| Forever Young: The Ska Collection | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | 2 April 2012 | |||
| Recorded | 1979–2009 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 78:28 | |||
| Label | Salvo/Union Square | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Madness chronology | ||||
| ||||
Forever Young: The Ska Collection is a compilation album by English band Madness, released in 2012 by Salvo/Union Square Music as part of their re-issues of the Madness back catalogue. The album consists of a selection of the band's ska sounding songs, including singles, b-sides and album tracks. In addition to the classic Madness tracks, the album contains two previously unreleased covers: Jimmy Cliff's " Vietnam" and Edvard Grieg's " In the Hall of the Mountain King". Both of these bonus tracks were originally recorded for the 2005 Madness album The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1. [1] [2] The album includes a fold-out poster booklet with liner notes by Record Collector's Ian McCann, including new interviews with guitarist Chris Foreman and saxophonist Lee Thompson. Foreman said of the album: "It was our take on ska, and the songs on this album have ska as their basis. Not all are full-on; I wanted it to be called The Ska and Reggae Collection, but The Ska Collection it is." [1]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   
[3] |
| Record Collector |
[4] |
AllMusic wrote, "While they were never strictly a ska band, Madness had more than their share of skanky moments, many of which can be found on this 24-track compilation." AllMusic felt that while longtime fans will appreciate the collection's "quirky" set list, listeners looking for "something with " Our House" on it" would be better off with a greatest hits album. [3]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original release | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | " One Step Beyond" | Cecil Campbell | One Step Beyond..., 1979 | 2:19 |
| 2. | " Forever Young" | Graham McPherson | The Liberty of Norton Folgate, 2009 | 4:35 |
| 3. | " My Girl" | Mike Barson | One Step Beyond... | 2:41 |
| 4. | " Baggy Trousers" | McPherson, Chris Foreman | Absolutely, 1980 | 2:28 |
| 5. | " House of Fun" | Lee Thompson, Barson | Complete Madness, 1982 | 2:47 |
| 6. | " Grey Day" | Barson | 7, 1981 | 3:38 |
| 7. | "Tarzan's Nuts" | Chas Smash, Barson | One Step Beyond... | 2:25 |
| 8. | "Don't Quote Me on That" | Barson, Mark Bedford, Foreman, McPherson, Cathal Smyth, Thompson, Daniel Woodgate [n 1] | Work Rest and Play EP, 1980 | 4:33 |
| 9. | "Take It or Leave It" | Thompson, Barson | Absolutely | 3:19 |
| 10. | "Victoria Gardens" | Smyth, Barson | Keep Moving, 1984 | 4:33 |
| 11. | " The Prince" | Thompson | One Step Beyond... | 3:19 |
| 12. | "Day on the Town" | McPherson, Foreman | 7 | 3:22 |
| 13. | " Dust Devil" | Thompson, Woodgate | The Liberty of Norton Folgate | 3:44 |
| 14. | "In the Rain" | McPherson, Madness | Absolutely | 2:46 |
| 15. | "Not Home Today" | McPherson, Bedford | Absolutely | 2:44 |
| 16. | "Prospects" | Smyth, McPherson | Keep Moving | 4:13 |
| 17. | "In the City'" | McPherson, Barson, Smyth, Foreman, Bill Crutchfield, Daisuke Inoue | B-side of " Cardiac Arrest" single, 1982 | 2:58 |
| 18. | "Madness" | Campbell | One Step Beyond... | 2:38 |
| 19. | "Mistakes" | John Hasler, Barson | B-side of "One Step Beyond" single | 2:54 |
| 20. | "The Communicator" | McPherson, Smyth | Wonderful, 1999 | 3:21 |
| 21. | " Swan Lake" |
| One Step Beyond... | 3:28 |
| 22. | " Night Boat to Cairo" | McPherson, Barson | One Step Beyond... | 3:25 |
| 23. | " Vietnam" | Jimmy Cliff | Previously unreleased | 4:15 |
| 24. | " In the Hall of the Mountain King" |
| Previously unreleased | 2:39 |
| Total length: | 78:28 | |||
Charts
| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums ( OCC) [5] | 99 |
Personnel
See individual albums for full personnel credits.
- Madness
- Graham "Suggs" McPherson – vocals
- Cathal Smyth – vocals, trumpet
- Mike Barson – piano, keyboards
- Chris Foreman – guitar
- Mark Bedford – bass
- Lee Thompson – saxophone
- Daniel Woodgate – drums
- Technical
- Clive Langer – producer (1-22)
- Alan Winstanley – producer (1-22)
- Madness – producer (23, 24)
- Kerstin Rodgers – cover photo
- Ian McCann – liner notes
Notes
- ^ Credited on the Work Rest and Play EP to: Peter Tosh, Chas Smash. Guitarist Chris Foreman said in 2010, "There was some confusion over the writer of the tune we had been "inspired" by [ripped off] for the music and someone thought Peter Tosh had written the original version, which was a long way from the truth, he had nothing to do with it."
References
- ^ a b McCann, Ian (16 April 2012). "The House of Fun Never Closes". Record Collector. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ "2012". SevenRaggedMen.com. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ a b Monger, James Christopher. "Forever Young: The Ska Collection". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ Bell, Max (17 April 2012). "Forever Young: The Ska Collection". Record Collector. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ "Madness | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
- ^ "Don't quote me on that". Madness.co.uk. 20 November 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
External links
- Forever Young: The Ska Collection at Discogs (list of releases)
