Pulp - Hits - the best singles compilation EVAH?

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The 17 track compilation, entitled Pulp: Hits, will be released on November 18th. Track listing as follows:

Babies
Razzmatazz
Lipgloss
Do You Remember the First Time?
Common People
Underwear
Sorted for E's & Wizz
Disco 2000
Something Changed
Help The Aged
This is Hardcore
A Little Soul
Party Hard
the Trees
Bad Cover Version
Sunrise
The Last Day of the Miner's Strike

Is it just me, or does that simple 10-year chronological listing piss all over any and all of Pulp's peers in terms of pop suss, musical innovation, wit, and...uhhhh, everything, ever?

It always pisses me off when singles compilations are sequenced in reverse order, or (worse still) in no order at all - how do y'all think this official record of (ahem) "UK pop's greatest lightly-soiled pop heroes since Squeeze" will be received? Knee-jerk stocking-filler destined for post-Xmas obscurity or one of those canonised classics like, say, Divine Madness or Legend?

― Charlie (Charlie), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 00:43 (twenty-three years ago)

And, perhaps more to the point, what the devil is "The Last Day Of The Miner's Strike"???

― Charlie (Charlie), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 00:45 (twenty-three years ago)

I know next to jack poop about contemporary Britpop, but it seems that it'll be tough for nearly any comp to surpass The Buzzcocks Singles Going Steady and The Smiths Singles as the best singles comps ever.

― Ian, Tuesday, 8 October 2002 00:47 (twenty-three years ago)

the best singles comp ever is the best of chic.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 00:48 (twenty-three years ago)

it's disappointing that they're not including Countdown or My Legendary Girlfriend tho.. surely two of the best Pulp singles ever.

― Wyndham Earl, Tuesday, 8 October 2002 01:03 (twenty-three years ago)

contractual reasons i'd assume - they came out before Pulp got signed to Island/Universal. Agreed entirely, however - both superfab!

― Charlie (Charlie), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 01:12 (twenty-three years ago)

I know next to jack poop about contemporary Britpop, but it seems that it'll be tough for nearly any comp to surpass The Buzzcocks Singles Going Steady and The Smiths Singles as the best singles comps ever.

Actually, the first Stone Roses LP is probably the best Brit-pop singles disc evah!

― Dan-O, Tuesday, 8 October 2002 01:12 (twenty-three years ago)

F.E.E.L.I.N.G. C.A.L.L.E.D. L.O.V.E. should be there, and more from His 'n Hers.
But, yes, it could piss all over Pulp's peers.

― Steph (Steph), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 01:50 (twenty-three years ago)

The fact that I can think of a stack of glaring omissions makes me realise I like Pulp a lot more than I'd thought. "Miner's Strike" is the token newie, probably a "We Love Life" outtake if I was to make a wild guess.

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 01:55 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh no!! Does this signal the end of Pulp? Some problems lately: no record label, US release took forever, no US tour... Well, I guess it's better to hasten this then the greedy record co's will put out Best of B-Sides, yay! Um, as for the comp., I can't get too excited about it, I already have all of those singles, just like when they released the Best of Blur, and then Damon Albarn went to Africa... Oh no!! Jarvis Cocker to next take up gamelan music in Indonesia?!

― Mary (Mary), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 04:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Best singles compilation ever? Funkadelic. Music For Your Mother. That is all.

― Nate Patrin, Tuesday, 8 October 2002 04:38 (twenty-three years ago)

This thredd is in danger of becoming this one - Singles Acts - if we're not careful...

Oh no!! Does this signal the end of Pulp?

Pulponline.com had this to say: "The End of Pulp? There's a lot of talk about an imminent Pulp split in the press at the moment, what with them leaving Island and all, and it's clear that there is a lot of confusion over what's really going on. To put you straight: Pulp aren't technically splitting up, but neither are they making any plans to return to the studio (other than for the new extra tracks on the Best Of, already recorded) for the foreseeable future."

Clear as mud, then...my insiders at Universal reckon it's all over tho...grrr...still, rather that than bumble along for ten superfluous years for want of any better ideas *cough*The Cure*cough*...

― Charlie (Charlie), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 05:01 (twenty-three years ago)

Actually, there is one REALLY glaring omission: where's O.U.? It's one of Pulp's best ever singles, and from the same era as Babies and Razzmatazz... Given that it came out before Babies, maybe they left it off so they could start the comp with Babies, but the whole thing's not quite chronologically correct anyway. Can't wait for the new track - don't believe it's a WLL out-take as most of those were binned and their names were known anyway.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 06:43 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, granted, they have cheated a bit with the running order haven't they? It would make a whole heap more sense to start with "Space" and "OU", and then go on to "Babies" - but then maybe that might cock up the point of the Intro album's existence...oh dear.

― Charlie (Charlie), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 06:55 (twenty-three years ago)

Well, the first bit of cheating allows them to include "Underwear" which is an amazing song that should have been an A-side rather than just tacked onto Common People, and Sunrise wouldn't sound quite as good after Party Hard where, chronologically speaking, it belongs.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 07:04 (twenty-three years ago)

No Mis-Shapes, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Otherwise, a glowing and flawless thing.

