Return to the Valley of The Go-Go's

Return to the Valley of The Go-Go's is the Go-Go's second compilation album, released in 1994. There were two versions of this compilation released: a single disc, and a double disc version. All recordings found on the single disc are identical to those on the double.

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[2]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[3]
Return to the Valley of The Go-Go's
Compilation album by
the Go-Go's
ReleasedOctober 18, 1994
Recorded1979-94
GenrePop rock, new wave
Length57:09 (1xCD)
1:50:37 (2xCD)
LabelI.R.S. Records
ProducerGregg Edward, Rob Freeman, Richard Gottehrer
The Go-Go's chronology
Greatest
(1990)		 Return to the Valley of The Go-Go's
(1994)		 VH1 Behind the Music: Go-Go's Collection
(2000)
Singles from Return to the Valley of The Go-Go's
  1. "The Whole World Lost Its Head"
    Released: 1994
  2. "Good Girl"
    Released: 1994

Background

After disbanding in 1985 members of the Go-Go's gradually began to reassemble, with Go-Go's band's songwriter Charlotte Caffey contributing to the material on most of singer Belinda Carlisle's solo albums.[4] The group's members eventually resolved legal and creative differences and began to collaborate as a band again, beginning with a compilation album that would be a more comprehensive representation of the band than their 1990 greatest hits album.[5]

Return to the Valley of The Go-Go's documents the Go-Go's history from their genesis in the Los Angeles punk rock scene through their success as a mainstream new wave band. The compilation included rehearsal, demo, and live recordings that had never been previously released, the original Stiff Records version of the band's first single, "We Got the Beat," as well as the group's major hits, B-sides, and deeper tracks culled from the studio sessions that generated the Go-Go's' first three LPs.[6] The collection also featured new live material and three new "reunion tracks" written and studio-recorded by the band in 1994 for the collection.[7] One of these new songs, "The Whole World Lost Its Head," gave the band its first top 40 hit in the Britain.[8]

The CD release included a booklet that featured photos and liner notes from the members of the band, including a group history, reflections, and anecdotes about each member's favorite songs.[6]

Critical reception

Writing for Rolling Stone, crictic Paul Corio wrote that the compilation "offers trippy joy in abundance."[7] In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Ned Raggett ranked Return To The Valley Of The Go-Go's, compared to other best-of compilations of the band, as "the clearest winner, by a long shot."[6]

Track listing

Single disc version
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Living at the Canterbury/Party Pose" (Live at Rehearsal, 2/79)Wiedlin ("Living at the Canterbury")/Caffey, Wiedlin ("Party Pose")4:30
2."Fashion Seekers" (Intro Live at Rehearsal, 2/79; Live at the Mabuhay, San Francisco, 8/79)Caffey, Fleury3:08
3."He's So Strange" (Live at Rehearsal, 1/80)Caffey, Phillips, Custis, Wiedlin4:11
4."London Boys" (Live at Palos Verdes High School, LA, 12/81)Wiedlin, Bolles2:39
5."Beatnik Beach" (Live at Palos Verdes High School, LA, 12/81)Caffey, Carlisle2:43
6."Cool Jerk" (Previously unreleased demo)Storball2:31
7."We Got the Beat" (Single mix)Caffey2:31
8."Our Lips Are Sealed"Wiedlin, Hall2:45
9."Surfing and Spying" (B-side)Caffey1:57
10."Vacation"Valentine, Caffey, Wiedlin2:58
11."Speeding" (B-side)Caffey, Wiedlin2:07
12."Good for Gone" (B-side)Schock, Valentine2:55
13."Head over Heels"Caffey, Valentine3:37
14."Can't Stop the World" (Live at the Greek, LA, 8/84)Valentine3:23
15."Mercenary" (Acoustic, Universal Amphitheatre, LA, 12/90)Wiedlin, Valentine, Caffey4:33
16."Good Girl" (Reunion track, '94)Caffey, Wiedlin3:36
17."Beautiful" (Reunion track, '94)Schock, Caffey3:59
18."The Whole World Lost Its Head" (Reunion track, '94)Valentine, Wiedlin2:56
Japanese CD edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
19."Screaming" (Live at the Mabuhay, San Francisco, 8/79)Caffey, Wiedlin2:10
20."Turn to You"Caffey, Wiedlin3:50

