Panic
Ask
London
Bigmouth Strikes Again
Shakespeare's Sister
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
Shoplifters Of The World Unite
The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
Asleep
Unloveable
Half A Person
Stretch Out And Wait
That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore
Oscillate Wildly
You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby
Rubber Ring
Frogtoon Music Album Info: The World Won't Listen
Published: 10 Oct 2009, 06:16
The World Won't Listen Is A Compilation Album By The Smiths. It Was Released In February 1987 By Their Record Company Rough Trade Records And Reached #2 On The British Charts. The Album Was Conceived As A Collection Of The Singles And Their B-Sides From 1985 And 1986. Additionally The Scrapped Single "You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet Baby" Which Was Passed Over For "Shoplifters Of The World Unite" And The Near-Single "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" A Single Candidate From The Queen Is Dead That Was Passed Over In Favour Of "Bigmouth Strikes Again" Were Included. The Title Reflects Morrissey's Frustration With The Fact That Mainstream Radio And Record Buyers Still Weren't Paying Attention To The Band. As The Album Included Many Non-Album Cuts And Single Versions It Remains A Fan Favourite. The Music Press Was Critical However Labelling The Album "inessential." The Compilation Was Rendered Largely Superfluous Only Three Months After Its Release When Rough Trade Decided To Release The Similar But Extended US-Intended Compilation Louder Than Bombs Domestically. This Was Primarily Done To Save The Consumer From Paying Ridiculous Import Prices. However The World Won't Listen Has Some Songs Or Different Versions Of Songs That Do Not Appear On Louder Than Bombs "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" "Stretch Out And Wait" Different Version "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" And "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby" Different Version . After WEA Acquired The Smiths Back Catalogue In 1992 All Smiths Albums Were Re-Released At Mid Price Including The World Won't Listen Which Was Expanded To Include A Cover Of "Golden Lights" And The Original Rough Trade Cassette Edition Bonus Track "Money Changes Everything" Another Track Exclusive To This Compilation Though It Was Later Released On The Deluxe Edition Of The Sound Of The Smiths . Cover The CD Sleeve For The World Won't Listen Is Based On The Cassette Version Of The Sleeve Layout The Original Album Featured A Larger Picture Of A Fifties Fairground Scene Of Which This Is A Crop. The Sleeve Was Designed By Morrissey Using A Photo By Jurgen Vollmer From The Book Rock 'N' Roll Times The Style And Spirit Of The Early Beatles And Their First Fans. Track Listing
"Panic" - 2 21 "Ask" - 3 15 "London" - 2 07 "Bigmouth Strikes Again" - 3 13 "Shakespeare's Sister" - 2 08 "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" - 4 05 "Shoplifters Of The World Unite" - 2 58 "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" Single Version - 3 16 "Asleep" - 4 10 "Unloveable" - 3 56 "Half A Person" - 3 36 "Stretch Out And Wait" Alternate Vocal - 2 45 "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" Single Version * - 3 49 "Oscillate Wildly" - 3 26 "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby" UK Mix - 3 32
"Rubber Ring" - 3 48 "Golden Lights" - 2 41 Tracks Marked "*" Are Exclusive To This Compilation.
All Tracks Written By Morrissey And Johnny Marr Including "Money Changes Everything" Except "Golden Lights " Written By Twinkle.
"Money Changes Everything" Was Used By Marr While Playing Guitar For Bryan Ferry On His "Bête Noire" Album. The Track Is Almost An Identical Blueprint For The Song "The Right Stuff " Which Is Credited To Bryan Ferry And Johnny Marr.
The Alternate Vocal Take Of "Stretch Out And Wait" Is Slightly Different From The One That Was First Released In March Of 1985 And Widely Available On The American Louder Than Bombs Compilation. It Has A Re-Recorded Vocal With Some Melodic Variations Throughout And Lyrical Variations In The First Verse. It Also Has An Extended Ending.
This Alternate Mix Of "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby" Is Approximately Nine Seconds Longer Than The Mix That Appears On Louder Than Bombs And Features Some Other Minor Mixing Differences. Musicassette Same As LP Plus "Money Changes Everything"* - 4 43 Slotted In As Track #9 Compact Disc Rough Trade Original Issue Same As LP. WEA Re-Issue Same As Musicassette Plus "Golden Lights" - 2 40 At The End As Track #18. Personnel Band
Morrissey – Vocals
Johnny Marr – Guitars Keyboard Instruments Bass Guitar On "Golden Lights"
Andy Rourke – Bass Guitar Cello On "Shakespeare's Sister" And "Oscillate Wildly"
Mike Joyce – Drums
Craig Gannon – Guitar On "Panic" "Ask" "London" "Half A Person" "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby" And "Golden Lights" Additional Musicians
Kirsty MacColl – Backing Vocals On "Ask" And "Golden Lights"
John Porter – Drum Machine On "Golden Lights"
Stephen Street – Additional Drum Machine Programming On "London" Technical Staff
Johnny Marr – Producer A7 Johnny Marr Morrissey And Stephen Street – Producers A3 B3 Morrissey And Marr – Producers A4 A6 B1-2 B8 John Porter – Producer A1-2 A9 B7 B9 The Smiths – Producers A5 A8 B4-6