‘The Basics’ is a curious oddity, a 1986 Japanese-only compilation that gathers together various mixes of five singles that were peeled from the ‘Cupid & Psyche ’85’ album. It comes housed in a design based on the UK 1985 12″/gatefold 7″ single sleeve design. Why the title of ‘The Basics’? I have no idea. And despite being housed in a sleeve filched from the UK 12″ of ‘Perfect Way’, the mix of that song that is included is actually a quite different mix from the US 12″ single! Odd!
The sleeve lists various differing mixes included – definitely worth a deeper dive…
Tracklist:
Side One:
- Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) – U.S. Mix (3’33”)
- Flesh & Blood – World Girl Special Mix (5’36”)
- Hypnotize (Version) (4’20”)
Side Two:
- Perfect Way – U.S. Mix (5’29”)
- Absolute (Version) (6’10”)
The track titling is rather imprecise so the versions to be found are worth clarifying in more detail…
Starting with side one…
Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) – U.S. Mix (3’33”)
Despite the subtitle of ‘U.S. Mix’, this seems to be just the standard 7″ A side mix from the original 1984 UK 7″, which most recently appeared on CD format on 2011’s ‘Absolute’ compilation CD. So, as fine a track as it is, nothing to get too excited about at this stage despite the promise of the subtitle.
Flesh & Blood – World Girl Special Mix (5’36”)
Again, the subtitle is misleading – ‘World Girl Special Mix’ turns out to be just the same mix as ‘Flesh & Blood’ from the B side of the original singe and as featured as one of the bonus tracks added to the CD and cassette versions of the ‘Cupid & Psyche ’85’ album. And the sub-title is surely a typo? It only features on the rear cover.
Hypnotize (Version) (4’20”)
This is the shorter 7″ mix of the ‘version’, as the 12″ single had a longer take. The Japanese CD editions of ‘Cupid & Psyche ’85’ included this shorter take of the ‘version’, whereas the UK and US CD editions opted for the longer ‘version’ mix, as it happens.
Flipping over to side two…
Perfect Way – U.S. Mix (5’29”)
Again, the devil is in the detail of the sub-titling – ‘U.S. Mix’ turns out to be the 12″ ‘Way Perfect’ Mix as found on the regular USA 12″ version A side. There are so many different mixes of ‘Perfect Way’ out there – see the discogs.com entry for starters. This is a particularly notable one and you can hear the difference from the start with its unique percussion intro compared to the regular LP and UK single mixes. It’s difficult to find on CD, but handily this ‘Perfect Way (Way Perfect Mix)’ 12″ mix was featured on a various artists compilation CD, ‘Lost Mixes Extended Ecstasy’ in 1994.
Absolute (Version) (6’10”)
This is the 12″ mix of the B side ‘Version’ of ‘Absolute’ from the original UK single and as featured as one of the bonus tracks added to the CD and cassette versions of the ‘Cupid & Psyche ’85’ album. (There is a shorter ‘version’ mix out there too, as was featured on the original UK 7″ single.)
So, nothing really new to be had in the way of mixes included after all. The insert, which is a bit discoloured on my 12″ copy, features lyrics for four of the tracks but doesn’t go near attempting ‘Flesh & Blood’.
As well as the 12″ edition, it also came out on a rather nifty cassette design, some pics of which are featured here, including the well folded insert with text and lyrics too. All in all, a nice addition to the collection if you love the appeal of the original physical formats.
