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Those Were the Days

 
Album Review: Those Were the Days

  • Artist: Cream
  • Rating: StarStarStarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: September 23, 1997
  • Total Time: 303:12
  • Type: Compilation (best of), Box set
  • Genre: Rock

Review

Those Were the Days is an ambitious four-disc, 63-track box set that divides Cream's career into two halves. The first two discs feature every studio track the group ever released, plus a handful of unreleased cuts, alternate takes, and rarities. The other two discs are devoted to live material, which is segued together in an attempt to recreate the "ideal" Cream concert. It's a remarkably comprehensive collection, complete with an extensive booklet and remastered sound, yet it doesn't reveal any new insights about Cream, nor does it offer any invaluable rarities. Therefore, it's only for die-hard collectors or listeners wanting to acquire the entire Cream catalog at once; casual fans will be satisfied with individual albums or greatest-hits collections. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks



CD 1

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Wrapping Paper (Lyrics) Pete Brown, Jack Bruce Cream (2:22)
I Feel Free (Lyrics) Jack Bruce, Pete Brown Cream (2:51)
N.S.U. (Lyrics) Jack Bruce Cream (2:43)
Sleepy Time Time (Lyrics) Jack Bruce, Janet Godfrey Cream (4:20)
Dreaming (Lyrics) Jack Bruce Cream (1:58)
Sweet Wine (Lyrics) Ginger Baker, Janet Godfrey Cream (3:17)
Spoonful (Lyrics) Willie Dixon Cream (6:30)
Cat's Squirrel Mick Abrahams, Traditional Cream (3:03)
Four Until Late (Lyrics) Traditional, Robert Johnson Cream (2:07)
Rollin' and Tumblin' (Lyrics) Muddy Waters Cream (4:42)
I'm So Glad Skip James Cream (3:57)
Toad Ginger Baker Cream (5:11)
Lawdy Mama [Version 1][#] Traditional, Eric Clapton Cream (2:00)
Strange Brew (Lyrics) Felix Pappalardi, Gail Collins, Eric Clapton Cream (2:46)
Sunshine of Your Love (Lyrics) Eric Clapton, Pete Brown, Pete Brown, Jack Bruce Cream (4:10)
World of Pain (Lyrics) Eric Clapton, Gail Collins, Felix Pappalardi Cream (3:02)
Dance the Night Away (Lyrics) Jack Bruce, Pete Brown Cream (3:34)
Blue Condition (Lyrics) Ginger Baker Cream (3:29)
Tales of Brave Ulysses (Lyrics) Eric Clapton, Martin Sharp Cream (2:46)
Swlabr (Lyrics) Jack Bruce, Pete Brown Cream (2:31)
We're Going Wrong (Lyrics) Jack Bruce Cream (3:26)
Outside Woman Blues (Lyrics) Blind Joe Reynolds, Arthur Reynolds Cream (2:24)
Take It Back (Lyrics) Jack Bruce, Pete Brown Cream (3:05)
Mother's Lament (Lyrics) Traditional Cream (1:47)


