Another compilation that sifts through the Tones On Tail back catalogue panning for gold… this time out it was on CD and cassette formats only – and the cassette version included three extra tracks. This was issued in 1990 in the United States – and was the third compilation released in the US by this point (preceded by ‘The Album Pop’ in 1984 and ‘Night Music’ in 1987).
- ^ Tones On Tail – ‘Tones On Tail’ US compilation cassette and CD front cover designs side by side
The CD version included almost all of the ‘Pop’ album (the exception being that ‘Rain’ is missing), both sides of the ‘Christian Says’/‘Twist’ single, all four tracks from the ‘Burning Skies’ 12” EP, the A side only of the ‘There’s Only One’ 12” single and one track only from the debut ‘Tones On Tail’ 4AD 12” EP.
- ^ Tones On Tail – ‘Tones On Tail’ US compilation CD front cover design and disc label
While most of the tracks included are fairly straightforward, some details on the particular versions to be aware of include:
- ‘O.K., This Is The Pops’ is the familiar single mix except that it has a slightly truncated intro where the bass guitar fades in instead of a clean start at full volume, so a few notes are missing.
- ‘Performance’ is the album / 12” A side mix.
- ‘Go!’ is the 12” ‘Club Mix’.
- ‘Burning Skies’ is the 12” mix.
- ‘Instrumental’ is the same as released on the original 12” 4AD EP, so it fades out at the end. (On later compilations such ‘Everything’ and ‘Weird Pop’ it plays full length to the end with no fade out.)
- ‘Twist’ is the original version as featured on the 7”/12” single (as opposed to the later ‘Extended’ version as included on the ‘Something’ promo CD and ‘Weird Pop’ compilation digital version.)
The CD version comes with some sleeve notes that seem to indicate that one purpose behind the compilation might have been to act as a cue for the forthcoming release by Daniel Ash, noted as “solo album which will be released in early 1981”.
- ^ Tones On Tail – ‘Tones On Tail’ US compilation CD rear case design
Slightly confusingly perhaps, the credits included in the CD booklet still refer to the three tracks that are to be found only on the cassette version.
- ^ Tones On Tail – ‘Tones On Tail’ US compilation CD insert page 1
- ^ Tones On Tail – ‘Tones On Tail’ US compilation CD insert page 2
- ^ Tones On Tail – ‘Tones On Tail’ US compilation CD insert page 3
- ^ Tones On Tail – ‘Tones On Tail’ US compilation CD insert page 4
- ^ Tones On Tail – ‘Tones On Tail’ US compilation CD insert page 5
CD tracklisting:
- Christian Says (3’43)
- O.K., This Is The Pops (3’05”)
- War (3’17”)
- Performance (4’11”)
- There’s Only One (4’01”)
- Go! (Club Mix) (4’27”)
- Burning Skies (6’27”)
- Lions (3’56”)
- Movement Of Fear (3’48”)
- Real Life (5’06”)
- Happiness (3’06”)
- You, The Night And The Music (4’59”)
- Instrumental (3’19”)
- The Never Never (Is Forever) (3’21”)
- When You’re Smiling (5’52”)
- Slender Fungus (3’35”)
- Twist (5’04”)
Timings are as printed on the sleeve.
As mentioned in the introduction to this post, the cassette version includes three additional tracks:
- ‘Rain’ from the ‘Pop’ album.
- ‘A Bigger Splash’ and ‘Means of Escape’ from the debut ‘Tones On Tail’ 4AD 12” EP.
In addition, the running order of the tracks is mixed around a fair bit too, likely due to evening-up the duration of each side of the cassette.
- ^ Tones On Tail – ‘Tones On Tail’ US compilation insert front design and cassette side 1
So, for cassette buyers, this compilation managed to include the vast majority of the Tones On Tail catalogue that had been issued at that point, the only tracks missing being;
- ‘Copper’ (the only track from the ‘Tones On Tail’ 4AD debut 12” EP not included).
- ’Now We Lustre’ (from the B side of the ‘There’s Only One’ 12”, itself being a dub version of the A side).
- ’Shakes’ (from the B side of the ‘Performance’ 7”/12” single and, again, essentially being a dub version of the A side).
- ’Go!’ 7” mix.
- ’Heartbreak Hotel’ (Live) from the ‘Night Music’ compilation.
Additionally, for completeness, there are the shorter 7” edit mixes of ‘Burning Skies’ and ‘Performance’ missing too.
Almost all of these would be included on the later ‘Everything!’ compilation (the exceptions being the 7” mixes of ‘Burning Skies’ and ‘Go!’).
- ^ Tones On Tail – ‘Tones On Tail’ US compilation insert rear design and cassette side 2
Cassette tracklisting:
Program A:
- Christian Says (3’43)
- O.K., This Is The Pops (3’05”)
- War (3’17”)
- Performance (4’11”)
- There’s Only One (4’01”)
- Go! (Club Mix) (4’27”)
- Lions (3’56”)
- Movement Of Fear (3’48”)
- Real Life (5’06”)
- Rain (8’26”)
Program B:
- Burning Skies (6’27”)
- Happiness (3’06”)
- A Bigger Splash (4’27”)
- You, The Night And The Music (4’59”)
- Means Of Escape (3’48”)
- Twist (5’04”)
- Instrumental (3’19”)
- The Never Never (Is Forever) (3’21”)
- When You’re Smiling (5’52”)
- Slender Fungus (3’35”)
Timings are as printed on the sleeve.
A final word – the truncated intro to ‘O.K., This Is The Pops’. I don’t know why this should be – damage to the original source tape perhaps? – the same version was also on ‘Night Music’. The later compilations, ‘Everything!’ and ‘Weird Pop’ include a different, ‘phased’ mix of the song. So, the complete mix as originally issued on vinyl isn’t available on CD as yet.
Further reading on other Tones On Tail compilations and versions from previous posts: