Sparks: Collection Part 01 (1972-2017) [13CD, Original pressings & Reissues]

Brothers Ron and Russell Mael from Los Angeles, USA have been making diverse music since 1969 under various incarnations of Sparks. In 1979 they ditched the guitars and keyboards of glam geek rock and started working with Italian producer Giorgio Moroder, beginning a love affair with electronic music. Since then they have worked with a variety of people including Finitribe, Les Rita Mitsouko, Erasure and Faith No More.

~ discogs

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Sparks: Collection Part 01 (1972-2017) [13CD, Original pressings & Reissues]

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Sparks is an American pop and rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1972 by brothers Ron (keyboards) and Russell Mael (vocals). The duo formed in 1968 under the name Halfnelson. Known for their quirky approach to songwriting, Sparks' music is often accompanied by intelligent, sophisticated, and acerbic lyrics, and an idiosyncratic, theatrical stage presence, typified in the contrast between Russell's animated, hyperactive frontman antics and Ron's deadpan scowling. They are also noted for Russell Mael's distinctive wide-ranging voice and Ron Mael's intricate and rhythmic keyboard playing style.

While achieving chart success in various countries around the world including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and the United States, they have enjoyed a cult following since their first releases. During the late 1970s, when in collaboration with Giorgio Moroder (and Telex subsequently), Sparks reinvented themselves as a new wave/synth-pop band, and abandoned the traditional rock band line-up. Their frequently changing styles and visual presentations have kept the band at the forefront of modern, artful pop music.

The 2002 release of Lil' Beethoven, their "genre-defying opus", as well as the more recent albums Hello Young Lovers (2006, their 20th studio album), Exotic Creatures of the Deep (2008), and their latest fantasy musical The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman (2009–2010) have brought Sparks renewed critical and commercial success, and seen them continue to "steer clear of pop conventions." The band also released an album with Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand, as the supergroup FFS, titled FFS, released in 2015.

Sparks are best known for the songs "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us", which reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1974; the disco hit "The Number One Song in Heaven" in 1979; "When I'm With You" which topped the French Singles Chart in 1980; the single "I Predict", which provided Sparks' first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 60 in May 1982; the 1983 single "Cool Places" with the Go-Go's rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Jane Wiedlin, and "When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'" which topped the German and European charts in 1994/95 and was the top airplay record in Germany for 1994. In 2017 Sparks released Hippopotamus, which entered the UK Albums Chart at no. 7, marking Sparks' first UK top-ten appearance in over 40 years…

~ wiki

Tracklist CD01. 1974 - Kimono My House (1994, France, Island, IMCD 1988):

01. This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us (3:06)
02. Amateur Hour (3:41)
03. Falling In Love With Myself Again (3:05)
04. Here In Heaven (2:51)
05. Thank God It's Not Christmas (5:09)
06. Hasta Mañana Monsieur (3:53)
07. Talent Is An Asset (3:27)
08. Complaints (2:54)
09. In My Family (3:49)
10. Equator (4:43)
11. Barbecutie (3:10)
12. Lost And Found (3:18)




Tracklist CD02. 1974 - Propaganda (1994, France, Island, IMCD 199):

01. Propaganda (0:22)
02. At Home, At Work, At Play (3:06)
03. Reinforcements (3:55)
04. B.C. (2:13)
05. Thanks But No Thanks (4:14)
06. Don't Leave Me Alone With Her (3:02)
07. Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth (2:28)
08. Something For The Girl With Everything (2:17)
09. Achoo (3:34)
10. Who Don't Like Kids (3:37)
11. Bon Voyage (4:54)
12. Alabamy Right (2:11)
13. Marry Me (2:44)




Tracklist CD03. 1976 - Big Beat (1994, Germany, Island/BMG, 74321 22424):

01. Big Boy (3:33)
02. I Want To Be Like Everybody Else (2:58)
03. Nothing To Do (3:10)
04. I Bought The Mississippi River (2:31)
05. Fill-Er-Up (2:20)
06. Everybody's Stupid (3:42)
07. Throw Her Away (And Get A New One) (3:13)
08. Confusion (3:28)
09. Screwed Up (4:22)
10. White Women (3:25)
11. I Like Girls (2:57)
12. Tearing The Place Apart (3:37)
13. Gone With The Wind (3:05)




Tracklist CD04. 1981 - Whomp That Sucker (1998, USA, Oglio, OGL 81601):

01. Tips For Teens (3:33)
02. Funny Face (3:28)
03. Where's My Girl (3:11)
04. Upstairs (3:43)
05. I Married A Martian (5:11)
06. The Willys (3:58)
07. Don't Shoot Me (3:55)
08. Suzie Safety (3:58)
09. That's Not Nastassia (4:57)
10. Wacky Woman (2:47)




Tracklist CD05. 1984 - Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat (1995, Germany, Oasis/Kiosk, CMP 62009):

01. Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat (4:07)
02. Love Scenes (4:07)
03. Pretending To Be Drunk (3:41)
04. Progress (4:44)
05. With All My Might (3:41)
06. Sparks In The Dark (Part One) (0:29)
07. Everbody Move (3:01)
08. A Song That Sings Itself (4:27)
09. Sisters (3:56)
10. Kiss Me Quick (4:05)
11. Sparks In The Dark (Part Two) (2:58)




