I can never decide if I should be angry at record companies who do things like add bonus material to best-of collections. I mean, did I need to buy 18 Tracks (even though I already had the set Tracks)? Well, yes...because I needed "The Fever".
Do I need The Essential Bruce Springsteen? Yep, if only because I don't have a decent version of "Trapped" on cd. Plus, there really are some extra goodies on the third disc (from Backstreets):
- 1. From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come) - Unreleased, previously recorded by Dave Edmunds
2. The Big Payback - B-side to "Open All Night"
3. Held Up Without a Gun (Live) - Previously unreleased live version of the "Hungry Heart" B-side, from 12/31/80 (leaving the original studio version still unavailable on CD)
4. Trapped (Live) - Bruce's classic Jimmy Cliff cover, live with the E Street Band on 8/6/84, previously available on U.S.A. for Africa's We Are the World.
5. None But the Brave - Previously unreleased Born in the U.S.A. outtake
6. Missing - 1995 song from the film The Crossing Guard
7. Lift Me Up - 1999 song from the film Limbo
8. Viva Las Vegas - A post-E Street studio recording from The Last Temptation of Elvis benefit album
9. County Fair - Previously unreleased early-'80s outtake
10. Code of Silence (Live) - Previously unreleased, co-written with Joe Grushecky, a live version from 2000 at Madison Square Garden
11. Dead Man Walkin' - 1995 song from the film Dead Man Walking
12. Countin' on a Miracle (Acoustic) - Previously unreleased, though a Danny Clinch film of this country blues version played on the screens after many a Rising show
So yea...I'll be buyin' it. I've been sucked in. Can't really blame the record companies.
(The Essential Bruce Springsteen will be released on November 11th to be followed (November 18th) by Live In Barcelona, a concert DVD...which I probably won't have to will power to resist).
(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)
Article comments
1 - Al Barger
Stuff like one more best of album with just one or two new songs is just exactly why God invented Kazaa.
2 - Mark Saleski
you'd do that if it was, say, Elvis Costello?
despite he fact that most artists don't see lots of money from cd sales...i still feel like buyin' the stuff is the right thing to do.
3 - Al Barger
Oh, I especially don't feel guilty about downloading Elvis Costello. I've sure dropped enough money on him over time, and continue to do so. Perhaps you may think I should feel bad, but I don't feel like I'm commiting any offense at all against Elvis when I'm grabbing some b-sides and live bootlegs and whatnot.