Re: new tracks on GH

I've always thought it was interesting how artists include new tracks on Greatest Hits collections. Business-wise, I suppose it's crucial to add new material to an album of previously released stuff, but I wonder how many artists think that those new tracks will actually be big hits, or if it's only done to add bait to the hook? Seems like most of the time, new originals suck out loud, and covers (fairly common for "new" songs on a GH comp) are just "meh." A lot of times a new track on a collection is released as a single and is set up as a big hit but winds up falling flat, ending up as a black eye on someone's career.

Are there any "new" GH tracks that stand the test of time (i.e. are hits, are generally liked, make it onto subsequent anthologies)? The best example I can think of is "Mary Jane's Last Dance," other than that I draw a blank. What about genuinely good new GH cuts that flew under the radar? Or how bout the prize for the WORST new song on a collection of great greatest hits?

REM seem determined to treat "Bad Day" like a beloved standard from their catalog, but I don't know of anyone who actually loves it. It's a serviceable rewrite of "The End of the World As We Know It," but not much more.

REM seem determined to treat "Bad Day" like a beloved standard from their catalog, but I don't know of anyone who actually loves it. It's a serviceable rewrite of "The End of the World As We Know It," but not much more.

Actually, if I'm not mistaken, "Bad Day" is a “beloved” standard from the R.E.M. catalog. On the old bootleg I’m thinking of (“Mumble?”), it’s called “PSA” (Public Service Announcement?). Same music (essentially) with different (or at least audible) lyrics. Personally, I’m not the least bit revved up over either version of the song.

Not the first time R.E.M. (or anyone for that matter) has delved into the back catalog for material to revamp. Berry/Buck/Mills/Stipe got caught short of material for “Lifes Rich Pageant” and exhumed two moldy oldies from their early set list called “Get On Their Way” and “Now That You’re Gone.” At least I think those were the titles. They became (respectively) “What If We Give It Away” and “Just A Touch.”

Having done that, they must have still felt that they didn’t have enough songs because they tossed in the Clique cover and then finally called it finished.

From a business perspective, lots of bands are also adding that one new track, just to maintain some royalties on 'albums' that they otherwise might not have a lot of ownership to anymore.

I was never a fan of GH, but it seems these days, the bonus second disc of most reissues is sort of taking that role over - all the singles/outtakes around a band's 'best' album. Funny how that's also spilled over live, from SY doing Daydream Nation, to almost every band showing up to do a single album live, from Mission of Burma to Public Enemy, with Robyn Hitchcock, just the latest I've noticed; all the the same sort of critical response as to a GH package.

In Britain, where the singles culture is alive and well, it makes sense when a lot of the Brit Bands release compilations with new tracks that coincide with a new singles release although it seems less common these days.

One of my favorites is the great "All that Money Wants" by the Psychedelic Furs. Given that their last couple of albums had been pretty mediocre it was a great way to cap a new hits collection.