Madonna: GHV2 {A Rant}

[Alice]

Remember children: Madonna is one of my idols....

Well, well children.... I know it's a bit late for this but while I was looking at the info on the whole Madge catalogue (again) and I came across the info for the cheap pass of a "Limited Edition" of the Crap-Tastic "GHV2" CD...again...

[It's] Probably one of the Worst GH compilation ever made due to the fact of it containing, I don't want to even mention it, EDITS!

Why didn't they leave ALL of these hits in their ORIGINAL ALBUM Version??

Now I understand that the songs on GHV2 are, as Madge said, "...songs that I could listen to 5 times in a row".... but What Artist would actually want to listen to EDITS that BUTCHER (!) the Original work of Art?? (Especially the sacrilegious butchering of "HN" which removes the key line "I'm Not Your Bitch, Don't Hang Your Shit On Me" thus resulting in the line "Express Yourself, Don't Repress Yourself" being null since this version does IN FACT "repress itself". Seriously what’s so hard about letting "GHV2" have a little "Parental Advisory" label?? She already had, at the time of this release 1 album with a "Parental Advisory" label, and yes I understand it might not go well with the cover art for "GHV2" but what's so wrong with just a little "PA" sticker on the Jewel Case?? I've seen it done before. And SHAME on the RIAA, why would "GHV2" get a "PA" just for that line + (probably) "Erotica" while people like the Black Eyed Peas can get away with saying stuff like "Shit", "Fuck", and sexual related stuff yet Not get a "PA" on their Albums?? And THEY are marketed to younger audiences, NOT Madge. Wow this went off topic).

Well children.... since I already have most of these songs on their respective albums (except for the soundtrack to "Evita") I made my own like 7 months ago...

Original Track listing for the Retail version "GHV2":
1. Deeper And Deeper 4:54 (7'' Edit)
2. Erotica 4:33 (Radio Edit)
3. Human Nature 4:31 (Radio Version)
4. Secret 4:30 (Edit)
5. Don't Cry For Me Argentina 4:50 (Radio Edit)
6. Bedtime Story 4:07 (Edit)
7. The Power Of Good-Bye 4:11 (Album Version)
8. Beautiful Stranger 3:57 (William Orbit Radio Edit)
9. Frozen 5:09 (Edit)
10. Take A Bow 4:31 (Edit)
11. Ray Of Light 4:35 (Radio Edit)
12. Don't Tell Me 4:40 (Album Version)
13. What It Feels Like For A Girl 4:44 (Album Version)
14. Drowned World / Substitute For Love 5:09 (Album Version)
15. Music 3:45 (Album Version)

vs.

Track listing for My "GHV2" featuring ALL of the songs in their original album versions:
1. Deeper And Deeper 5:33
2. Erotica 5:18
3. Human Nature 4:53
4. Secret 5:04
5. Don't Cry for Me Argentina 5:31
6. Bedtime Story 4:52
7. The Power Of Goodbye 4:12
8. Beautiful Stranger 4:21
9. Frozen 6:12
10. Take A Bow 5:21
11. Ray Of Light 5:20
12. Don't Tell Me 4:40
13. What It Feels Like For A Girl 4:43
14. Nothing Really Matters 4:26 (*)
15. Drowned World/Substitute For Love 5:08
16. Music 3:44

*See.... I even had the space to add this little' great song...*

Now...with "NRM" included it comes out to 1 hour 19 minutes and 18 seconds (79 minutes and 18 seconds)....
.... Minus "NRM", which would just be the regular order of songs on "GHV2" and it clocks to 1 hour 14 minutes 52 seconds (74 minutes and 52 seconds)

I didn't even add the other singles that I enjoy...


Now, back to the so-called "Limited Edition"....

I don't know about you, but when something has a "Limited Edition" it must be extravagant as Sin....

