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U2 Previously
by Matt McGee
U2 had been out of the spotlight for a while and Island Records
decided it was time to remind radio programmers who the band
was, and get their interest in the band at high pitch prior
to the release of POP. Just like they did in 1990 with
the vinyl release of "U2 2 Date," Island created another
compilation in 1996. They named this one "U2 Previously."
 And
much to the benefit of the collecting community, they released
two different versions of "Previously":
- a UK, 5-track CD, catalog PRE CD1 in a cardboard sleeve
cover, and
- a US, 7-track CD, catalog PRCD 7335-2, also in a cardboard
sleeve cover (pictured at right)
Despite the common name and common purpose of the two releases,
their differences extend beyond the number of tracks and songs
chosen for each release. The US version (pictured at right)
was released with a red CD label; the UK version has a black
label. And the cover art on the two releases is also different:
the US cover features a darkened image of Bono in the lower
right corner, while the UK release features a lemon in that
spot. (see photo below)
It's worth noting that the UK version was also distributed
in France in a red envelope with "U2 en attendant le 15/1/97"
written on the outside.
And that's not all. In 1997, as U2's PopMart Tour was making
its way around the globe -- with a two-night stand in Mexico
City scheduled for early December -- Island released yet ANOTHER
version of the "Previously" CD in conjunction with
radio station WFM 96.9. (Catalog #CDP 648-2) And to make collectors
even more confused, this release was a 6-track CD and, while
it used the same six images as the UK cover art, the black strip
across the middle was replaced by a more colorful strip which
used the same Edge photo that appeared on the "Last Night
On Earth" single.
Each release showcases some of U2's best studio material. The
UK version is very straightforward with a collection of album
tracks from The Joshua Tree to Zooropa. The US version is a
little more ambitious, going back as far as The Unforgettable
Fire, and including the live version of "Silver and Gold"
off Rattle & Hum, and the "Mysterious Ways (Perfecto
Remix)" b-side. The Mexican version, with its release in
1997, uses the same tracklisting as the UK release, but had
the added bonus of using POP's "Last Night On Earth"
as its 6th track. (see full track listings below)
In the UK, the US version is understandably more valuable,
while in the US, the UK version seems to be more highly sought.
In either case, the Mexican WFM version is the most valuable
of the three.
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