The Compact XTC

The Compact XTC: The Singles 1978-1985
Greatest hits album by XTC
Released	1987
Recorded	1977-1985
Genre	Rock
Length	68:33
Label	Virgin
Producer	John Leckie (tracks 1-2), Robert Lange (track 3), Martin Rushent (track 4), Steve Lillywhite (tracks 5-6, 8-10), Phil Wainman (track 7), Hugh Padgham and XTC (tracks 11-12), Bob Sargeant (track 13), XTC and Steve Nye (tracks 14-15), David Lord and XTC (tracks 16-18)
XTC other chronology
Beeswax: Some B-Sides 1977–1982' (1982) The Compact XTC (1987) Chips from the Chocolate Fireball (1987)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

The Compact XTC: The Singles 1978-1985 is a compilation album by XTC released in 1987. It replaced Waxworks: Some Singles 1977-1982 as a Greatest Hits album, adding six singles issued between English Settlement and The Big Express. It took advantage of the compact disc's greater storage capacity to limit it to a single disc. It was superseded by the double-disc set Fossil Fuel: The XTC Singles 1977-1992, on which all eighteen tracks appear.

Despite being released in 1987 (as a result of Skylarking's success), its copyright is 1985. As an A-side collection the only singles missing from this compilation are "Ten Feet Tall", "Love at First Sight", "Respectable Street" and "No Thugs in Our House".

Track listing

UK CD: CDV 2251

All songs written by Andy Partridge, except where noted.

1. "Science Friction" – 3:14 (from single, 1977)
2. "Statue of Liberty" – 2:52 (from single, 1978)
3. "This Is Pop?" – 2:40 (from single, 1978)
4. "Are You Receiving Me?" – 3:04 (from single, 1978)
5. "Life Begins at the Hop" (Colin Moulding) – 3:47 (from single, 1979)
6. "Making Plans for Nigel" (Moulding) – 4:12 (from single, 1979)
7. "Wait Till Your Boat Goes Down" – 4:20 (from single, 1980)
8. "Generals and Majors" (Moulding) – 3:41 (from single, 1980)
9. "Towers of London" – 4:38 (from single, 1980)
10. "Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)" – 3:36 (from single, 1980)
11. "Senses Working Overtime" – 4:34 (from single, 1982)
12. "Ball and Chain" (Moulding) – 4:29 (from single, 1982)
13. "Great Fire" – 3:50 (from single, 1983)
14. "Wonderland (Moulding) – 4:15 (from single, 1983)
15. "Love on a Farmboy's Wages" – 3:59 (from single, 1983)
16. "All You Pretty Girls" – 3:59 (from single, 1983)
17. "This World Over" – 4:45 (from single, 1984)
18. "Wake Up" (Moulding) – 3:40 (from single, 1985)

References