Don't Bore Us - Get to the Chorus! Roxette's Greatest Hits | ||||
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Greatest hits album by | ||||
Released | 23 October 1995 | |||
Recorded | 1987–1994; July–August 1995 | |||
Genre | Pop rock | |||
Length | 75:11 | |||
Label | EMI | |||
Producer |
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Roxette chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
Singles from Don't Bore Us,Get to the Chorus! | ||||
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Don't Bore Us - Get to the Chorus! Roxette's Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits compilation album by Swedish pop duo Roxette,released on 30 October 1995 by EMI. The record contains the duo's four number ones from the US Billboard Hot 100 chart:"The Look","Listen to Your Heart","It Must Have Been Love" and "Joyride",and a further two which reached number two on the chart:"Dangerous" and "Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave)". [1] It also includes four newly recorded tracks,three of which were released as singles:"You Don't Understand Me","June Afternoon" and "She Doesn't Live Here Anymore". The album's title is based on a quote from Motown-founder Berry Gordy. [2]
The album was an immediate commercial success,selling over 2 million copies worldwide within 2 months of release. As of 2001,the compilation has sold in excess of 6 million copies worldwide. The record would not be released in the United States until 26 September 2000. This edition featured different cover art and consisted of an altered track listing—it excluded singles which were never released in the US,and included two singles from their then-most recent album, Have a Nice Day (1999).
Roxette recorded four new songs for the compilation,three of which went on to be issued as commercial singles. "You Don't Understand Me" was released in October 1995 as the compilation's lead single internationally. [3] It was co-written by Per Gessle with American composer Desmond Child,and was originally intended for submission to other recording artists. However,Gessle was so pleased with the song that he asked Marie Fredriksson to record the vocals. In the album's liner notes,Gessle described it as the first Roxette song to be written by an "outsider". [4] In the United Kingdom,a remixed version of "The Look" –titled "The Look '95" –was released in November as the album's lead single there,where it peaked at number 28. [5] This remixed version does not appear on the album. [3]
"June Afternoon" and "She Doesn't Live Here Anymore" were released as subsequent singles. [3] Both songs were predominantly recorded with members of Gessle's former band Gyllene Tider. [4] The former would go on to become a top 40 hit in Belgium, [6] Sweden, [7] and Switzerland, [8] while the latter charted in the lower regions of the German Singles Chart. [9] The remaining new song,"I Don't Want to Get Hurt",was issued as a promotional single in Brazil,and became a sizable airplay hit there after it was predominantly featured in a Brazilian telenovela. Also included on the compilation are two previously released non-album singles:"It Must Have Been Love" and "Almost Unreal",from the soundtracks of Pretty Woman (1990) and Super Mario Bros. (1993),respectively. [3]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Aftonbladet | [10] |
AllMusic | [2] |
Music Week | [11] |
Bryan Buss of AllMusic said that the album "exhibits what pop masters Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson are, ... [they have] crafted some of the best tunes of the '80s and '90s." He described every song as a gem,and said:"Even with the pop renaissance of the late '90s,no one picked up where Roxette left off. This is a comprehensive collection of great contemporary music from overlooked and underrated pros." [2] A 2016 feature in Renowned for Sound praised the record as being the "definitive greatest hits record to own above all other hits collections over the last 30 years." Editor Brendon Veevers described the new songs as "some of the bands finest work." [12] Ronny Olovsson from Swedish publication Aftonbladet also complimented the new songs,calling them "just as strong [melodically]" as their biggest hit singles,but claimed that the production on their earlier material had aged badly. [10]
