Popular Favorites 1976–1992: Sand in the Vaseline

Popular Favorites 1976–1992: Sand in the Vaseline is a two-disc compilation album released by Talking Heads in 1992. It contains two previously unreleased demo recordings ("Sugar on My Tongue," "I Want to Live"), a non-album A-side ("Love → Building on Fire") and B-side ("I Wish You Wouldn't Say That") and three newly finished songs ("Gangster of Love," "Lifetime Piling Up" and "Popsicle"). The latter three tracks were all based on unreleased outtakes from previous studio sessions and had been finished for exclusive release on this compilation.[3]

Popular Favorites 1976–1992: Sand in the Vaseline
Compilation album by
ReleasedOctober 13, 1992 (1992-10-13)
Recorded1975–1991
GenreRock
Length139:47
LabelSire/Warner Bros.
ProducerTony Bongiovi, David Byrne, Brian Eno, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, Nick Launay, Steve Lillywhite, Lance Quinn, Mark Spector, Tina Weymouth
Talking Heads chronology
Naked
(1988)
Popular Favorites 1976–1992: Sand in the Vaseline
(1992)
Once in a Lifetime: The Best of Talking Heads
(1992)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]

The album was also available as a three-disc LP set at the time of release.[4]

The album's title and cover art incorporated the 1974 painting by Ed Ruscha, Sand in the Vaseline.[5]

Track listing edit

All tracks are written by David Byrne, except where noted

Disc one – 1976–1983
No.TitleWriter(s)Original releaseLength
1."Sugar on My Tongue" previously unreleased demo, 19752:36
2."I Want to Live" previously unreleased demo, 19763:23
3."Love → Building on Fire" non-album single, 19772:57
4."I Wish You Wouldn't Say That" B-side of "Psycho Killer" single, 19772:36
5."Psycho Killer"Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina WeymouthTalking Heads: 77, 19774:20
6."Don't Worry About the Government" Talking Heads: 773:00
7."No Compassion" Talking Heads: 774:50
8."Warning Sign"Byrne, FrantzMore Songs About Buildings and Food, 19783:54
9."The Big Country" More Songs About Buildings and Food5:30
10."Take Me to the River"Al Green, Teenie HodgesMore Songs About Buildings and Food5:02
11."Heaven"Byrne, Jerry HarrisonFear of Music, 19794:02
12."Memories Can't Wait"Byrne, HarrisonFear of Music3:31
13."I Zimbra"Byrne, Brian Eno, Hugo BallFear of Music3:07
14."Once in a Lifetime"Byrne, Eno, Frantz, Harrison, WeymouthRemain in Light, 19804:19
15."Crosseyed and Painless"Byrne, Eno, Frantz, Harrison, WeymouthRemain in Light4:45
16."Burning Down the House"Byrne, Frantz, Harrison, WeymouthSpeaking in Tongues, 19834:01
17."Swamp"Byrne, Frantz, Harrison, WeymouthSpeaking in Tongues5:13
18."This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)"Byrne, Frantz, Harrison, WeymouthSpeaking in Tongues4:56
Total length:72:02
Disc two – 1984–1992
No.TitleWriter(s)Original releaseLength
1."Life During Wartime" (Live)Byrne, Frantz, Harrison, WeymouthStop Making Sense, 19845:04
2."Girlfriend Is Better" (Live)Byrne, Frantz, Harrison, WeymouthStop Making Sense3:36
3."And She Was" Little Creatures, 19853:39
4."Stay Up Late" Little Creatures3:53
5."Road to Nowhere" Little Creatures4:20
6."Wild Wild Life" True Stories, 19863:40
7."Love for Sale" True Stories4:32
8."City of Dreams" True Stories5:08
9."Mr. Jones"Byrne, Frantz, Harrison, WeymouthNaked, 19884:20
10."Blind"Byrne, Frantz, Harrison, WeymouthNaked5:00
11."(Nothing But) Flowers"Byrne, Frantz, Harrison, WeymouthNaked5:34
12."Sax and Violins"Byrne, Frantz, Harrison, WeymouthUntil the End of the World soundtrack, 19915:18
13."Gangster of Love"Byrne, Frantz, Harrison, WeymouthBased on outtakes from Remain in Light and Naked sessions, 1980/1987 and finished in August, 19914:29
14."Lifetime Piling Up"Byrne, Frantz, Harrison, WeymouthOuttake from Naked sessions3:53
15."Popsicle"Byrne, Frantz, Harrison, WeymouthOuttake from Speaking in Tongues sessions5:19
Total length:67:45

Charts edit

Sales chart performance for Popular Favorites 1976–1992: Sand in the Vaseline
Chart (1992) Peak
position
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[6] 37
UK Albums (OCC)[7] 7
US Billboard 200[8] 158
Chart performance for singles from
Sand in the Vaseline: Popular Favorites
Single Year Chart Position
"Sax and Violins" 1991 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[9] 1
"Lifetime Piling Up" 1992 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[9] 11

References edit

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Popular Favorites 1976–1992: Sand in the Vaseline at AllMusic
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  3. ^ "1991 - Popular favorites: Sand in the Vaseline". www.talking-heads.nl.
  4. ^ "Talking Heads - Sand In The Vaseline - Popular Favorites 1976-1992". Discogs.
  5. ^ "Sand in the Vaseline | ed Ruscha".
  6. ^ "Charts.nz – Talking Heads – Popular Favorites - Sand in the Vaseline". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  7. ^ "Talking Heads | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  8. ^ "Talking Heads Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Talking Heads Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2016.