CD 2

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
White Room (Lyrics) Pete Brown, Pete Brown, Jack Bruce Cream (4:58)
Sitting on Top of the World Walter Vinson, Bob Dylan, Chester Burnett, Lonnie Chatmon Cream (4:58)
Passing the Time [In the Studio][Alternate Take][Version] Mike Taylor, Ginger Baker Cream (5:53)
As You Said (Lyrics) Jack Bruce, Pete Brown, Pete Brown Cream (4:20)
Pressed Rat and Warthog (Lyrics) Ginger Baker, Mike Taylor Cream (3:13)
Politician (Lyrics) Pete Brown, Pete Brown, Jack Bruce Cream (4:12)
Those Were the Days (Lyrics) Mike Taylor, Gene Raskin, Ginger Baker Cream (2:53)
Born Under a Bad Sign (Lyrics) Booker T. Jones, William Bell Cream (3:09)
Deserted Cities of the Heart (Lyrics) Pete Brown, Jack Bruce, Pete Brown Cream (3:38)
Anyone for Tennis (Lyrics) Eric Clapton, Martin Sharp Cream (2:38)
Badge (Lyrics) George Harrison, Eric Clapton Cream (2:44)
Doing That Scrapyard Thing (Lyrics) Pete Brown, Pete Brown, Jack Bruce Cream (3:14)
What a Bringdown (Lyrics) Ginger Baker Cream (3:58)
The Coffee Song Ray Smith, Tony Colton Cream (2:44)
Lawdy Mama [Version 2] Eric Clapton, Traditional Cream (2:46)
You Make Me Feel [#][Demo Version] Pete Brown, Pete Brown, Jack Bruce Cream (2:39)
We're Going Wrong [#][Demo Version] Jack Bruce Cream (3:49)
Hey Now Princess [#][Demo Version] Pete Brown, Jack Bruce, Pete Brown Cream (3:31)
Swlabr [#][Demo Version] Pete Brown, Jack Bruce Cream (4:30)
Weird of Hermiston [#][Demo Version] Pete Brown, Pete Brown, Jack Bruce Cream (3:12)
The Clearout [#][Demo Version] Jack Bruce, Pete Brown, Pete Brown Cream (3:58)
Falstaff Beer Commercial [#] Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker Cream (1:00)


CD 3

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
N.S.U. [#] Jack Bruce Cream (12:38)
Sleepy Time Time [Live] Janet Godfrey, Jack Bruce Cream (6:48)
Rollin' and Tumblin' [Live] Muddy Waters Cream (6:29)
Crossroads [Live] Ahmad Jamal, Robert Johnson, Traditional Cream (4:24)
Spoonful [Live] Willie Dixon Cream (16:39)
Tales of Brave Ulysses [Live] Martin Sharp, Eric Clapton Cream (4:43)
Sunshine of Your Love [Live] Pete Brown, Pete Brown, Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce Cream (7:25)
Sweet Wine [Live] Janet Godfrey, Ginger Baker Cream (15:08)


CD 4

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
White Room [Live] Jack Bruce, Pete Brown, Pete Brown Cream (6:21)
Politician [Live] Jack Bruce, Pete Brown, Pete Brown Cream (5:08)
I'm So Glad [Live] Skip James Cream (9:32)
Sitting on Top of the World [Live] Chester Burnett, Walter Vinson, Lonnie Chatmon, Bob Dylan Cream (4:55)
Stepping Out [Live] James C. Bracken Cream (13:29)
Traintime [Live] Jack Bruce Cream (7:02)
Toad [Live][#] Ginger Baker Cream (17:35)
Deserted Cities of the Heart [Live] Pete Brown, Jack Bruce, Pete Brown Cream (4:14)
Sunshine of Your Love [Live][#] Eric Clapton, Pete Brown, Jack Bruce, Pete Brown Cream (4:44)

Credits

Barry Wentzell (Photography), Don Paulsen (Photography), Jack Bruce (Organ), Felix Pappalardi (Viola), Jack Bruce (Piano), Robert Stigwood (Producer), Felix Pappalardi (Organ), Jack Bruce (Cello), Ginger Baker (?), Gene Paul (Remixing), Ginger Baker (Vocals), Ahmet Ertegun (Producer), Terri Tierney (Production Coordination), George Harrison (Guitar (Rhythm)), Ginger Baker (Drums), Chuck Pulin (Photography), Adrian Barber (Remixing), Jack Bruce (Guitar (Acoustic)), Felix Pappalardi (Bass), Eric Clapton (Vocals), Jim Marshall (Photography), Jack Bruce (?), Bill Levenson (Compilation Producer), Felix Pappalardi (Bells), Felix Pappalardi (Producer), John Timperley (Engineer), Felix Pappalardi (Trumpet), Catherine Ladis (Project Assistant), Jackie Stansfield (Production Coordination), Felix Pappalardi (Piano), Ginger Baker (Percussion), Chuck Stewart (Photography), Jack Bruce (Vocals), Eric Clapton (?), Jack Bruce (Harmonica), Tom Dowd (Engineer), Damon Lyon-Shaw (Engineer), John McDermott (Liner Notes), Kevin Brady (Remixing), Felix Pappalardi (Mellotron), Martin Sharp (Artwork), Jack Bruce (Guitar (Bass)), Bill Halverson (Engineer), Eric Clapton (Guitar), Adrian Barber (Engineer), Cream (Producer)
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Wikipedia: Those Were the Days (Cream album)
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For other uses, see Those Were the Days.
Those Were the Days
Box set by Cream
Released September 23, 1997
Recorded 1966-1968
Genre Blues-rock, hard rock
Length 303:12
Label Polydor
Producer Joanna Bennetts
Professional reviews
Cream chronology
The Very Best of Cream
(1995)
Those Were the Days
(1997)
20th Century Masters
(2000)

