Morrissey - 2008 - Greatest Hits - By the Numbers

Buzzetta

Buzzetta

WOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Let's hear it for iTunes for making this information so easy to obtain.

Length of Album
Using the "single" versions of the tracks the album comes to 45:31 without "Thats How People Grow Up" and "All You Need is Me" Right there you have a waste of an album as unless those two songs clock in at about 17 minutes each there is plenty of room for more tracks.

Where Else Can I Get These Songs?
2 Songs are unreleased so far
1 Song comes from Live at Earl's Court
4 Songs come from You are the Quarry
3 Songs are available from Bona Drag
4 Songs come from Ringleader of the Tormenters
1 Song comes from Vauxhall and I

Previous albums released on Decca
0 (This means that the greatest hits album is not something being done to fulfill a contract or anything)

How Does This Compare to Other Greatest Hits / Compilations?
World of Morrissey - Running Time of 54:55
My Early Burglary Years - Running Time of 58:00
Best of Morrissey - Running Time of 1:19:13 (Estimation as I do not have the album)
Suedehead: The Best of Morrissey - Running Time of 1:10:05 (Estimation as I do not have the album)
2008 Greatest Hits: 55:00 (if AYNIM and THPGU are 5 minutes each)

How Many Songs Does Morrissey Put on His Greatest Hits Albums?
World of Morrissey - 14
My Early Burglary Years - 16
2008 Greatest Hits - 15
Suedehead: The Best of Morrissey - 19
The Best of Morrissey - 21

My Rant
I am going to repeat this ONLY because my "Dave Matthews Band - Live in Piedmont Park" DVD and CD arrived today. By preordering I got a bonus CD of additional live material previously unreleased. That was my incentive for pre-ordering. On top of top of that I got a few more songs for buying the DVD at the same time.

When Dave put out a greatest hits he had a fan poll decide what would be on Disc 1 as far as studio cuts and then a fan poll to decide what live tracks would be available for disc 2. Basically he said - what were your favorite concert experiences because we will release them. Somehow the fans were very happy with DMB's first greatest hits compilation. The incentive for preordering was the 30 minute + jam version of song #41.

This is not about Dave Matthews. This is about strategic marketing so your fans feel as if they are getting something that is worth getting. DMB did that. Is Morrissey?

How many of us are going to buy this album because you have everything else so you may as well get this too? I for one do not feel as if I am getting anything special from this album that I will not be able to get from the THPGU single. Just my two cents.
 
I don't like artists who release their work by committee. It smacks of little artistic integrity, lowest common denominator and desperation to please to me.
 
I agree with everything you've written. I'm just surprised so many people thought the tracklisting was going to be radically different. As you mentioned, he already issued several GH's or GH's type CD's. The next one was going to have the singles from YATQ and ROTT. I would have bet the farm on that a month ago. He last GH's was released in 2001, why would he pull heavily from that album when it is still on store shelves?

Redondo Beach is a little surprising. Here's hoping the band snuck into the studio unannounced and laid down a studio track of Redondo Beach. I would have thought "Don't Make Fun of Daddy's Voice" or "Ganglord" would have made the list, if, as some have written, this album, "...will surely sell well amongst casual Morrissey fans in the U.K."

A statement I find perplexing as I didn't know Morrissey had "casual fans."

As for the length. It makes me wonder if it wasn't part of the contract signing with Decca to begin with. Let us release a GH's album, and we will lighten that cash register that weighs so heavy on your back.

Buzzetta said:
Let's hear it for iTunes for making this information so easy to obtain.

Length of Album
Using the "single" versions of the tracks the album comes to 45:31 without "Thats How People Grow Up" and "All You Need is Me" Right there you have a waste of an album as unless those two songs clock in at about 17 minutes each there is plenty of room for more tracks.

Where Else Can I Get These Songs?
2 Songs are unreleased so far
1 Song comes from Live at Earl's Court
4 Songs come from You are the Quarry
3 Songs are available from Bona Drag
4 Songs come from Ringleader of the Tormenters
1 Song comes from Vauxhall and I

Previous albums released on Decca
0 (This means that the greatest hits album is not something being done to fulfill a contract or anything)

How Does This Compare to Other Greatest Hits / Compilations?
World of Morrissey - Running Time of 54:55
My Early Burglary Years - Running Time of 58:00
Best of Morrissey - Running Time of 1:19:13 (Estimation as I do not have the album)
Suedehead: The Best of Morrissey - Running Time of 1:10:05 (Estimation as I do not have the album)
2008 Greatest Hits: 55:00 (if AYNIM and THPGU are 5 minutes each)

How Many Songs Does Morrissey Put on His Greatest Hits Albums?
World of Morrissey - 14
My Early Burglary Years - 16
2008 Greatest Hits - 15
Suedehead: The Best of Morrissey - 19
The Best of Morrissey - 21

My Rant
I am going to repeat this ONLY because my "Dave Matthews Band - Live in Piedmont Park" DVD and CD arrived today. By preordering I got a bonus CD of additional live material previously unreleased. That was my incentive for pre-ordering. On top of top of that I got a few more songs for buying the DVD at the same time.

