Song selection for GH Part 2

[Toph]

I've been listening to the tracks on Styx Greatest Hits Volume 2 and I can't help but wonder, who the heck was in charge of putting songs on there. There are some songs on GH 2 that I bet were never played one time on the radio.

A.D. 1928 Great choice
2. Rockin' The Paradise Great Choice
3. Light Up Great Choice
4. Sing For The Day Great Choice
5. First Time What the hell? NOT A HIT! Replace with "Why Me?"
6. Mademoiselle Good choice
7. Snowblind Good choice
8. Boat On The River Great choice
9. Borrowed Time Great choice
10. Lights What the hell? Not a hit! Replace with Nothing Ever Goes As Planned
11. Queen Of Spades Not really a hit,but a good song, You could also replace with fan favorite Pieces of Eight
12. Love At First Sight Good choice
13. Haven't We Been Here Before What the hell? Not a hit single! Replace with Music Time
14. Superstars What the hell not a hit single! Replace with fan favorite Castle Walls
15. Add Music Time
16. Add Love Is The Ritual

Drop the two new songs.

Over and out

[Jodes]

Because when most of those albums were released, radio stations played those songs like Lights, Queen of Spades, etc.. Some charted, some didn't.. Thats where Album Orientated Rock came from..

[Rockwriter]

I've been listening to the tracks on Styx Greatest Hits Volume 2 and I can't help but wonder, who the heck was in charge of putting songs on there. There are some songs on GH 2 that I bet were never played one time on the radio.

A.D. 1928 Great choice
2. Rockin' The Paradise Great Choice
3. Light Up Great Choice
4. Sing For The Day Great Choice
5. First Time What the hell? NOT A HIT! Replace with "Why Me?"
6. Mademoiselle Good choice
7. Snowblind Good choice
8. Boat On The River Great choice
9. Borrowed Time Great choice
10. Lights What the hell? Not a hit! Replace with Nothing Ever Goes As Planned
11. Queen Of Spades Not really a hit,but a good song, You could also replace with fan favorite Pieces of Eight
12. Love At First Sight Good choice
13. Haven't We Been Here Before What the hell? Not a hit single! Replace with Music Time
14. Superstars What the hell not a hit single! Replace with fan favorite Castle Walls
15. Add Music Time
16. Add Love Is The Ritual

Drop the two new songs.

Over and out

The problem with GH Part 2 is that Styx didn't have enough actual chart hits to fill a second album, but A&M wanted to do another because the first one had done unexpectedly well. So they had to reach for some stuff that just wasn't as recognizable, and predictably it didn't so anywhere near as well. Duh! Typical record company thinking . . . repeat what has worked until it fails to work.


Sterling

[styxfanNH]

In an ironic type of way GH2 is a more of a deeper cut greatest hits package for the long term fan than the pop oriented fan. Even though it wasn't intended that way.

[stabbim]

Because when most of those albums were released, radio stations played those songs like Lights, Queen of Spades, etc.. Some charted, some didn't.. Thats where Album Orientated Rock came from..

Hooey! If it didn't make the Billboard Hot 100, no one ever heard it! (And why would they have wanted to?) Fie upon you and your "recollections!" Fie, I say!

[Zan]

"First Time" *was* definitely a hit single - maybe not a blockbuster smash hit, but it got radio play, I remember hearing it a lot when I was a kid.

[bugsymalone]

In an ironic type of way GH2 is a more of a deeper cut greatest hits package for the long term fan than the pop oriented fan. Even though it wasn't intended that way.

That is exactly how I saw this CD when I bought it. It had some of my favorite *non* hits. Plus I wanted "It Takes Love."


Bugsy

[Rockwriter]

In an ironic type of way GH2 is a more of a deeper cut greatest hits package for the long term fan than the pop oriented fan. Even though it wasn't intended that way.

