The World Won't Listen
The World Won't Listen | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Compilation album by | ||||
Released | 23 February 1987 | |||
Recorded | 1984–1986 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 59:26 | |||
Label |
| |||
Producer | Various (see main text) | |||
The Smiths chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Blender | [2] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [3] |
Pitchfork | 7.1/10[4] |
Select | 5/5[5] |
The World Won't Listen is a compilation album by English rock band the Smiths, released in the United Kingdom on 23 February 1987 by Rough Trade Records. The album is the second of three compilation albums—the others being Hatful of Hollow and Louder Than Bombs—released by the Smiths while they were still an active band.[6] It reached No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart, staying on the charts for 15 weeks.[7][8] In the United States Louder Than Bombs was released in place of The World Won't Listen.
Background
The album is a collection of the band's
The title reflects Smiths singer
After
Artwork and packaging
The CD sleeve for The World Won't Listen is based on the
Release
The album was released on 23 February 1987.[6] It first charted on 3 March 1987, remaining in the top 100 for 15 weeks and peaking at No. 2.[15] The World Won't Listen returned to the UK top 100 for two weeks in 1995, following its re-release by WEA.[16] In 2011, The World Won't Listen was included in the Smiths' compilation box set Complete.[12] This marked the first time the album was officially released in the US.
Track listing
All tracks are written by Morrissey/Marr, except "Money Changes Everything" and "Oscillate Wildly", written by Johnny Marr, and "Golden Lights", written by Twinkle
No. | Title | Source | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Panic" | Single A-side | 2:21 |
2. | "Ask" | Remix of single A-side | 3:15 |
3. | "London" | B-side of "Shoplifters of the World Unite" | 2:07 |
4. | "Bigmouth Strikes Again" | From The Queen Is Dead | 3:13 |
5. | "Shakespeare's Sister" | Single A-side | 2:08 |
6. | "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" | From The Queen Is Dead | 4:05 |
7. | "Shoplifters of the World Unite" | Single A-side | 2:58 |
8. | "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" | Single A-side version | 3:16 |
9. | "Money Changes Everything" | B-side of "Bigmouth Strikes Again" – only on original cassette and all CD re-releases since 1993 | 4:43 |
No. | Title | Source | Length |
---|---|---|---|
10. | "Asleep" | B-side of "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" | 4:10 |
11. | "Unloveable" | B-side of "Bigmouth Strikes Again" | 3:56 |
12. | "Half a Person" | B-side of "Shoplifters of the World Unite" | 3:36 |
13. | "Stretch Out and Wait" | Alternate vocal version of B-side of "Shakespeare's Sister" | 2:45 |
14. | "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" | Single A-side edit | 3:49 |
15. | "Oscillate Wildly" | B-side of "How Soon Is Now?" | 3:26 |
16. | "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" | UK mix of aborted single A-side | 3:31 |
17. | "Rubber Ring" | B-side of "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side" | 3:48 |
No. | Title | Source | Length |
---|---|---|---|
18. | "Golden Lights" | B-side of "Ask" | 2:40 |
No. | Title | Source | Length |
---|---|---|---|
18. | "Is It Really So Strange?" | B-side of "Sheila Take a Bow"; John Peel session, 2/12/86 | 3:04 |
19. | "Sheila Take a Bow" | Single A-side | 2:41 |
20. | "Sweet and Tender Hooligan" | B-side of "Sheila Take a Bow"; Peel session, 2/12/86 | 3:13 |
21. | "Girl Afraid" | B-side of "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" | 2:48 |
22. | "William, It Was Really Nothing" | Single A-side | 2:11 |
23. | "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" | Single A-side | 3:34 |
No. | Title | Source | Length |
---|---|---|---|
24. | "Golden Lights" | B-side of " Ask" | 2:39 |
25. | "The Draize Train" | B-side of "Panic" 12" | 3:27 |
26. | "Back to the Old House" | B-side of "What Difference Does It Make?" | 3:05 |
27. | "Hand in Glove" | Single A-side mix | 3:13 |
28. | "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" | B-side of "William, It Was Really Nothing" | 1:52 |
29. | "This Night Has Opened My Eyes" | From Hatful of Hollow; Peel session, 14/9/83 | 3:40 |
Personnel
- Morrissey – vocals
- Johnny Marr – guitars, keyboard instruments, slide guitar on "Panic"[9] and "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore",[17] harmonica on "Ask",[18] mandolin on "Golden Lights", marimba on "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"[19]
- Andy Rourke – bass guitar, cello on "Shakespeare's Sister" and "Oscillate Wildly"
- Mike Joyce – drums, tambourine on "Stretch Out and Wait"[20]
- Craig Gannon – rhythm guitar on "Panic", "Ask", "London", "Half a Person", "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" and "Golden Lights", lead guitar on coda of "London",[21] mandolin on "Golden Lights"[22]
