Forever Young: The Ska Collection is a compilation album by English band Madness, released in 2012 by Salvo/Union Square Music as part of their re-issues of the Madness back catalogue. The album consists of a selection of the band's ska sounding songs, including singles, b-sides and album tracks. In addition to the classic Madness tracks, the album contains two previously unreleased covers: Jimmy Cliff's "Vietnam" and Edvard Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King". Both of these bonus tracks were originally recorded for the 2005 Madness album The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1.[1][2] The album includes a fold-out poster booklet with liner notes by Record Collector's Ian McCann, including new interviews with guitarist Chris Foreman and saxophonist Lee Thompson. Foreman said of the album: "It was our take on ska, and the songs on this album have ska as their basis. Not all are full-on; I wanted it to be called The Ska and Reggae Collection, but The Ska Collection it is."[1]
| Forever Young: The Ska Collection | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | 2 April 2012 | |||
| Recorded | 1979–2009 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 78:28 | |||
| Label | Salvo/Union Square | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Madness chronology | ||||
| ||||
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [3] |
| Record Collector | [4] |
AllMusic wrote, "While they were never strictly a ska band, Madness had more than their share of skanky moments, many of which can be found on this 24-track compilation." AllMusic felt that while longtime fans will appreciate the collection's "quirky" set list, listeners looking for "something with "Our House" on it" would be better off with a greatest hits album.[3]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original release | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "One Step Beyond" | Cecil Campbell | One Step Beyond..., 1979 | 2:19 |
| 2. | "Forever Young" | Graham McPherson | The Liberty of Norton Folgate, 2009 | 4:35 |
| 3. | "My Girl" | Mike Barson | One Step Beyond... | 2:41 |
| 4. | "Baggy Trousers" | McPherson, Chris Foreman | Absolutely, 1980 | 2:28 |
| 5. | "House of Fun" | Lee Thompson, Barson | Complete Madness, 1982 | 2:47 |
| 6. | "Grey Day" | Barson | 7, 1981 | 3:38 |
| 7. | "Tarzan's Nuts" | Chas Smash, Barson | One Step Beyond... | 2:25 |
| 8. | "Don't Quote Me on That" | Barson, Mark Bedford, Foreman, McPherson, Cathal Smyth, Thompson, Daniel Woodgate[n 1] | Work Rest and Play EP, 1980 | 4:33 |
| 9. | "Take It or Leave It" | Thompson, Barson | Absolutely | 3:19 |
| 10. | "Victoria Gardens" | Smyth, Barson | Keep Moving, 1984 | 4:33 |
| 11. | "The Prince" | Thompson | One Step Beyond... | 3:19 |
| 12. | "Day on the Town" | McPherson, Foreman | 7 | 3:22 |
| 13. | "Dust Devil" | Thompson, Woodgate | The Liberty of Norton Folgate | 3:44 |
| 14. | "In the Rain" | McPherson, Madness | Absolutely | 2:46 |
| 15. | "Not Home Today" | McPherson, Bedford | Absolutely | 2:44 |
| 16. | "Prospects" | Smyth, McPherson | Keep Moving | 4:13 |
| 17. | "In the City'" | McPherson, Barson, Smyth, Foreman, Bill Crutchfield, Daisuke Inoue | B-side of "Cardiac Arrest" single, 1982 | 2:58 |
| 18. | "Madness" | Campbell | One Step Beyond... | 2:38 |
| 19. | "Mistakes" | John Hasler, Barson | B-side of "One Step Beyond" single | 2:54 |
| 20. | "The Communicator" | McPherson, Smyth | Wonderful, 1999 | 3:21 |
| 21. | "Swan Lake" |
| One Step Beyond... | 3:28 |
| 22. | "Night Boat to Cairo" | McPherson, Barson | One Step Beyond... | 3:25 |
| 23. | "Vietnam" | Jimmy Cliff | Previously unreleased | 4:15 |
| 24. | "In the Hall of the Mountain King" |
| Previously unreleased | 2:39 |
| Total length: | 78:28 | |||
Charts
edit| Chart (2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC)[5] | 99 |
Personnel
editSee individual albums for full personnel credits.
- Madness
- Graham "Suggs" McPherson – vocals
- Cathal Smyth – vocals, trumpet
- Mike Barson – piano, keyboards
- Chris Foreman – guitar
- Mark Bedford – bass
- Lee Thompson – saxophone
- Daniel Woodgate – drums
- Technical
- Clive Langer – producer (1-22)
- Alan Winstanley – producer (1-22)
- Madness – producer (23, 24)
- Kerstin Rodgers – cover photo
- Ian McCann – liner notes
Notes
edit- ^ Credited on the Work Rest and Play EP to: Peter Tosh, Chas Smash. Guitarist Chris Foreman said in 2010, "There was some confusion over the writer of the tune we had been "inspired" by [ripped off] for the music and someone thought Peter Tosh had written the original version, which was a long way from the truth, he had nothing to do with it."
References
edit- ^ a b McCann, Ian (16 April 2012). "The House of Fun Never Closes". Record Collector. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ "2012". SevenRaggedMen.com. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ a b Monger, James Christopher. "Forever Young: The Ska Collection". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ Bell, Max (17 April 2012). "Forever Young: The Ska Collection". Record Collector. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ "Madness | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
- ^ "Don't quote me on that". Madness.co.uk. 20 November 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
External links
edit- Forever Young: The Ska Collection at Discogs (list of releases)