They’re not quite singles. They’re not quite album tracks. They’re those extra songs you get on Greatest Hits compilations. Depending on your perspective, either a cynical record-company ploy to fleece the fans by forcing them to buy a collection of songs they already own just to get one new one, or a generous record-company gesture to reward the fans’ loyalty for buying a collection of songs they already own.
These songs have a fascination all of their own. Sometimes they’re tarted-up out-takes from abandoned albums by a band in the epilogue of their career. Sometimes they’re attempts to write another ‘Greatest Hit’. Sometimes they’re just updated remixes (which, TBH, really are ripping off the fans.)
Who’s idea was this? What was the first Greatest Hits to include a ‘new’ hit? What are my favourite tracks in this musical category which I've just made up?
ABBA – The Day Before You Came / Under Attack
The Beautiful South – One Last Love Song / The Root Of All Evil
Blur – Music Is My Radar
Depeche Mode – Shake The Disease / It’s Called A Heart / Only When I Lose Myself / Martyr
The Divine Comedy – Gin Soaked Boy / Too Young To Die
Girls Aloud – Something Kinda Ooooh / I Think We’re Alone Now / Money
Lightning Seeds – Song For No One / Tables Have Turned
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Dreaming
Paul McCartney – Once Upon A Long Ago (in which Paul veers dangerously close to sounding like Cliff Richards. Oi, Macca – no!)
Pet Shop Boys – DJ Culture / Was It Worth It? / Miracles / Flamboyant
Prince – Peach / Pink Cashmere / Pope
Pulp – Last Day Of The Miner’s Strike
Queen – No-One But You (Only The Good Die Young)
Robbie Williams – Radio / Misunderstood
Steps – Baby Don’t Dance / Only In My Dreams
Suede – Attitude / Love The Way You Love
Sugababes – Easy / Good To Be Gone
Take That – How Deep Is Your Love?
