Imagining a “Collected Singles” compilation (or two)

[Earl Gray]

I don’t know whether this is the sort of thing you should put as your second post on the Ledge, but I thought I’d throw this out anyway in case anyone is interested.

I always thought it a shame that, despite various compilations released over the years, there has never been a “Collected Singles” type compilation released for any Fleetwood Mac era. I am thinking of those compilations that include all the original 45s in chronological order A,B,A,B etc.

I have a couple of these for other bands and, despite their shortcomings, they are great for gathering up all the obscure b-sides, single edits and dedicated single mixes that are otherwise only available on the original 7" vinyl. (I know we have The Pious Bird Of Good Omen, but that falls short in a number of ways.)

For various reasons (rights, commercial interest, lack of Rumours material…) I know that this is probably pie in the sky stuff for pre-75 FM. However, in a period of boredom over the weekend I decided to play “what if”, and the results come out surprisingly well.

I can post the tracklist I came up with if anyone is interested. Somewhat conveniently, the singles up to Green Manalishi would fit nicely together onto one CD while the post-Green pre-Buckingham/Nicks singles would fit perfectly onto a second. This includes all the UK and USA singles (most of which were also released elsewhere), plus a couple of others that were exclusive to other countries.

What I did discover, however, was that when you take into account unique mixes, takes and edits, there is a quite a bit more rare or otherwise unreleased stuff than I had realised. I also discovered that there is a real lack of information on the internet about many of the pre-75 singles - particularly from the 1971-74 period. In fact I seemed to have ended up with more questions than answers!

Is there anyone here familiar with the original 45s who would be interested in discussing them with someone who grew up in the cd era? I did some searches here, but it seems like the original vinyl singles have never been much of a topic for conversation.

[BklynBlue]

Please post your list – I, for one, would be interested in seeing what you have come with – never know if you might have come across something that someone else may not have been familiar with –

At the very least, post any questions that you might have concerning the original 45s - I am sure you can get most if not all your questions answered here

[Earl Gray]

Thanks, BklynBlue.

Okay, here is the track list I came up with for part 1 (disc 1 perhaps?) of my fantasy “collected singles” compilation, this part covering the Green years (167-1970). I believe that it includes all the A and B sides released in the UK, USA and elsewhere during this period, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

Note that I’ve only indicated the UK and USA release information (except for tracks 6 and 7). It seems most of these singles were released in a number of other countries as well, often under the same catalogue number (but different picture sleeves).

Also, I’ve had to rely on a number of internet sources so there are likely to be errors, particularly with the timings. Please feel free to correct anything I have got wrong - there is a real lack of information out there about early FM singles and I would welcome any input!

Anyway, here goes…

1. I Believe My Time Ain't Long [2.55]
2. Rambling Pony [2.37]
Released in UK as Blue Horizon/CBS 3051 in Nov 1967
[I believe this was a dedicated mono mix. This could make this mix unavailable elsewhere, since as far as I am aware the versions on The Pious Bird of Good Omen and later compilations are stereo mixes.]

3. Black Magic Woman [2.55]
4. The Sun Is Shining [3.12]
Released in UK as Blue Horizon 57-3138 in Mar 1968
[Again, I believe this was a dedicated mono mix and hence unavailable elsewhere.]

5. Long Grey Mare [2.13]
B-side to track 3. released in USA as Epic 5-10351 in Jun 1968
[Presumably this is taken from the dedicated mono mix of the dog & dustbin album, again a rarity.]

6. Shake You Moneymaker [2.55]
7. My Heart Beat Like A Hammer [2.55]
Released in Europe (not UK) as Blue Horizon/CBS 3485 in Jun 1968
[I wasn’t sure about including this at first, but it seems to have had quite a wide release in Europe, plus it gives Jeremy a couple more numbers. Again, I’m assuming this is from the mono mix of the first album.]

8. Need Your Love So Bad*(original single version) [3.36]
9. Stop Messin' Round (single version) [2.38]
Released in UK as Blue Horizon 57-3139 in Jul 1968
Released in USA as Epic 5-10386 in Aug 1968
[There is lots to say about this one. Firstly I had not realised until now that there are in fact TWO slightly different released versions of NYLSB. They are the same take, but this slightly shorter version doesn’t have the cellos that were later added to the 1969 rereleased version running at 3 mins 53 seconds. The rereleased version is the one that made it onto The Pious Bird of Good Omen and subsequent compilations, making this version a bit of a rarity.
As for the b-side, it is of course a completely different take to the version that starts the Mr Wonderful LP. I’ve always wondered why the Pious Bird of Good Omen included the ALBUM version of Stop Messin’ Round instead of the b-side version, which would make more sense. As far as I am aware, the b-side version is only otherwise available as part of the Complete Blue Horizon Sessions boxed set (though I could be wrong here).
Finally, I believe this is yet another dedicated mono mix, making the mix exclusive to this release.]

