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A Dozen "Playlist" Sets Due in May

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Love 'em or hate 'em, the various budget compilations that come from the major labels are quick, easy ways to get catalogue material out to the masses. Universal's ICON and Sony's Playlist series are probably the highest-profile of these series, but the latter is arguably the more beloved of the two, thanks to a concerted effort by some of the producers at Legacy to get rarer tracks on the Playlist discs, whether it's a rare single version or bonus track from a previous reissue.

Legacy has 12 new Playlist titles ready to go for next month, and we have the track lists for all but one of them (a compilation for Dionne Warwick). As usual, the selection runs the gamut between genres, from '80s indie rock (The The, The Psychedelic Furs) and blues (Johnny Winter, Muddy Waters - who ironically has an ICON release due out next month, too), soul (Teena Marie, recently also honored in the ICON series; early Philly-soul band The Intruders), power-pop (Matthew Sweet), jazz (Dave Brubeck) and even older country (Marty Robbins). There's also a multi-artist '80s metal compilation with a title (Now Hair This!) that someone at Sony better have gotten promoted for. (It certainly makes up for the fact that not all the tracks on said set are from the '80s!)

It's also nice to see the label group license a few tracks from other places; Janis Ian's debut single for Verve and long latter-day indie career is represented on her Playlist entry, while Motown contributes one early track for Teena Marie's set. All these sets will be available May 10; pre-order links can be found here and almost all the track lists can be found after the jump (we'll post the Dionne one as soon as we have it!).

Muddy Waters, Playlist: The Very Best of Muddy Waters (Epic/Legacy 88697 58709-2, 2011)

  1. Mannish Boy
  2. Who Do You Trust
  3. Mean Old Frisco Blues
  4. Walking Through the Park
  5. 33 Years
  6. Baby Please Don't Go (Live)
  7. I'm Ready
  8. I'm a King Bee
  9. Screamin' and Cryin'
  10. The Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock and Roll
  11. Champagne & Reefer
  12. I Wanna Be Loved #2
  13. She's Nineteen Years Old (Live)
  14. Got My Mojo Working (Live)

Tracks 1, 10 and 12 from Hard Again (Blue Sky, 1977)
Tracks 2, 5, 7 and 9 from I'm Ready (Blue Sky, 1978)
Tracks 3, 8 and 11 from King Bee (Blue Sky, 1981)
Track 4 from reissue of Hard Again (Epic/Legacy, 2004)
Tracks 6 and 13 from Muddy "Mississippi" Waters - Live (Blue Sky, 1979)
Track 14 from Muddy "Mississippi" Waters - Live: Deluxe Edition (Epic/Legacy, 2003)

The Intruders, Playlist: The Very Best of The Intruders (Epic/Legacy 88697 80920-2, 2011)

  1. Together
  2. A Love That's Real
  3. (We'll Be) United
  4. Cowboys to Girls
  5. Me Tarzan, You Jane
  6. Friends No More
  7. Slow Drag
  8. (Love is Like a) Baseball Game
  9. Sad Girl
  10. When We Get Married
  11. Jack Be Nimble
  12. (You'd Better) Check Yourself
  13. I'll Always Love My Mama
  14. Energy of Love

Tracks 1-3 and 12 from The Intruders Are Together (Gamble, 1967)
Tracks 4, 6 and 8-9 from Cowboys to Girls (Gamble, 1968)
Track 5 from Gamble single 225, 1969
Track 7 from Gamble single 221, 1968
Track 10 from When We Get Married (Gamble, 1970)
Track 11 from Music Voice single 504, 1964
Track 13 from Save the Children (Philadelphia International, 1973)
Track 14 from Energy of Love (TSOP, 1974)

Janis Ian, Playlist: The Very Best of Janis Ian (Columbia/Legacy 88697 81932-2, 2011)

  1. Society's Child
  2. At Seventeen
  3. Memphis
  4. Take Me Walking in the Rain (Live @ Royal Festival Hall, London - 10/14/1995)
  5. Honor Them All (Live @ Blue Note Club, Fukuoka, Japan - 3/21/1997)
  6. My Tennessee Hills
  7. Tenderness
  8. Jenny (Iowa Sunrise)
  9. Searching for America
  10. The Last Train
  11. All Those Promises
  12. Paris in Your Eyes
  13. She Must Be Beautiful
  14. Fly Too High

