Billy Idol-Greatest Hits

Billy Idol-Greatest Hits

Record Label: Capitol
Year: 2001

Track listing:

01. dancing with myself

02. mony mony

03. hot in the city
04. white wedding (prt 1)

05. rebel yell

06. eyes without a face

07. flesh for fantasy

08. catch my fall

09. to be a lover

10. don’t need a gun (single version)

11. sweet sixteen
12. cradle of love

13. LA woman (single)

14. Shock to the system

15. Rebel yell(live acoustic)

16. Don’t you

There is something appealing about Billy Idol. The former Generation X singer had the ability to fuse a pop song with hard rock, and act like a punk rocker in the process.

The songs have aged well, and to this day, are still as appealing as they were when they
were first released.

The irony about his punk look, is that he was embraced by mainstream audiences, rather than the look he was going for. While he originally started out as a punk rocker, pledging his allegiance to the Sex Pistols but ended up being a punk cliche.

This CD, is a collection of probably some of his biggest hits, even if it does miss some of his edgier songs that made Idol, Idol.

Some of the more brilliant tracks of this are Dancing With Myself, Mony Mony, Rebel Yell, and the blistering White Wedding. All tracks that made Idol a big name in the 80’s.However the late 80’s were not so charming for Idol, who dabbled in one too many drugs, and disappeared from the spotlight.

He managed to make a comeback with Sweet Sixteen, and his blistering cover of The Doors LA Woman, which became the single for Speed. The album rounds off with a acoustic version of rebel, and a hardier version of Simple Minds, Don’t You (forget about me). Punk Rockers would be horrified that most people still consider Idol punk rock, but this album is a gem, and must have for fans of Idol’s snarling voice, spiked hair and leather pants.

But then they would even be more horrified to discover the punk rocker had released a Christmas album, yet again drawing him into the stereotype of what a punk rocker should and should not do.

I am always drawn by good beats, and everyone of Idol’s songs have a beat that makes you want to toe tap your way through the whole song. Cradle of love is a fine example of that, and the drumming is the most evident instrument of the song.

LA woman is a brilliant cover, and it showed that in the early nighties Idol still had it, although it was a shame that he could not go any further than that song. I think Jim Morrison would be thrilled with Idol’s attempt to cover him.

It’s funny but every time I think of LA woman, I recall Idol had a horrific bike accident before the release of his Charmed Life album. One thing can be noted, is that Idol probably started the phase of wanna be punk rockers, and could be the father of imitation punk.

The album, for me is filled with nostalgic motifs, and if you want to hear someone, who was probably an influence for the punkers of today, then this album is definitely worthy of a listen.

Defining moments: Rebel yell, dancing with myself, mony mony, LA woman and white wedding.

I give this album 4/5

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