Greatest Hits: Shining Like a National Guitar
Greatest Hits: Shining Like a National Guitar is the fifth greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon, which was released on May 23, 2000[1] by the Warner Music Group. This is his fifth compilation so far. This album was also directed by Antonio Luis.[3] Although the album was a chart success across Europe, it was not issued in the United States and continues to be an expensive import.[1] The title of the album is taken from the first two lines of the song "Graceland," which is also the first track on the album.
| Greatest Hits: Shining Like a National Guitar | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cover art by Lynn Goldsmith | ||||
| Greatest hits album by | ||||
| Released | May 23, 2000 | |||
| Recorded | 1972–1997[1] | |||
| Genre | Folk rock, soft rock, worldbeat | |||
| Length | 77:20[2] | |||
| Label | Warner Music Group | |||
| Producer | Paul Simon, Roy Halee, Oscar Hernandez, Phil Ramone, Russ Titelman, Muscle Shoals[3] | |||
| Paul Simon chronology | ||||
| ||||
Reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | [4] |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [5] |
This album received generally positive reviews. AllMusic gave it 4.5 out of a possible 5 stars, calling it "by far the best [Paul Simon] collection ever released."[1]
Track listing edit
| # | Song | Year | Single? | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Graceland" | 1986 | Yes | 4:47 |
| 2 | "You Can Call Me Al" | 1986 | Yes | 4:41 |
| 3 | "Mother and Child Reunion" | 1972 | Yes | 2:59 |
| 4 | "The Cool, Cool River" | 1990 | No | 4:33 |
| 5 | "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" | 1976 | Yes | 3:07 |
| 6 | "The Obvious Child" | 1990 | Yes | 4:11 |
| 7 | "The Boy in the Bubble" | 1987 | Yes | 3:57 |
| 8 | "Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War" | 1983 | No | 3:43 |
| 9 | "Late in the Evening" | 1980 | Yes | 3:54 |
| 10 | "Bernadette" | 1997 | No | 3:28 |
| 11 | "Slip Slidin' Away" | 1977 | Yes | 4:45 |
| 12 | "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" | 1973 | Yes | 3:22 |
| 13 | "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" | 1987 | Yes | 5:49 |
| 14 | "Still Crazy After All These Years" | 1976 | Yes | 3:22 |
| 15 | "Kodachrome" | 1973 | Yes | 3:28 |
| 16 | "Loves Me Like a Rock" | 1973 | Yes | 3:14 |
| 17 | "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" | 1972 | Yes | 2:43 |
| 18 | "Hearts and Bones" | 1983 | No | 5:38 |
| 19 | "Trailways Bus" | 1997 | No | 5:15 |
Certifications edit
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[6] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[7] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[8] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References edit
- ^ a b c d Ruhlmann, William. "Greatest Hits: Shining Like a National Guitar". Retrieved June 28, 2009.
- ^ "Greatest Hits: Shining Like a National Guitar". Retrieved June 28, 2009.
- ^ a b "Greatest Hits: Shining Like a National Guitar—Album Credits". Retrieved June 29, 2009.
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Paul Simon – Shining Like a National Guitar". Music Canada. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
- ^ "British album certifications – Paul Simon – Shining Like a National Guitar". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 21, 2022.