Yeah, you're right about that; at least it wasn't the same songs as the first volume, just re-packaged, and there are some cool choices on there. As a listening experience it's an interesting and varied track listing in a lot of ways. For my money, the two new tracks might as well not exist for all that I care for them (or ever did). Particularly "It Takes Love" - that's one of those rare Styx songs that I can't even force myself to listen to. Despite it being the product of a lot of talented people, I think that song is really, really terrible, LOL. I love Glen as a writer, but nobody hits it every time. But overall there's nothing wrong with the collection other than the fact that it seems like such a nakedly avaricious move on the part of the company itself. I'm not such a fan of hits packages to begin with, though I understand why they are a fact of life.

I hope all is well.


Sterling

[sniper16]

havnt we been here before was a single, and video, great song.

[birdynumnum]

[quote="Rockwriter"][quote="styxfanNH"]In an ironic type of way GH2 is a more of a deeper cut greatest hits package for the long term fan than the pop oriented fan. Even though it wasn't intended that way.[/quote]

Yeah, you're right about that; at least it wasn't the same songs as the first volume, just re-packaged, and there are some cool choices on there. As a listening experience it's an interesting and varied track listing in a lot of ways. For my money, the two new tracks might as well not exist for all that I care for them (or ever did). Particularly "It Takes Love" - that's one of those rare Styx songs that I can't even force myself to listen to. Despite it being the product of a lot of talented people, I think that song is really, really terrible, LOL. I love Glen as a writer, but nobody hits it every time. But overall there's nothing wrong with the collection other than the fact that it seems like such a nakedly avaricious move on the part of the company itself. I'm not such a fan of hits packages to begin with, though I understand why they are a fact of life.

I hope all is well.


Sterling[/quote]

I agree with It Takes Love. It is really an unlistenable song. I loved Why Me, and Nothing Ever Goes as Planned. Not sure why they never added these. They were minor hits.

[Roboto750]

Music Time = "What the hell? NOT A HIT!"

Honestly though, it's a fun song the first few times (as is the video), but after a while it really becomes sad that this was the last recorded song to come out of (what I consider) "the classic Styx era" (a.k.a. before the hiatus until EOTC).

[StyxCollector]

Music Time did crack the top 40, so it technically was a minor hit.

[Roboto750]

Music Time did crack the top 40, so it technically was a minor hit.

True, I'm just reflecting on the cheese factor. I guess it might deserve a spot on there.

[BlackWall]

I was honestly pretty much just getting into Styx when this compilation was released. I remember seeing them on the "RTP" tour in '96 when they promoted this release, and peformed "Little Suzie".. did they do "It Takes Love", too? I'm thinking no, but it's been a "little" while..


This CD honestly probably made me even more of a fan, I just remember wondering if they really had enough hits to fill a second disc, lol.. I guess it just depends on how one defines the word "hit". I think it's pretty well put together, I could do without "Superstars", "First Time", and maybe even "Mademoiselle"(not a bad song, just not really essential, even though it was a minor hit). Going by what Styx songs seem to really be popular with the fans, and in concert, I would say that "Half Penny, Two Penny" should have found a way on here, along with "Castle Walls", and either "Man In The Wilderness" or "Pieces Of Eight".

"Queen Of Spades" is a killer song, and it's a sin that it wasn't included on the anthology a few years back.
"Haven't We Been Here Before" should have been a hit.. (I suppose the same could be said for "First Time", but I just cringe, I'm sorry, and I like some sappy sh!t sometimes). I think "Haven't We Been Here Before" was intended to be a single, but withdrawn(I could be wrong, but how likely is it that it would have completely failed to chart, while "High Time", which would have followed it's release, almost made the top 40?)
While we're on the subject of "Kilroy" singles, I still say "Double Life" should have been issued, but that's another thread.

It's true that a couple top 40 hits, "Music Time", and "Why Me" were overlooked, but if we're going with songs that seem to be majority fan favorites or concert staples, I can see why they weren't included. For my own personal taste, I wish that "Nothing Ever Goes As Planned" and "Lonely People" were included as well, but the former was only a minor chart entry, and the truth of the matter is, the "Paradise Theatre" album needs to be heard as a whole anyway.

Anyway, this CD opened up another dimension of Styx for me, so I wouldn't change it too much.