"Greatest Hits Live"? Uh, they didn't actually have any hits. Don't get me wrong, I love these guys, but it's a pretty silly title for the album. Anyway, this album was recorded live during the Ramones farewell tour, on 2/29/96(Leap day!) in New York City. Unfortunately, only about half the show is included here. On the plus side, several of the songs here are from their last studio album, so these are the first live versions of those songs. It's a typical, solid Ramones concert. There are also two bonus studio tracks included. They are covers of Motorhead's "R.A.M.O.N.E.S." and The Dave Clark Five's "Any Way You Want It". I happen to like both of them a lot. This is not an essential Ramones CD by any means, but their hardcore fans will want to get it. For the curious, here is the coplete set list of the 2/29/96 concert:

1.Durango 95
2.Teenage Lobotomy
3.Psycho Therapy
4.Blizkrieg Bop
5.Do You Remember Rock'N'Roll Radio
6.I Believe in Miracles
7.Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment
8.Rock'N'Roll High School
9.I Wanna Be Sedated
10.Spider-Man
11.The KKK Took My Baby Away
12.I Don't Want To Grow Up
13.Commando
14.Sheena Is A Punk Rocker
15.Rockaway Beach
16.Pet Sematary
17.Strength to Endure
18.Cretin Family
19.Do you Wanna Dance?
20.Somebody Put Something In my Drink
21.California Sun
22.Wart Hog
23.Cretin Hop
24.R.A.M.O.N.E.S
25.Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World
26.Pinhead
27.The Crusher
28.I Just Want To Have Something To Do
29.We're a Happy Family
30.Anyway You Want It
31.53rd And 3rd
32.Beat On The Brat
33.Love Kills
34.Chinese Rocks
35.Havana Affair

It's because it's a totally redundant contract-filler. The songs aren't the problem; it's the lack of excitement. Joey even sounds kinda bored... well, make that more bored than usual. What a drag. Makes the competent LOCO LIVE album look like a masterpiece in comparison (tho' IT'S ALIVE still stands as the true classic, and one of the best live rock albums of all time). Leave this alone... for completists only. (Guilty!)

This show was great, I was there and it was the best Ramones show I ever saw. Its just to bad so many tunes did not make it on.

Greatest Hits Live is a excellent Ramones live experience. The band blazes through many of thier best songs with energy of punks half thier age!

Unfourtunatly, the album is really short and seems to be tacked on as a footnote of thier legacy (unlike "its alive" and "Locco Live" which were full concert performances).

I would recommend LOCCO LIVE if you want the best Ramones live album. Greatest hits is just too short!

However, the performance is great. The songs are played faster and louder than the actual studio recordings. Bassist CJ sings on some of the songs too. They play thier new stuff and classic oldies too. Great performance.

Joey's commentary on this record is classic:
"Here we are, Home sweet home New York City!!! This one goes out to all of you, take it CJ!"

"I dont know if you all know this, but undearneath this building lies the Pet Sematary!!!"

I'm a sucker for live Ramones albums, like I am for those of James Brown and Neil Young. In their own way all three hit a groove so relentless it's absolutely hypnotic - I could listen all day. I'd say this one isn't quite as good as "It's Alive", "Loco Live" or "We're Outta Here" only because, at 37 minutes, it's way too short.