The Greatest Hits – Why Try Harder

The Greatest Hits – Why Try Harder is a compilation album by English electronic musician Fatboy Slim, released on 19 June 2006. In addition to previously released material, the album includes two new tracks: "Champion Sound" and "That Old Pair of Jeans". A collection of music videos titled The Greatest Hits – Why Make Videos was also released in 2006. Hit singles "Ya Mama" and "Star 69" were omitted.

The Greatest Hits – Why Try Harder
Greatest hits album by
Released19 June 2006 (UK)
20 June 2006 (US)
Recorded1996–2006
GenreBig beat
Length65:46
LabelSkint (UK)
Astralwerks (US)
Sony BMG (Int'l)
ProducerFatboy Slim
Fatboy Slim chronology
Fala aí!
(2006)
The Greatest Hits – Why Try Harder
(2006)
The Greatest Hits – Remixed
(2007)
Alternative cover
US edition cover
Singles from The Greatest Hits – Why Try Harder
  1. "That Old Pair of Jeans"
    Released: 26 June 2006
  2. "Weapon of Choice (Remix)"
    Released: July 2006
  3. "Champion Sound"
    Released: 6 November 2006
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Pitchfork Media(6.7/10)[2]
PopMatters(7/10)[3]
Q[citation needed]
The Times[4]

Background

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To save space on the audio disc, the songs are shorter radio edits with the exception of the final track. The profanity in "Wonderful Night" remains intact in the United Kingdom edition, but was removed for the United States. "Champion Sound" is also significantly different on the US edition, as it contains verses that are absent from the UK release.

Cover art

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For the UK release, the artwork for the album cover was created by Brighton artist Julie-Anne Gilburt. It features the image of the man previously used on the cover of You've Come a Long Way, Baby. Gilburt painted this cover for the greatest hits album depicting an angelic version of the man, with wings. Several images were created for this project, including a full frontal nude, and the man lounging on a sofa. These images appear in the album booklet.

For the US release, the front cover was altered to that of Christopher Walken from the "Weapon of Choice" music video. The title of the compilation comes from the slogan on the T-shirt of the man who adorns the non-US covers of both this album and You've Come a Long Way, Baby: "I'M # 1 SO WHY TRY HARDER".

Track listing

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No.TitleLength
1."The Rockafeller Skank" (edit)3:57
2."Praise You" (radio edit)3:48
3."Brimful of Asha" (Norman Cook remix of Cornershop)4:01
4."Weapon of Choice" (Attack Hamster edit) (featuring Bootsy Collins)3:40
5."Gangster Trippin" (edit)3:32
6."I See You Baby" (edit) (Fatboy Slim remix of Groove Armada featuring Gram'ma Funk)3:30
7."Wonderful Night" (featuring Lateef the Truth Speaker) (US release contains clean edit)2:45
8."Right Here, Right Now" (edit)3:56
9."Going Out of My Head" (edit)3:43
10."Sunset (Bird of Prey)" (edit)3:59
11."Everybody Loves a Carnival" (radio edit)4:05
12."Don't Let the Man Get You Down" (edit)3:18
13."Demons" (shorter radio version) (featuring Macy Gray)3:14
14."Sho Nuff" (edit)3:21
15."Slash Dot Dash"2:55
16."Santa Cruz" (edit)4:18
17."Champion Sound" (featuring Lateef the Truth Speaker) (US release contains version with Sharon Woolf, 3:21))3:00
18."That Old Pair of Jeans" (featuring Lateef the Truth Speaker)4:44

The Greatest Hits – Why Make Videos DVD

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  1. "Praise You"
  2. "The Rockafeller Skank"
  3. "Weapon of Choice" (starring Christopher Walken)
  4. "Gangster Trippin'"
  5. "Wonderful Night"
  6. "Right Here, Right Now"
  7. "Going Out of My Head"
  8. "Sunset (Bird of Prey)"
  9. "Everybody Loves a Carnival"
  10. "Don't Let the Man Get You Down" (swimming ending)
  11. "Demons"
  12. "Slash Dot Dash"
  13. "Santa Cruz"
  14. "Ya Mama"
  15. "Star 69"
  16. "The Joker"
  17. "That Old Pair of Jeans"

Rare and Unseen Videos

  1. "Sunset (Bird of Prey)" (directors cut)
  2. "Star 69" (animated version)
  3. "Everybody Needs a 303" (Pigboy)
  4. "The Rockafeller Skank" (Spike Jonze audition demo version)
  5. "Build It Up, Tear It Down"
  • Why Make Videos (documentary)

Special bonus section

  1. "Are We Having Fun Yet?" (Live from Brighton, Brazil & Brixton) (montage with album version of Love Island put underneath)

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[23]
album
Gold 35,000^
Australia (ARIA)[24]
video
Gold 7,500^
Ireland (IRMA)[25] Platinum 15,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[26] Gold 7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] Platinum 300,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ David Jeffries. "The Greatest Hits: Why Try Harder – Fatboy Slim". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  2. ^ Marc Hogan (27 June 2006). "Fatboy Slim: Greatest Hits: Why Try Harder". Pitchfork. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  3. ^ Tim O'Neil (19 June 2006). "Fatboy Slim: The Greatest Hits: Why Try Harder". PopMatters. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  4. ^ [1][dead link]
  5. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Fatboy Slim – Why Try Harder - The Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Fatboy Slim – Why Try Harder - The Greatest Hits" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Ultratop.be – Fatboy Slim – Why Try Harder - The Greatest Hits" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  8. ^ "Ultratop.be – Fatboy Slim – Why Try Harder - The Greatest Hits" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Fatboy Slim – Why Try Harder - The Greatest Hits" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Fatboy Slim: Why Try Harder - The Greatest Hits" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  11. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Fatboy Slim – Why Try Harder - The Greatest Hits" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Fatboy Slim". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Fatboy Slim – Why Try Harder - The Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Charts.nz – Fatboy Slim – Why Try Harder - The Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Fatboy Slim – Why Try Harder - The Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  17. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  18. ^ "Official Dance Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  19. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  20. ^ "Fatboy Slim Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  21. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2006". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  22. ^ "Top Dance/Electronic Albums – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  23. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2006 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  24. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2006 DVDs" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  25. ^ "The Irish Charts - 2006 Certification Awards - Platinum". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  26. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Fatboy Slim – Why try harder". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  27. ^ "British album certifications – Fatboy Slim – Why Try Harder - The Greatest Hits". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
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