The Jam -- Snap! (full double disc album) Released October, 1983, reissued 2006 -- Polygram Records "Released...just after Paul Weller disbanded the band at the peak of their popularity, Snap! was the first greatest-hits album from the Jam. At the original 29-track length and sequencing, Snap! is nothing short of a masterpiece, a record that briskly and bracingly tells the story of one of the great rock bands. This isn't just an introduction, it's a narrative, tracing the rapid rise of the Jam from nervy, confrontational teenage punks to sharp modern pop purveyors to stylish soul-inflected rockers. Since this is a compilation, their growth is more dramatic and evident than on their individual albums, and since a lot of this growth happened on singles that didn't reach the LPs -- particularly the brilliant middle years, when Weller was spitting out classic singles like "Strange Town," "When You're Young," "Going Underground" and "Dreams of Children," while leaving such remarkable numbers as "The Butterfly Collector" and "Tales from the Riverbank" as B-sides -- this is necessary to get a complete picture of the band; after all, even the farewell singles "The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had to Swallow)" and "Beat Surrender" were not on the swan song The Gift, although their presence would have improved it considerably. So, as a way to get these, some of the band's very best songs, Snap! is essential. Arguably, it's even more essential for how it captures the essence of the Jam so completely...and what is here tells the full story of the band at a breathless pace. For neophytes, it's a flawless introduction, but it's something more than a mere primer: it is a thrilling, addictive listen, so good that it stands as the definitive Jam album and one of the greatest greatest-hits albums of all time." - Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Disc 1 1. "In the City" 2. "Away from the Numbers" 2:19 3. "All Around the World" 6:23 4. "The Modern World" (Single Version) 8:48 5. "News of the World" 11:21 6. "Billy Hunt" 14:49 7. "English Rose" 17:55 8. "Mr. Clean" 20:42 9. "David Watts" (Single Mix) 24:12 10. "'A' Bomb in Wardour Street" (Single Version) 27:07 11. "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" (Single Edit) 29:43 12. "Strange Town" 33:45 13. "The Butterfly Collector" 37:35 14. "When You're Young" 40:46 15. "Smithers-Jones" (Single Version) 44:00 16. "Thick as Thieves" 47:00 Disc 2 17. "The Eton Rifles" (Single Edit) 50:42 18. "Going Underground" 54:11 19. "Dreams of Children" (US Edit) 57:07 20. "That's Entertainment" (Demo Version) 1:00:07 21. "Start!" (Single Version) 1:03:23 22. "Man in the Cornershop" 1:05:54 23. "Funeral Pyre" (Remixed Version) 1:09:05 24. "Absolute Beginners" 1:12:36 25. "Tales from the Riverbank" 1:15:29 26. "Town Called Malice" 1:19:02 27. "Precious" (Single Edit) 1:21:57 28. "The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had to Swallow)" 1:25:31 29. "Beat Surrender" 1:29:07 The Jam: Paul Weller (vocals, guitars), Bruce Foxton (bass, vocals), Rick Buckler (drums) All songs written by Paul Weller, except "News of the World" and "Smithers-Jones" by Bruce Foxton, "David Watts" by Ray Davies, and "Funeral Pyre" by Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton & Rick Buckler. Producers - Vic Smith, Chris Parry, Vic Coppersmith-Heaven, Peter Wilson, the Jam All lyrics and music are the intellectual property of those listed. If you enjoy the music, please honor the rights of the owners to receive compensation for their gifts and effort - purchase their work. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

• published: 22 Apr 2014
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