Hi everybody,
So, we’ve all now seen the tracklist for ‘A Victim of Stars, 1982-2011’ and of course we all have a point of view on what should / should not be included.
IMHO, it’s quite a strong compilation, although it seems to me that the first CD is basically an unimaginative collection of singles, neglecting other tracks from that period that have stood the test of time far better.
My question to you, then, is very simple: What tracks would YOU pick for a double Sylvian CD - maximum running time 74 minutes per CD (so 148 in total)?
Trust me, it’s a tricky task. However, I believe there should be 4 ground rules:
It should be entirely free of record label interference (eg. Irrespective of which tracks are on Virgin vs Samadhi Sound. Just pick the tracks you love most)
It should be entirely free of commercial concerns (eg. Simply picking the best-known tracks to drive more sales. So Red Guitar doesn’t have to be included just because it’s one of the best-known tracks).
Previous compilations are entirely irrelevant. Whether a track has or hasn’t been included on Everything & Nothing / Sleepwalkers / Camphor is of no importance whatsoever.
So, it’s just about the Sylvian tracks you love most that you think will work together as a compilation. It can be ordered chronologically or in any other way you see fit.
My humble offering is:
CD 1
Wonderful World
The Scent Of Magnolia
Ride
Every Colour You Are
Ballad Of A Deadman
September
Laughter and Forgetting
Before the Bullfight
Big Wheels In Shanty Town
Pure Genius
The Ink In The Well
The Boy With The Gun
Midnight Sun
Wanderlust
CD 2
Words With The Shaman, Pt. 2: Incantation
Heartbeat (Tainai Kaiki II)
When Poets Dreamed Of Angels
Money For All (Version)
Nostalgia
Orpheus
Pocket Full of Change
The Day The Earth Stole Heaven
Some Kind Of Fool
Waterfront
Thalhiem
Sleepwalkers
Godman
Pop Song
I Surrender
Firstly, I much prefer a mixed-up track list rather than a chronological one as the latter feels to me like a rather unsatisfying series of mini-albums (i.e. some tracks from Brilliant Trees followed by some tracks from Alchemy followed by some tracks from Gone To Earth, etc). Having said that, for me, Laughter & Forgetting and Before The Bullfight flow beautifully into each other so I have sequenced them as per Gone To Earth.
Secondly, as this is a personal selection, I prefer to leave off some of his best-known tracks (Forbidden Colours, Red Guitar, Taking The Veil, Silver Moon, etc) simply because I find them a little overblown, overplayed, and in some instances, simply not his best work. Like I said, this is just about the songs I want to hear most. Nothing more, nothing less.
Similarly, although I like Blemish and love both Manafon and Died In The Wool, I haven’t included any tracks from those albums, just because I prefer to give space to other things. Sorry purists, but there you are. If you disagree, don’t get angry at me. It’s just my taste. Make your own compilation to right my ignorant wrongs.
Still amazed he couldn’t find room for Some Kind Of Fool on Gentlemen Take Polaroids or Ride on Gone To Earth. However, since they are still relatively fresh to me, I have included both, despite Some Kind Of Fool being a Japan - rather than a Sylvian – track.
Rain Tree Crow and Nine Horses are absolutely fair game in my eyes. Both generated some outstanding tracks so why not?
Honourable mentions to Brilliant Trees, World Citizen, Jean The Birdman, Let The Happiness In, A Fire In The Forest, The Banality Of Evil and many others, but I just couldn’t find space for them.
So there you have it. Would be intrigued to see your suggested compilations…
And remember, love’s my only guide
x