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A Guided Tour of Madness
Box set by
Madness
Released19 September 2011
Recorded1979-2011
Genre
Length232:19
LabelSalvo/Union Square
Producer
Madness chronology
Ultimate Madness
(2010) 		A Guided Tour of Madness
(2011) 		Forever Young: The Ska Collection
(2012)

A Guided Tour of Madness is a 3-CD/1-DVD anthology box set by English band Madness, released in 2011 on Union Square Music's collector's label Salvo. It features 70 singles and album tracks (from 1979’s One Step Beyond... to 2009’s The Liberty of Norton Folgate) and an exclusive DVD of the band's comeback concert at the Madstock festival in August 1992. It also includes a booklet with interviews with the band, photos, the cartoon Nutty Comic (1981) and the Madness Map of Camden, the band's historic stomping ground.[1] With the exception of "Sweetest Girl," "Sorry," and "The Harder They Come," every one of the band's 34 singles to date is represented.[2]

The compilation is notable as containing the first (and, until Record Store Day 2022, only) official physical release of the track "Le Grand Pantalon", which closes the collection. This slower, waltz version of "Baggy Trousers", complete with accordion and double bass, as well as French lyrics, was originally created as part of Madness' participation in Kronenbourg Brewery's 'Slow the Pace' ad campaign.[1] However, its popularity led to the band recording a full version, initially available only as a free download.[3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]

AllMusic rated the box set 4 stars out of 5, saying, "A cut above most hastily assembled retrospectives, A Guided Tour of Madness is a cleverly selected affair which should satisfy anyone wishing to investigate more than their more ubiquitous commercial hits."[2] The Super Deluxe Edition website wrote, "The care and attention in the included booklet, combined with the overall quality of the packaging, makes this an easy box set to recommend, even for the casual listener."[4]