― alexfack, Tuesday, 8 October 2002 09:21 (twenty-three years ago)

it'd be better with 'my legendary girlfriend' on it.
and where's 'mis-shapes' ? and how come 'underwear'
(a b.side !) is on there ?

― piscesboy, Tuesday, 8 October 2002 10:33 (twenty-three years ago)

These are all great songs (no idea on "Miners' Strike," obviously), but I wonder how they'll hang together on record. They all seem such a part of the album they originally appeared on.

― TMFTML (TMFTML), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 13:29 (twenty-three years ago)

is the "Miners' Strike" song partially about Dead Or Alive getting to number one on the same day? I think that's as important a moment in the death of the Old North as the defeat of the strike itself, as you probably know (and are probably BORED by)

― robin carmody (robin carmody), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 17:40 (twenty-three years ago)

"it's disappointing that they're not including Countdown or My Legendary Girlfriend tho.. "

The "Countdown" comp already rounded up their early singles etc. This comp is prob supposed to start where that one left off. The track-listing is mega, looks like a great album.

One suggestion: put "Acrylic Afternoon" on instead of "Help the Aged"

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 19:53 (twenty-three years ago)

I for one hope they are calling it a day. The law of diminishing returns started setting in on this is hardcore. I'd hate to think how the next album would sound.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 20:50 (twenty-three years ago)

And now Jarvis's wifey's expecting! Awwww...

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2002461659,00.html

Fantastic headline too!

― Charlie (Charlie), Tuesday, 8 October 2002 22:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Hooray, that's one of Isabel's Xmas presents sorted.

It's not the best singles comp of all time. Where is Mis-Shapes etc etc

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 09:17 (twenty-three years ago)

If Cocker can afford the Portland he's obviously not that desperate about "keeping the bailiffs away." Another Tory hypocrite, just like Bryan Ferry.

― Marcello Carlin, Wednesday, 9 October 2002 09:34 (twenty-three years ago)

No Mis-shapes is odd, what with Underwear being on (wasn't the former a AA side and the latter just a B-side)? A Little Soul and Party Hard are k-rub, and the Trees and Sunrise are a bit boring, but otherwise yeah, v.good.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 14:53 (twenty-three years ago)

Wait a second, why is Bryan Ferry a hypocrite? I can't believe you have posh and non-posh hositals in Britain. We just have, as far as I know, hospitals. Anyway, what with insurance being as it is, no one could afford to stay any longer than overnight, so not too much difference if hospital is posh or not...

― Mary (Mary), Wednesday, 9 October 2002 23:58 (twenty-three years ago)

is it just me or has he been 39 for about six years now?

― mark p (Mark P), Thursday, 10 October 2002 00:27 (twenty-three years ago)

What's with all the Ferry haters? I think he's quite comfortable with his advanced age... and he still looks GOOD so what's the problem?

― Mary (Mary), Thursday, 10 October 2002 01:59 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh--I'm sorry in my rush to defend Bryan I didn't realize that you were referring to Jarvis. Please disregard above.

― Mary (Mary), Thursday, 10 October 2002 02:00 (twenty-three years ago)

We do have posh (private only) hospitals in the UK, Mary. They're often shit medically, and just have nicer decor.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 10 October 2002 10:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes, and if you're an inpatient in one of them and something goes seriously wrong/life-threatening, they usually send you straight back to the NHS anyway.

― Marcello Carlin, Thursday, 10 October 2002 11:14 (twenty-three years ago)

It's sad when a band gets dropeed after "a string of flops" which consists of two pretty good albums (Hardcore and We Love Life). But then, good bands do not belong on major labels. Hey, I just heard that His Name is Alive was dropped from 4AD, but I also heard the new album is very good. Not out in the US yet though...

― g (graysonlane), Thursday, 10 October 2002 14:42 (twenty-three years ago)

WE certinaly have "posh" hospitals in the US too. There are private clinics, Mayo, etc. But it's getting so all hospitals will be for the rich soon anyway.

― g (graysonlane), Thursday, 10 October 2002 14:46 (twenty-three years ago)

"good bands do not belong on major labels"

nice one; someone please tell this to Morrissey...

― Mary (Mary), Thursday, 10 October 2002 19:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Why don't they belong?

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 11 October 2002 09:37 (twenty-three years ago)

I think Pulp are one of the all-time greats, so this is inevitably magnificent. I can't believe the classic omissions, OU and Mis-Shapes, in favour of some relatively mediocre recent stuff, but there haven't been many singles comps with so many really great tracks.

A second volume could have OU, Mis-Shapes, Pink Glove, Acrylic Afternoons, FEELING CALLED LOVE, Monday Morning, His 'n' Hers, Happy Endings, She's A Lady, I Spy, Joyriders, Live Bed Show, Pencil Skirt, Stacks/Inside Susan/59 Lyndhurst Grove - that would be better than most Best Ofs ever.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 12 October 2002 10:48 (twenty-three years ago)

twenty-two years pass...

From the Rough Trade shop website:

Hits is a compilation album by Artist Name featuring some of their most popular songs. The album includes tracks such as "Song Title 1," "Song Title 2," and "Song Title 3."

This album showcases the best of Artist Name and is a must-have for fans of their music. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to their music, Hits is a great addition to any music collection.

― Mark G, Monday, 25 August 2025 10:28 (nine months ago)

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