''History Never Repeats – The Best of Split Enz'' is a compilation of hits by

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

rock band

Split Enz Split Enz were a New Zealand rock band formed in Auckland in 1972 by Tim Finn and Phil Judd and had a variety of other members during its existence. Originally started as a folk-oriented group with quirky art rock stylings, the band built a ...

. Initially released in the US in 1987, then in New Zealand and Australia in 1989, the album has been through many variations and reissues over the years.

Track listings

US version (1987)

Released by the band's Northern Hemisphere record label

A&M Records A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...

, this version included the band's hits on the label. It was re-packaged in 2002 as ''The Best of Split Enz – The Millennium Collection'' as part of

Universal Music Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, Dutch law. UMG's cor ...

's "20th Century Masters" budget-priced series. # " I Got You" (Neil Finn) – 3:31 # "Hard Act to Follow" (Tim Finn) – 3:17 # "

Six Months in a Leaky Boat "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" is a song by New Zealand art rock group Split Enz. It was released in May 1982 as the second single from the group's seventh studio album, '' Time and Tide''. The title is a reference to the time it took pioneers to ...

" (Tim Finn/Split Enz) – 4:27 # "What's the Matter with You" (Neil Finn) – 3:08 # " One Step Ahead" (Neil Finn) – 2:53 # " I See Red" (Tim Finn) – 3:16 # "

Message to My Girl "Message to My Girl" is a song by New Zealand art rock group Split Enz. It was released in January 1984 as the second single from their eighth studio album '' Conflicting Emotions''. In 2001 the song was voted by members of APRA as the 36th be ...

" (Neil Finn) – 4:02 # "

History Never Repeats "History Never Repeats" is a single written by Neil Finn and recorded by Split Enz. It was released in March 1981 as the second single from their sixth studio album, '' Waiata.'' The song remains one of their most popular. It was also used as the ...

" (Neil Finn) – 3:00 # "

I Hope I Never "I Hope I Never" is a 1980 song by New Zealand art rock group Split Enz. It was released in May 1980 as the second single from their sixth studio album '' True Colours''. Track listings Australian release ;Side A #"I Hope I Never" - 3:56 (Tim Fin ...

" (Tim Finn) – 4:33 # "

Dirty Creature "Dirty Creature" is a song by New Zealand art rock group Split Enz. It was released in March 1982 as the lead single from their seventh studio album '' Time and Tide''. Tim Finn had been suffering from panic attacks at the time, and co-wrote the ...

" (Tim Finn/Nigel Griggs/Neil Finn) – 4:03 # " Poor Boy" (Tim Finn) – 3:26

Original NZ/AUS version (1989)

The version released in New Zealand and Australia features a different track listing that includes the hits in those two countries. # "Give It a Whirl" (Tim Finn/Neil Finn) # " My Mistake" (Tim Finn/Eddie Rayner) # "I See Red" (Tim Finn) # "

Late Last Night "Late Last Night" was a single originally recorded by New Zealand band Split Enz in Australia in 1976. Written by Phil Judd, it was accompanied by the band's first promotional video clip. The single was a minor hit on the Australian Top 100, reac ...

" ingle version(Phil Judd) # "I Got You" (Neil Finn) # "Shark Attack" (Tim Finn) # "Poor Boy" (Tim Finn) # "I Hope I Never" (Tim Finn) # "History Never Repeats" (Neil Finn) # "One Step Ahead" (Neil Finn) # "Dirty Creature" (Tim Finn/Nigel Griggs/Neil Finn) # "Pioneer" (Eddie Rayner) # "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" (Tim Finn/Split Enz) # "

Strait Old Line "Strait Old Line" is a song by New Zealand art rock group Split Enz, released in October 1983 as the lead single from their ninth studio album '' Conflicting Emotions''. Neil Finn described the song as, "about ambition, temptation, being distrac ...

" (Neil Finn) # "Message to My Girl" (Neil Finn) # "Charlie" ive Auckland, 1984(Tim Finn)

NZ/AUS reissue (2001)

Remastered version with re-sequenced track listing. # "History Never Repeats" (Neil Finn) # "Dirty Creature" (Tim Finn/Nigel Griggs/Neil Finn) # "I See Red" (Tim Finn) # "My Mistake" (Tim Finn/Eddie Rayner) # "I Got You" (Neil Finn) # "Shark Attack" (Tim Finn) # "One Step Ahead" (Neil Finn) # "Pioneer" (Eddie Rayner) # "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" (Tim Finn/Split Enz) # "Poor Boy" (Tim Finn) # "I Hope I Never" (Tim Finn) # "Message to My Girl" (Neil Finn) # "Strait Old Line" (Neil Finn) # "Late Last Night" (Phil Judd) # "Charlie" ive New Zealand, 1993(Tim Finn) # "Give It a Whirl" (Tim Finn/Neil Finn) Notes
Track 14: Single version used on original 1989 issue; album version used here.
Track 16: 1984 live version used on original 1989 issue; 1993 live version used here.

NZ/AUS 30th anniversary edition (2002)

Remastered version with same re-sequenced track listing as 2001 reissue, plus bonus track "

I Walk Away "I Walk Away" is a song written by Neil Finn, and originally recorded by Finn's group Split Enz. It was released in September 1984 as the lead single from their tenth and final studio album ''See Ya 'Round'', and was a chart hit in New Zealand and ...

" and white cardboard slipcase. # "History Never Repeats" (Neil Finn) # "Dirty Creature" (Tim Finn/Nigel Griggs/Neil Finn) # "I See Red" (Tim Finn) # "My Mistake" (Tim Finn/Eddie Rayner) # "I Walk Away" onus track(Neil Finn) # "I Got You" (Neil Finn) # "Shark Attack" (Tim Finn) # "One Step Ahead" (Neil Finn) # "Pioneer" (Eddie Rayner) # "Six Months in a Leaky Boat" (Tim Finn/Split Enz) # "Poor Boy" (Tim Finn) # "I Hope I Never" (Tim Finn) # "Message to My Girl" (Neil Finn) # "Strait Old Line" (Neil Finn) # "Late Last Night" (Phil Judd) # "Give It a Whirl" (Tim Finn/Neil Finn) # "Charlie" ive New Zealand, 1993(Tim Finn) Notes
Track 15: Single version used on original 1989 issue; album version used here.
Track 17: 1984 live version used on original 1989 issue; 1993 live version used here.

Charts

Certifications and sales

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:History Never Repeats - The Best of Split Enz Split Enz compilation albums 1987 greatest hits albums A&M Records compilation albums Mushroom Records compilation albums Universal Music Group compilation albums