Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Record Mirror[2]

Idol Songs: 11 of the Best is a greatest hits album by English rock singer Billy Idol, released on 20 June 1988 by Chrysalis Records.[3] It comprises all the singles released from his first three studio albums—Billy Idol, Rebel Yell and Whiplash Smile—as well as the live version of "Mony Mony" and re-recorded Generation X song "Dancing with Myself", both of which appeared on Idol's debut EP Don't Stop. A limited edition of the album contains two extra remixes, and another limited edition contains four extra remixes. The album reached number two on the UK Albums Chart[4] and has been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). In 2003, the album was reissued with a different title and cover as The Essential.[5]

Track listings

Original LP
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Rebel Yell"
Rebel Yell (1983)4:48
2."Hot in the City"IdolBilly Idol (1982)3:38
3."White Wedding" (Part 1)IdolBilly Idol (1982)3:34
4."Eyes Without a Face"
  • Idol
  • Stevens
Rebel Yell (1983)4:10
5."Catch My Fall"IdolRebel Yell (1983)3:43
6."Mony Mony" (live)
Don't Stop EP (1981)4:10
7."To Be a Lover"
Whiplash Smile (1986)3:52
8."Sweet Sixteen"IdolWhiplash Smile (1986)4:15
9."Flesh for Fantasy"
  • Idol
  • Stevens
Rebel Yell (1983)3:49
10."Don't Need a Gun"IdolWhiplash Smile (1986)4:28
11."Dancing with Myself" (single version)
Kiss Me Deadly (1981)3:22
Total length:43:49
Limited edition with two bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
12."Don't Need a Gun" (Meltdown Mix)IdolWhiplash Smile (1986)7:08
13."To Be a Lover" (Mother of Mercy Mix)
  • Bell
  • Jones
Whiplash Smile (1986)6:47
Total length:57:42
Limited edition with four bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
12."Don't Need a Gun" (Melt Down Mix)IdolWhiplash Smile (1986)7:08
13."Mony Mony" (Hung Like a Pony Mix)
  • James
  • Gentry
  • Cordell
  • Bloom
Don't Stop EP (1981)7:02
14."Eyes Without a Face" (extended version)
  • Idol
  • Stevens
Flesh for Fantasy (1983)4:58
15."To Be a Lover" (Mother of Mercy Mix)
  • Bell
  • Jones
Whiplash Smile (1986)6:49
Total length:69:46

Note: "Don't Need a Gun" (Melt Down Mix) was unavailable elsewhere on CD and remained exclusive to the limited edition versions. The "Mony Mony" (Hung Like a Pony Mix) was also available on the Japanese issue of the Vital Idol remix album. These two tracks have been available since 2012 on the So80s compilation.[citation needed]

Personnel

  • Kenny Aaronson – bass on "Mony Mony"
  • Jocelyn Brown – backing vocals on "To Be a Lover"
  • Sal Cuevas – bass on "Eyes Without a Face"
  • Terry Chimes – drums on "Dancing with Myself"
  • Susan Davis – keyboards on "Mony Mony"
  • Judi Dozier – keyboards on "Rebel Yell", "Eyes Without a Face", "Catch My Fall" and "Flesh for Fantasy"
  • Phil Feit – bass on "White Wedding"
  • Harold Faltermeyer – keyboards on "Don't Need a Gun"
  • Keith Forsey – drums on "Hot in the City" and "Sweet Sixteen"; Juno 60 on "To Be a Lover"; keyboards on "Sweet Sixteen"; drum programming on "Don't Need a Gun"
  • Connie Harvey – backing vocals on "To Be a Lover"
  • Billy Idol – vocals and guitars, bass on "To Be a Lover"
  • Tony James – bass on "Dancing with Myself"
  • Steve Jones – guitar on "Dancing with Myself"
  • Michael Klvana – additional keyboards on "Mony Mony"
  • Perri Lister – backing vocals on "Eyes Without a Face"
  • Marcus Miller – bass on "Sweet Sixteen"
  • Steve Missal – drums on "White Wedding"
  • Steve New – guitar on "Dancing with Myself"
  • Ainsley Otton – guitar on "Hot in the City"
  • Thommy Price – drums on "Rebel Yell", "Eyes Without a Face", "Catch My Fall", "Mony Mony" and "Flesh for Fantasy"
  • Mick Smiley – bass on "Hot in the City"
  • Stephanie Sprull – backing vocals on "Hot in the City"
  • Steve Stevens – guitar on all tracks except "Hot in the City" and "Dancing with Myself"; bass, Casio and keyboards on "Rebel Yell", "Eyes Without a Face", "Catch My Fall", "To Be a Lover" and "Flesh for Fantasy"; programming on "To Be a Lover"; bass on "Don't Need a Gun"
  • Richard Tell – piano on "To Be a Lover"
  • Steve Webster – bass on "Rebel Yell" and "Catch My Fall"
  • Mars Williams – saxophone on "Catch My Fall"
  • Janet Wright – backing vocals on "To Be a Lover"

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Idol Songs: 11 of the Best
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[18] Platinum 70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[19] Gold 25,000*
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[20] Platinum 50,000[20]
France (SNEP)[21] Gold 100,000*
Sweden (GLF)[22] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[23] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[3] Platinum 300,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ AllMusic review
  2. ^ Levy, Eleanor (25 June 1988). "33 - Album Reviews". Record Mirror. p. 30. ISSN 0144-5804.
  3. ^ a b "British album certifications – Billy Idol – Idol Songs". British Phonographic Industry. 21 July 1988. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
  5. ^ "The Essential". AllMusic review. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  6. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Billy Idol – Idol Songs - 11 of the Best". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Billy Idol – Idol Songs - 11 of the Best" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  8. ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 36. 3 September 1988. p. 18. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  9. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  10. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Billy Idol – Idol Songs - 11 of the Best" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Ísland (LP-plötur)". DV (in Icelandic). 9 September 1988. p. 44. ISSN 1021-8254 – via Timarit.is.
  12. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Billy Idol – Idol Songs - 11 of the Best". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  13. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Billy Idol – Idol Songs - 11 of the Best". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  14. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Billy Idol – Idol Songs - 11 of the Best". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  16. ^ "1988 Year End Eurocharts – Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 52/1. 1 January 1989. p. 31. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  17. ^ "Top 100 Albums – Year-End Chart 1988" (PDF). Music Week Awards. Music Week. 4 March 1989. p. 8. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
  18. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1991 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  19. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Billy Idol – Idol Songs" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  20. ^ a b "Billy Idol" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  21. ^ "French album certifications – Billy Idol – Idol Songs" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 1 August 2021. Select BILLY IDOL and click OK. 
  22. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  23. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Idol Songs')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idol_Songs:_11_of_the_Best
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