When Dave put out a greatest hits he had a fan poll decide what would be on Disc 1 as far as studio cuts and then a fan poll to decide what live tracks would be available for disc 2. Basically he said - what were your favorite concert experiences because we will release them. Somehow the fans were very happy with DMB's first greatest hits compilation. The incentive for preordering was the 30 minute + jam version of song #41.

This is not about Dave Matthews. This is about strategic marketing so your fans feel as if they are getting something that is worth getting. DMB did that. Is Morrissey?

How many of us are going to buy this album because you have everything else so you may as well get this too? I for one do not feel as if I am getting anything special from this album that I will not be able to get from the THPGU single. Just my two cents.
Click to expand...
 
Buzzetta, I completely agree with you on this one. I think there should be a little something special included for the fans instead of the same old Moz GH compilation. I was saying on the other thread that I'd buy it regardless, but have pretty much had to rethink that. Unless there really is a live CD bonus disc, I'm leaning towards just downloading the 2 new studio tracks because I really am not interested in paying $14 for a Moz paperweight.

Jones said:
I don't like artists who release their work by committee. It smacks of little artistic integrity, lowest common denominator and desperation to please to me.
Click to expand...

Kinda disagree there. When a group like the Dave Matthews Band has released as many studio and live albums and toured as frequently as they have, I think it is amazing that they decide to acknowledge their fans and give a little something special back to them. I am quite sure that sales would have been stellar even if they simply cranked out a run-of-the-mill GH album but they actually went out of their way to please the people who have supported them for so long. I think that relinquishing control and handing the track selection duties to the fans in a great idea. By leaving the artist's ego out of the process, tracks that the fans really cherish and want to hear might have been overlooked have a chance to get included. Maybe Mozzer should follow their lead.
 
Dave Matthews: right back at ya

"In August 2004, DMB was at the center of a controversy when about 800 pounds of liquid human waste was dumped from band member Boyd Tinsley's tour bus through the grate in the Kinzie Street Bridge in Chicago onto passengers aboard a sightseeing boat on the Chicago River below.[18] The bus driver pleaded guilty, and the band has donated $50,000 to the Friends of the Chicago River and $50,000 to the Chicago Park District.[19] In April 2005, the band paid $200,000 to settle the civil lawsuit that followed." [from Wikipedia]

the irony... oh, god, my eyes hurt, it's too much. Must they dump shit on us literally, as well as metaphorically?
 
"In April 2005, the band paid $200,000 to settle the civil lawsuit that followed."

In case anyone was wondering what the price for pain and suffering/mental anguish for being showered with human waste: BAM! There you have it! I tell you this Forum is a wealth of information...
 
PregnantForTheLastTime said:
Dave Matthews: right back at ya

"In August 2004, DMB was at the center of a controversy when about 800 pounds of liquid human waste was dumped from band member Boyd Tinsley's tour bus through the grate in the Kinzie Street Bridge in Chicago onto passengers aboard a sightseeing boat on the Chicago River below.[18] The bus driver pleaded guilty, and the band has donated $50,000 to the Friends of the Chicago River and $50,000 to the Chicago Park District.[19] In April 2005, the band paid $200,000 to settle the civil lawsuit that followed." [from Wikipedia]

the irony... oh, god, my eyes hurt, it's too much. Must they dump shit on us literally, as well as metaphorically?
Click to expand...

Band had no idea that the bus driver did that but accepted liability as they hired the bus. In turn wikipedia does not accurately depict the follow up of DMB vs the Bus company which I believe is still in litigation.

As I said though... it was not about DMB it was about how to do a greatest hits album the right way. In my honest opinion here... I believe that Morrissey is taking his fans for granted when it comes to this release. Bands like DMB did not and wanted to give back to their fanbase. As there are people here that like to spew how much they hate bands like DMB and U2 there seem to be an equal amount of people that DO like those bands. My download counters from shows I have posted strongly indicate that.

Besides... you do not see me throwing my two cents in how I throw up a little in my mouth every time someone runs their mouth telling the world how great New Order, R.E.M. and a couple of other bands are. Not my thing.
 
