teamed up with Londoner Dewey Bunnel and made songs out of homesickness. They began to include some jazzy flavors to the songs (like the banjo in "Don't Cross The River") and a willingness to explore other songwriters, like "Muskrat Love." It was the harmonies that were what made some of the finest songs by America such standouts, like "Sister Golden Hair." The lyrics were frequently poetic and imagistic ("alligator lizards in the air," "spinning round smoke glass, stain bright colors," etc), adding a somewhat psychedelic flair to several of the earlier songs.

If you're searching for a collection of America hits, the one to own is Rhino's "Complete Greatest Hits." It will sit next to your Eagles, Cat Stevens and Seals & Crofts CDs from the seventies quite nicely.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mary, have you seen better days?, October 16, 2008

By 

Andre M. "brnn64" (Mt. Pleasant, SC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: History America's Greatest Hits (Rpkg) (Audio CD)

If you get this title (a lyric from "Only In Your Heart"), you'll love this CD. The section of the song where they repeatedly chant these lyrics in a multitracked crescendo will send chills down your spine.

Those of us who were 70s children who recall hearing a lot of this stuff on AM radio stations on our way to school in the mornings will cherish this. Even if you weren't there at the time, it's still pretty mellow music that goes down good.

Songs such as "A Horse With No Name," "Only In Your heart", "Daisy Jane" (the similarities between this and Janet Jackson's "Let's Wait Awhile" a decade later was said to have provoked an out of court settlement), and "Sister Golden Hair" are laid backed, acoustic-guitar and vocal harmony based easy-listening folk-rockers that's ideal music for long drives on sunny days or relaxing after work as the sun goes down. One reviewer has compared this to CSNY. I never thought about this, but it's true, minus the politics.

"You can't disregard your friends/"Cause life gets so hard when you reach the end" (From "Only in Your Heart").

In either case, simply put it's just good music. Enjoy.