In a review of the 2000 US version of the album, Billboard said:"It's ironic how some acts just rack up hit after hit,seemingly under the radar of pop culture. It's also interesting to note how easy it is to take such acts for granted. During its early-'90s heyday,no one took Roxette seriously. And yet the masses happily consumed one tasty treat after another—as evidenced by this compilation." Commenting on the performance of "Wish I Could Fly" at US radio,they opined:"[Do Roxette] still have the golden touch? If ["Wish I Could Fly"] is an accurate indicator,the answer is resoundingly positive. ... It looks like Roxette will be adding to that pile of much-deserved (if guilty pleasure) hits." [13]
The album was an immediate commercial success throughout Europe,debuting at number three on Billboard 's European Albums Chart. [14] It was later certified platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry in 1996 for sales of over a million copies throughout Europe. [15] The record topped the charts in Portugal, [14] while reaching the top five in Austria, [16] Denmark, [14] Finland, [17] Ireland, [18] Scotland, [19] Sweden, [7] Switzerland, [8] and the UK. [5] In Germany,the record peaked at number seven, [9] and was certified platinum by the BVMI for shipments in excess of 500,000 units. [20] The album also peaked at number seven in Italy, [21] and was one of the top 40 best-selling albums of the year. [22] Don't Bore Us sold over 2 million copies worldwide within two months of release. [23]
The record was also successful in Oceania,peaking in the top ten in both Japan and New Zealand. [24] [25] It was certified platinum in both countries for shipments in excess of 200,000 and 15,000 units,respectively. [26] [25] Conversely,the album initially had little impact on the ARIA Charts when it was released in Australia in late 1995,failing to enter the top 40 there. [27] In mid-1996,some six months later,EMI Australia began to promote the album with a collection of TV commercials. [28] The record would go on to peak in the top ten, [27] and was certified double platinum by the ARIA for shipments in excess of 140,000 copies. [29] It finished 1996 as the 35th best-selling album in the country. [30]
The original album was not released in the United States. [3] However,it was released in Canada, [3] where it peaked at number forty and was certified gold by Music Canada –then the Canadian Recording Industry Association –in 1996 for shipments in excess of 50,000 units. [31] [32] It was finally issued in the US in 2000,with an amended track listing:all of the new songs,aside from "You Don't Understand Me",were cut,along with the singles which were never released in the US (namely "The Big L." and "Vulnerable"). These were replaced by the fifth and final single from their third studio album Joyride (1991),"Church of Your Heart"—which reached number 36 on the Billboard 200 in 1992; [33] as well as two singles from their then-most recent album, Have a Nice Day (1999):"Stars" and "Wish I Could Fly". [3] The latter had reached number 24 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary and number 40 on Adult Pop Songs. [34] [35]
As of 2005,the album had sold over 78,000 copies in the US, [36] with worldwide sales estimated at over 6 million copies. [37]
All lyrics are written by Per Gessle, except "You Don't Understand Me" by Gessle and Desmond Child; all music is composed by Gessle, except "You Don't Understand Me" by Gessle and Child and "Listen to Your Heart", "Spending My Time" and "She Doesn't Live Here Anymore" by Gessle and Mats MP Persson
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "June Afternoon" | 4:15 |
2. | "You Don't Understand Me" | 4:28 |
3. | "The Look" (from Look Sharp! , 1988) | 3:56 |
4. | "Dressed for Success" (US Single Mix; from Look Sharp!) | 4:11 |
5. | "Listen to Your Heart" (Swedish Single Edit; from Look Sharp!) | 5:14 |
6. | "Dangerous" (Single Version; from Look Sharp!) | 3:48 |
7. | "It Must Have Been Love" (from the Pretty Woman soundtrack, 1990) | 4:19 |
8. | "Joyride" (Single Edit; from Joyride , 1991) | 4:02 |
9. | "Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave)" (from Joyride) | 3:53 |
10. | "The Big L." (from Joyride) | 4:28 |
11. | "Spending My Time" (from Joyride) | 4:38 |
12. | "How Do You Do!" (from Tourism , 1992) | 3:12 |
