''Countdown 1992–1983'' is a double compilation album by the band Pulp released by compilation specialist Nectar Masters on 11 March 1996.

Background

It features highlights from the band's first three albums ('' It'', ''

Freaks Freak has several meanings: a person who is physically deformed or suffers from an extraordinary disease and condition, a genetic mutation in a plant or animal, etc. Freak, freaks or The Freak may also refer to: Fictional characters * Freak (Ima ...

'' and '' Separations''), along with non-album singles ("

Little Girl (With Blue Eyes) "Little Girl (With Blue Eyes)" is a non-album single by British band Pulp, released in 1985. It features very dark songs, far from the acoustic feel of the first album '' It''. The four songs from the single are all included on the compilation ...

" and "

Dogs Are Everywhere "Dogs Are Everywhere" is a non-album single released by British band Pulp in 1986. The title song is a soft ballad reminiscent of the band's first album '' It'', but the B-sides have a darker sound closer to what would become the band's next alb ...

") and B-sides ("Death Goes to the Disco", "The Mark Of The Devil", "97 Lovers" and "Blue Glow"). The album title is a reference to the band's song "Countdown", therefore (aside from the extended version of "Countdown" which closes the album) the running order goes backwards chronologically from 1992 to 1983. Being released at the height of Pulp's and Britpop fame, the album reached #10 in the UK Album Chart, the only charting compilation album of the band's Fire Records era material. The sleevenotes are written by

Guardian Guardian usually refers to: * Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another * ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper (The) Guardian(s) may also refer to: Places * Guardian, West Virginia, Unite ...

journalist Caroline Sullivan, a longtime friend of the band, and detail the group's history, particularly prior to their main commercial success.

Reception

Although was well received by critics and fans, Jarvis Cocker was very critical of the compilation at the time of its release. Cocker: "I would urge anybody not to buy it. Please, I find it embarrassing to be honest. And also the way it's packaged to look a bit modern, a bit like our sleeves now. It's a crap version... I wouldn't recommend it to anybody. And Fire records never did us any favours when we were on the label. Being signed to that label was the single biggest thing that prevented us succeeding. It almost made us split up."

Track listing

All lyrics written by

Jarvis Cocker Jarvis Branson Cocker (born 19 September 1963) is an English musician and radio presenter. As the founder, frontman, lyricist and only consistent member of the band Pulp, he became a figurehead of the Britpop genre of the mid-1990s. Following P ...

, all music composed by Pulp; except where noted. ;Disc one #"

Countdown A countdown is a sequence of backward counting to indicate the time remaining before an event is scheduled to occur. NASA commonly employs the terms "L-minus" and "T-minus" during the preparation for and anticipation of a rocket launch, and eve ...

" (Single Version) – 4:40 #"Death Goes to the Disco" – 5:42 #" My Legendary Girlfriend" – 6:44 #"Don't You Want Me Anymore?" – 3:46 #"She's Dead" – 5:04 #"Down by the River" – 3:38 #"I Want You" – 4:38 #"Being Followed Home" – 6:01 #"Master of the Universe" – 3:19 #"Don't You Know" – 4:06 #" They Suffocate at Night" – 6:17 *Tracks 1-2 from the 1991 single "

" *Tracks 3-6 from the 1992 album '' Separations'' *Tracks 7-11 from the 1987 album ''

'' ;Disc two #"

" – 4:53 #"The Mark of the Devil" – 4:32 #"97 Lovers" – 4:28 #"

" – 3:25 #"Blue Glow" – 3:03 #"

My Lighthouse "My Lighthouse" is the first single by British band Pulp, released in 1983 and taken from the band's debut album '' It''. The song is a gentle acoustic ballad, far from the disco feel that thrust the band into prominence in the early 1990s. The ...

" (Jarvis Cocker, Simon Hinkler) – 3:28 #"Wishful Thinking" (Cocker) – 4:16 #"Blue Girls" (Cocker) – 5:58 #"Countdown" (Extended Version) – 8:03 *Tracks 1-3 from the 1986 single "

" *Tracks 4-5 from the single 1985 "

" *Tracks 6-8 from the 1983 album '' It'' *Track 9 from the 1991 single "Countdown" *Vinyl copies have five tracks on each side in the same order, except that "Death Goes to the Disco" appears on side four between "Blue Girls" and "Countdown" (Extended Version).

References

External links

''Countdown 1992–1983''
at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed) {{DEFAULTSORT:Countdown 1992-1983 Pulp (band) albums 1996 compilation albums Fire Records (UK) compilation albums MCA Records compilation albums