Tracklist CD06. 1986 - Music That You Can Dance to (1996, USA, Curb, D2-77335):

1. Music That You Can Dance To (4:23)
2. Rosebud (4:38)
3. Fingertips (4:20)
4. Change (5:20)
5. The Scene (6:11)
6. Shopping Mall Of Love (3:14)
7. Modesty Plays (New Version) (3:59)
8. Let's Get Funky (6:06)




Tracklist CD07. 1988 - Interior Design (1990, Germany, Castle/Sherman, CHC 7009):

01. So Important (4:34)
02. Just Got Back From Heaven (4:10)
03. Lots Of Reasons (3:47)
04. You Got A Hold Of My Heart (4:59)
05. Love-O-Rama (4:43)
06. The Toughest Girl In Town (4:16)
07. Let's Make Love (4:46)
08. Stop Me If You've Heard This Before (3:42)
09. A Walk Down Memory Lane (4:55)
10. Madonna (4:37)




Tracklist CD08. 1993 - The Heaven Collection (1993, Austria, Sony, (473515 2)):

01. This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us (3:06)
02. The Number One Song In Heaven (7:30)
03. Beat The Clock (4:26)
04. Tryouts For The Human Race (6:07)
05. When I'm With You (4:07)
06. Young Girls (3:54)
07. Funny Face (3:28)
08. Tips For Teens (3:35)
09. I Predict (2:51)
10. Angst In My Pants (3:29)
11. Modesty Plays (3:04)
12. Cool Places (Sparks With Jane Wiedlin) (3:23)
13. With All My Might (3:41)
14. Change (5:27)
15. Music That You Can Dance To (4:26)
16. So Important (4:35)
17. Singing In The Shower (Les Rita Mitsouko & Sparks) (4:27)
18. National Crime Awareness Week (5:09)




Tracklist CD09. 1994 - Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins (1994, Germany, BMG/Logic, 74321 23267 2):

01. Gratuitous sax (0:31)
02. When do I get to sing "My Way" (4:37)
03. (When I kiss you) I hear Charlie Parker playing (5:13)
04. Frankly, Scarlett, I don't give a damn (5:03)
05. I thought I told you to wait in the car (4:20)
06. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil (5:37)
07. Now that I own the BBC (4:58)
08. Tsui Hark (featuring Tsui Hark & Bill Kong) (4:31)
09. The ghost of Liberace (4:15)
10. Let's go surfing (5:02)
11. Senseless violins (0:49)




Tracklist CD10. 1997 - Plagiarism (1997, Holland, Virgin, (7243 8 44275 2 8)):

01. Pulling Rabbits Out Of A Hat (3:36)
02. This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us (4:03)
03. The No. 1 Song In Heaven (Part Two) (4:06)
04. Funny Face (5:11)
05. When Do I Get To Sing 'My Way' (5:44)
06. Angst In My Pants (5:19)
07. Change (5:26)
08. Popularity (4:21)
09. Something For The Girl With Everything (2:52)
10. This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us (with Faith No More) (3:00)
11. Beat The Clock (4:30)
12. Big Brass Ring (4:20)
13. Amateur Hour (with Erasure) (3:35)
14. Propaganda (2:35)
15. When I'm With You (4:06)
16. Something For The Girl With Everything (with Faith No More) (3:15)
17. Orchestral Collage (0:24)
18. The No. 1 Song In Heaven (with Jimmy Somerville) (5:20)
19. Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth (2:35)




Tracklist CD11. 2000 - Balls (2000, USA, Lift Off/Oglio, OGL89119):

01. Balls (4:23)
02. More Than A Sex Machine (5:03)
03. Scheherazade (4:28)
04. Aeroflot (4:28)
05. The Calm Before The Storm (4:03)
06. How To Get Your Ass Kicked (4:18)
07. Bullet Train (4:20)
08. It's A Knockoff (3:42)
09. Irreplaceable (5:05)
10. It's Educational (4:01)
11. The Angels (4:47)




Tracklist CD12. 2002 - Lil' Beethoven (2002, UK, Lil' Beethoven, LILBCD1):

1. The Rhythm Thief (5:18)
2. How Do I Get To Carnegie Hall? (3:50)
3. What Are All These Bands So Angry About? (3:32)
4. I Married Myself (4:59)
5. Ride 'Em Cowboy (4:20)
6. My Baby's Taking Me Home (4:42)
7. Your Call's Very Important To Us. Please Hold. (4:11)
8. Ugly Guys With Beautiful Girls (7:07)
9. Suburban Homeboy (2:58)




Tracklist CD13. 2006 - Hello Young Lovers (2006, UK, Gut/Sparks, GUTCD53):

01. Dick Around (6:35)
02. Perfume (4:59)
03. The Very Next Fight (5:18)
04. (Baby, Baby) Can I Invade Your Country (5:56)
05. Rock, Rock, Rock (5:10)
06. Metaphor (4:03)
07. Waterproof (4:17)
08. Here Kitty (4:26)
09. There's No Such Thing As Aliens (2:53)
10. As I Sit To Play The Organ At The Notre Dame Cathedral (7:02)



All thanks go to Olaf der Weisse & others…