13. | "Almost Unreal" (from the Super Mario Bros. soundtrack, 1993) | 3:59 |
14. | "Sleeping in My Car" (Single Edit; from Crash! Boom! Bang! , 1994) | 3:33 |
15. | "Crash! Boom! Bang!" (Single Edit; from Crash! Boom! Bang!) | 4:25 |
16. | "Vulnerable" (Single Version; from Crash! Boom! Bang!) | 4:30 |
17. | "She Doesn't Live Here Anymore" | 4:03 |
18. | "I Don't Want to Get Hurt" | 4:17 |
Total length: | 75:11 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Wish I Could Fly" (from Have a Nice Day , 1999) | 4:40 |
2. | "Stars" (from Have a Nice Day) | 3:56 |
3. | "The Look" | 3:56 |
4. | "Dressed for Success" (US Single Mix) | 4:11 |
5. | "Listen to Your Heart" (Swedish Single Edit) | 5:13 |
6. | "Dangerous" (Single Version) | 3:47 |
7. | "It Must Have Been Love" | 4:18 |
8. | "Joyride" (Single Edit) | 3:59 |
9. | "Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave)" | 3:51 |
10. | "Spending My Time" | 4:36 |
11. | "Church of Your Heart" (from Joyride, 1991) | 3:16 |
12. | "How Do You Do!" | 3:11 |
13. | "Almost Unreal" | 3:57 |
14. | "Sleeping in My Car" (Single Edit) | 3:32 |
15. | "Crash! Boom! Bang!" (Single Edit) | 4:25 |
16. | "You Don't Understand Me" | 4:27 |
Total length: | 65:15 |
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! Roxette's Greatest Hits. [4]
Musicians
Technical
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Argentina (CAPIF) [48] | Gold | 30,000^ |
Australia (ARIA) [29] | 2× Platinum | 140,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [49] | Gold | 25,000* |
Belgium (BEA) [50] | Platinum | 50,000* |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [51] | Platinum | 250,000* |
Canada (Music Canada) [32] | Gold | 50,000^ |
Finland (Musiikkituottajat) [52] | Platinum | 45,149 [52] |
Germany (BVMI) [20] | Platinum | 500,000^ |
Italy | — | 200,000 [53] |
Japan (RIAJ) [26] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Netherlands (NVPI) [54] | Gold | 50,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [55] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
Poland (ZPAV) [56] | Platinum | 100,000* |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [43] | 2× Platinum | 200,000^ |
Sweden (GLF) [57] | 3× Platinum | 300,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [58] | Platinum | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [59] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
United States | — | 78,000 [36] |
Summaries | ||
Europe (IFPI) [15] | Platinum | 1,000,000* |
Worldwide | — | 6,000,000 [37] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Roxette is a Swedish pop rock group, formerly consisting of Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle. They are Sweden's second-best-selling music act after ABBA.
Look Sharp! is the second studio album by Swedish pop rock duo Roxette, released on 21 October 1988 by EMI, two years after their debut Pearls of Passion (1986). It was recorded at EMI Studios in Stockholm and at Trident II Studios in London between March and September 1988. The album was an immediate commercial success in Sweden, debuting at number one and eventually being certified 6× platinum there.
Joyride is the third studio album by Swedish pop rock duo Roxette, released on 25 March 1991 by EMI as the follow-up to their international breakthrough Look Sharp! (1988), as well as the non-album single "It Must Have Been Love", from the soundtrack to Pretty Woman (1990). The album was recorded over an 11-month period in Sweden. The duo experienced considerable pressure from their record label to deliver a successful follow-up album, and resisted pressure to relocate to Los Angeles and work with experienced American producers.
Crash! Boom! Bang! is the fifth studio album by Swedish pop rock duo Roxette, released on 11 April 1994 by EMI. The album was an immediate commercial success, peaking within the top 10 in over 20 national charts throughout Europe, Australasia and South America. The full-length album was not originally released in the United States, where a shortened version titled Favorites from Crash! Boom! Bang! was sold for a limited time through McDonald's outlets; this version sold over a million copies in the US but was deemed ineligible to chart on the Billboard 200 as, until 2007, Billboard had a policy of excluding albums sold by an exclusive retailer.
