Search - Thompson Twins :: Greatest Hits

Some Good Alternate Versions for the Diehards

M. Samples | Seattle, WA, USA | 06/21/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"OK, first off, let it be known for the not-so-die-hard Thompson Twins buyer that many of the versions of the songs on this CD are not the album (or even radio) versions of these songs that you have heard in the past. Some have been altered only slightly, some much more majorly. If you are looking for a CD with the versions you remember, this likely isn't for you (Arista has a 16 track CD - still in print - that better suits these listeners).



If you're a die-hard Twins fan, this CD becomes much more interesting. Personally, I actually bought this one because I was lacking both "In The Name of Love" and "Nothing In Common" on CD. The version of "In The Name of Love" here is a little more stripped down than the single version and has a slightly longer Shiela E. type drum break out preceding the final run through of the chorus at the end of the song. The version of "Nothing in Common" is similar that it is stripped down somewhat from the 7" vinyl single release (not that it's bad - just different).



The real standouts in terms of alternate versions here are the 12" version of "Lay Your Hands on Me" (this really is the mix that the single release should have been based off of) and the original mix of "King For A Day" (some refer to this mix as the "Fools in Paradise" version). The demo-like version of "Hold Me Now" is also interesting.



A few of the I-could-take-it-or-leave-it alternates include the 7" version of "Sister of Mercy" (the way it was released in Europe which I found inferior to the album version) and the B-side "Lucky Day" (it's certainly not bad, but it's not one of those B-sides that make you feel you've just witnessed the Second Coming when you hear it for the first time). The version of "Don't Mess With Doctor Dream" has been altered from the album version as well (possibly their attempt to make a single mix?) - and the album version is preferable as it flows more smoothly than this mix.



Then there's the included 7" version of "Roll Over". Die-hards all know the story of this song and Tom's exhaustion (this was to be the first single released from "Here's to Future Days" and just prior to the release of the album, Tom collapsed from exhaustion. The Twins took this as a sign and released "Lay Your Hands On Me" instead and even went so far to have later versions of the album drop "Roll Over" altogether). My CD of "Here's To Future Days" does include the track and it's long been one of my favorites, so I was very curious to hear what the 7" would have sounded like back in 1985. While it does sound a little more like "Into The Gap" era TT (meaning less guitar and some additional keyboard filler), I have to admit that I much prefer the version that's on the album (the 7" still has the Steve Stevens guitar solo at the break, but much of the other guitar is omitted). It's not bad (especially if you can't get a copy of "Here's To Future Days" that contains "Roll Over") but I prefer the album version by a decent amount.



Verdict? Casual listeners might not like the non-traditional versions of many of the songs, but core fans will find some worthwile alternate versions of the hits here. Reccommended."

Must Have for Thompson Twins Fans!

M. Samples | 11/21/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"By far the best Thompson Twins greatest hits CD available. While it includes all the usual suspects, it also has some true gems like the original 7" versions of Roll Over, Lies and Sister of Mercy, the B-Side Lucky Day and the original 12" version of Lay Your Hands on Me. On top of that, it has a demo-like version of Hold Me Now.It would have been an even better CD if it had included The Gap, Passion Planet and some Warner releases such as Sugar Daddy and Come Inside. Other than that it is perfect! Overall a must have for TT fans!"

Hold Me Now Into The Twilight Zone

Paul F. Byrne | San Ramon, CA | 05/03/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm absolutely delighted with this entire disc, having been a Thompson Twins fan for over 25 years. This review contains comments ONLY on a single song.



"Hold Me Now" was a hit single in the U.S. in 1984 and the song has appeared on many compilations since then. Due to the ubiquity of the song, I simply skipped over it when I first got this new CD as I REALLY didn't want to hear it again, not to mention that I feel that the "Twins" had much better material in their catalogue.



However, I was listening to this CD in my car last night and the darned song cued up. "Oh no, not THIS one" thought I, but I let it play, expecting to hear the same tune which has been imprinted in my brain for a quarter of a century.



That's when I entered The Twilight Zone.



This is a significantly different version than the single release in the U.S. in (at first glance) subtle ways.



To begin, the absence of the delicate piano lines in the introduction is startling as I've always considered this to be one of the signatures of the song.



The ONLY percussion in the intro is the triangle, kick drum and the guiro (omitting the shaker, castanet and woodblock). MORE importantly, the single version has the guiro panned to the right and that's where it stays throughout the song. THIS version has the guiro beginning in the LEFT channel where it then pans across the stereo spectrum to the right. The next time it plays, it starts in the right channel and pans left. Lather, rinse, repeat.



One of my favorite phrasings of the song is the introduction of the high-hat (that little "clickity-click, clickity-click") at the end of the measure right before the downbeat where the vocal starts. THIS version has a "click click" right before the familiar phrase.



The bassline is precisely the same as the "original".



The vocal track is NOT at all the same as the one most people are familiar with, and this can easily be noticed throughout the song - beginning with the very first line!



The single version has Tom sounding a little (tired?), especially on the word "picture" where he delays the second syllable ("pic - ture"). THIS version has him right on point hitting every syllable of the first line in eighth-notes. There are many other variances on the lead vocal throughout the entire song.



I suspect that this was a guide vocal or an initial take. It was completely re-recorded for the single edit.



The "Whoa whoa whoa" at the end of the second chorus (going in to the bridge) is now just a solo vocal from Tom (without the vocal harmonies) and does NOT have all of that reverb at the tail end of the phrase - it merely ends.



The beginning of the final chorus part OMITS Joe's first "Hold me in your loving arms, hold my cold and tired heart" and cuts in right at "Oh won't you stay with me".



There are MANY other variances between this "demo" and the "official single" and I've had a wonderful time switching between the two to discover them. For a group which hasn't produced any new material in seventeen years, I'm pleased to discover something "new".



Overall, this appears to be a "demo" (albeit a very HIGH quality one) and showcases quite strongly the role a producer plays - Alex Sadkin did an exceptional job with the "Twins" and it's a real shame that we'll most likely NEVER hear how "Here's to Future Days" SHOULD have sounded before Nile Rodgers helped destroy the groups career.



Of course, your mileage may vary."