The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit)

The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) is the first compilation album by English hard rock band Thunder. Released on 25 September 1995 by EMI Records, it features songs from the band's first three studio albums – Backstreet Symphony, Laughing on Judgement Day and Behind Closed Doors – as well as a re-recorded version of "Higher Ground", 1994 single "Gimme Shelter" and new tracks "In a Broken Dream" and "Once in a Lifetime".

The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit)
Compilation album by Thunder
Released	25 September 1995
Recorded	1989–1995
Genre	Hard rock heavy metal
Length	75:21
Label	EMI
Producer	Andy Taylor Luke Morley Mike Fraser
Thunder compilation album chronology
The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) (1995) Burrn! Presents: The Best of Thunder (1998)
Singles from The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit)
"In a Broken Dream" Released: 11 September 1995

Upon its release, Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) reached number 22 on the UK Albums Chart, number 3 on the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart and number 47 on the Scottish Albums Chart. The album was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), indicating sales of 60,000 units. "In a Broken Dream" reached number 26 on the UK Singles Chart and number 28 on the Scottish Singles Chart, and topped the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart.

Background

On 11 September 1995, Thunder released a cover version of "In a Broken Dream", originally recorded by Python Lee Jackson with additional vocals from Rod Stewart, as a single.[1] The song debuted at number 26 on the UK Singles Chart,[2] number 28 on the Scottish Singles Chart,[3] and number 1 on the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart.[4] Two weeks later, the band's first compilation album The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) was released.[1] The album features a selection of tracks from Thunder's first three studio albums – including five from 1990's Backstreet Symphony, four from Laughing on Judgement Day and three from 1995's Behind Closed Doors – as well as "In a Broken Dream", a re-recorded version of "Higher Ground" dubbed "Higher Ground '95", a recording of The Rolling Stones song "Gimme Shelter" (originally released on a various artists single of the same name), and the previously unreleased "Once in a Lifetime".[5]

A greatest hits album was originally suggested to Thunder by EMI Records, their record label at the time, which the band's vocalist Danny Bowes interpreted as a sign that they were "about to get dropped" by the company.[6] Recalling the situation in the group's 2016 biography Giving the Game Away: The Thunder Story, Bowes noted that "my first thought was 'That means we're off the label. They're trying to get the money in before they heave us out the door.'"[6] The band recorded the new tracks "In a Broken Dream", "Higher Ground '95" and "Once in a Lifetime" at Wool Hall Studios in Beckington, Somerset.[6]

Release

The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) was released in the UK and Europe by EMI Records on 25 September 1995.[1] The album debuted at number 22 on the UK Albums Chart,[2] number 3 on the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart,[7] and number 47 on the Scottish Albums Chart.[8] It was also certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry, indicating sales in the UK of 60,000 units.[9] The album was issued in Japan by Toshiba EMI on 29 November 1995.[10] The album was also reissued in Japan in 2004, featuring the previously unreleased track "Sex Groove".[5] Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Doug Odell described Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) as "a well-rounded collection for diehard fans or a perfect introduction for new ones".[11] The compilation was promoted on its own short concert tour dubbed Their Finest Set (And a Bit), which visited five cities in England between 27 September and 2 October 1995.[12]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Dirty Love"	Luke Morley	5:25
2.	"River of Pain"	Morley	3:37
3.	"Love Walked In"	Morley	6:22
4.	"Everybody Wants Her"	Morley Gary "Harry" James Danny Bowes Ben Matthews	4:29
5.	"In a Broken Dream"	David Bentley	5:46
6.	"Higher Ground '95"	Morley	4:24
7.	"Backstreet Symphony"	Morley	4:30
8.	"A Better Man"	Morley	3:40
9.	"Gimme Shelter"	Mick Jagger Keith Richards	5:25
10.	"Like a Satellite"	Morley	4:52
11.	"Low Life in High Places"	Morley	4:09
12.	"Stand Up"	Morley James	4:00
13.	"Once in a Lifetime"	Morley	4:45
14.	"Gimme Some Lovin'"	Spencer Davis Steve Winwood Muff Winwood	3:49
15.	"Castles in the Sand"	Morley	4:36
16.	"She's So Fine"	Morley Andy Taylor	5:32
Total length:			75:21

Japanese reissue bonus track

No.	Title	Length
17.	"Sex Groove"

Notes

• Tracks 1, 3, 7, 14 and 16 were originally released on Backstreet Symphony (1990)
• Tracks 2, 12 and 15 were originally released on Behind Closed Doors (1995)
• Tracks 4, 8, 10 and 11 were originally released on Laughing on Judgement Day (1992)
• Tracks 5, 6, 13 and 17 were previously unreleased
• Track 9 was originally released on Gimme Shelter Rock (1994)

Personnel

• Danny Bowes – vocals
• Luke Morley – guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals (tracks 8 and 11), harmonica (track 8), production (tracks 2, 4, 8, 10–12 and 15)
• Ben Matthews – guitar, keyboards, piano, additional engineering
• Gary "Harry" James – drums, percussion
• Mark "Snake" Luckhurst – bass (tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14 and 16)
• Mikael Höglund – bass (tracks 2, 5, 6, 9, 12, 13 and 15)
• International Singing Criminals – backing vocals (track 4)
• The Big Bad Horns – horns (track 4)
• Snake Davis – saxophone (track 4)
• Mo Hepple – backing vocal arrangements (track 4)
• Jody Linscott – percussion (track 10)
• Andy Taylor – production (tracks 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 14 and 16)
• Mike Fraser – production and engineering (tracks 2, 12 and 15), mixing (tracks 1–3, 5–7, 9 and 12–16)
• Ken Lomas – engineering (tracks 4, 8, 10 and 11)
• David Bascombe – mixing (tracks 4, 8, 10 and 11)
• Ross Halfin – photography

References

1. "History". Thunder. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
2. "Thunder Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
3. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100: 17 September 1995 - 23 September 1995". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
4. "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40: 17 September 1995 - 23 September 1995". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
5. "Their Finest Hour (And a Bit)". Thunder. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
6. McIver 2016, p. 214
7. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40: 01 October 1995 - 07 October 1995". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
8. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100: 01 October 1995 - 07 October 1995". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
9. "Certified Awards". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 June 2017. Note: User must manually define search parameter as "Thunder" and click the 'Search' button in order to yield results.
10. "Best Album (Their Finest Hour (...And a Bit))" (in Japanese). Ikuko "Ken-san" Yamamoto. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
11. Odell, Doug. "Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) - Thunder: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
12. "Behind Closed Doors Tour". Thunder. Retrieved 10 June 2017.

Bibliography

• McIver, Joel (11 November 2016), Giving the Game Away: The Thunder Story, London, England: Omnibus Press, ISBN 978-1785581373

External links

• The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) on Thunder's official website
• The Best of Thunder: Their Finest Hour (And a Bit) at Discogs (list of releases)