Track 1 from Janis Ian (Verve Forecast, 1967)
Track 2 from Between the Lines (Columbia, 1974)
Track 3 and 13 from God & The FBI (Windham Hill, 2000)
Tracks 4-5 from Live: Working Without a Net (Rude Girl, 2003)
Tracks 6 and 12 from Billie's Bones (Rude Girl, 2004)
Track 7 from Revenge (Beacon, 1995)
Tracks 8 and 14 from Night Rains (Columbia, 1979)
Track 9 from Hunger (Windham Hill, 1997)
Tracks 10-11 from Folk is the New Black (Rude Girl, 2006)

Dave Brubeck, Playlist: The Very Best of Dave Brubeck (Columbia/Legacy 88697 84157-2, 2011)

  1. Blue Rondo a La Turk
  2. Take Five
  3. I Feel Pretty
  4. Summer Song
  5. It's a Raggy Waltz
  6. My Favorite Things
  7. Bru's Boogie Woogie
  8. Autumn in Washington Square
  9. Gone with the Wind
  10. Koto Song
  11. This Can't Be Love
  12. Something to Sing About
  13. Night and Day
  14. Theme from "Mr. Broadway"

Tracks 1-2 from Time Out (Columbia, 1959)
Track 3 from Bernstein Plays Brubeck Plays Bernstein (Columbia, 1961)
Track 4 from 1994 Columbia/Legacy reissue of The Real Ambassadors (Columbia, 1962)
Tracks 5 and 7 from from Time Further Out (Columbia, 1961)
Tracks 6 and 11 from My Favorite Things (Columbia, 1965)
Tracks 8, 12 and 14 from Jazz Impressions of New York (Columbia, 1964)
Track 9 from Gone with the Wind (Columbia, 1959)
Track 10 from Jazz Impressions of Japan (Columbia, 1964)
Track 13 from Music from West Side Story (Columbia, 1962)

Marty Robbins, Playlist: The Very Best of Marty Robbins (Columbia/Legacy 88697 85425-2, 2011)

  1. Singing the Blues
  2. A White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation)
  3. El Paso (Full-Length Version)
  4. Red River Valley
  5. Don't Worry
  6. Devil Woman
  7. Beyond the Reef
  8. Yours (Quiereme Mucho)
  9. Ruby Ann
  10. On the Sunny Side of the Street
  11. Faleena (from El Paso)
  12. Ribbon of Darkness
  13. Man Walks Among Us
  14. El Paso City

Track 1 from Columbia single 4-21545, 1956
Track 2 from Columbia single 4-40864, 1956
Original version of Track 3 from Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs (Columbia, 1959). This version was a bonus track on 1999 CD reissue (Columbia CK 65996)
Track 4 from More Greatest Hits (Columbia, 1961)
Track 5 from Columbia single 4-41922, 1960
Track 6 from Devil Woman (Columbia, 1962)
Track 7 from Song of the Islands (Columbia, 1957)
Track 8 from Portrait of Marty (Columbia, 1962)
Track 9 from Columbia single 4-42614, 1962
Track 10 from Marty After Midnight (Columbia, 1962)
Track 11 from The Drifter (Columbia, 1966)
Track 12 from Columbia single 4-43258, 1965
Track 13 from Return of the Gunfighter (Columbia, 1963)
Track 14 from El Paso City (Columbia, 1976)

Matthew Sweet, Playlist: The Very Best of Matthew Sweet (Volcano/Zoo Entertainment/Legacy 88697 86813-2, 2011)

  1. I've Been Waiting
  2. Girlfriend
  3. Sick of Myself
  4. Superdeformed (Demo)
  5. The Ugly Truth
  6. Walk Out
  7. Faith in You
  8. Where You Get Love
  9. Time Capsule (Demo)
  10. We're the Same
  11. Falling
  12. Evangeline
  13. Don't Cry No Tears (Live)
  14. Looking at the Sun

Tracks 1-2, 12 and 14 from Girlfriend (Zoo Entertainment, 1991)
Tracks 3, 6 and 10 from 100% Fun (Zoo Entertainment, 1995)
Track 4 from Girlfriend - The Superdeformed EP (Zoo Entertainment, 1992)
Tracks 5 and 11 from Altered Beast (Zoo Entertainment, 1993)
Track 7 from In Reverse (Zoo Entertainment, 1999)
Track 8 from Blue Sky on Mars (Zoo Entertainment, 1997)
Track 9 from "Time Capsule" single (Zoo Entertainment, 1993)
Track 13 from Son of Altered Beast (Zoo Entertainment, 1994)

The The, Playlist: The Very Best of The The (Epic/Legacy 88697 86815-2, 2011)

  1. Uncertain Smile (12" Remix)
  2. That Was the Day
  3. Giant
  4. Sweet Bird of Truth
  5. Infected
  6. Heartland
  7. Armageddon Days (Are Here Again)
  8. The Beat(en) Generation
  9. Kingdom of Rain
  10. Jealous of Youth
  11. I Saw the Light
  12. Dogs of Lust (Germicide Mix)
  13. Love is Stronger Than Death
  14. Slow Emotion Replay