Additional musicians
- backing vocalson "Ask" and "Golden Lights"
- John Porter – sound effects on "Ask",[23] drum machine and bass on "Golden Lights"[24]
- Stephen Street – additional drum machine programming on "London", sound effects on "Asleep",[25] sampling on "Rubber Ring"[26]
Production
- Johnny Marr – producer (track 7)
- Johnny Marr, Morrissey and Stephen Street – producers (track 3 and 12)
- Morrissey and Marr – producers (tracks 4, 6, 10–11, 17)
- John Porter – producer (tracks 1–2, 9, 16, 18)
- The Smiths – producers (tracks 5, 8, 13–15)
Charts
Chart (1987) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[27] | 25 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[28] | 15 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[29] | 41 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[30] | 16 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[31] | 17 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[32] | 19 |
UK Albums Chart[33] | 2 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[34] | Gold | 100,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Tribute
British artist Phil Collins produced an exhibition at the Dallas Museum of Art that included a three-part video project titled The World Won't Listen, which was filmed in Turkey, Indonesia and Colombia. The video features young people performing karaoke versions of songs by The Smiths.[35]
References
- ^ DiGravina, Tim. "The World Won't Listen – The Smiths". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
- ^ Power, Tony (15 September 2004). "The Smiths: The World Won't Listen". Blender. Archived from the original on 30 June 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
- ISBN 978-0195313734.
- ^ Wolk, Douglas (18 November 2011). "The Smiths: The Smiths Complete". Pitchfork. Retrieved 6 March 2012.
- ^ Harrison, Andrew (May 1993). "The Smiths". Select (35): 104.
- ^ a b c "The Smiths". Discogs. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ The World Won't Listen - The Smiths | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 24 April 2020
- ^ a b Wawzenek, Bryan (23 February 2017). "The Smiths Collect Singles, B-Sides on 'World Won't Listen'". Diffuser.fm. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ a b Goddard, S, 2013. Songs That Saved Your Life - The Art of The Smiths 1982-87. 2nd ed. U.K.: Titan Books. P. 217.
- ^ a b "This Day in 1987: The Smiths, The World Won't Listen | Rhino". www.rhino.com. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ "The Smiths - Louder Than Bombs". Discogs. 5 October 1988. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ a b "The Smiths: The Smiths Complete". Pitchfork. 18 November 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ "The Smiths - The World Won't Listen". Discogs. 27 February 1987. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- ^ "The Smiths - The World Won't Listen". Discogs. 15 November 1993. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ "the world won't listen | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ "The Smiths | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ Goddard, S, 2013. Songs That Saved Your Life - The Art of The Smiths 1982-87. 2nd ed. U.K.: Titan Books. P. 356.
- ^ Goddard, S, 2013. Songs That Saved Your Life - The Art of The Smiths 1982-87. 2nd ed. U.K.: Titan Books. P. 224.
- ^ Fletcher, T, 2012. A Light That Never Goes Out: The Enduring Saga of the Smiths. 1st ed. U.K: Random House.P. 453.
- ^ Goddard, S, 2013. Songs That Saved Your Life - The Art of The Smiths 1982-87. 2nd ed. U.K.: Titan Books.
- ^ Goddard, S, 2009. Mozipedia: The Encyclopaedia of Morrissey and the Smiths. 1st ed. India: Ebury Press. P. 227.
- ^ Fletcher, T, 2012. A Light That Never Goes Out: The Enduring Saga of the Smiths. 1st ed. U.K: Random House. P. 520.
- ^ Goddard, S, 2013. Songs That Saved Your Life - The Art of The Smiths 1982-87. 2nd ed. U.K.: Titan Books. P. 222.
- ^ Goddard, S, 2009. Mozipedia: The Encyclopaedia of Morrissey and the Smiths. 1st ed. India: Ebury Press. P. 149.
- ^ Goddard, S, 2013. Songs That Saved Your Life - The Art of The Smiths 1982-87. 2nd ed. U.K.: Titan Books. P. 171.
- ^ Goddard, S, 2013. Songs That Saved Your Life - The Art of The Smiths 1982-87. 2nd ed. U.K.: Titan Books. P. 169.
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Smiths – The World Won't Listen" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ "Charts.nz – The Smiths – The World Won't Listen". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – The Smiths – The World Won't Listen". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – The Smiths – The World Won't Listen". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ "Smiths | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
- ^ "British album certifications – The Smiths – The World Won't Listen". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ^ "Phil Collins: the world won't listen | Dallas Museum of Art". dma.org. Retrieved 24 April 2020.