Reaching to the Converted

Last updated

Reaching to the Converted
BBragg Reaching.gif
Compilation album by
ReleasedAugust 1999
Genre Rock, folk
Label Cooking Vinyl
Producer Grant Showbiz, Gary Smith, John Porter, Kenny Jones, Edward de Bono
Billy Bragg chronology
Mermaid Avenue
(1998)
Reaching to the Converted
(1999)
Mermaid Avenue Vol. II
(2000)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
BBC (positive) [2]
NME (8/10) [3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [4]

Reaching to the Converted is an album by Billy Bragg released in August 1999. It is a collection of B-sides and rarities that spans Billy's entire career. It includes variations on old favorites, such as "Greetings to the New Brunette" (retitled "Shirley") and "Walk Away Renee". None of the tracks on the album were reissued as extras for Bragg's box sets, Volume 1 and Volume 2.

Contents

The original album cover has the subtitle "(Minding The Gaps)".

Track listing

All tracks composed by Billy Bragg; except where indicated

  1. "Shirley"
  2. "Sulk" (words: Billy Bragg; music: Billy Bragg, Cara Tivey)
  3. "Accident Waiting to Happen" (Red Star Version)
  4. "The Boy Done Good" (words: Billy Bragg; music: Johnny Marr)
  5. "Heart Like a Wheel" (Anna McGarrigle)
  6. "Bad Penny"
  7. "Ontario, Quebec and Me"
  8. "Walk Away Renée" (Version) (music: Mike Lookofsky, Tony Sansone, Bob Calilli; monologue: Billy Bragg)
  9. "Rule Nor Reason"
  10. "Days Like These" (UK Version)
  11. "Think Again" (Dick Gaughan)
  12. "Scholarship Is the Enemy of Romance"
  13. "Wishing the Days Away" (Ballad Version)
  14. "The Tatler" (Ry Cooder, Russ Titelman)
  15. "Jeane" (Steven Morrissey, Johnny Marr)
  16. "She's Leaving Home" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
  17. "I Don't Need This Pressure Ron"

Song details

"Shirley" - Previously unreleased version of "Greetings to the New Brunette", recorded in 1992.

"Sulk" & "Accident Waiting to Happen" - B & A-side GO! Discs [U.K.] #67 (2/92).

"The Boy Done Good" - A-side of Cooking Vinyl [U.K.] #064 (5/97)

"Heart Like a Wheel" - B-side of "You Woke Up My Neighbourhood" GO! Discs [U.K.] #60 (8/91)

"Bad Penny" - B-side of "Sexuality" GO! Discs [U.K.] #56 (6/91)

"Ontario, Quebec and Me" - B-side of "You Woke Up My Neighbourhood" GO! Discs [U.K.] #60 (8/91)

"Walk Away Renee" - B-side of "Levi Stubbs' Tears" GO! Discs [U.K.] #12 (6/86)

"Rule Nor Reason" - B-Side of "Upfield" Cooking Vinyl [U.K.] #051 (9/96)

"Days Like These" (UK Version) - A-side GO! Discs [U.K.] #8 (12/85)

"Think Again" - B-side of "Levi Stubbs' Tears" GO! Discs [U.K.] #12 (6/86)

"Scholarship Is the Enemy of Romance" - B-side of "Days Like These" GO! Discs [U.K.] #8 (12/85)

"Wishing the Days Away" (Ballad Version) - B-side of "Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards" GO! Discs [U.K.] #23 (8/88)

"The Tatler" & "Jeane" - B-side of "Greetings to the New Brunette" GO! Discs [U.K.] #15 (11/86)

"She's Leaving Home" - A-side of ChildLine [U.K.] #1 (5/88)

"I Don't Need This Pressure Ron" - B-side of "Days Like These" GO! Discs [U.K.] #8 (12/85)

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References

All information is from album liner notes unless otherwise noted. [5]

  1. Allmusic review
  2. BBC review
  3. NME review
  4. Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide . New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p.  101. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone billy bragg album guide.
  5. Reaching the Converted, Billy Bragg, Rhino R2 75962 (1999) CD