Original Bad Company Anthology

RELEASE
March 23, 1999
LABEL
Elektra
GENRES
Pop/Rock, Hard Rock

Album Review

Somehow or other, Bad Company got lumped in with other '70s rock dinosaurs. In a way they were -- not because their music was excessive or dated, but because when Bad Company walked the earth, the ground shook. Featuring the voice of Paul Rodgers, one of rock's greatest singers, the thoroughly excellent Original Bad Company Anthology re-establishes Bad Company as a force in the music world. The 33-song, two-CD set contains all the classic songs that made the band a top-selling recording and concert attraction, as well as four brand new songs and six B-sides and outtakes. The new songs are (surprise!) awesome. All four tracks (two by Mick Ralphs, two by Paul Rodgers) sound like they could be on the band's classic early albums. The first single, "Hey Hey," is a blustery rocker; "Tracking Down a Runaway," a totally exhilarating number, sounds like a future hit. The rarities include "Easy on My Soul," a remade Free song from the Straight Shooter sessions -- complete with Paul Rodgers' signature piano -- that blows the Free version out of the water, and might just be the best track Bad Company has ever done. Other highlights include "Superstar Woman," a soulful outtake from the first LP sessions, and "Smokin' 45" from the Burnin' Sky sessions. "Little Miss Fortune," with its cool lyrics and groove, is a former B-side finally seeing the light of day in the CD age. The set draws from all of their albums, emphasizing the first two, but the band even found two good tracks from the utterly pathetic Rough Diamonds; if those songs are good you can be sure the rest kick some serious butt as well.
Geoff Ginsberg, Rovi

Track Listing

  1. Can't Get Enough
  2. Rock Steady
  3. Ready for Love
  4. Bad Company
  5. Movin' On [Single Mix]
  6. Seagull
  7. Superstar Woman [Original Unused Track]
  8. Little Miss Fortune [Single Mix]
  9. Good Lovin' Gone Bad
  10. Feel Like Makin' Love
  11. Shooting Star
  12. Deal with the Preacher
  13. Wild Fire Woman
  14. Easy on My Soul [Single Mix]
  15. Whiskey Bottle [Single Mix]
  16. Honey Child
  17. Run With the Pack
  18. Silver, Blue and Gold
  19. Do Right by Your Woman [Previously Unused Mix][#]
  20. Burnin' Sky
  21. Heartbeat
  22. Too Bad
  23. Smokin' 45 [Original Unused Track]
  24. Rock & Roll Fantasy
  25. Evil Wind
  26. Oh, Atlanta
  27. Rhythm Machine
  28. Untie the Knot
  29. Downhill Ryder
  30. Tracking Down a Runaway [New Song]
  31. Ain't It Good [New Song]
  32. Hammer of Love [New Song]
  33. Hey, Hey [New Song]