It's hard to fault this three-CD collection, since Reed himself was so heavily involved with the project. Yet it presents the same problem posed by "authorized" biographies. Coming after the success of New York, this anthology offers the more literary, politically correct side of Uncle Lou, neglecting the "fuckin' faggot junkie" (his self-characterization, from Street Hassle's "Gimme Good Times"--not included here) image he cultivated so effectively early in his immediate post-Velvet Underground years. Yes, he's an amazing rock poet, but he was also a rock & roll animal. There are just too many exclusions here for this to be "definitive." It's not for novices, but completists will have to own this 45-track collection simply for the terrific rarities, including the unreleased "Downtown Dirt," "Nowhere At All" (originally a B-side), a 1978 live "Heroin" featuring jazz great Don Cherry, "Little Sister" (from the Get Crazy soundtrack), and the great, unreleased "America (Star Spangled Banner)."
CONDITION: NEW! Minor storage wear on front and back cover.
TRACK LISTING
Disc: 1
1 I Can't Stand It
2 Lisa Says
3 Ocean
4 Walk On The Wild Side
5 Satellite Of Love
6 Vicious
7 Caroline Says l
8 How Do You Think It Feels
9 Oh Jim
10 Caroline Says ll
11 The Kids
12 Sad Song
13 Sweet Jane
14 Kill Your Sons
15 Coney Island Baby
Disc: 2
1 Nowhere At All
2 Kicks
3 Downtown Dirt
4 Rock & Roll Heart
5 Vicious Circle
6 Temporary Thing
7 Real Good Time Together
8 Leave Me Alone
9 Heroin
10 Here Comes The Bride
11 Street Hassle
12 Metal Machine Music
13 The Bells
Disc: 3
1 America
2 Think It Over
3 Teach The Gifted Children
4 The Gun
5 The Blue Mask
6 My House
7 Waves Of Fear
8 Little Sister
9 Legendary Hearts
10 The Last Shot
11 New Sensations
12 My Friend George
13 Doin' The Things That We Want To
14 The Original Wrapper
15 Video Violence
16 Tell It To Your Heart
17 Voices Of Freedom
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