Greatest Hits Live (Sba1) Review

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(More customer reviews)Regarding whether this will be a positive or negative review, let me start by saying I bought this Tuesday 8/26/08 (the day it was released), and I've thus far given it about a dozen listens. Yes I'm a fan.
And yes, I love this CD. "Greatest Hits Live" is culled from the same three European concerts of 3DN's '72-'73 world tour that provided the tracks for their amazing 1973 live double album "Around The World With Three Dog Night". I've never forgiven MCA for dropping the ball with their CD releases of the 3DN catalog. Not only have they never been given the box set they so richly deserve, but three of their original albums (four, if You count the non-MCA 80's ep "It's A Jungle") have never seen a CD release. "Around The World" was the most puzzling omission of all. It was a gold-selling massive hit, and one of the best live double albums of the 70's. As a side note, Edsel Records (UK) has released "Around The World" as a twofer 2-CD set (coupled with "Seven Separate Fools" as the other disc), which I highly recommend.
"GHL" obviously attempts to both rectify that missing CD release, as well as serve as an "alternate" hits collection. It certainly lives up to it's name. It truly is their greatest hits: no filler - no instrumental solos - and all performed live. It also attempts to fill the gaps of hit songs missing from "Around The World" by restoring "Easy To Be Hard", "Celebrate", "Try A Little Tenderness", and "One" (none of which appeared on "Around The World"). But it goes further than just restoring missing hits. For those who are wondering, even the "Around The World" tracks that do appear here are mostly all different performances from one of the alternate concerts. So this is truly "new" vault material from one of the biggest acts of the early 70's.
The awesome digital mastering really showcases the live power of 3DN: the soaring guitar of Mike Allsup, the fluid bass of Joe Schermie, and (particularly) the power punch drums of Floyd Sneed and the grinding Hammond organ of Jimmy Greenspoon. But it is (and always was) the amazing vocals of Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron, and Cory Wells that separated these Dogs from the rest of the pack.
Not that "GHL" is without flaw. At under 50 minutes, there could have been a lot more included. At the very least, their 1972 Billboard #1 hit "Black & White" should have been included (it does appear on "Around The World"). In a perfect world, MCA would have released "Around The World" as a 2-CD set, with the original double album on one disc, and these alternate performances on the second. These alternates were probably not originally chosen for "Around The World" for a reason. Presumably they chose the best available version of each song from the 3 concerts recorded back in the 70's for the original LP. It's particularly evident with "One Man Band", which is far superior on "Around The World". The editing here is tight overall. There are no fade in's or out's - it all flows seamlessly, but there's the sometimes obvious "flying in" of applause to mask the seams. Also the track running order on "GHL" is also quite different from "Around The World" (which was the true setlist order?).
Seminal 3DN, featuring the original seven members is a rare treat, and this CD delivers the goods. Until we get that box set with vault rarities we fans covet, this CD is a gem to be treasured. Diehard fan who own "Around The World" will want these alternate live performances. For the casual listener who perhaps only own a 3DN hits disc, this is a reasonably priced collection of those hits performed live back when they were new and fresh, and the group was at the top of it's game and the height of it's popularity.

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In 1972 Three Dog Night was truly a golden animal. Singers Chuck Negron, Danny Hutton and Cory Wells had already led their group into the Top 20 no less than 14 times since their 1968 debut, earning three #1 Billboard singles along the way. The tracks included on this album were recorded during the group's 1972/'73 world tour, an ambitious jaunt that took them from North America to Europe, Japan and Australia. By that time Three Dog Night had racked up such now-classic hits as "One," "Easy To Be Hard," "Celebrate," "Mama Told Me (Not To Come)" and "Joy To The World".

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