Wikipedia

History: America's Greatest Hits

History: America's Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits album by American folk rock trio America, released by Warner Bros. Records in 1975. The album is credited as produced by George Martin, even though 7 of the 12 tracks were recorded before he started working with America. It was a success in the United States, reaching number 3 on the Billboard album chart and being certified multi-platinum by the RIAA. It has also been certified 6 times platinum by ARIA for shipments of 420,000 copies in Australia.[5] History: America's Greatest Hits reached 41 on the Billboard Top Pop Catalog Albums Chart in 2007, number 90 on the Billboard Top Album Sales Chart and 50 Top Rock Albums Chart in 2019.[6]

History: America's Greatest Hits
Greatest hits album by
America
ReleasedNovember 3, 1975
Recorded1971–1975
Studio
Genre
Length38:21
LabelWarner Bros.
ProducerGeorge Martin
America chronology
Hearts
(1975) 		History: America's Greatest Hits
(1975) 		Hideaway
(1976)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Christgau's Record GuideC−[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]

History

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By late 1975, America had released five commercially successful studio albums and a number of hit singles, including two number one hits. Their second number one hit, "Sister Golden Hair", had topped the charts that summer. Warner Bros. Records decided to capitalize on the group's commercial momentum and growing catalogue by issuing a greatest hits compilation.

The resulting compilation, released in November 1975, contained all eleven of America's charting singles to date, along with an edited version of "Sandman", a popular track from the debut album that had never been released as a single.

The album's name, History, keeps the group's tradition of album names beginning with the letter "H".

Remixed tracks

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The first seven tracks of the album, having been recorded prior to producer George Martin's involvement with the group, were remixed by Martin for this release, with several notable differences from the original mixes. Some of the remixed tracks, such as "A Horse with No Name" and "I Need You", feature a more prominent bass. A voice can briefly be heard in the background of "A Horse with No Name" about two minutes into the track—this voice is not on the original recording. The pitch on "I Need You" is slowed a quarter tone from the original version. "Sandman" runs about one minute shorter than the original mix. On "Ventura Highway", Dewey Bunnell's lead vocal is double-tracked and the guitars have significantly more reverb. "Don't Cross the River" adds a fiddle not heard in the original recording. In addition, several of the tracks are crossfaded to eliminate the breaks between songs.

Due to the commercial success and enduring popularity of this album, over time the remixed versions of America's hits on History have become as recognizable in popular culture as the original singles themselves.

Cover artwork

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The cover artwork partly draws from artwork on America's previous albums. The drawings of Dan Peek and Dewey Bunnell are taken from photos on a poster included with the Hat Trick album. The image of the car and the trees behind it (the latter which also form Gerry Beckley's shirt) come from the cover of the Holiday album. The Golden Gate Bridge and pine trees are adapted from the cover of Hearts. Although images of Big Ben and the double-decker bus are not found on any other America album, their inclusion symbolizes the group's origins in England. The artwork was by a then-unknown artist named Phil Hartman, later famous as an actor and comedian, and brother of the group's then-manager, John Hartmann. The liner notes spell his last name as "Hartmann"—the original spelling of his name.

Track listing

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Side 1

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."A Horse with No Name"Dewey Bunnell4:10
2."I Need You"Gerry Beckley3:04
3."Sandman"Bunnell4:03
4."Ventura Highway"Bunnell3:32
5."Don't Cross the River"Dan Peek2:30
6."Only in Your Heart"Beckley3:16

Side 2

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Muskrat Love"Willis Alan Ramsey3:02
2."Tin Man"Bunnell3:25
3."Lonely People"D. Peek, Catherine Peek2:27
4."Sister Golden Hair"Beckley3:16
5."Daisy Jane"Beckley3:07
6."Woman Tonight"D. Peek2:19

(The positions of "Only in Your Heart" and "Woman Tonight" in the track listing are reversed on the cassette tape version.)

The cassette version produced in Canada by Warner Music Canada (a Warner Music Group company) 1975 has the following order:

Side 1

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."A Horse with No Name"Dewey Bunnell4:10
2."I Need You"Gerry Beckley3:04
3."Woman Tonight"Dan Peek2:19
4."Sister Golden Hair"Gerry Beckley3:16
5."Daisy Jane"Gerry Beckley3:07
6."Muskrat Love"Willis Alan Ramsey3:02

Side 2

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Lonely People"Catherine Peek, Dan Peek2:27
2."Sandman"Dewey Bunnell5:03
3."Only in Your Heart"Gerry Beckley3:16
4."Ventura Highway"Dewey Bunnell3:22
5."Don't Cross the River"Dan Peek2:30
6."Tin Man"Dewey Bunnell3:25

Charts

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Certifications and sales

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[16] 6× Platinum 420,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[17] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[18] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[19] 4× Platinum 4,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "America (2) - History · America's Greatest Hits". Discogs.
  2. ^ Cook, Stephen. "History: America's Greatest Hits - America". AllMusic. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  3. ^ CG Book '70s: A
  4. ^ Cross, Charles R. (2004). "America". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 16. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  5. ^ "Australian Recording Industry Assoc. Charts". Aria.com.au. December 31, 2010. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  6. ^ "Billboard America Chart History". Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  7. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  8. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4075a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  9. ^ "Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste – A". Infodisc.fr (in French). Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2012. Select America from the menu, then press OK.
  10. ^ "Charts.nz – America – America's Greatest Hits / History". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  11. ^ "America | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  12. ^ "America Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  13. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1975 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  14. ^ "Top 100 Albums of '76". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  15. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1976 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  16. ^ "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2010 Albums". ARIA Charts. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  17. ^ "Canadian album certifications – America – History: America's Greatest Hits". Music Canada. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  18. ^ "British album certifications – America – History: America's Greatest Hits". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  19. ^ "American album certifications – America – History: America's Greatest Hits". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
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