You know like have another disc (CD/DVD or both) with bonus content, (a) bonus song(s), videos, a better track list / version of the songs, their first born, or even the artist's soul/flesh .....Not just a digipack with an extended booklet (that is only more pages with pictures) and different artwork on the CD.... or in some other artists case just a poster (!)...

"GHV2", unlike its predecessor the TRULY Immaculate "Immaculate Collection" (which also did feature edits, but they were also DIFFERENT versions Example: "Express Yourself" compare it to the version from "Like a Prayer"), does NOT include any new songs...but they're were megamixes.... (Such as the AWESOME! "Thunderpuss GHV2 Megamix" (4:52), which I have)

Now, I think the Limited Edition would have been better if they included a Bonus Disc with these Megamixes and even some remixes...but Noooooo.... they had to be CHEAP!

[MadonnasManOne]

Wow! That's a LOT to absorb.

After I read your novel , I can say that I agree with you, which is why I never picked up GHV2. Because the songs had been butchered, and I already own them, in some form, or other. On top of ALL of that, because Madonna didn't bother to record even ONE new song for it, made me realize I didn't need it.

Now, The Immaculate Collection is what I call a GREATEST HITS package! I'm hoping the next time she does a GREATEST HITS album, she'll actually do one that has more than butchered versions, and will actually do a few new songs for it.

At any rate, Confessions On A Dance Floor looks to be a great album, and I can't wait to hear the whole thing!

[Alice]

Yea, I never picked up "GHV2" either....and yess the "IC" is a true GH package...

and I can't wait for "CoaDF" either!

Counting the days.....

[Prince Eric]

I never understood why she included Drowned World/Substitute for Love. From what I know, it was only a commercial single in Britain. I don't recall it was ever a hit here in the States. I was puzzled by the fact that she left off Take a Bow and American Pie, true bonafide hits. What It Feels Like For A Girl was a Top 40 hit, but it peaked like at number 35. She should have included You Must Love Me, the second song she has performed that won an Academy Award.

[Alice]

I never understood why she included Drowned World/Substitute for Love. From what I know, it was only a commercial single in Britain. I don't recall it was ever a hit here in the States.

It was never a single in over here in the States.
Madonna said about the selection of the GHV2 tracks: "I only wanted songs that I could listen to 5 times in a row".

I was puzzled by the fact that she left off "Take a Bow" and "American Pie", true bonafide hits.

"TaB" *IS* on GHV2.

Now onto why "AP" was not included:
"American Pie" was excluded as a 'punishment' because Madonna regretted putting it on the Music album. "It was something a certain record company executive twisted my arm into doing, but it didn't belong on the album so now it's being punished".
So I guess she actually DID want it on GHV2, but punished it.....very...odd

"What It Feels Like For A Girl" was a Top 40 hit, but it peaked like at number 35. She should have included "You Must Love Me", the second song she has performed that won an Academy Award.

Again:
Madonna said about the selection of the GHV2 tracks: "I only wanted songs that I could listen to 5 times in a row".

[musicradio77]

I do have the Madonna CD "GHV2". The one song that did not included was the cover of Don McLean's "American Pie". My brother do have the single on CD.

[MadonnasManOne]

Now onto why "AP" was not included:
"American Pie" was excluded as a 'punishment' because Madonna regretted putting it on the Music album. "It was something a certain record company executive twisted my arm into doing, but it didn't belong on the album so now it's being punished".
So I guess she actually DID want it on GHV2, but punished it.....very...odd

Unfortunately, "American Pie" was not included on the American release of Music. I have the song on The Next Best Thing soundtrack, as well as the maxi-single release, which I believe was an import.

[Prince Eric]

Now onto why "AP" was not included:
"American Pie" was excluded as a 'punishment' because Madonna regretted putting it on the Music album. "It was something a certain record company executive twisted my arm into doing, but it didn't belong on the album so now it's being punished".
So I guess she actually DID want it on GHV2, but punished it.....very...odd

Unfortunately, "American Pie" was not included on the American release of Music. I have the song on The Next Best Thing soundtrack, as well as the maxi-single release, which I believe was an import.

