Deep Purple – Deep Purple Forever – The Very Best Of (Compilation, 2005)
A definitive snapshot of a hard rock legacy
Released in 2005, Deep Purple Forever – The Very Best Of is a career-spanning compilation designed to celebrate Deep Purple’s enduring legacy at a time when the band was still actively releasing new studio material (Rapture of the Deep appeared the same year). Rather than focusing solely on one era, this release aims to present Deep Purple as a continuous, evolving force, blending classic hits with later-period selections.
Positioned above budget compilations but below massive box sets, Deep Purple Forever targets listeners who want a solid, authoritative overview without diving into rarities or deep cuts.
🎧 Mini Album Review
This compilation strikes a careful balance between familiarity and scope.
Key traits:
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Heavy emphasis on the Mk II golden era, where most of the band’s iconic material originates
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Select tracks from Mk III and Mk VII, acknowledging Deep Purple’s post-1970s evolution
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Clean remastering that modernizes the sound without losing analog warmth
The sequencing flows smoothly, moving from explosive hard rock staples to more melodic and reflective tracks. It’s not adventurous, but it’s confident, polished, and effective.
Verdict:
One of the stronger single-disc “very best of” collections — ideal for listeners who want depth without overload.
🎶 Tracklist – Typical Edition
Tracklists vary slightly by territory, but a representative version includes:
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Smoke on the Water
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Highway Star
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Black Night
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Child in Time
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Strange Kind of Woman
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Fireball
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Woman from Tokyo
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Burn
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Perfect Strangers
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Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming
This selection highlights the band’s key creative peaks, from early-’70s hard rock to their successful 1980s reunion and later Steve Morse era.
📊 Commercial Performance
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Sold steadily across Europe, Japan, and North America
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Did not dominate charts, but achieved strong catalog sales
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Benefited from renewed interest following the release of Rapture of the Deep
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Often marketed as a gift-friendly or introductory release
The album helped reinforce Deep Purple’s position as a legacy act that was still creatively active, not just a nostalgia brand.
👥 Personnel (By Era Represented)
Mark II (Core Tracks)
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Ian Gillan – Vocals
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Ritchie Blackmore – Guitar
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Jon Lord – Keyboards
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Roger Glover – Bass
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Ian Paice – Drums
Mark III
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David Coverdale – Vocals
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Glenn Hughes – Bass/Vocals
Mark VII
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Ian Gillan – Vocals
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Steve Morse – Guitar
This lineup diversity reinforces the idea of Deep Purple as a multi-era institution, not a band frozen in one moment.
🎼 Concept & Curation
🎯 “Forever” branding
The title emphasizes longevity — not just peak success, but decades of relevance.
📀 Single-disc focus
Unlike box sets, this compilation is meant to be played straight through, not studied.
🎸 Era balance
While Mk II dominates, later eras are included to present a complete narrative.
🎸 Fun Facts & Trivia
🔥 Smoke on the Water’s staying power
Still the band’s most streamed and recognized track — and almost always the opener here.
🎤 Two guitar eras represented
Ritchie Blackmore and Steve Morse appear side by side, offering contrasting but complementary guitar identities.
🎹 Jon Lord’s constant presence
Lord appears across all represented eras, reinforcing his role as the architect of Deep Purple’s sound.
📦 Multiple editions
Some releases included bonus tracks or alternate sequencing, adding minor collector interest.
🤔 Did You Know?
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The compilation was released the same year as Rapture of the Deep, making it both a retrospective and a contemporary promotional tool.
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“Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming” is one of the few post-Blackmore songs regularly included on “best of” releases, reflecting its fan popularity.
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Deep Purple are among the best-selling hard rock bands of all time, with catalog sales well into the tens of millions.
🧠 Legacy & Final Thoughts
Deep Purple Forever – The Very Best Of does exactly what it promises. It doesn’t dig deep into obscurities or reinterpret history — instead, it presents Deep Purple’s strongest, most enduring material in a clear and accessible format.
For newcomers, it’s a near-perfect entry point. For longtime fans, it’s a well-curated refresher that respects every major era without overwhelming the listener.
More than anything, the compilation reinforces one simple truth: Deep Purple weren’t just great once — they stayed great, evolved, and endured.