Have a Nice Day is the sixth studio album by Swedish pop duo Roxette, released worldwide from 22 February 1999 by Roxette Recordings and EMI. Recorded over an 18-month period in studios in Sweden and Spain, the album was produced by Marie Fredriksson, Per Gessle, Clarence Öfwerman and Michael Ilbert, and was their first studio album since Crash! Boom! Bang! in 1994. The album was not released in the US, as the duo were no longer signed to a label there. A deluxe edition was released in Spanish-speaking territories and, in Arabian regions, the naked babies on the cover were digitally removed, due to religious concerns.
Room Service is the seventh studio album by Swedish pop duo Roxette, released worldwide from 2 April 2001. A planned release in the United States failed to materialise, as the duo's label there, Edel Records America, had been disbanded the previous month due to financial difficulties. Marie Fredriksson was not as involved in the album's production as she had been on previous records, taking part in the composition of just two songs. The album was remastered and reissued with bonus tracks in 2009.
"Sleeping in My Car" is a song by Swedish pop music duo Roxette, released on 7 March 1994 by EMI as the lead single from the duo's fifth studio album, Crash! Boom! Bang! (1994). The song was composed by Per Gessle in under an hour, and was the final song the band recorded for the album. It is a pop rock song containing elements drawn from pop punk. Marie Fredriksson's vocal range on the track spans over three octaves. The band performed the song at the inaugural 1994 MTV Europe Music Awards.
"Listen to Your Heart" is a song by Swedish rock duo Roxette, originally released in Sweden in September 1988 as the second single from the duo's second studio album, Look Sharp! (1988). It was written by Per Gessle with former Gyllene Tider guitarist Mats "M.P." Persson. The song went on to become one of the most successful singles of 1989, reaching number one in both the United States and Canada around November 1989. The track was the first song to reach number one in the US without a commercially released 7-inch single.
"The Look" is a song by Swedish pop duo Roxette. It was released in early 1989 as the fourth single from their second studio album, Look Sharp! (1988). It became an international hit, and was one of the most successful singles of 1989. It topped the charts in 25 countries, and was the first of their four number ones on the Billboard Hot 100. The song received mostly positive reviews from music critics.
"Wish I Could Fly" is a song by Swedish pop music duo Roxette, released on 1 February 1999 as the lead single from their sixth studio album, Have a Nice Day (1999). An orchestral pop ballad containing elements of electronica, the song was written as an experiment by Per Gessle, who was attempting to establish if a prominently-placed drum loop would fit alongside a large orchestra. The track became a sizable hit for the duo, peaking inside the top twenty of Billboard's European Hot 100 Singles, and was the most-played song on European radio of 1999. It would also become their final top 40 hit on the UK Singles Chart.
"Crash! Boom! Bang!" is a song by Swedish pop music duo Roxette, released in May 1994 by EMI as the second single from the duo's fifth studio album, Crash! Boom! Bang! (1994). The song became a moderate hit in several European countries, peaking in the top 20 in Austria, Belgium, Finland and Sweden. It spent over five months on the German Singles Chart, peaking at number 31. The accompanying music video for the song, directed by Michael Geoghegan, had to be filmed twice before release, due to technical issues.
"Almost Unreal" is a song by Swedish pop music duo Roxette, released on 10 May 1993 by EMI Records as the lead single from the soundtrack of the 1993 live action film Super Mario Bros., which starred Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopper, and Samantha Mathis. The song became a top-20 hit in numerous territories, including Scandinavia, Ireland and the UK. It would also be the duo's final top ten hit in the latter two countries, excluding a re-release of "It Must Have Been Love" two months later. The song proved to be unsuccessful in North America, peaking at numbers 94 and 88 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100, although it performed better in Canada, where it peaked within the top 30. It appeared as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of their next studio album, Crash! Boom! Bang! (1994), mistitled "It's Almost Unreal". The accompanying music video for "Almost Unreal" was directed by Michael Geoghegan.
