Greatest Hits (Half Japanese album)

Greatest Hits is the first compilation album released by the punk rock band Half Japanese, in 1995. It includes the line ups from all albums released by the band.

Greatest Hits
Compilation album by
ReleasedMarch 13, 1995
GenrePunk rock
Alternative rock
LabelSafe House
ProducerHalf Japanese
Half Japanese chronology
'Boo! Live in Europe 1992'
(1994)
Greatest Hits
(1995)
Hot
(1995)

History

Half Japanese's Greatest Hits, which was the band's first compilation album, was released on March 13, 1995,[1] after more than twenty years of activity as a band.[2] By the time it came out, the band had gained an international fan base[1] and it had already released thirteen studio albums; since the release of the compilation, there have been three more.[3] Half Japanese later released two more compilation albums.[4]

Music

Greatest Hits is two discs and has at least one song from each album: from 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts, with the band's original set, to Boo! Live in Europe 1992.[1] The album features notable guests such as John Zorn and Eugene Chadbourne.[5]

There are strong differences in the styles as well as the sound fidelity between the songs.[1] It is possible to find noise and electronic tracks, such as the ones from 1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts; punk rock songs, like those from Charmed Life; experimental songs, such as those from The Band That Would Be King as well as more straightforward rock from other releases.[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link
Entertainment Weekly(Favourable) link

Ned Raggett from Allmusic gave the album 4.5 stars of 5 calling it the best way to start with Half Japanese given the scattered discography of the band. He praised the songs "King Kong", "Amazing Clock" and "Identical Twins" as well as "How to Play Guitar", which, according to him, makes for a great final touch.[1]

The album was included in Blender's top 100 indie rock albums, where it was called "undeniably difficult and triumphantly messy".[6]

Track listing

All songs written by Jad Fair unless indicated.

Disc A

No.TitleWriter(s)Original AlbumLength
1."Firecracker (“Firecracker Firecracker”)" Sing No Evil (1985)2:42
2."Daytona Beach" The Band That Would Be King (1989)1:47
3."Said and Done"
  • Mark Jickling
  • J. Fair
Charmed Life (1988)2:52
4."Dance When I Say Dance"Half JapaneseOur Solar System (1984)1:47
5."Postcard from Far Away" The Band That Would Be King (1989)1:42
6."The Worst I'd Ever Do"Jad and David Fair1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980)0:43
7."Horseshoes" The Band That Would Be King (1989)2:12
8."Open/Close Your Eyes (“Open Your Eyes/Close Your Eyes”)" The Band That Would Be King (1989)1:10
9."This Could Be the Night" Fire in the Sky (1992)4:39
10."Put Some Sugar on It" The Band That Would Be King (1989)2:50
11."Calling All Girls"J. & D. Fair“Calling All Girls” 7” EP (1977)1:01
12."La Bamba"TraditionalMusic to Strip By (1987)1:56
13."Love at First Sight"Half JapaneseCharmed Life (1988)2:44
14."Rub Every Muscle"D. FairSing No Evil (1985)1:45
15."Silver and Katherine"
  • Jickling
  • J. Fair
Music to Strip By (1987)3:13
16."My Sordid Past"Half JapaneseMusic to Strip By (1987)1:30
17."Ride, Ride, Ride" The Band That Would Be King (1989)0:32
18."Day and Night"
  • Jickling
  • J. Fair
Charmed Life (1988)2:52
19."Last Straw (“The Last Straw”)"Half JapaneseMusic to Strip By (1987)1:22
20."Nicole (“Nicole Told Me”)" Sing No Evil (1985)4:30
21."Miracles Happen Every Day" Charmed Life (1988)2:16
22."U.S. Teens (“U.S. Teens are Spoiled Bums”)"Half JapaneseMusic to Strip By (1987)1:08
23."School of Love"J. & D. Fair1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980)1:09
24."T. for Texas (“Blue Yodel No. 1 (T for Texas)”)"Jimmie RodgersPreviously unreleased8:23
25."Colleen"Half JapaneseMusic to Strip By (1987)2:33
26."Red Dress" Charmed Life (1988)2:15
27."Charmed Life"Half JapaneseCharmed Life (1988)1:46
28."Rosemary's Baby"D. FairHorrible EP (1982)1:32
29."I Know How It Feels... Bad"Half JapaneseLoud (1981)2:38
30."Roman Candles"
  • Fleming
  • J. Fair
  • Rick Dreyfuss
Charmed Life (1988)2:20
31."Dream Date"J. & D. Fair1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980)1:45

