Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 336 - Back To Basics

Back To Basics - Billy Bragg

Go! Discs

Released 7th July 1987

UK Chart #37

 Tracklist

 The Links below contain live or alternative versions.

A1 The Milkman Of Human Kindness    
A2 To Have And To Have Not    
A3 Richard    
A4 Lovers Town Revisited    
A5 A New England    
A6 The Man In The Iron Mask

    
B1 The Busy Girl Buys Beauty    
B2 It Says Here    
B3 Love Gets Dangerous    
B4 From A Vauxhall Velox    
B5 The Myth Of Trust

    
C1 The Saturday Boy    
C2 Island Of No Return    
C3 This Guitar Says Sorry    
C4 Like Soldiers Do    
C5 St. Swithin's Day

    
D1 Strange Things Happen    
D2 A Lover Sings    
D3 Between The Wars    
D4 The World Turned Upside Down    
D5 Which Side Are You On

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Back To Basics was the first compilation from Billy Bragg and contained the mini-album Life's A Riot with Spy Vs Spy, Brewing Up With Billy Bragg and the Between The Wars EP. All were originally released on Go! Discs and enjoyed some chart success.

The Back To Basics part is simply "one man and his guitar" venting his spleen against the Thatcher Government and adding a plethora of poetic love songs and everyday life. 

May 1983

UK Chart #30

Live at the Factory Theatre, Sydney, 13th September 2013. The entire encore consisted of his debut album Life's A Riot with Spy Vs Spy (albeit in different order, it's tradition to close with A New England!)

 
1. Lovers Town Revisited
2. To Have and Have Not
3. Richard
4. The Man In The Iron Mask
5. The Milkman of Human Kindness
6. The Busy Girl Buys Beauty
7. A New England

July 1984

UK Chart #16

 The standout track of the album for me is St. Swithan's Day.

In Germany St. Swithan's Day was released as a Single with A New England as the B-Side in 1984.

February 1985

UK Chart #15

Between The Wars (Top Of The Pops).

The album was re-issued in 1993 by Cooking Vinyl and was available on Vinyl, Cassette and CD

A number of these early songs have been covered by other artists

New England - Kirsty MacColl.

Richard - Kidz Get Down.

Lovers Town Revisited - The Loved Ones.

The Man In The Iron Mask - Paul Young.

St. Swithan's Day - Dubstar.

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!