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Singles is the seventh compilation album by the English rock band the Smiths, pitched as a compilation of previously issued singles. It was released in February 1995 by the new owner of their back catalogue, WEA (Sire Records in the United States). Its highest British chart position was #5; it did not chart in the United States. Blender magazine listed the album among the "500 CDs You Must Own" on their website.[1]
| Singles | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Greatest hits album by | ||||
| Released | February 20, 1995 | |||
| Recorded | 1983–1987 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 62:32 | |||
| Label | Warner Music Group | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| The Smiths chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  [2] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |  [3] |
WEA (now the Warner Music Group) acquired the entire Smiths back catalogue in early 1992. After re-releasing all of The Smiths' eight original albums (the four studio albums, the Rank live album and the three compilation albums issued while the band were still active) and releasing a newly-assembled two-volume best of compilation album (Best I and Best II) in 1992, they decided to celebrate The Smiths' reputation as a "singles band" by issuing a collection of the band's singles in 1995. Only the singles released in the UK were included.
Despite the album's title, the Singles versions of "Hand in Glove", "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" and "Ask" were not the original single mixes. Similarly, "What Difference Does It Make?", "How Soon Is Now?", "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" and "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" were the full-length album versions, that are on the original 12" singles, as opposed to the original single edits.
Cover
editThe cover features previously unused artwork designed by Morrissey, featuring singer and actress Diana Dors in a still from the 1956 film Yield to the Night.
Spin-off singles
editWEA decided to promote the album in the UK by re-releasing the "Ask" single with its two original B-sides, "Cemetry Gates" and "Golden Lights". The single charted at #62. In the United States, Sire decided to release "Sweet and Tender Hooligan", a single of rarities, to promote the album, with a newly designed sleeve by Morrissey. It failed to chart.
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Morrissey/Marr
| No. | Title | Original release | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hand in Glove" (album version) | The Smiths (1984) | 3:25 |
| 2. | "This Charming Man" | The Smiths | 2:41 |
| 3. | "What Difference Does It Make?" (album version) | The Smiths | 3:51 |
| 4. | "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" | Hatful of Hollow (1984) | 3:35 |
| 5. | "William, It Was Really Nothing" | Hatful of Hollow | 2:09 |
| 6. | "How Soon Is Now?" (12" version) | Hatful of Hollow | 6:46 |
| 7. | "Shakespeare's Sister" | The World Won't Listen (1987) | 2:09 |
| 8. | "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" (album version) | Meat Is Murder (1985) | 4:59 |
| 9. | "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" (album version) | The Queen Is Dead (1986) | 3:18 |
| 10. | "Bigmouth Strikes Again" | The Queen Is Dead | 3:14 |
| 11. | "Panic" | The World Won't Listen | 2:20 |
| 12. | "Ask" (album version) | The World Won't Listen | 3:14 |
| 13. | "Shoplifters of the World Unite" | The World Won't Listen | 2:58 |
| 14. | "Sheila Take a Bow" | Louder Than Bombs (1987) | 2:41 |
| 15. | "Girlfriend in a Coma" | Strangeways, Here We Come (1987) | 2:02 |
| 16. | "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" | Strangeways, Here We Come | 3:46 |
| 17. | "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" (album version) | Strangeways, Here We Come | 5:02 |
| 18. | "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" | The Queen Is Dead | 4:02 |
| Total length: | 62:32 | ||
Personnel
editThe Smiths
edit- Mike Joyce – drums
- Johnny Marr – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, synthesized saxophone, string and flute arrangements
- Morrissey – vocals
- Andy Rourke – bass guitar, cello on "Shakespeare's Sister"
Additional musicians
edit- Craig Gannon – rhythm guitar on "Panic" and "Ask"
- Kirsty MacColl – backing vocals on "Ask"
- John Porter – slide guitar on "Sheila Take a Bow"
- Stephen Street – drum machine on "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" and synthesized string arrangements on "Girlfriend in a Coma"
Charts
edit| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[4] | 134 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[5] | 5 |
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Irish Albums (IRMA)[6] | 26 |
Certifications and sales
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[7] | Gold | 100,000* |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[8] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
| United States | — | 395,150[9] |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ "Blender - All Things Blender, All in One Place". Archived from the original on 21 December 2010.
- ^ "Allmusic review".
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
- ^ "The Smiths chart history, received from ARIA on 27 May 2021". ARIA. Retrieved 5 July 2024 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column indicates the release's peak on the national chart.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography The Smiths". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ "Brazilian album certifications – The Smiths – Queen Is Dad" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- ^ "British album certifications – The Smiths – Singles". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
- ^ "Morrissey/Smiths US album sales in 2007 and total sales since 1992 - Morrissey-solo".