Those Were the Days is a retrospective compilation of the music of Cream, released on September 23 1997.

It comprises four CDs and catalogues every track from their four studio albums, plus live material recorded in 1968.

The title is taken from the song written by Ginger Baker and Mike Taylor, released on the album Wheels of Fire in 1968.

Contents

Track listing

Disc one: In the Studio

Non-album single (1966)

1. "Wrapping Paper" (Bruce, Brown) - 2.22

Tracks taken from Fresh Cream (1966)

2. "I Feel Free" (Bruce, Brown) - 2.51
3. "N.S.U." (Bruce) - 2.43
4. "Sleepy Time Time" (Bruce, Godfrey) - 4.20
5. "Dreaming" (Bruce) - 1.58
6. "Sweet Wine" (Baker, Godfrey) - 3.17
7. "Spoonful" (Dixon) - 6.30
8. "Cat's Squirrel" (Traditional, arr. S. Splurge) - 3.03
9. "Four Until Late" (Johnson, arr. Clapton) - 2.07
10. "Rollin' and Tumblin'" (Waters) - 4.42
11. "I'm So Glad" (James) - 3.57
12. "Toad" (Baker) - 5.11

Studio out-take (1967)

13. "Lawdy Mama" - version 1 (previously unreleased) (Traditional, arr. Clapton) - 2.00

Tracks taken from Disraeli Gears (1967)

14. "Strange Brew" (Clapton, Collins, Pappalardi) - 2.46
15. "Sunshine of Your Love" (Bruce, Brown, Clapton) - 4.10
16. "World of Pain" (Collins, Pappalardi) - 3.02
17. "Dance the Night Away" (Bruce, Brown) - 3.34
18. "Blue Condition" (Baker) - 3.29
19. "Tales of Brave Ulysses" (Clapton, Sharp) - 2.46
20. "SWLABR" (Bruce, Brown) - 2.31
21. "We're Going Wrong" (Bruce) - 3.26
22. "Outside Woman Blues" (Reynolds, arr. Clapton) - 2.24
23. "Take It Back" (Bruce, Brown) - 3.05
24. "Mother's Lament" (Traditional, arr. Bruce, Brown, Clapton) - 1.47

Disc two: In the Studio

Tracks taken from Wheels of Fire (1968)

1. "White Room" (Bruce, Brown) - 4.58
2. "Sitting on Top of the World" (Walter Vinson, Lonnie Chatmon; arr. Burnett) - 4.58
3. "Passing the Time" - extended version (Baker, Taylor) - 5.53
4. "As You Said" (Bruce, Brown) - 4.20
5. "Pressed Rat and Warthog" (Baker, Taylor) - 3.13
6. "Politician" (Bruce, Brown) - 4.12
7. "Those Were the Days" (Baker, Taylor) - 2.53
8. "Born Under a Bad Sign" (Jones, Bell) - 3.09
9. "Deserted Cities of the Heart" (Bruce, Brown) - 3.38

Non-album single (1968)

10. "Anyone for Tennis" (Clapton, Sharp) - 2.38

Tracks taken from Goodbye (1969)

11. "Badge" (Clapton, Harrison) - 2.44
12. "Doing That Scrapyard Thing" (Bruce, Brown) - 3.14
13. "What a Bringdown" (Baker) - 3.58

