Men Without Hats are best remembered for their infectious 1983 dance-floor smash "The Safety Dance" ("We can dance if we want to..."), but that track is just one of many melodic synth-pop gems found on this Canadian compilation. This disc was released shortly after an American compilation called
Collection and features similar artwork, but their are significant differences between the two discs. As well as liner notes by the Hats' original manager
Marc Durand,
Greatest Hats features a different track lineup than its U.S. counterpart. Tracks found only on the Canadian disc include "Freeways," "On Tuesday" and "Sideways." Curiously though,
Greatest Hats omits Canadian hits like "Moonbeam" and "Hey Men," while including several tracks that weren't hits. Like the American
Collection, this disc includes both versions of "The Safety Dance": the short version (as heard on the promo video) and the longer club mix, which features lead singer
Ivan rapping. There was much more to
Men Without Hats than "The Safety Dance," and
Greatest Hats serves as a fine introduction to this quirky, melodic electro-pop ensemble.
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Robin Platts, Rovi