Monday, February 11, 2008

OK Compilation: Radiohead "Best Of" On the Way


EMI is releasing, in April or May, a Radiohead "greatest hits" collection in another greedy attempt to milk the band's catalogue for all it's worth. If you recall, there was also some controversy over that albums disc box, which the band was not happy about, and well, they are not happy in this case, either. My problem with it not only pertains to EMI bullshit, but also to idea of making a Radiohead best-of in the first place. The band's albums thrive on cohesiveness and continuity, and some of the band's best songs aren't of the "greatest hits" mold but fit perfectly within the context of their respective albums. Perhaps more importantly, one can not possibly choose a single set of songs to accurately and fully represent the band's music, nor one that includes every essential cut.

I swear, if either "High and Dry" or "Stop Whispering" gets a slot, someone's going down. In a feeble attempt to limit my favorite Radiohead songs (of the EMI age) to an 80 minute single disc (actually 82, deal with it):

"Fake Plastic Trees"

"Just"

"My Iron Lung"

"Paranoid Android"

"Subterranean Homesick Alien"

"Exit Music (For a Film)"

"Karma Police"

"Climbing Up the Walls"

"Lucky"

"Everything's In Its Right Place"

"True Love Waits"

"Kid A"

"The National Anthem"

"How To Disappear Completely"

"Pyramid Song"

"You and Whose Army?"

"2+2=5"

"Wolf at the Door"

Honorable Mention:
"Airbag"
"Let Down"
"Street Spirit"
"Go to Sleep"
"Packt Like Sardines"
"Idioteque"

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Couple points:

-I think you mean "subterranean homesick alien", not blues

-The only serious omissions I found were "I Might Be Wrong" and "There There". And no love for Pablo Honey?!?!

- There's really no need to clarify what's wrong with a greatest hits comp. Greatest hits are inherintly useless, and serve only to make EMI more sweet, delicious money.

-There's no way songs like "Climbing Up The Walls" make a chance at making the cut over actual hits, like "Creep".

Joey (reasonableman616) said...

haha yeah, i changed the accidental dylan title.

Erik said...

Yeah, I was gonna say the same thing as Andy, Creep and High and Dry are definitely going to make the roster...it's about commercialism, not the music itself. Plus, it's not like Radiohead seemed to care much, so I'll just do what they are gonna do and pretend this was never released.

Joey (reasonableman616) said...

I know that its about the "hits" and how many units are sold...im just saying, high and dry is like one of the five worst songs of the EMI age (not including b-sides and Pablo Honey)

Ethan Stevenson said...

i agree with drew babes, where's "there there" and high and dry isn't a bad song. ahead of the gloaming at least. i also don't think the disk will be as ok loaded as yours even if it should be.

Joey (reasonableman616) said...

my list was more of a personal favorites list than a prediction...and, yeah, the gloaming is worse than high and dry

Anonymous said...

My prediction then:

1. Creep

2. High and Dry

3. The Gloaming

4. Stop Whispering

5. In Rainbows Disc 2

6. The Oasis "Wonderwall" cover

Ethan Stevenson said...

is emi allowed to put anything from in rainbows on the comp?

Joey (reasonableman616) said...

haha on the oasis cover. maybe they'll throw "phillipa chicken" in, truly the best radiohead song ever. no, i dont think anything on in rainbows can be put on because it was distributed by like XL and ATO or someone.

Anonymous said...

I really have nothing more to add, I just wanna see the comments hit double digits for the first time in howsthepie history.

Anonymous said...

i was hoping like non us users commented this much... alas... no...

and the gloaming is better than high and dry

Anonymous said...

Hahaha of course Gasda would say that.

High and Dry = sooo much better than The Gloaming

Erik said...

high and dry is like pie to the gloaming's waitress. it's still important, but the pie is what you remember most, in the end.

D said...

No one wants Fitter Happier?

D said...

In all seriousness, my personal tracklist would include "Planet Telex" and "The Tourist," both of which I think are the third best songs of their respective albums; I also happen to think "High and Dry" and "Creep" are fine songs. I guess I'm not a "true" Radiohead fan.

Anonymous said...

Yeah. I guess you're not.

And Erik... what?

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