Miscellaneous tracks

14. "The Coffee Song" (Colton, Smith) - 2.44
15. "Lawdy Mama" - version 2 3 (Traditional, arr. Clapton) - 2.46
16. "You Make Me Feel" - demo version (previously unreleased) (Bruce, Brown) - 2.39
17. "We're Going Wrong" - demo version (previously unreleased) (Bruce) - 3.49
18. "Hey Now Princess" - demo version (previously unreleased) (Bruce, Brown) - 3.31
19. "SWLABR" - demo version (previously unreleased) (Bruce, Brown) - 4.30
20. "Weird of Hermiston" - demo version (previously unreleased) (Bruce, Brown) - 3.12
21. "The Clearout" - demo version (previously unreleased) (Bruce, Brown) - 3.58
22. "Falstaff Beer Commercial" (previously unreleased) (Baker, Bruce, Clapton) - 1.00

Disc three: Live

1. "N.S.U." (previously unreleased) (Bruce) - 12.38
Recorded March 9, 1968 at Winterland, San Francisco
2. "Sleepy Time Time" 3 (Bruce, Godfrey) - 6.48
Recorded March 9, 1968 at Winterland, San Francisco
3. "Rollin' and Tumblin'" 3 (Waters) - 6.29
Recorded March 7, 1968 at Fillmore West, San Francisco
4. "Crossroads" 1 (Johnson, arr. Clapton) - 4.24
Recorded March 10, 1968 at Winterland, San Francisco
5. "Spoonful" 1 (Dixon) - 16.39
Recorded March 10, 1968 at Winterland, San Francisco
6. "Tales of Brave Ulysses" 4 (Clapton, Sharp) - 4.43
Recorded March 10, 1968 at Winterland, San Francisco
7. "Sunshine of Your Love" 4 (Bruce, Brown, Clapton) - 7.25
Recorded March 9, 1968 at Winterland, San Francisco
8. "Sweet Wine" 3 (Baker, Godfrey) - 15.08
Recorded March 10, 1968 at Winterland, San Francisco

Disc four: Live

1. "White Room" 4 (Bruce, Brown) - 6.21
Recorded October 4, 1968 at Oakland Coliseum Arena, Oakland
2. "Politician" 4 (Bruce, Brown) - 5.08
Recorded October 4, 1968 at Oakland Coliseum Arena, Oakland
3. "I'm So Glad" 2 (James) - 9.32
Recorded October 19, 1968 at The Forum, Los Angeles
4. "Sitting on Top of the World" 2 (Walter Vinson, Lonnie Chatmon; arr. Burnett) - 4.55
Recorded October 19, 1968 at The Forum, Los Angeles
5. "Stepping Out" 4 (Bracken) - 13.29
Recorded March 10, 1968 at Winterland, San Francisco
6. "Traintime" 1 (Bruce) - 7.02
Recorded March 8, 1968 at Winterland, San Francisco
7. "Toad" (previously unreleased extended version) (Baker) - 17.35
Recorded March 7&8, 1968 at Fillmore West, San Francisco
8. "Deserted Cities of the Heart" 4 (Bruce, Brown) - 4.14
Recorded October 4, 1968 at Oakland Coliseum Arena, Oakland
9. "Sunshine of Your Love" (previously unreleased) (Bruce, Brown, Clapton) - 4.44
Recorded May 1968 at CBS Studios, Los Angeles for the Glen Campbell Show

Live tracks release notes

Note 1: previously released on Wheels of Fire (1968)
Note 2: previously released on Goodbye (1969)
Note 3: previously released on Live Cream (1970)
Note 4: previously released on Live Cream Volume II (1972)

Omitted from this collection

  • Toad - from Wheels of Fire
Recorded March 7, 1968 at Filmore West, San Francisco
(Replaced by an extended version, incorporating material recorded on March 8, 1968)
  • Politician - from Goodbye
Recorded October 19, 1968 at The Forum, Los Angeles
(Omitted in favour of the version released on Live Cream Volume II, recorded on October 4, 1968)
  • N.S.U. - from Live Cream
Recorded March 10, 1968 at Winterland, San Francisco
(Replaced by a longer alternative recorded on March 9, 1968)

External links


 
 

 

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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
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