I just think its really misleading to call it a Greatest Hits, it should specifically say something like "of the last 10 years" or to that effect. and not stick older songs on there like Playboys and such. its just a really weird and random selection of songs. it reads like someone just made a mix tape. its like they WANTED to only put songs from ROTT and Quarry but then decided to stick a few classics on there so it wouldnt COMPLETELY suck.
 
How is that you can post all these numbers and not be called a nerd like some of us are? :( :D

Really, though, you're completely right. Even if he released something like 5 different versions of the album, each of which had a single unique track, you know we'd buy the entire set. Come to think of it, considering how much I've already spent on this guy, I'm kinda glad that he isn't coming out with extras and limited editions.
 
mediocre! im tired of yatq and ringleaders...at least give us b-sides not the same old shit im just not gonna buy the album:mad:
 
Suedehead = 5
Sunday = 9
Playboys = 6
Drug = 9
Ouija Board = 18
November = 12
Piccadilly = 18
Frank = 26
Sing = 33
Pregnant = 25
Love Life = 29
We Hate It When = 17
Fatty = 19
Certain = 35
Ignore Me = 8
Friends = 47
Interlude = 25
Boxers = 23
Dagenham = 26
Boy Racer = 36
Sunny = 42
Alma Matters = 16
Roy's Keen = 47
Satan = 39
Irish Blood = 3
First of the Gang = 6
Kiss You = 8
Jesus = 10
Redondo = 11
Killed Me = 3
Youngest = 14
Future = 17
Boy Happy = 16

Soooooooo...

Based on the actual chart positions a 13 track 'Greatest Hits' (plus two new songs) would be...

1) Irish Blood, English Heart
2) You Have Killed Me
3) Suedehead
4) First of the Gang to Die
5) Last of the Famous International Playboys
6) Let Me Kiss You
7) The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get
8) Interesting Drug
9) I Have Forgiven Jesus
10)Redondo Beach
11)November Spawned A Monster
12)Youngest Was The Most Loved
13)Everyday Is Like Sunday

Which is one track different to what the CD is!!

It is a greatest hits!
 
I think I might actually buy this thing. I sort of feel obligated after he did a Greatest Hits Tour and played several times within a reasonable distance from where I live. If there was some way to let him know that that was the reason why I was buying it I would.

I find the idea that 8 tracks are from the last two studio albums and that another one is my least favorite of his cover songs to be a good reason to consider not buying it, but what the heck...

He really should put out studio versions of some of the lost tracks, "Lost, too" maybe. Song From Under The Floorboards is so good.



I think it was sad when Dave Matthes broke up with Jessica Simpson. I heard that her new film "Blonde Ambition" (did they have to compensate Madonna for that title?) is going strait to DVD. She just isn't having good luck.

yes I know that is John Mayer.
 
I wasn't going to buy this anyway. I haven't bought a Morrissey compilation since "Bona Drag" and even that one I pretty much bought just for the artwork. By the time these things come out I already own all the songs and I'm sure that's true for most of us.

Dave said:
I think I might actually buy this thing. I sort of feel obligated after he did a Greatest Hits Tour and played several times within a reasonable distance from where I live. If there was some way to let him know that that was the reason why I was buying it I would.

I find the idea that 8 tracks are from the last two studio albums and that another one is my least favorite of his cover songs to be a good reason to consider not buying it, but what the heck...

He really should put out studio versions of some of the lost tracks, "Lost, too" maybe. Song From Under The Floorboards is so good.

I think it was sad when Dave Matthes broke up with Jessica Simpson. I heard that her new film "Blonde Ambition" (did they have to compensate Madonna for that title?) is going strait to DVD. She just isn't having good luck.

yes I know that is John Mayer.
Click to expand...

Dave, you seem to be-- I don't know-- grateful that Morrissey made an effort to play so many gigs. You aren't implying there are more ways to "give back" to the fans than sloppy studio outtakes and pointless 87-minute jam sessions, are you?
 
Not Right in the Head said:
How is that you can post all these numbers and not be called a nerd like some of us are? :( :D

Really, though, you're completely right. Even if he released something like 5 different versions of the album, each of which had a single unique track, you know we'd buy the entire set. Come to think of it, considering how much I've already spent on this guy, I'm kinda glad that he isn't coming out with extras and limited editions.
Click to expand...

Kind of like how I bought YATQ and every single released. Then after all is said and done, he comes out with the 'Special Edition' YATQ. With everything included. :mad: Oh yeah....and I still bought it.:o
 
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