When Jimi Hendrix was asked what it was like to be the best guitarist in the world, he replied, “I don’t know, why don’t you go and ask Rory Gallagher.” Despite the indelible mark left by the Irish blues-rocker, Gallagher tends to be unfairly cast aside. UMe have done their part with acclaimed collections like last year’s Blues and the 2020 live set Check Shirt Wizard – Live In ’77. This Friday, October 9, the label will release a new career-spanning collection: The Best Of Rory Gallagher.

The album will be available in 1CD (15 songs), 2CD (30 songs), 2-LP (30 songs), and digital configurations, as well as a uDiscoverMusic-exclusive clear vinyl edition with a bonus single featuring an alternate mix of Jerry Lee Lewis and Rory Gallagher’s rendition of The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction.” That previously unreleased track is also available on the 2-CD edition. The collection spans the guitarist’s Polydor, Chrysalis, and Capo recordings originally issued between 1970 and 1990 including a handful of tracks with the band Taste and a posthumously issued track first released in 2010; Gallagher passed away in 1995 at the far too young age of 47.

No matter how you choose to listen, The Best of Rory Gallagher is an essential collection, perfect for new fans and longtime acolytes alike. It’s due this Friday from Universal. You can place your pre-orders with the links below and keep scrolling to peruse the full track listing with discography.

The Best of Rory Gallagher (UMe, 2020)

2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Your Local Record Shop
1CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Your Local Record Shop
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Your Local Record Shop
Limited 2-LP clear vinyl w/ bonus 7″ single: UDiscoverMusic

CD 1

1. What’s Going On – Taste
2. Shadow Play
3. Follow Me
4. Tattoo’d Lady
5. All Around Man
6. I Fall Apart
7. Daughter Of The Everglades
8. Calling Card
9. I’m Not Awake Yet
10. Just The Smile
11. Out Of My Mind
12. Edged In Blue
13. Philby
14. It’s Happened Before, It’ll Happen Again – Taste
15. Crest Of a Wave

CD 2

1. Bad Penny
2. Walk On Hot Coals
3. Blister On The Moon – Taste
4. Loanshark Blues
5. Bought & Sold
6. A Million Miles Away
7. Wheels Within Wheels (from 2010’s ‘Notes From San Francisco’ LP)
8. Seven Days
9. Ghost Blues
10. Cruise On Out
11. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Alternate) – Jerry Lee Lewis feat. Rory Gallagher
12. They Don’t Make Them Like You Anymore
13. Moonchild
14. Jinxed
15. Catfish – Taste

Disc 1, Tracks 1 and 14 from On The Boards (Polydor, 1970)
Disc 1, Tracks 2 and Disc 2, Track 10 from Photo Finish (Chrysalis, 1978)
Disc 1, Tracks 3 and 13 and Disc 2, Track 1 from Top Priority (Chrysalis, 1979)
Disc 1, Track 4 and Disc 2, Tracks 6 and 12 from Tattoo (Polydor, 1973)
Disc 1, Track 5 and Disc 2, Track 5 from Against The Grain (Chrysalis, 1975)
Disc 1, Tracks 6 and 10 from Rory Gallagher (Polydor, 1971)
Disc 1, Track 7 and Disc 2, Track 2 from Blueprint (Polydor, 1973)
Disc 1, Tracks 8 and 12 and Disc 2, Track 13 from Calling Card (Polydor, 1976)
Disc 1, Tracks 9, 11 and 15 from Deuce (Polydor, 1971)
Disc 2, Tracks 3 and 15 from Taste (Polydor, 1969)
Disc 2, Tracks 4 and 8 from Defender (Capo, 1987)
Disc 2, Track 7 from Notes From San Francisco (Capo/Legacy, 2010)
Disc 2, Track 9 from Fresh Evidence (Capo, 1990)
Disc 2, Track 11 previously unreleased outtake from The Session…Recorded In London With Great Guest Artists (Mercury, 1973)
Disc 2, Track 14 from Jinx (Chrysalis, 1982)

CD/2LP Track Listing:

1. Bad Penny
2. Shadow Play
3. I Fall Apart
4. Calling Card
5. What’s Going On
6. All Around Man
7. A Million Miles Away
8. Just The Smile
9. Seven Days
10. Jinxed
11. Edged In Blue
12. Philby
13. Walk On Hot Coals
14. Tattoo’d Lady
15. Crest Of a Wave