Singles and album trivia
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
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