Comments on: Under the Table and Dreaming (of a Better Compilation)

By: Corey Thomas

Corey Thomas — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 21:11:04 +0000

I think if you wanted a truly good DMB compilation, it would have to be two discs. Here’s my pick on what would be on an Essential Dave Matthews Band collection:

Disc 1:
1. What Would You Say
2. Jimi Thing
3. Typical Situation
4. Ants Marching
5. Satellite
6. Too Much
7. So Much to Say
8. Two Step
9. Crash into Me
10. Tripping Billies
11. Don’t Drink the Water
12. Stay (Wasting Time)
13. Crush
14. Rapunzel

Disc 2:
1. I Did It
2. The Space Between
3. Everyday
4. Where Are You Going
5. Grace is Gone
6. Grey Street
7. American Baby
8. Dreamgirl
9. Everybody Wake Up (Our Finest Hour Arrives)
10. Smooth Rider
11. Funny the Way It Is
12. Why I Am
13. You and Me

Disc 1, Tracks 1-5 from Under the Table and Dreaming (1994)
Disc 1, Tracks 6-10 from Crash (1996)
Disc 1, Tracks 11-14 from Before These Crowded Streets (1998)
Disc 2, Tracks 1-3 from Everyday (2001)
Disc 2, Tracks 4-6 from Busted Stuff (2002)
Disc 2, Tracks 7-10 from Stand Up (2005)
Disc 2, Tracks 11-13 from Big Whiskey and the Groo Grux King (2009)

By: Mike Duquette

Mike Duquette — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:11:55 +0000

All well put, guys! In fact, Shaun, your comment has inspired a whole new post, due up in a bit.

(Although, if I may meekly defend my choices, the video version “What Would You Say” is actually longer than the LP version. So I’m not totally crazy about edits.)

By: Don

Don — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:20:16 +0000

I like the full-length versions, too, but there’s definitely a place for “edits.” For one thing, the track list above wouldn’t be possible if you included the full-length versions of every song… you’d have to eliminate 2 or 3 songs to make it fit on a single CD.

Plus, for people looking for the songs they’ve heard on the radio, the remixes and edits are likely the songs they’re familiar with. Some DMB songs are over 5 and 6 minutes in their original form, and those never got played on commercial radio. For most people who know DMB from the radio, the single edits ARE the definitive versions.

By: Shaun

Shaun — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 02:03:30 +0000

Sorry, I meant to say “Those hideous cuts…”

By: Shaun

Shaun — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 02:02:56 +0000

I’d welcome a nice DMB collection, perhaps including some songs from his solo album (Some Devil) as well? I’d like to see “Gravedigger” on that compilation.

But what’s with all the edits in your tracklist, Mike? Sorry, but I HATE when you buy a “best of” set and you get stuck with radio, single edits. Those hides cuts on both “My Life” and “Pressure” on the original pressing of Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits Vol I & II come to mind immediately. Thankfully, Sony fixed that years later.

Honestly, why would anyone want shorter versions of a song? It’s a great way to get me to NOT buy a collection. I don’t want or need all of DMB’s albums, but if I buy a collection I want the original, full versions of the songs they way they were originally released.