"Vulnerable" is a song by Swedish pop music duo Roxette, released in February 1995 by EMI as the fifth and final single from their fifth studio album, Crash! Boom! Bang! (1994), while simultaneously acting as the lead single from the duo's 1995 compilation album, Rarities.
"Spending My Time" is a song by Swedish duo Roxette, released as the fourth single from their third studio album, Joyride (1991). It was written by Per Gessle and Mats Persson, and produced by Clarence Öfwerman. The single attained moderate success, reaching the top 10 in Germany and Italy, and the top 20 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, while peaking at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart and 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Its music video was directed by Wayne Isham.
A Collection of Roxette Hits: Their 20 Greatest Songs! is the fourth greatest hits compilation album by Swedish pop duo Roxette, released on 18 October 2006 by Roxette Recordings and Capitol to celebrate 20 years since the release of their debut album, Pearls of Passion. It was issued in conjunction with a six-disc box set, The Rox Box/Roxette 86–06. The duo recorded "One Wish" and "Reveal" in June 2006, their first songs recorded as a duo since vocalist Marie Fredriksson's brain tumour diagnosis four years earlier.
"You Don't Understand Me" is a song by Swedish pop music duo Roxette. Written by Per Gessle with American composer Desmond Child, it was released as the lead single from the duo's first greatest hits compilation album, Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! Roxette's Greatest Hits (1995). It was also the only new song from the original edition of the album to appear on the 2000 U.S. edition. The song was a hit in several European countries, reaching the top 20 in Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the duo's native Sweden. The song was also a hit in Germany where, despite peaking at number 44, it would spend over three months on the German Singles Chart.
"June Afternoon" is a song by Swedish pop music duo Roxette, released in January 1996 as the second single from their second greatest hits compilation album, Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! Roxette's Greatest Hits (1995). The single was only released in Europe, Australia, and Canada, peaking at number one in the Czech Republic and within the top 40 in numerous territories. Its accompanying music video was directed by Jonas Åkerlund.
"She Doesn't Live Here Anymore" is a song by Roxette, released as the third and final single from their greatest hits compilation Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! Roxette's Greatest Hits (1995). The song had originally been written and recorded for the duo's 1994 studio album Crash! Boom! Bang! but, according to Marie Fredriksson, that version "sounded really tired", and has yet to be released. It was later re-recorded in July 1995 with members of Per Gessle's former band Gyllene Tider. It is the only song in Roxette's discography to not be produced by Clarence Öfwerman. "She Doesn't Live Here Anymore" was only released in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, also in Hungary, in the Czech Republic peaking at number 86 on the German Singles Chart. The single included two remixed versions of "The Look" as b-sides. Its music video was directed by Jonas Åkerlund.
The discography of Swedish pop duo Roxette consists of ten studio albums, one live album, thirteen compilation albums, one remix album, eleven video albums, three box sets, fifty-six singles and twenty promotional singles, as well as fifty-two music videos. The duo, which consisted of Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson, are the second most commercially successful Swedish act of all time, after ABBA. They sold over 75 million records worldwide, although a report by the Los Angeles Times put the figure as high as 80 million. The RIAA awarded them certifications of 3.5 million units in the US, where the duo have sold over two million albums since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales data in May 1991. The BPI in the UK certified Roxette for shipments of at least 3 million. They were particularly successful in Germany, where they are recognised as one of the highest-certified acts of all time, with shipments of 5.725 million units.
Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! – Roxette's Greatest Video Hits is the second music video compilation by Swedish pop music duo Roxette, released on 20 December 1995 on VHS, LaserDisc and double VCD formats by EMI and Picture Music International. The video is a companion piece to the duo's first greatest hits compilation album, Don't Bore Us, Get to the Chorus! - Roxette's Greatest Hits, which had been released two months earlier.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)Nell'ottobre '95 e uscita una racotta di sucessi intitolata "Don't bore us - Get to the Chorus" (in Italia, 200 mila copie)