by Joseph McCombsReleased shortly before their run of hit singles came to a close, 1975's Joy to the World provides a convenient greatest hits package for the casual Three Dog Night fan. It serves as a collection of hit singles rather than a historical overview of the band, and, to that end, it covers most of the necessary ground. There are some glaring omissions of the group's early tracks — their first hit,"Try a Little Tenderness," the Laura Nyro-penned"Eli's Coming," and the Randy Newman-written number one hit"Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" being the most obvious — but anyone who's acutely aware of these absences is most likely going to spring for a more definitive greatest hits album anyway. Joy to the World is a decent compilation for those who prefer the band's later, less soulful work.