Damned, The: The Best Of The Damned (Vinyl LP)

This album was originally released back in 1981 and pulled together the classic singles that the band had made for the label like ‘Love Song’, ‘Smash It Up (Parts 1 and 2)’, ‘I Just Can’t Be Happy Today’, ‘History Of The World Part 1’, ‘Hit Or Miss’, their Christmas single ‘There Ain’t No Sanity Clause’ and ‘Wait For The Blackout’.

Not only are these now seen as gold-standard Damned tracks but also map out a musical development where they moved from their punk roots to crafting melodic pop songs that also took them into the charts. Better still, when originally pressed up in 1981 the album cannily also included those earlier classics punk classics ‘New Rose’ and ‘Neat Neat Neat’. There’s even Captain Sensible and the Softies’ version of ‘Jet Boy, Jet Girl’ that appeared on the flip of ‘Wait For The Blackout’ in 1982.

You don’t mess with a classic so Chiswick have reissued the album just as it looked back in 1981, complete with inner sleeve and blackmail label lettering. Saying that, fans of the Damned both old and new will need no encouragement to add this to their collection.

1. New Rose
   
2. Love Song
   
3. Neat Neat Neat
   
4. I Just Can't Be Happy Today
   
5. Jet Boy, Jet Girl
   
6. Hit Or Miss
   
7. There Ain't No Sanity Clause
8. Smash It Up Parts 1 & 2
   
9. Plan 9 Channel 7
   
10. Rabid (Over You)
    
11. Wait For The Blackout
    
12. History Of The World Part 1