Track 1 from Epic 12" TA-3588 (U.K.), 1983
Tracks 2, 10 and 12 from Solitude (Epic, 1993)
Track 3 from Soul Mining (Epic, 1981)
Tracks 4-6 from Infected (Epic, 1986)
Tracks 7-9 from Mind Bomb (Epic, 1989)
Track 11 from Hanky Panky (Epic, 1995)
Track 14 from Dusk (Epic, 1993)

The Psychedelic Furs, Playlist: The Very Best of The Psychedelic Furs (Columbia/Legacy 88697 86820-2, 2011)

  1. Pretty in Pink
  2. Sister Europe
  3. Dumb Waiters
  4. President Gas
  5. Love My Way
  6. Here Come Cowboys
  7. Heartbreak Beat
  8. Should God Forget
  9. So Run Down
  10. Entertain Me
  11. The Ghost in You
  12. Sleep Comes Down
  13. All About You
  14. Torch

Tracks 1, 3 and 9 from Talk Talk Talk (Columbia, 1981)
Track 2 from The Psychedelic Furs (Columbia, 1980)
Tracks 4-5 and 12 from Forever Now (Columbia, 1982)
Tracks 6 and 11 from Mirror Moves (Columbia, 1984)
Track 7 from Midnight to Midnight (Columbia, 1987)
Tracks 8, 10 and 14 from Book of Days (Columbia, 1989)
Track 13 from World Outside (Columbia, 1991)

Various Artists, Playlist: The Very Best of '80s Metal: Now Hair This! (Columba/Epic/Legacy 88697 86910-2, 2011)

  1. Cherry Pie - Warrant
  2. Balls to the Wall - Accept
  3. Cum On Feel the Noize - Quiet Riot
  4. Teas'n, Pleas'n - Dangerous Toys
  5. The Final Countdown - Europe
  6. Poison - Alice Cooper
  7. Kiss Me Deadly - Lita Ford
  8. Turn Up the Radio - Autograph
  9. I Wanna Be Loved - House of Lords
  10. Girlschool - Britny Fox
  11. Naughty Naughty - Danger Danger
  12. Wait for You - Bonham
  13. Love of a Lifetime - FireHouse
  14. Midnite Maniac - Krokus

Track 1 from Cherry Pie (Columbia, 1990)
Track 2 from Balls to the Wall (Lark (DE), 1983/Portrait (U.S.), 1984)
Track 3 from Metal Health (Columbia, 1983)
Track 4 from Dangerous Toys (Columbia, 1989)
Track 5 from The Final Countdown (Epic, 1986)
Track 6 from Trash (Epic, 1989)
Track 7 from Lita (RCA, 1988)
Track 8 from Sign In Please (RCA, 1984)
Track 9 from House of Lords (Simmons/RCA, 1988)
Track 10 from Britny Fox (Columbia, 1988)
Track 11 from Danger Danger (Epic, 1989)
Track 12 from The Disregard of Timekeeping (WTG/Epic, 1989)
Track 13 from FireHouse (Epic, 1990)
Track 14 from The Blitz (Arista, 1984)

Johnny Winter, Playlist: The Very Best of Johnny Winter (Columbia/Legacy 88697 86946-2, 2011)

  1. I'm Yours and I'm Hers
  2. Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo
  3. Hustled Down in Texas
  4. I'll Drown in My Tears
  5. Self Destructive Blues
  6. Miss Ann
  7. Prodigal Son
  8. Highway 61 Revisited
  9. TV Mama
  10. Still Alive and Well
  11. Johnny B. Goode
  12. Be Careful with a Fool
  13. Mean Town Blues (Live @ the Woodstock Music & Art Fair, - 8/18/1969
  14. Jumpin' Jack Flash (Live)

Tracks 1, 4 and 12 from Johnny Winter (Columbia, 1969)
Tracks 2 and 7 from Johnny Winter And (Columbia, 1970)
Tracks 3, 6, 8 and 11 from Second Winter (Columbia, 1970)
Track 5 from John Dawson Winter III (Columbia, 1975)
Track 9 from Nothin' But the Blues (Blue Sky, 1977)
Track 10 from Still Alive and Well (Columbia, 1973)
Track 13 from The Woodstock Experience (Columbia/Legacy, 2009)
Track 14 from Live Johnny Winter And (Columbia, 1971)

Teena Marie, Playlist: The Very Best of Teena Marie (Epic/Legacy 88697 88055-2, 2011)

  1. Can't Last a Day (featuring Faith Evans)
  2. Irons in the Fire
  3. Dear Lover
  4. Opus III (The Second Movement)
  5. My Dear Mr. Gaye
  6. The Once and Future Dream
  7. Ooo La La La
  8. Sunny Skies
  9. Just Us Two
  10. If I Were a Bell
  11. Lovergirl
  12. Shadow Boxing
  13. Casanova Brown
  14. Out on a Limb

Track 1 from Congo Square (Stax/Concord, 2009)
Track 2 from Irons in the Fire (Gordy, 1980)
Tracks 3 and 12-13 from Robbery (Epic, 1983)
Tracks 4, and 6-7 from Naked to the World (Epic, 1988)
Tracks 5, 11 and 14 from Starchild (Epic, 1984)
Track 8 from Emerald City (Epic, 1986)
Tracks 9-10 from Ivory (Epic, 1990)

Dionne Warwick, Playlist: The Very Best of Dionne Warwick (Legacy 88697 88056-2, 2011)

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Mike Duquette

Mike Duquette (Founder) was fascinated with catalog music ever since he was a teenager. A 2009 graduate of Seton Hall University with a B.A. in journalism, Mike paired his profession with his passion through The Second Disc, one of the first sites to focus on all reissue labels great and small. His passion for reissues turned into a career, holding positions at Legacy Recordings and Rhino Records and contributing to Allmusic, Discogs, City Pages, Ultimate Classic Rock and Mondo Records, for whom he penned liner notes for his favorite piece of music: John Williams' Oscar-winning score to 'E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.' Born and raised in New Jersey, Mike lives in Astoria, Queens with his wife, a cat named Ravioli, twin daughters and a large yet tasteful collection of music.

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Comments

  1. So this is what Sony and Universal have become: Flood the marketplace with compilation after compilation and the occasional Deluxe Edition, and license out the album reissues to whatever indie reissue label feels like putting out.

    Problem is the reissue labels are very hit and miss with how they handle the mastering and booklets. For every Iconoclassic or Reel Music, there's a BBR or Cherry Red.

    Reply

    • In fairness - while the style of mastering may be not be to everyone's tastes at some of the indies or U.K. labels (most Cherry Red titles *are* freshly remastered unlike those from Wounded Bird, for instance), it's hard to fault the booklets from most of the Cherry Red labels. Now Sounds and BBR (just to name two) both offer booklets that are first class in every way, featuring full color photos, new interviews, and even replicas of the original label art and logos on the CDs.

      One can hardly accuse Legacy (the label behind Playlist) of not releasing a ton of great stuff this year; it's only April and we've seen high quality releases from Pearl Jam, the Philles artists, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash, Simon and Garfunkel, and Neil Diamond - with more to come from Peter Tosh, Alicia Keys, Ozzy Osbourne, Roy Orbison and others. Universal/Hip-o isn't far behind, although I do concur that many album reissues are largely the province of licensees nowadays.

      But I second your applause for Iconoclassic and Reel Music -- both are, indeed, superb! Thanks as always for your comments, RS!

      Reply

  2. The first PLAYLIST cds that were released did tend to include cool things like 7" mixes/edits. That kind of thing requires time and $ - something the labels are loathe to spend. The releases that actually contain rare treats are few and far between now. I'll keep checking them, but blogs featuring well-done needledrops bear far more fruit than the major labels budget comps.

    Reply

  3. The three Bob Dylan "Playlist" releases--one each for the 60's, 70's and 80's--are noteworthy, not because they contain anything particularly rare, but because somebody actually made a conscious effort to include songs not typically found on Dylan comps. Thus, no "Blowin' In The Wind" on the '60's comp (but "It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" and "Chimes Of Freedom" are both included); on the 70's disc, the faster, shorter version of "Forever Young" is included instead of the slower version; and the '80's disc includes "Blind Willie McTell", "Foot Of Pride", and the acoustic version of "Most Of The Time" from the "Bootleg Series" releases.

    Reply

    • Thank you for noting the Dylan sets.

      I have argued, with tongue only partly in cheek, that the 80s Playlist was the most important Dylan set of 2010 (the year of the mono & demo releases) because it could bring a reassessment of those dreary years. The three examples from the 80s series that you cite are a big part of the reason why.

      Scott A.
      Watertown NY

      Reply

  4. Although I love The Psychedelic Furs, how many more collections with almost the same tracklist does the world really need (almost all the tracks can be found on the 2cd 'Should God Forget')? And a Greatest Hits without including 'Heaven' seems to be a laugh to me...

    Reply

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