Yeah, and Take A Bow is not on the American GHV2 release.

[Alice]

Yeah, and Take A Bow is not on the American GHV2 release.

Who what where??

You're just joking because BestBuy.com/Amazon.com/ My Own Eyes from looking at the back cover of "GHV2" list "TaB" as being there........Track 10 to be exact.....

[Prince Eric]

Nevermind, I was thinking of the wrong song title!

[Lazario]

Okay, am I the only one here who thought The Immaculate Collection was sacrilege? Almost all the songs were shortened, 3 were outright remixed, and if you listen to the CD then to songs on the individual albums / if you put the two versions of each song back to back (as I have), you'll hear that the songs on Immaculate Collection were sped up. They made them go faster, so the beats are not nearly as hard or as deep in the sound field as they were on her individual albums. Plus, the IC version of "Like a Prayer" sucks, the original is amazing, and I can only imagine that they decided to include a remix of that song because it sounded weak being right next to the "Express Yourself" remix (which I'll admit is very good, the only great remix here). So in the end, there are only maybe 3 songs worth buying this CD for - the EY remix, and the new songs "Justify My Love" and "Rescue Me".

[my chicken is infected]

I have both TIC and GHV2 and enjoy both CDs. I do have gripes about both, such as the radio edit of Human Nature, the remix of Like A Prayer, (No gripes about the remix of Express Yourself though) the exclusion of This Used To Be My Playground, a #1 hit, no new songs on GHV2, etc. But I try to enjoy them as they are, not as I wish they were. I'm actually quite happy to see a radio edit of Take A Bow on there, as IMO, it drags on forever at the end.

[*Pocahontas*]

OMG I was listing to GHV2 on my computer right now, thats so wierd, and i happen to LOVE this CD, My favriote mix cd infact! GHV2 rules, so does Madonna! :

[Alice]

*AHEM: Sorry to Update but I can't let this just end like this...*


ok so........I bought the Limited Edition of GHV2 to complete my madge collection in Jan....and Ilistened to it, now I don't have as many gripes to say....

The Limited Edition packaging and Artwork are extremely good and well done.

I still despise the Clean Radio Edit of "HN" BUT some of the other edits are bearable....

but i'm still confused as to the inclusion of the versions....{cough:the fact that all of the singles from Music are included in their full length album versions}

so in the end GHV2 isn't such a bad compilation, it has its cons and its pros like other Greatest Hits Compilations that artists put out but the mix is pretty good....
but>>I still think the Album Versions of ALL the songs are superior...

*Peace, Love, and Goodbye to You All on this board, I might linger around but I won't be on as much as before...you know where you can keep in touch with me.*

[MadonnasManOne]

*AHEM: Sorry to Update but I can't let this just end like this...*


ok so........I bought the Limited Edition of GHV2 to complete my madge collection in Jan....and Ilistened to it, now I don't have as many gripes to say....

The Limited Edition packaging and Artwork are extremely good and well done.

I still despise the Clean Radio Edit of "HN" BUT some of the other edits are bearable....

but i'm still confused as to the inclusion of the versions....{cough:the fact that all of the singles from Music are included in their full length album versions}

so in the end GHV2 isn't such a bad compilation, it has its cons and its pros like other Greatest Hits Compilations that artists put out but the mix is pretty good....
but>>I still think the Album Versions of ALL the songs are superior...

*Peace, Love, and Goodbye to You All on this board, I might linger around but I won't be on as much as before...you know where you can keep in touch with me.*

I still haven't purchased GHV2. I might, someday, just to complete my Madonna collection. However, I'm enjoying Confessions On A Dance Floor so much, I just can't stop listening to it long enough to listen to anything else.

Now, where are you off to, Alice? I hope everything is okay.