Audio CD review:
The Goo Goo Dolls - Greatest Hits Vol. 1 - The Singles

The Goo Goo Dolls - Greatest Hits Vol. 1 - The Singles

Band: The Goo Goo Dolls Title: Greatest Hits Vol. 1 - The Singles Rating: Release Date: 13 November, 2007 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Name 2: Iris 3: Slide 4: Broadway 5: Black Balloon 6: Dizzy 7: Here is Gone 8: Big Machine 9: Sympathy 10: Better Days 11: Stay with You 12: Let Love In 13: Before It's Too Late 14: Feel the Silence (new remix)

Customer Reviews Great if you're not a die-hard Goo fan Die hard fans should already own most of the albums and typically they have found their way to deeper cuts that they argue are just as good as, if not better than, the radio staples they have heard a thousand times and the uninitiated and hit-friendly fans are familiar with. Greatest Hits albums, I have always argued, really only serve one purpose, and it has nothing to do with pleasing die hard fans of the artist. Those uninitiated are the people greatest hits albums are geared towards; those who like several songs they have heard, but they have never been overwhelmed by the music to the point of seeking out all (if any) of the band's albums (much less see them live or learn much about them and their history). Anyone looking to truly really learn about an artist generally can't do it with a greatest hits album (Dylan, Springsteen, Petty - the list goes on - are all legends who have been grossly under-represented by their single-disc greatest hits collections in terms of what their legend is really all about compared with their radio-friendly hits). And in this age of itunes and downloads, hits albums don't matter much anyway since most can obtain whatever singles they like online. Now, when it comes to artists I am passionate about, I am something of a snob about greatest hits albums, arguing that people should not be a slave to what the radio or record company tells them is essential because they will be missing out on an entire history of the artists' great music. But I am hypocritical in the sense that, when it comes to a band I kinda like, but don't care that much about, I seek out a streamlined overview of their biggest stuff (and even then I often don't care about half the tracks included - again, this is where downloading comes in handy, but being something of a music snob, as I said, I like to buy actual CDs). For me, several big 90s bands, like Matchbox 20 and The Goo Goo Dolls fall into this category. I like some of their songs fine, but never enough to buy any of their full albums. I know, I know, fans of these groups will tell me I am missing out on so much better stuff, and as a fan, they are probably right. I would be saying the same thing if you told me all you needed from Springsteen or Billy Joel was a greatest hits CD. They are so much more than that. And there is bound to be that argument for the Goo as well. But you can't convert everybody. Just as not everyone is willing to move beyond the Boss's singles, the Goo Goo Dolls are a band I just have not been moved to explore. Or even buy anything from. But about them and a few others (Matchbox, Collective Soul, etc. ), I said would like to pick up a greatest hits album some day, just to have a few of those songs I have enjoyed over the years. This album is a great example of a greatest hits album that get that job done. People have their complaints about what it is lacking, and I'm sure they are totally correct, but the truth is, there is probably even more here than someone like myself approaching this as something of a novelty even needs. Yeah these were all hits, and most will be familiar with all the tunes here, but there are only a select few I care to own and will get repeat listening from me. See, that's the kind of person these albums benefit. I have nothing against the Goo, I have actually seen them live several times opening for Bon Jovi and I am familiar with both their punk sound and their mainstream stuff, but none of that has made me into a fane. My loss I'm sure, but for any who feel the way I do, this album will be perfect. A lot of people here seem to take issue with the exclusion of at least 2 tracks: the original version of "Name" and the Goo's cover of "Give a Little Bit" (longtime fans will mention five or so others as well). Though I agree, given its radio-staple status, "Give a Little Bit" should be included here just for the sake of staying true to representing all the actual hits on a greatest hits album (doesn't there always seem to be one or two big hits oddly left off these compilations?), I have never been a fan of that song - either the original Supertramp version or the Goo's. The song has always sounded so bland to me and the Goo's straight-forward cover is almost identical. But that's just me; just because I don't miss it, my opinion of the song aside, it should be here. My suggestion for others like me who don't pledge allegiance to the Goo, but do enjoy and want to own their biggest hits, buy this CD and download the original "Name" and "Give a Little Bit". There is, of course, the chance that, if someone buys a hits album and loves it enough to listen to it over and over again, it will get them to seek out other albums, or learn more about the band and discover which cuts fans suggest are the best. This is another benefit of hit compilations and why they are more valuable than some fans who are upset about certain song exclusions give them credit for. There is one more benefit to these sparse compilations: Even though they give listeners just the briefest, skimming-the-surface overview of the artists, sometimes they work great as a CD to throw on when you just want a bunch of songs that you know really well and sound really good. Even some artists I am a die hard fan of have a single disc hits compilation that ignores a tone of good stuff, and I would never tell anyone looking to explore or "get into" the artists to substitute for several of their classic albums, but they work great as way to get a fix of a lot of great music in one place. Steely Dan, Prince, Aerosmith all have jam packed one-disc-ers that are lacking, but still sound and work great given what's there. Now we can add the Goo Goo Dolls to that list. For that type of compilation, this one works great. Sometimes it's not about what's missing, but rather what's included. And this is a case where the band has been around long enough and had enough hits that everything included here is all good stuff. This is a compilation I have wanted for a while. Not that I was waiting on pins and needles or anything, but I always said they should put something like this out (almost every other artist on the planet has some form of greatest hits). For anyone who thinks of this band the way I do, this CD is well worth having. . Everything they do they cant go wrong! Anything the goos come out with im buying and this was just another great purchase!!!. I love the new version of name. Greatest Goo Can't beat it by any means. Just like it says--this is the best of the best. . . You can see a complete list of all The Goo Goo Dolls discography, or go back to the The Goo Goo Dolls tabs