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4.5 stars Ave. rating: 4.5 from 9 votes.
 


After the departure of original member Siobhan Fahey in early 1988, it seemed like a fitting time to end the era with a Greatest Hits package, which eventually happened in the autumn of 1988. The release coincided with Bananarama's inclusion in the Guinness Book Of World Records as "The Most Successful All Girl Group" with their new single, Love, Truth & Honesty. New member Jacquie in the first few months of becoming a member of the group was thrown into promoting an album she essentially had little to no part in, which included accepting an award from The Guinness Book Of Records. One can only assume she felt very awkward!

The Greatest Hits was a surprisingly comprehensive package of well known hits. Including 16 tracks that covered everything from Really Saying Something to the new track Nathan Jones. Unsurprisingly there were a few absentees, namely; Cheers Then, Hotline to Heaven, Do Not Disturb and More Than Physical. Trick of the Night and Aie A Mwana both appeared as "Bonus Tracks" on the CD release (which also included Venus (Hellfire Mix) and Love In The First Degree (Eurobeat Style)).

Collectably, the Greatest Hits Collection has many overseas releases some of which offer different track listings and also different sleeves. One notable collectable is the Spanish release which is available on LP & Cassette and features a unique Greatest Hits Megamix. This megamix was also released as a single in Spain, with great 7" version.

Initial copies of the Greatest Hits Collection feature an early remix of Nathan Jones as the song was still undergoing remixing at the time of release, the single version as we know it was later added. Five months after the initial release, the Comic Relief single HELP! was added, and finally in 2000, Preacher Man (the girls biggest seller from Pop Life) was added in a vague and rather cheap attempt to update the package.

The Greatest Hits Collection has become the most successful of all Bananarama's albums, going 3xPlatinum in the UK only 5 months after its release (900,000 copies sold) and sold well the world over.

UK London RAMA5
Released: October 1988
UK chart position: 3