The Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage
Greatest hits album by
New Riders of the Purple Sage
Released1976
Recorded1971–1975
GenreCountry rock
LabelColumbia
New Riders of the Purple Sage chronology
Oh, What a Mighty Time
(1975) 		The Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage
(1976) 		New Riders
(1976)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Allmusic (re-release)[2]
Christgau's Record GuideD+[3]
Sounds[4]

The Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage is an album by the country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage. It contains a selection of songs that had previously appeared on the band's first seven albums, which were recorded between 1971 and 1975. It was released by Columbia Records in 1976.[5][6][7]

According to the biography of the band on their official web site, "Just about this time, the music business was entering another era and the New Riders ended their relationship with Columbia Records. The subsequent release of The Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage, with its infamous cover, fulfilled their obligation to Columbia and the band then signed with MCA Records in 1976."[8]

Five of the ten songs on The Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage were taken from the band's self-titled first album. Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead plays pedal steel guitar on those tracks.

Expanded re-release

In 2006, The Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage was re-released with five additional songs. Four of the "bonus tracks" had been previously released on the Columbia albums. The fifth is an alternate version of "Linda", from the Gypsy Cowboy recording sessions.

Track listing

  1. "I Don't Know You" (John Dawson) – 2:29
  2. "Glendale Train" (Dawson) – 3:02
  3. "Hello Mary Lou" (Gene Pitney, Cayet Mangiaracina) – 2:59
  4. "Louisiana Lady" (Dawson) – 3:06
  5. "Kick in the Head" (Robert Hunter) – 2:33
  6. "Panama Red" (Peter Rowan) – 2:49
  7. "Last Lonely Eagle" (Dawson) – 5:14
  8. "You Angel You" (Bob Dylan) – 2:45
  9. "I Don't Need No Doctor" (single version) (Jo Armstead, Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson) – 3:09
  10. "Henry" (Dawson) – 2:36

Re-release bonus tracks:

  2. "Linda" (Dawson) – 3:14
  3. "Farewell, Angelina" (Dylan) – 2:42
  4. "She's No Angel" (Wanda Ballman, J.W. Arnold) – 3:13
  5. "Sunday Susie" (Dawson) – 2:34
  6. "Groupie" (Dave Torbert) – 2:43

Original releases

The New Riders' first seven albums and the songs that were selected from them for The Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage are:

*expanded edition bonus track

Personnel

New Riders of the Purple Sage

*expanded edition bonus track

Additional musicians

Production

Notes

  1. ^ Eder, Bruce. The Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage review at Allmusic
  2. ^ Jurek, Thom. The Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage expanded re-release review at Allmusic
  3. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: N". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 8, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  4. ^ Whalley, Chas De (25 December 1976). "The Best of George Harrison (CBS 81742)" (PDF). Sounds. p. 15. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  5. ^ Strong, Martin C. (2004). The Great Rock Discography (7th ed.). Canongate U.S. p. 1083. ISBN 1-84195-615-5. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
  6. ^ The Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage at the Grateful Dead Family Discography
  7. ^ The Best of New Riders of the Purple Sage at the NRPS official website
  8. ^ "The History of NRPS" at the NRPS official website.
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