Disc B

No.TitleWriter(s)Original AlbumLength
1."Movin' on Up"
Previously unreleased2:17
2."No More Beatle Mania"J. & D. Fair1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980)1:53
3."How Did You Know?" We Are They Who Ache with Amorous Love (1990)1:34
4."Penny in the Fountain"
  • Jickling
  • J. Fair
Charmed Life (1988)1:59
5."King Kong"Daniel JohnstonA Tribute to Daniel Johnston Vol. 3 compilation 7” EP (1994)3:29
6."Secret" We Are They Who Ache with Amorous Love (1990)2:16
7."B./C. Millionaires (“Bogue Millionaires / Cool Millionaires”)"J. & D. Fair1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980)2:14
8."Amazing Clock"D. FairPreviously unreleased2:44
9."Thick and Thin"Half JapaneseMusic to Strip By (1987)1:13
10."1,000,000 Kisses (“One Million Kisses”)"Half JapaneseCharmed Life (1988)1:55
11."Big Mistake" BOO! Live In Europe 1992 (1992)1:26
12."Little Records"D. FairThe Band That Would Be King (1989)1:20
13."No Direct Line (“No Direct Line from My Brain to My Heart”)"J. & D. Fair1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980)2:01
14."The House I Live In" We Are They Who Ache with Amorous Love (1990)1:02
15."U.F.O. Expert" Fire in the Sky (1992)1:11
16."Identical Twins"D. FairPreviously unreleased0:39
17."Double Trouble" Sing No Evil (1985)2:04
18."Evidence"
  • Jickling
  • J. Fair
Charmed Life (1988)2:05
19."Stripping for Cash"Half JapaneseMusic to Strip By (1987)1:22
20."On the One Hand" Sing No Evil (1985)3:28
21."Snake Line"
  • Jickling
  • J. Fair
Charmed Life (1988)2:07
22."Too Much Adrenalin"D. FairOur Solar System (1984)1:28
23."Trouble in the Water"
  • Fleming
  • D. Fair
Charmed Life (1988)3:00
24."Ball and Chain"Willie Mae ThorntonSing No Evil (1985)3:03
25."Her Parents Came Home"J. & D. Fair1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980)1:02
26."Deadly Alien Spawn" The Band That Would Be King (1989)2:39
27."Ancient Life"Half JapaneseMusic to Strip By (1987)1:36
28."Poetic License"Half JapaneseCharmed Life (1988)2:10
29."Uncertain Feelings (“Tell Me I'm Wrong”)" Charmed Life (1988)2:10
30."Something New... (“Something New in the Ring”)"Half JapaneseCharmed Life CD bonus track (1988)1:16
31."Fire to Burn"D. FairOur Solar System (1984)2:33
32."Acupuncture"D. FairSing No Evil (1985)2:16
33."Salt & Pepper" Previously unreleased1:58
34."Guitar Solo"J. & D. Fair1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980)0:43
35."A Little Bit More" I Like It When You Smile (Jad Fair solo album) (1992)1:35
36."Mono (“I Don't Want to Have Mono No More”)"J. & D. Fair1/2 Gentlemen/Not Beasts (1980)0:20
37."Better Than Before" I Like It When You Smile (1992)1:26
38."Everything is Right"FlemingWe Are They Who Ache with Amorous Love (1990)2:46

Personnel

The people involved in the album are from the band's different line ups:[5]

References

  1. Raggett, Ned. "Half Japanese - Greatest Hits". Allmusic. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
  2. Huey, Steve. "Half Japanese". Allmusic. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
  3. "Half Japanese main albums". Allmusic. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
  4. "Half Japanese compilation albums". Allmusic. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
  5. "Half Japanese - Greatest Hits (credits)". Allmusic. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
  6. Jon Dolan, Josh Eells, Will Hermes, Jonah Weiner and Douglas Wolk. "The 100 Greatest Indie-Rock Albums Ever — #100 to #91". Blender. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008. Retrieved September 20, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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