I think it's on par with "In Trance", which is a compliment, as both are killer records, but the band's next album is their best with Uli. I love the tracks "Pictured Life", "Catch Your Train", and "Backstage Queen".

A buddy of mine had this album way back in '81 and I musta heard it a thousand times. I love this album, they really turned it up a notch. The hippy elements of the former albums were mostly gone and they were heading into the late 70's on a high note.

Catch your Train is one of my all time favorite Scorps tunes.... Uli just BURNS!!!!!!

Pictured Life kicks absolute hiney......


A great album....

Kick @$$ lp.....plain and simple

An excellent album filled with great songs: Pictured Life, Catch Your Train, Polar Nights and even Yellow Raven.

Scorpions - Taken By Force
Released January 1978

Track List:
Side one
"Steamrock Fever" (Schenker/Meine) – 3:37
"We'll Burn the Sky" (Schenker/Dannemann) – 6:26
"I've Got to Be Free" (Roth) – 4:00
"The Riot of Your Time" (Schenker/Meine) – 4:09

Side two
"The Sails of Charon" (Roth) – 5:16 (most versions of the album contain a 4:23 edited version)
"Your Light" (Roth) – 4:31
"He's a Woman – She's a Man" (Schenker/Meine/Rarebell) – 3:15
"Born to Touch Your Feelings" (Schenker/Meine) – 7:40

Following the release of Virgin Killer, Rudy Lenners left the Scorps due to health reasons. He was replaced by long term Scorpions drummer (and fan favorite) Herman "Ze German" Rarebell. Herman's style of playing would be immediately felt on the new album. Herman Ze German also spoke and wrote the best English of all the Scorpions and he would begin to write lyrics to the songs.

Musically, the album picks up right where Virgin Killer left off but with even more 70's Metal heaviness to it. This album just rocks!!!! With awesome tracks such as the lead off single, "Steamrock Fever" you just know this album will kick a$$. 'He's a woman, she's a man" is another well known track from "Taken By Force"

"We'll Burn The Sky" is an awesome ballad that would lay the foundation for future Scorpions ballads. This one was written by Rudolph and Monika Dannemann who is better know as the last girlfriend of Hendrix. Uli also dated Dannemann after Hendrix's death - maybe taking his love of Hendrix and influences a bit too far. Uli also wasn't happy about the more commercial direction the Scorpions where taking and announced his departure following the 'taken By Force" tour.

This is yet another must have for Scorpions fans. It sometimes gets lost between the great "Virgin Killer" and "Tokyo Tapes" but it may be the best Uli Jon Roth era Scorpions studio album and another must have.

Great album. Brought it into work with me and just played it this morning. I have the re-issue with a coupla live tracks tacked on the end and this cover...



It was nice to finally hear the original versions of "He's a Woman..." and "Sails of Charon" after hearing their cover versions for so long (Helloween and Testament respectively)

Sails is the defining song on here imo. Great listen.

This is my favorite Scorpions album, love every track on this album, and it makes me wonder why I have not gotten around to replacing my vinyl copy for a CD version? I will have to do that this year.

'We'll Burn the Sky" is a great song as is 'Your Light'. The worst song on the album 'He's A Woman...' is still a great track.

Not much else to say it except this album rocks.

I bought this album four years ago, and it was my first purchase of the Scorpions in the Uli Jon Roth era. I don't know if it's my favorite Scorpions album of all time, due to the fact that I haven't been listening to this one for years, like I have with 80's Scorpions. With that being said, it's chock full of killer tunes.

Favorites in order:

1. Sails of Charon
2. We'll Burn the Sky
3. Steamrock Fever
4. He's A Woman, She's A Man
5. the Riot of Your Time
6. I've Got to be Free

I didn't get this album until recently. it was always sold as a high priced import on Lp and never available on cassette... at least in San Jose. I knew a lot of the tunes because they appeared on Tokyo Tapes.

I have both covers on vinyl and one of those 70's "bootleg" vinyls of a show in Holland from this tour. This is probably my favorite Scorps album.

Scorpions - Best Of Scorpions
Released 1978

Track List:

Side one
"Steamrock Fever" (from the album Taken by Force) (3:35)
"Pictured Life" (from the album Virgin Killer) (3:23)
"Robot Man" (from the album In Trance) (2:42)
"Backstage Queen" (from the album Virgin Killer) (3:12)
"Speedy's Coming" (from the album Fly to the Rainbow) (3:35)
"Hell Cat" (from the album Virgin Killer) (2:54)

Side two
"He's a Woman, She's a Man" (from the album Taken by Force) (3:14)
"In Trance" (from the album In Trance) (4:43)
"Dark Lady" (from the album In Trance) (3:25)
"The Sails of Charon" (from the album Taken by Force) (4:24)
"Virgin Killer" (from the album Virgin Killer) (3:41)

In 1978, RCA released the first Scorpions "Greatest Hits" package. As per the norm, this was a quick cash grab from RCA as the Scorps record contract was about to run out. Like several of the previous Scorpions albums, this one had multiple cover - the original shown at the top, the Japan version:



The 1984 US re-release had the following cover:



Of note, the Japan version features the original version of "Sails Of Charon" at a time of 5:16. The US/European version features an edited version of the song at 4:24.

I actually don't have this album, since I already have all of the songs on the studio albums. But, if you want to get a good sample of the Scorpion's 70's Uli Jon Roth studio output, this would be a great album to pick up.

This is one of those comp albums that maybe a cash grab but is solidly put together and flows nicely, one of my fav comp albums.

Never saw/heard this one. I like the tracklisting though. Is this still available on cd or is it out-of-print?

Ahhhh, nuts.