Erasure - Pop! The First 20 Hits (1992)

GREATEST HITS FORTNIGHT (FEBRUARY 6-19, 2012)

There's absolutely no irony in that bold title. 20 of the band's singles in chronological order of their release, almost every number a top 20 placer at home in the UK, more than half hitting the Top Ten. The duo has an enjoyable synthpop sound (Vince Clarke has no problem writing synth hooks), but, judging from the few full-length releases I've heard, they are definitely a singles band. Because of that, this is easily the best Erasure album I own and I'm really not feeling the need to pick up anything new at this time. The liner notes are minimal. Don't these guys know any writers to write the obligatory self-promoting essay? (In the future, guys, give me a call. I'm available and my rates are reasonable).

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #112

Tracks:

Song	Album	Hot 100	Dance	UK
Who Needs Love (Like That)	Wonderland	-	8	55
Heavenly Action	Wonderland	-	8	100
Oh L'amour	Wonderland	-	3	85
Sometimes	The Circus	-	4	2
It Doesn't Have To Be	The Circus	-	4	12
Victim of Love	The Circus	-	1	7
The Circus	The Circus	-	-	6
Ship Of Fools	The Innocents	-	-	6
Chains Of Love	The Innocents	12	4	11
A Little Respect	The Innocents	14	2	4
Stop!	Crackers International	97	4	2
Drama!	Wild!	-	10	4
You Surround Me	Wild!	-	-	15
Blue Savannah	Wild!	-	44	3
Star	Wild!	-	4	11
Chorus	Chorus	83	14	3
Love To Hate You	Chorus	-	17	4
Am I Right?	Chorus	-	-	15
Breath Of Life	Chorus	-	-	8
Take A Chance On Me	Abba-esque	-	10	1

My all-time favorite Erasure tune is Sometimes. Other top Erasure songs for me are Who Needs Love Like That, Chains Of Love, A Little Respect, Stop!, Chorus, and the cover of Take A Chance On Me. The other tracks are easy enough to listen to, although I'll usually skip The Circus and Am I Right? and Breath Of Life.

For more information on the brief life of the CD longbox,
go visit The Legend of the Longbox.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Songs from the band's 1988 album, The Innocents, remind me of driving around the Hurst-Euless-Bedford area during that long, hot summer (a.k.a. "The Lost Summer of  Mark").

I remember playing this greatest hits CD constantly in my Ford Explorer once I purchased it (that Explorer was my first car with a CD player in it). My oldest son should know all the lyrics to these songs since they were among the first he ever heard in his life as he listened to this CD while strapped in an infant car seat in that SUV.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Other People's Songs (2003)
Cowboy (1997)