10. Albatross [3.07]
11. Jigsaw Puzzle Blues [1.33]
Released in UK as Blue Horizon 57-3145 in Nov 1968
Released in USA as Epic 5-10436 in Jan 1969
[Nothing particularly rare about this one! I believe that from this release onwards all FM singles were either released in stereo or as mono fold-downs rather than dedicated mono mixes. I’m really not sure which were mono and which stereo, though. Can anyone help?]

12. Man of the World [2.36]
13. Somebody's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonite [2.35]
Released in UK as Immediate IM 080 in Apr 1969
[I believe the b-side here is actually fairly rare. The version first released on the Vaudeville Years compilation is a slightly longer unedited version.]

14. Need Your Love So Bad (reissue version) [3.53]
15. No Place To Go [3.20]
Released in UK as Blue Horizon 57-3157 in Jul 1969
[This is the more familiar version of NYLSB. I’m in two minds whether this should be included here at all given that it was a rerelease, is (almost) a duplicate track and breaks up the flow somewhat. For the moment I have decided to keep it in for completeness.]

16. Oh Well (Part 1) [3.32]
17. Oh Well (Part 2) [5.45]
Released in UK as Reprise RS 27000 in Sep 1969
Released in USA as Reprise 0883 in Dec 1969
[As far as I am aware, Oh Well is ONLY available in mono. I elected to keep the (repeated) first minute or so of part 2 at the end of the a-side, since this is how the single was released.]

18. Rattlesnake Shake [3.27]
19. Coming Your Way [3.47]
Released in USA as Reprise 0860 in Oct 1969
[Good to see some (other) Then Play On tracks made it onto a single!]

20. The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown) [4.34]
21. World In Harmony [3.24]
Released in UK as Reprise RS 27007 in May 1970
Released in USA as Reprise 0925 in Jun 1970
[This version of World In Harmony was, until its inclusion on the recent TPO reissue, only available here and on the rare “Best of Fleetwood Mac” compilation released in Germany in the early 1970s.]

With the above timings it gives a total time of around 67 minutes - perfect for a CD!

I will post my tracklist (and observations/questions) for part 2 - covering the “middle” period from late 1970 to 1974 - tomorrow if I have time.

[becca]

Oh Well was a single first before being added to the North American edition of Then Play On. As Parts 1 & 2 they are bonus tracks on the recent expanded CD along with Green Manalishi and World In Harmony (and as a reissue 7" single in the vinyl boxset).

I would have wanted a singles 2 CD set very badly once though!

[BklynBlue]

Here is a very interesting forum discussion (for those who find such minutiae interesting) of the various versions (mixes) of 'Need Your Love So Bad' that have been released over the years - and how they came to be that way

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/thread...stereo.281481/

[Earl Gray]

Originally Posted by BklynBlue

Here is a very interesting forum discussion (for those who find such minutiae interesting) of the various versions (mixes) of 'Need Your Love So Bad' that have been released over the years - and how they came to be that way

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/thread...stereo.281481/

Many thanks, BklynBlue, there is some great information there!

[Earl Gray]

Okay, here is my track list for part 2 (disc 2?) covering the years 1970/1 to 1974/5. Again, I believe it includes all the A and B sides released in this period (apart from a couple of rereleases of singles from the Green era already covered in part 1) but please let me know if I am missing something.

There is much less information available about the singles released in this period, so I expect there may be errors here. Also, I have been unable to determine for certain which singles were released in stereo and which in mono (I expect that any mono releases were probably stereo fold-downs rather than dedicated mixes, but you never know.)


1. Tell Me All The Things You Do [4.10]
2. This Is The Rock [2.45]
Released in France as Reprise RV 20256 in late 1970
[I was somewhat reluctant to include these tracks, since this single was only released in France (with a picture sleeve including Peter!) and I assume they are simply taken straight from Kiln House. Nevertheless, it was a bona fide single release so it’s included here.]

