David Gray Announcements

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 10:10:13 GMT

Hi TYL,

no need to be sorry

At the moment I have got no knowledge about what the booklet is going to include but I will get back to you as soon as I'll receive more information.

- Rena

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 09:24:17 GMT

Double ? really ?I'm looking on online shops, but this doesn't seem to happen It would be great, btw ! A bonus disc with the videos and live performances...

I'm looking for the tracklist of the single, but I really can't find it !

rena, sorry if I bother you again, but do you know if the booklet is about to include some kind of commentary by David ?

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Sun, 14 Oct 2007 19:22:33 GMT

I just heard the new single on BBC Radio 2 and the DJ johnny walker said the greatest hits will be a double cd

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 09:54:47 GMT

'Alive'.

That's definitely a song I'd like to see on an album finally.

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Sat, 13 Oct 2007 09:34:46 GMT

I forgot just one huge song: Alive !!!

It would have been a great track on this GH !

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:56:29 GMT

TYL:
And I'm writing this knowing I'll try my best to buy all the single formats and this compilation, even in Italy, where it's not so easy to find David itmes...

Where in Italy are you TYL? I'm in Viareggio, near Lucca.

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 11:07:21 GMT

The track on the b-side to the vinyl single 'Alibi' is called "Golden Ray".

- Rena

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 10:54:25 GMT

I think he could have added some rarities...

A New Day At Midnight from the iTunes gig

Falling Down The Mountainside (live)

or the track available only on the vynil single Alibi (sorry, can't remember the title of the song)

I know Ain't no love was not commercially released as a single, but it was on the OST of a movie, isn't it ? :)

I know this is is to have new fans, but this GH could have been better

And I'm writing this knowing I'll try my best to buy all the single formats and this compilation, even in Italy, where it's not so easy to find David itmes...

btw, YTWTM is a great track

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 21:58:07 GMT

my computer doesn't crash like it did a moment ago!!!!Hope David does let us have the reasons for his choices some old time favourites for everyone tho. His music does evoke so many memories do wonder who Caroline is tho does anyone know?

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 21:53:31 GMT

read all comments with great interest hope

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 20:56:15 GMT

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.

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 20:10:06 GMT

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

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:21:30 GMT

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

Hello 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...

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 10:17:47 GMT

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

Re: David Gray Greatest Hits tracklist

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:02:17 GMT

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...