Track listing

Disc 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Original releaseLength
1."The Prince" (single version)Lee ThompsonNon-album single, 19792:32
2."Madness" (single version)Cecil CampbellB-side of "The Prince"2:25
3."Mistakes"John Hasler, Mike BarsonB-side of "One Step Beyond"2:40
4."Bed and Breakfast Man"BarsonOne Step Beyond..., 19792:33
5."One Step Beyond"CampbellOne Step Beyond...2:19
6."The Young and the Old"Graham McPherson, BarsonWork Rest and Play EP, 19802:06
7."Deceives the Eye"Mark Bedford, Chris ForemanWork Rest and Play EP2:01
8."My Girl"BarsonOne Step Beyond...2:45
9."Believe Me"Hasler, BarsonOne Step Beyond...2:29
10."In the Middle of the Night"McPherson, ForemanOne Step Beyond...3:02
11."Night Boat to Cairo"McPherson, BarsonOne Step Beyond...3:32
12."On the Beat Pete"Thompson, MadnessAbsolutely, 19803:05
13."Not Home Today"McPherson, BedfordAbsolutely2:44
14."Baggy Trousers"McPherson, ForemanAbsolutely2:46
15."Disappear"McPherson, BedfordAbsolutely2:59
16."You Said"McPherson, BarsonAbsolutely2:35
17."Embarrassment"Thompson, BarsonAbsolutely3:11
18."Take It or Leave It"Thompson, BarsonAbsolutely3:28
19."The Return of the Los Palmas 7"Barson, Bedford, Daniel WoodgateAbsolutely2:05
20."Grey Day"Barson7, 19813:40
21."Tomorrow's Dream"Thompson, Barson73:56
22."Mrs. Hutchinson"Barson72:17
23."Shut Up"McPherson, Foreman72:51
24."Sign of the Times"McPherson, Barson72:44
25."It Must Be Love"Labi SiffreNon-album single, 19813:18
26."In the City"McPherson, Barson, Chas Smash, Foreman, Bill Crutchfield, Daisuke InoueB-side of "Cardiac Arrest", 19823:26
27."Cardiac Arrest"Smash, Foreman72:51
Total length:77:51
Disc 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Original releaseLength
1."House of Fun" (fairground ending version)Thompson, BarsonNon-album single, 19822:49
2."Don't Look Back"ForemanB-side of "House of Fun"4:52
3."Primrose Hill"McPherson, ForemanThe Rise & Fall, 19823:23
4."Driving in My Car"BarsonNon-album single, 19823:17
5."Calling Cards"Thompson, ForemanThe Rise & Fall2:20
6."Blue Skinned Beast"ThompsonThe Rise & Fall3:23
7."Our House"Cathal Smyth, ForemanThe Rise & Fall3:23
8."Madness (Is All in the Mind)"ForemanThe Rise & Fall2:53
9."Tomorrow's (Just Another Day)"Smyth, BarsonThe Rise & Fall3:11
10."Wings of a Dove"Smyth, McPhersonNon-album single, 19833:01
11."March of the Gherkins"Thompson, BarsonKeep Moving, 19843:30
12."Keep Moving"Smyth, Foreman, McPhersonKeep Moving3:32
13."The Sun and the Rain"BarsonNon-album single, 19833:30
14."Samantha"Thompson, BarsonKeep Moving3:14
15."Prospects"Smyth, McPhersonKeep Moving4:14
16."One Better Day"McPherson, BedfordKeep Moving4:06
17."Michael Caine"Smyth, WoodgateKeep Moving3:30
18."Victoria Gardens" (remix)Smyth, BarsonKeep Moving4:32
19."Yesterday's Men"McPherson, ForemanMad Not Mad, 19854:09
20."All I Knew"McPhersonB-side of "Yesterday's Men"3:08
21."I'll Compete"Thompson, WoodgateMad Not Mad3:21
22."Uncle Sam"Thompson, ForemanMad Not Mad4:16
Total length:76:35
Disc 3
No.TitleWriter(s)Original releaseLength
1."(Waiting For) The Ghost Train"McPhersonNon-album single, 19863:46
2."The Wizard"SmythWonderful, 19993:28
3."The Communicator"McPherson, SmythWonderful3:20
4."Lovestruck"Thompson, BarsonWonderful3:50
5."Elysium"Thompson, WoodgateWonderful3:53
6."Drip Fed Fred" (feat. Ian Dury)Thompson, BarsonWonderful4:31
7."Saturday Night, Sunday Morning"McPhersonWonderful4:15
8."Johnny the Horse"SmythWonderful3:20
9."Sarah's Song"Thompson, BarsonOur House: The Original Songs, 20023:47
10."Girl Why Don't You?"CampbellThe Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1, 20053:05
11."Lola"Ray DaviesThe Dangermen Sessions Vol. 13:22
12."I Chase the Devil a.k.a. Ironshirt"Max Romeo, Lee PerryThe Dangermen Sessions Vol. 13:21
13."Shame & Scandal"Lord Melody, Lancelot PinardThe Dangermen Sessions Vol. 12:53
14."You Keep Me Hanging On"Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie HollandThe Dangermen Sessions Vol. 13:10
15."NW5"Thompson, BarsonThe Liberty of Norton Folgate, 20094:15
16."Forever Young"McPhersonThe Liberty of Norton Folgate4:36
17."That Close"McPherson, ForemanThe Liberty of Norton Folgate4:10
18."Dust Devil"Thompson, WoodgateThe Liberty of Norton Folgate3:45
19."On the Town" (feat. Rhoda Dakar)Woodgate, BarsonThe Liberty of Norton Folgate4:33
20."Sugar and Spice" (single version)BarsonThe Liberty of Norton Folgate2:52
21."Le Grand Pantalon"McPherson, ForemanNon-album download single, 20114:33
Total length:77:53
Disc 4: Madstock DVD - recorded at Finsbury Park 8 August 1992
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."One Step Beyond" (live)Campbell2:47
2."The Prince" (live)Thompson3:06
3."Embarrassment" (live)Thompson, Barson3:13
4."My Girl" (live)Barson3:01
5."The Sun and the Rain" (live)Barson4:06
6."Land of Hope and Glory" (live)Thompson3:49
7."Grey Day" (live)Barson5:27
8."Razor Blade Alley" (live)Thompson3:01
9."It Must Be Love" (live)Siffre3:50
10."Tomorrow's (Just Another Day)" (live)Smyth, Barson3:24
11."Take It or Leave It" (live)Thompson, Barson4:03
12."Shut Up" (live)McPherson, Foreman4:01
13."Driving in My Car" (live)Barson3:48
14."Bed and Breakfast Man" (live)Barson3:07
15."Close Escape" (live)Thompson, Foreman4:56
16."Wings of a Dove" (live)McPherson, Smyth5:21
17."Our House" (live)Smyth, Foreman3:47
18."Night Boat to Cairo" (live)McPherson, Barson3:32
19."Madness" (live)Campbell4:23
20."Swan Lake" (live)
2:36
21."House of Fun" (live)Thompson, Barson3:11
22."Rockin' in A♭" (live)Willy Wurlitzer2:53
23."Baggy Trousers" (live)McPherson, Foreman2:54
24."The Harder They Come" (live)Jimmy Cliff8:16
Total length:102:27

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[5] Gold 100,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

See individual albums for full personnel credits.

Madness
Additional musicians on bonus track "Le Grand Pantalon"
Technical
DVD

References

  1. ^ a b "A Guided Tour Of Madness (3CD+1DVD / Download)". Union Square Music. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b c O'Brien, Jon. "A Guided Tour of Madness review". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Le Grand Pantalon (single download)". Union Square Music. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  4. ^ Sinclair, Paul (10 October 2011). "A Guided Tour of Madness / 3CD+DVD Box Set / Review". Super Deluxe Edition. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  5. ^ "British album certifications – Madness – A Guided Tour Of Madness". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 12 March 2022.

External links

Madness
Authority control databases
Categories