Singles and album trivia

[tenohtwo]

I like reading music trivia about how Single X wasn't originally going to be on Album Y, the UK release is RADICALLY different from the US release, the B-side had more success than the A-side, a particular LP viny track never made it on to the CD release, etc. Here are a few off the top of my head:

Thomas Dolby - The Golden Age of Wireless
"She Blinded Me With Science" and its b-side "One Of Our Submarines" was not on the original version of this album. Also, Wireless exists in about 5 or 6 different configurations, which tracks omitted and added, different mixes, etc. Someone may have linked it here, but there's a blog online that breaks down the details of every version released. Pretty fascinating.

XTC - Skylarking
This one's pretty well known, but "Grass" was the first single, with non-LP track "Dear God" was the b-side. "Dear God's" sudden success pretty much forced Virgin to repress Skylarking with that song added on. For you XTC experts, a question: was it the success of the video, or did they shoot that later?

Depeche Mode - "Strangelove"
The original, 4-to-the-floor version was deemed too 'upbeat' for Masses by the producer (Daniel Miller?), so the drums were re-written in the off-beat style you hear on the album (aka Strangelove '88).

Shriekback - Jam Science
I realize that albums released with various tracklistings is opening up a pretty big can on this thread, but one of the more radical examples would have to be this album. Y Records released an unauthorized version, with a scrambled tracklisting and alternate recordings, featuring two songs not included on the official Arista release (and missing tracks from the Arista release). Also, the horrible artwork includes a picture of a screw with a 'face', allegedly a symbolic message from Y that Shriekback 'screwed' them to go to Arista. Or something like that.

Y Records version:

Under The Lights
Building Up A New Home
Hand On My Heart
International
Putting On The Pressure
Party Line
My Careful Hands
Midnight Maps

Arista Records version:

Hand On My Heart
Newhome
Achtung
Partyline
Midnight Maps
Mercy Dash
Under The Lights
My Careful Hands
Suck
Hubris

The Smiths - Meat Is Murder
An obvious one, but "How Soon Is Now" does not appear on the original UK release, and is added to the U.S. Sire Records release (though the outer jacket of the U.S. vinyl release doesn't list the song) Probably not uncommon for labels to add singles to an album to promote sales, I'd imagine?

I'm sure there's a million more examples out there, and I'd love to read about them.

1002

[eighties]

<a href="http://www.littlehits.com/2006/12/thomas-dolby-wreck-of-fairchild.html">Versions of the 'Golden Age of Wireless' album and songs</a>

<a href="http://www.ionpool.net/duran/">Versions of the 'Rio' album and songs</a>

All the best,
eighties

[KYYX4ever]

Duran Duran's original ST effort (with a different cover--the 5 guys all heavily pompadoured, posing by the car) included a slow, moody, but REALLY COOL song called "To The Shore". After the success of [i]Rio[/i], their 2nd album, the record co. re-released the first original ST album, only they took out "To The Shore". ITSISK was just a new single with no album to support it. Same tracklisting otherwise. You can find the original album in hard-to-find places with some luck and work (I like it better myself.)

[tenohtwo]

Yes! The Little Hits site, that was it. Thanks eighties. I haven't read the Rio page yet, cool.

1002

[glokstadt]

Sme stories I remember:

Sire/Warner Bros. released the "Catching Up With Depeche Mode" so that there would be a domestic release of all the "import" singles (7" and 12") sales would slow down as DM was in between albums...

The Clash recorded "Train In Vain" after all the album covers were printed up; thus, the "hidden" track...

I bought AFOS's second album "Listen" on cassette tape because their were two more tracks on there than the record LP. I also think think they've had different releases in the U.K. vs. the U.S. as well, just not 100% sure... Anyone? Bueller?

The Clash wanted to record and release a 4-record release at a single album price... The final result thanks to the recod compatny was a thriple album at the cost of a double album; Sandanista!

I know I know more stories and examples, just haven't thought about it in over 25 years! [:p]


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[Parrothead]

[quote][i]Originally posted by KYYX4ever[/i]
<br>Duran Duran's original ST effort (with a different cover--the 5 guys all heavily pompadoured, posing by the car) included a slow, moody, but REALLY COOL song called "To The Shore". After the success of [i]Rio[/i], their 2nd album, the record co. re-released the first original ST album, only they took out "To The Shore". ITSISK was just a new single with no album to support it. Same tracklisting otherwise. You can find the original album in hard-to-find places with some luck and work (I like it better myself.)
[/quote]

My copy of the ST album (Harvest Label) is without "To The Shore", but includes the "night version" of Planet Earth.

[rsgonzalez]

[quote]Originally posted by tenohtwo
Thomas Dolby - The Golden Age of Wireless
"She Blinded Me With Science" and its b-side "One Of Our Submarines" was not on the original version of this album. Also, Wireless exists in about 5 or 6 different configurations, which tracks omitted and added, different mixes, etc. Someone may have linked it here, but there's a blog online that breaks down the details of every version released. Pretty fascinating.
[/quote]

Dolby himself is finally getting to weigh in on this for an upcoming re-release:

http://blog.thomasdolby.com/?p=569

[Minty]

[quote][i]Originally posted by KYYX4ever[/i]
<br>Duran Duran's original ST effort (with a different cover--the 5 guys all heavily pompadoured, posing by the car) included a slow, moody, but REALLY COOL song called "To The Shore". After the success of [i]Rio[/i], their 2nd album, the record co. re-released the first original ST album, only they took out "To The Shore". ITSISK was just a new single with no album to support it. Same tracklisting otherwise. You can find the original album in hard-to-find places with some luck and work (I like it better myself.)
[/quote]My LP has "To The Shore". For those who don't have it, trust me, you're not missing out. ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz