David Gray

The tracklist for David's Greatest Hits album has been confirmed:

01. You're The World To Me

02. Babylon

03. The One I Love

04. Please Forgive Me

05. Be Mine

06. Hospital Food

07. This Year's Love

08. Alibi

09. Sail Away

10. Shine (Live)

11. Caroline

12. The Other Side

13. Flame Turns Blue

14. Destroyer

The record will be released in Ireland on November 9, the UK on November 12 and in North America on November 13.

i must say i'm pleased with this tracklist.

Only issue here is Caroline?! I'm yet to hear that one be played at a concert..or on the radio waves.. or anything for that matter. What can you do though.

Rena, is there any knowledge on if the tracks are re-mastered or re-done or old and rips off the other cds?..(which would kinda be a waste)

 -Fox
 

Actually there isn't any information about that yet, Fox.

We will keep you updated on any further news.

- Rena

So no surprises here...

I agree with TYL, with two new tracks there are only 12 Hits on it, I suppose the duration of that will be about 50 mins - they could have put more on that... And why do they put Shine as a live version on it? I really love to hear that on gigs but I personally like more hte studio recording when listening to that superb little tune at home.

Still hope for some surprises on that CD, for example a hidden track or radio edits or single versions...

Thumbs crossed...

A studio version of 'Shine' is featured on the 'Shine - Best Of The Early Years' album already . Since it's unthinkable to publish a 'Greatest Hits' album without 'Shine' putting on a live version seems like a good idea to me. Personally I really enjoyed hearing that song performed live.

- Rena 

ok ok you're absolutely right, rena, i forgot about that other best of cd... it seems right not to publish the same version of the track on two albums that are released within a year. Makes sense...

And slowly I accept that this forthcoming release isn't primarily for the fans but for the use of getting new fans. I personally own best of cds only from artist I own no other regular cd from...

Thanks Rena for posting the tracklisting.  Your time is much appreciated.

But the tracklisting itself is truly terrible.

Caroline? - with the 1987 Nintendo backing track? - a live version would have been great

Hospital Food? - another terrible song.  Why not Ain't No Love from that same album?  I thought DG said it was his best work, lyrically, 'by a mile.'

I understand 'Greatest Hits' means the songs that have charted the best but I think you can make adjustments and exceptions, especially when offering 14 tracks instead 17 or 18 like most other CDs in a similar format.

Plus, this ignores two albums completely in Flesh and Sell, Sell, Sell.  Geez, there must not be anything on those albums that outshines Hospital Food, except The Light, Coming Down, Falling Free, Late Night Radio and about eight other tracks .

It won't show the world the artist he once was or how he's changed over the years.  Unfortunately, it will re-affirm to many people that DG is a guy who's all about writing middle of the road pop songs, with moderate success.  That's what most people think of when I mention that one of my favourite artists is David Gray...
 

Hi longbomb,

thank you for your post. This is most interesting.

I could not agree more on anything you said about "Ain't No Love"; definitely one of the best songs I have ever heard lyrically. But whereas I totally see your point I think there is a difference between a 'Greatest Hits' and a 'Best Of' album.

As far as I remember "Ain't No Love" was not released as a single. "Hospital Food" was.  As you've said a "Greatest Hits" album focuses on charts success not necessarily on an artist's most outstanding works which are often not considered suitable for airplay by today's radio stations. I think the tracklisting does serve the purpose of a "Greatest Hits" compilation.

So who knows, maybe there will be a "Best Of" album one day that will feature songs regardless of commercial aspects. Believe me, just like you I wish more people would get aquainted with what I consider David's best songs.

I my opinion he still is the most underrated artist of our time. 

- Rena 

Rena:

Hi longbomb,

thank you for your post. This is most interesting.

I could not agree more on anything you said about "Ain't No Love"; definitely one of the best songs I have ever heard lyrically. But whereas I totally see your point I think there is a difference between a 'Greatest Hits' and a 'Best Of' album.

As far as I remember "Ain't No Love" was not released as a single. "Hospital Food" was.  As you've said a "Greatest Hits" album focuses on charts success not necessarily on an artist's most outstanding works which are often not considered suitable for airplay by today's radio stations. I think the tracklisting does serve the purpose of a "Greatest Hits" compilation.

So who knows, maybe there will be a "Best Of" album one day that will feature songs regardless of commercial aspects. Believe me, just like you I wish more people would get aquainted with what I consider David's best songs.

I my opinion he still is the most underrated artist of our time. 

- Rena 

I understand it's your job to defend and cheer on everything DG does but this whole thing is full of contridictions...
You point out rightly that Hospital Food was put out as a single.  It charted well (in the UK) and that might be a good reason for its inclusion on a greatest hits album.
So if we're talking singles...then what about Say Hello, Wave Goodbye?  That one charted real well, I remember.
Birds Without Wings too was a single.  Late Night Radio?  Wisdom?  Dead in the Water was the first radio track from A New Day...
And when was Flame Turns Blue a single?  As far as I know it's only appeared on a B-side...Falling Down The Mountainside was a B-side, that would be pretty cool on here.
So is there a hard rule to this?  If not, then I can certainly see a need for more of David's better tracks to appear on his 'greatest hits'. 
I understand many people when they say on here that DG is a very 'underrated' artist but as I said earlier this compilation does little to show his lyrical and musical abilities...

Hello longbomb,

I think only DG himself will be able to tell what let to the decision of putting certain songs onto the album and leaving others off. So maybe we will get a little more insight from the interviews that are probably due to be published over the next couple of weeks.

By the way, I am very fond of all the songs you mentioned. But those on the upcoming album aren't bad either. At least in my humble opinion. Which is very personal, of course.

- Rena 

maybe they are all easy on the new listener (the tracklist of greatest hits)

i'm pretty sure dave said on a video interview he kind of cringes at his older music CD-wise. So for the benefit of the possible new listener, it's more mainstream and again, easy to listen to. 

read all comments with great interest hope