Why was Sympathy for the devil on greatest hits?

[Outtagetme04]

Why on earth (other than for commercial reasons) was the rather lame Stones cover on greatest hits: surely. Night train is a far better song yet it was left out.

[estranged.1098]

The album is a "greatest hits", not a "best of".

[AdZ]

It was all the singles they released that were 'hits'.

[Outtagetme04]

Night train and it's so easy were singles

[AdZ]

They weren't hits.

[Cowboy Buddha]

it was released because it was never on a Gn'R album.  So they stuck it on this GnR album to sell. 

[0001001]

Cause some stupid assholes have put this album together

[kj_jive]

it was released because it was never on a Gn'R album.? So they stuck it on this GnR album to sell.?

agreed.

[IndiannaRose]

Because Sympathy For the Devil became a top 10 hit in the U.K.

[Lord Kayoss]

SFTD was the old GN'R's last released song together which has been noted on several documentaries.  If not for that I doubt it would've made the cut.

[IndiannaRose]

If not for that I doubt it would've made the cut.

No, it would've been on the cut without all that because it was indeed a hit (Top 10 to be exact), so it belongs on the Greatest Hits album.

[Dr. Blutarsky]

SFTD is by far the weakest song on the album.

[dave-gnfnr2k]

aint it fun and since I dont have you werae in the top ten?

[AdZ]

Since I Don't Have You:

Release info:

Released: June 4, 1994 (UK)

UK Chart peak: 10


Release info:

Released: November 20, 1993 (UK)

UK Chart peak: 9



Now, that's only in the UK, but they still made the top 10.

[dontcry44]

SFTD is on that cd because the people who chose the tracks never though to ask us what were the greatest hits.... they just assumed and whipped that cd together, and its a shame because those first time buyers of GNR material who bought that cd have no idea as to other songs deserved to be on there and therefore will probably never buy another GNR cd... and why is "since I don't have you" on there?  All I know is, Coma and Estranged aren't on there so I refuse to buy it.

[metallex78]

SFTD was a big hit in Australia too. I don't know how particularly well it charted, but it got lots and lots of radio airplay when it came out.

[IndiannaRose]

SFTD is on that cd because the people who chose the tracks never though to ask us what were the greatest hits.... they just assumed and whipped that cd together, and its a shame because those first time buyers of GNR material who bought that cd have no idea as to other songs deserved to be on there and therefore will probably never buy another GNR cd... and why is "since I don't have you" on there?? All I know is, Coma and Estranged aren't on there so I refuse to buy it.

Dude that paragraph is extremely.........contradiciting. Do you even know why the album is called 'Greatest Hits' and not a "Best Of'? (have you read any of this thread?) A 'hit' is a charting Top 40 single. They do not to ask us fans; Greatest Hits albums are always purely based on single chart numbers. For example look at everyhit.com's list of Guns N' Roses hits ( http://everyhit.com/searchsec.php ):

Position Artist Title Date Details
24 Guns 'N' Roses Sweet Child O' Mine Aug 1988   
24 Guns 'N' Roses Welcome To The Jungle / Nightrain Oct 1988   
6 Guns 'N' Roses Paradise City Mar 1989   
6 Guns 'N' Roses Sweet Child O' Mine (remix) Jun 1989   
10 Guns 'N' Roses Patience Jul 1989   
17 Guns 'N' Roses Nightrain Sep 1989   
3 Guns 'N' Roses You Could Be Mine Jul 1991   
8 Guns 'N' Roses Don't Cry Sep 1991   
5 Guns 'N' Roses Live And Let Die Dec 1991   
4 Guns 'N' Roses November Rain Mar 1992   
2 Guns 'N' Roses Knockin' On Heaven's Door May 1992   
8 Guns 'N' Roses Yesterdays / November Rain Nov 1992   
11 Guns 'N' Roses The Civil War EP May 1993   
9 Guns 'N' Roses Ain't It Fun Nov 1993   
10 Guns 'N' Roses Since I Don't Have You Jun 1994   
9 Guns 'N' Roses Sympathy For The Devil Jan 1995   

Do you notice something?
 

[Loaded NightraiN]

6 Guns 'N' Roses Sweet Child O' Mine (remix) Jun 1989   


What the crap is that... Is that the version played on 'Pop' radio, with the solos cut out or something?

[Lord Kayoss]

If not for that I doubt it would've made the cut.

No, it would've been on the cut without all that because it was indeed a hit (Top 10 to be exact), so it belongs on the Greatest Hits album.

It wasn't as big a hit as 'Estranged' in the U.S. so what makes it more deserving to be on there?? And it barely did squat in America so it should've been scrapped for our version with that one in it's place.? They left it in because it was their last song together.

[jarmo]

They left it in because it was their last song together.

It was a hit in some markets and also the only non-album track. So from the record company's point of view, it made sense to include it.



/jarmo