Greatest Hit (Annie song)

Infobox Single
Name = The Greatest Hit


Artist = Annie
Album = Anniemal
Released = Start date|1999
Format = 7" vinyl, 12" vinyl, CD
Recorded =
Genre = Pop, electronic
Length = 3:39
Label = Tellé
Writer = Annie, Tore Kroknes
Producer = Annie, Erot
This single = "The Greatest Hit"
(1999)
Next single = "I Will Get On"
(2002)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = single

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Lower caption = 12" vinyl single

"The Greatest Hit" is a pop song written by Norwegian singer Annie and DJ Tore "Erot" Kroknes. It samples Madonna's 1982 debut single "Everybody". Annie released the song as her limited edition debut single in 1999 (see 1999 in music). "The Greatest Hit" became an underground club hit in Norway and the United Kingdom. Retitled "Greatest Hit", the song was later included on Annie's 2004 debut album "Anniemal".

History

In the late 1990s, Annie opened a club night called Pop Till You Drop in her hometown of Bergen, Norway. There she met producer Kroknes, and the two began dating.Ely, Suzanne. [http://www.citypaper.com/music/story.asp?id=10019 "Anniemal Magnetism"] . "Baltimore City Paper". 1 June 2005. Retrieved 26 August 2008.] "The Greatest Hit" was conceived while they were staying in a house belonging to Annie's mother. Kroknes was working on a track but did not know what to do with it, so he asked Annie for help."Anne Lilia Bergen-Strand - Annie". "Scandinavian Press", volume 12, issue 4, page 25. 2005.]

Annie was listening to "Everybody" at the time, so she decided to play Madonna's debut album "Madonna" for Kroknes.Rosen, Jody. [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/01/arts/music/01rose.html "Much Ado About Annie"] . "The New York Times". 1 May 2005. Retrieved 26 August 2008.] He started to construct a song from a sample of "Everybody", and Annie came up with a melody to sing over the track. The two borrowed a small studio from downtempo duo Röyksopp to record "The Greatest Hit".

Release and impact

In 1999 Mikal Tellé, Annie's friend and neighbour, issued a limited edition release of "The Greatest Hit" under his label Tellé Records. [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2005/03/03/bmwest03.xml "A fjord fiesta with the Norwegian Kylie"] . "The Daily Telegraph". 3 March 2005. Retrieved 23 September 2008.] The release sold out in two days, and "The Greatest Hit" became an underground hit at clubs in Norway and Britain, resulting in offers for record deals. After seeing the interest that "The Greatest Hit" generated, Annie decided to turn her project into a studio album.

British producer Richard X heard "The Greatest Hit" as part of a techno set and described the song as "otherworldly and beautiful". He cited the song's "idea of pop music coming from another place, another way of thinking" as an influence on his earlier work. [Ryan, Gary. [http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/music/rock_and_pop/s/1055769_annie__pop_with_an_edge "Annie - pop with an edge"] . "Manchester Evening News". 27 June 2008. Retrieved 27 August 2008.] As a result, Richard X asked Annie to record vocals for his debut album "Richard X Presents His X-Factor Vol. 1". In exchange, he contributed "Me Plus One" and Annie's third single "Chewing Gum" to her debut album "Anniemal".Draper, Jimmy. [http://www.sfbg.com/39/39/art_music_heartbeat.html "Norwegian would"] . "San Francisco Bay Guardian". Retrieved 6 October 2008.] She aimed to make her "Anniemal" a pop album that would not quickly become dated, "that you could listen to in five years and it wouldn't sound terrible." Annie considered excluding "Greatest Hit" from the album to achieve this but ultimately included it because she felt it did not sound as if it were five years old.

Critical reception

"The Greatest Hit" received little attention when released as a single but garnered critical acclaim when "Anniemal" was released. Sal Cinquemani wrote for "Slant Magazine" that the "recycled synth-loop and elastic bassline still sound as fresh as they did in 1999 and, yes, even 1982." [Cinquemani, Sal. [http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=553 "Music Review: Annie: "Anniemal"] . "Slant Magazine". 2005. Retrieved 6 October 2008.] Scott Plagenhoef of Pitchfork Media described the song as a "intoxicating clubland 'duet' between producer and vocalist." [Plagenhoef, Scott. [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/15205-annie-anniemal "Anniemal"] . Pitchfork Media. 8 November 2004. Retrieved 6 October 2008.] Allmusic's Andy Kellman likened the song's "nonchalant ecstasy" to that of Patrice Rushen's 1982 funk single "Forget Me Nots".Kellman, Andy. [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:09fexqwsldse~T10 "Anniemal > Review"] . Allmusic. Retrieved 6 October 2008.] In a review for "The Village Voice", Dylan Hicks commented that the song "still parties as if it were" from 1999 and "betters" the song it samples. [Hicks, Dylan. [http://www.villagevoice.com/2005-05-31/music/caught-in-the-web/ "Caught in the Web"] . "The Village Voice", volume 50, issue 23. 8 June 2005. Retrieved 6 October 2008.]

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "The Greatest Hit". 7-inch vinyl single
(TELLÉ 003; Released 1999; Limited edition)
#"The Greatest Hit" (7" edit) – 4:29
#"The Greatest Hit" (7" dub rework) – 6:08

12-inch vinyl single
(TELLÉ 005; Released 1999; Limited edition)
#"The Greatest Hit" (12" extended disco mix) – 7:29
#"The Greatest Hit" (radio edit) – 4:19
#"The Greatest Hit" (12" instrumental) – 9:39

12-inch vinyl single
(LOAD 069; Released 2000)
#"The Greatest Hit" (12" extended disco mix)
#"The Greatest Hit" (Freeform Reform vocal)CD maxi single
(LOAD 069 CD; Released 2000)
#"The Greatest Hit" (edit)
#"The Greatest Hit" (extended disco mix)
#"The Greatest Hit" (Freeform Reform vocal)

12-inch vinyl single
(LOAD 070; Released 2002)
#"The Greatest Dub" (Soul Mekanik dub)
#"The Greatest Dub" (Soul Mekanik a cappella)
#"The Greatest Dub"

Charts

Personnel

*Annie – lead vocals, production
*Erot – production, mixing
*Torbjørn Brundtland – mixing
*Thoroball – photography
*Erot – sleeve design

Notes

External links

* [http://www.anniemusic.co.uk/ Annie's official website]