3. Jewel Eyed Judy [3.17]
4. Station Man (edit?) [5.11]
Released in USA as Reprise 0984 in Jan 1971
[“Judy” looks to be the usual version from Kiln House, but the running time given on the stock US release suggests that Station Man might have been edited. Interestingly, the US promo lists the non-edited length for Station Man, as does the dutch stock issue. Most strange, though, is the German release which suggests a time of 4.00! So were there actually two different single edits of Station Man released as well as the full album version?]

5. Dragonfly [2.45]
6. The Purple Dancer [5.42]
Released in UK as Reprise RS 27010 in Mar 1971
[A non-album single. Dragonfly is fairly easy to find, but The Purple Dancer is of course a true rarity. The b-side version is only available here and on the rare German 1970s “Best of Fleetwood Mac” compilation. I think that having this track would be worth the price of admission alone.]

7. Sands Of Time (edit) [3.00]
8. Lay It All Down [4.32]
Released in USA as Reprise 1057 in Dec 1971
[Sands of Time is one of my all-time favourites, so I’m really glad it made a single release (even if it did not make much of an impact). I know that it was heavily edited down to 3 minutes for the single, but this edit has never been released elsewhere so I’ve never yet had the chance to hear it. As for the b-side I assume LIAD is simple the album version from Future Games.]

9. Sentimental Lady (edit?) [3.00]
10. Sunny Side Of Heaven [3.10]
Released in USA as Reprise REP 1093 in May 1972
[Another great choice of single that should have been a hit imho. The running time of Sentimental Lady is given as 3.00 on the label, so again this looks to be another edit (or perhaps even a different mix or take?) Does anyone have a copy of this and can let us know?]

11. Spare Me A Little [3.44]
Released in UK as Reprise K 14194 in Aug 1972 with track 10. as b-side
[The first Christine song to make a FM single. I’m guessing that this is just the album version, but who cares, its another great 45. In fact, looking at it now, the run of singles from Kiln House through to Bare Trees was really rather good!]

12. Remember Me [2.41]
13. Dissatisfied [3.41]
Released in USA as Reprise REP 1159 in May 1973

14. Did You Ever Love Me [3.39]
15. The Derelict [2.43]
Released in UK as Reprise K 14280 in Jul 1973

16. Revelation [4.55]
B-side to track 14. released in USA as Reprise REP 1172 in Sep 1973
[Okay, this is where by collected singles album idea does falls down a little bit. I do like the Penguin album, but having five tracks released on singles does smack of the record company trying hard for a hit. Moreover, they all look to simply be the album versions, so nothing of any great interest here for anyone who already owns the album.]

17. For Your Love (edit?) [3.10]
18. Hypnotized [4.48]
Released in USA as Reprise REP 1188 in Dec 1973
Released in UK as Reprise K 14315 in Mar 1974
[A bizarre choice of single from a record company desperate for a hit.for a hit again. In my parallel universe, Hypnotised is released with Why as a double-a-side and becomes the smash hit is deserves to be. Oh well. One consolation is that the UK issue of the a-side gives a 3.10 running time suggesting that we may have another unique edit (or more) for the compilation.]

19. Heroes Are Hard To Find (edit?) [2.46]
20. Born Enchanter [2.52]
Released in USA as Reprise RPS 1317 in Dec 1974
Released in UK as Reprise K 14388 in Feb 1975
[The final single from the period, and it looks from the running time that the a-side may be yet another unique version. Can anyone confirm this? Interestingly, I was surprised to find out that this single was not released in the UK until early 1975. Now I wonder how many fans of the band know that the first single released by Fleetwood Mac after Buckingham and Nicks joined was strictly speaking this one?]

Total Time: A little over 72 minutes - perfect for a 2nd CD!

Its not going to happen, I know. But we can all imagine, and it does seem a nice way to chart the history of the band. Conceivably this could even be continued into the Rumours era with parts/discs 3 and 4 perhaps?

[GJK]

Originally Posted by Earl Gray

Okay, here is my track list for part 2 (disc 2?) covering the years 1971 to 1974.

6. The Purple Dancer [5.40] - Released in UK as Reprise RS 27010 in Mar 1971.
[A non-album single. Dragonfly is fairly easy to find, but The Purple Dancer is of course a true rarity. The b-side version is only available here and on the rare German 1970s “The Best of Fleetwood Mac” compilation (on vinyl!). I think that having this track would be worth the price of admission alone.]

Hear, hear!

GJK

[zoork_1]

Originally Posted by BklynBlue

Here is a very interesting forum discussion (for those who find such minutiae interesting) of the various versions (mixes) of 'Need Your Love So Bad' that have been released over the years - and how they came to be that way

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/thread...stereo.281481/

Thanks, great reading...