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56 of 59 found the following review helpful:
 I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide. Mar 22, 2000
By Jason Stein
It's tough being an aging rock band in the pop world. At a certain point both fans and record company turn away from your music and focus on what's hot now. ZZ Top, I think, has suffered this fate. While they still continue to make good music, no one seems to be listening anymore. Fine. I still like them. I still buy their cds. This compilation is the only best of ZZ Top that's worth buying for now. They really should have two disc or three disc retrospective like The Cars have and ELO has. However, this one disc compiles some of their greatest 70's and 80's hits in one place with a couple of new songs for 1992, "Viva Las Vegas" and "Gun Love." At 18 tracks this is a nice buy. No extensive liner notes though. After 1992, ZZ Top released Antenna in 1994, which dropped the synthesizers and went back to hard rocking blues. Then they released 1996's Rhythmeen, which seemed like they were going for a more mud-swamp, mid-tempo hard rock blues. In 1999 they released XXX which finds them still rocking the blues but with a bit more fun like they had before 1990's Recycler. This Greatest Hits, however, is perfect for those wanting a sample. This is a must have for any rock collector.
40 of 41 found the following review helpful:
 The ZZ Top that I grew up with Jan 12, 2002
By Brad
I understand that a lot of the long time ZZ Top fans feel that this collection missed a lot of the classic, older tracks. I feel the same way when I listen to something like Def Leppard's best of collection, as I feel that there is not enough focus on the early, hardest rocking stuff. But from my perspective (i.e. growing up listening to '80s music), this ZZ Top collection is just about right, as it has just about all of the songs by this band that I grew up listening to. My one real complaint about this collection is the remastering/remixing of such classics as "La Grange" and "Legs". Why do the artists and/or record companies believe that we would want anything different from the original versions on a greatest hits collection? I also would like to see the song "Stages" from the "Afterburner" album--as it was a mid-'80s radio favorite of mine. Overall, though, this collection rocks. From the crunching riffs of "Give Me All Your Lovin'" and "Got Me Under Pressure" to the classic '70s rock of "Tush" and "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" to the more recent but still enjoyable "Doubleback" (from "Back To The Future II" sound track originally), this album gives a great taste of this classic blues-based rock band. Also enjoyable is the raunch of "Pearl Necklace" and "Tube Snake Boogie" as well as the rare slow ZZ Top track "Rough Boy"--also a mid-'80s favorite. In summary, this is a fine collection to get an overall taste of what this band was about in their prime. Definitely a recommended purchase for any '80s fans of the band and '70s fans of the band who still enjoyed them when they became popular later on.
22 of 24 found the following review helpful:
Cool cars and fuzzy guitars!! May 13, 2002
This Texas trio, comprised of Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard KNOW HOW TO ROCK! This is an absolutely fabulous hits collection. It really should've been a 2 disc set, because these guys have had so many great songs that it is impossible to cram them all into one disc. The 80's rolled around, and ZZ experimented with the new technology, fusing keyboards and synthesizers with their legendary blues rock, and it was a formula that absolutely worked. If you liked the 80's version of ZZ, then you'll love this CD! I love all of their music, 70's, 80's, 90's and beyond. My fav's are the cuts from the Eliminator and Afterburner albums. Absolute fav tracks are 'Sharp Dressed Man', 'Gimme All Your Lovin', 'My Heads In Mississippi, 'Rough Boy' and the 70's hit 'La Grange'. Some of my other favs are missing, songs like 'Velcro Fly', 'TV Dinners', 'Stages' and the original version of 'Legs'. The version of 'Legs' in this collection is the re-mixed version(but is still a great song). This is still a 5-star collection that is worthy to be at the top of your music collection. Another great CD to get is their greatest hits package from the 70's "The Best Of ZZ Top". These guys are just plain cool, and they know how to rock! If you don't have it, my advice to you is get it ASAP! ROCK ON!!
12 of 12 found the following review helpful:
 ZZ TOPPLES Oct 12, 2005
By Jukebox Dave
ZZ TOP-GREATEST HITS: Originally "That Li'l Ol Band From Texas" was a greasy power trio steeped in gutbucket southern bloozer rock which served their legions of fans admirably. Starting with the mega-selling ELIMINATOR, those infernal curses of rock and roll, the dreaded synthesizer and the sequencer, began to dominate their sound. A red hotrod, dark shades, gyrating "Top-ettes", and Rip Van Winkle beards completed their schtick in trade. If any or all elements of this MTV makeover appalls the RNB purist in you, then pick up a copy of THE BEST OF ZZ TOP, crank up JESUS JUST LEFT CHICAGO or BEER DRINKERS AND HELL RAISERS, and pretend these cats called it quits in 1982. Otherwise, read on...GREATEST HITS offers the interchangable SHARP DRESSED MAN and GIMME ALL YOUR LOVIN' as the best of their musical metamorphesis, while the nadir is represented by new wavey duds SLEEPING BAG and VELCRO FLY (the latter thankfully missing here). The classic booty ode TUSH, JOHN LEE HOOKER chug-fest LA GRANGE, and funky fashion statement CHEAP SUNGLASSES are welcome "oldies", but where's their soul-searin' cover of SAM AND DAVE's STAX chestnut I THANK YOU? A new version of VIVA LAS VEGAS, complete with Elvis soundbites, is either good or awful, depending on your tolerance for such stuff. In short, if you like your ZZ over the Top, GREATEST HITS is a no-brainer.
RATING: THREE RAZORS
11 of 12 found the following review helpful:
***1/2 - pretty good Aug 08, 2004
By Docendo Discimus
Well, the music is better than "pretty good". ZZ Top's tough blues n' boogie is here a-plenty, but there are a few minor songs here, too many MTV-era pop-rock numbers and not enough of their gritty 70s material for my taste.
I know, it's called "Greatest Hits", so if you only want the hits, I suppose it's all fine and good. But I'd go for the new double-disc anthology "Rancho Texicano" instead if I was looking for my first ZZ Top purchase...that one paints a much more complete picture of the little ol' band from Texas.
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