Two-disc version
Disc one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Living at the Canterbury/Party Pose" (Live at Rehearsal, 2/79)Wiedlin ("Living at the Canterbury")/Caffey, Wiedlin ("Party Pose")4:30
2."Screaming" (Live at the Mabuhay, San Francisco, 8/79)Caffey, Wiedlin2:10
3."Johnny Are You Queer?" (Live at the Mabuhay, San Francisco, 8/79)Bobby Paine, Larson Paine2:06
4."Fun with Ropes" (Live at the Mabuhay, San Francisco, 8/79)Wiedlin2:12
5."Fashion Seekers" (Intro Live at Rehearsal, 2/79; Live at the Mabuhay, San Francisco, 8/79)Caffey, Fleury3:08
6."Blades" (Live at Rehearsal, 1/80)Wiedlin, Carlisle, Olivarria2:34
7."He's So Strange" (Live at Rehearsal, 1/80)Caffey, Phillips, Custis, Wiedlin4:11
8."London Boys" (Live at Palos Verdes High School, LA, 12/81)Wiedlin, Bolles2:39
9."Let's Have a Party" (Live at Palos Verdes High School, LA, 12/81)Robinson1:31
10."Beatnik Beach" (Live at Palos Verdes High School, LA, 12/81)Caffey, Carlisle2:43
11."(Remember) Walking in the Sand" (Live at Palos Verdes High School, LA, 12/81)Morton3:06
12."Lust to Love" (Previously unreleased demo)Caffey, Wiedlin3:27
13."How Much More" (Demo, previously released as B-side)Caffey, Wiedlin3:00
14."Cool Jerk" (Previously unreleased demo)Storball2:31
15."We Got the Beat" (Single mix)Caffey2:31
16."Skidmarks on My Heart"Caffey, Carlisle3:05
17."This Town"Caffey, Wiedlin3:18
18."Our Lips Are Sealed"Wiedlin, Hall2:45
Disc two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Surfing and Spying" (B-side)Caffey1:57
2."Vacation"Valentine, Caffey, Wiedlin2:58
3."Speeding" (B-side)Caffey, Wiedlin2:07
4."Get Up and Go"Caffey, Wiedlin3:17
5."It's Everything but Party Time"Wiedlin, Schock3:20
6."Beneath the Blue Sky"Valentine, Wiedlin3:03
7."Good for Gone" (B-side)Schock, Valentine2:55
8."Head over Heels"Caffey, Valentine3:37
9."Turn to You"Caffey, Wiedlin3:50
10."Yes or No" (Single mix)Wiedlin, Mael, Mael3:36
11."I'm with You" (Live at the Greek, LA, 8/84)Schock, Wiedlin3:37
12."We Don't Get Along" (Live at Hakano Plaza, Tokyo, 6/82)Valentine2:41
13."Can't Stop the World" (Live at the Greek, LA, 8/84)Valentine3:23
14."I'm the Only One" (Live at the Greek, LA, 8/84)Valentine, Harvey, Carter3:26
15."Mercenary" (Acoustic, Universal Amphitheatre, LA, 12/90)Wiedlin, Valentine, Caffey4:33
16."Good Girl" (Reunion track, '94)Caffey, Wiedlin3:36
17."Beautiful" (Reunion track, '94)Schock, Caffey3:59
18."The Whole World Lost Its Head" (Reunion track, '94)Valentine, Wiedlin2:56

Chart positions

Album
Chart (1995) Peak position Certification
UK Album Chart 52 —

Singles
Year Song U.S. Hot 100 UK Singles Chart
1994 "The Whole World Lost Its Head" 108 29

References
  1. "Return to the Valley of the Go-Go's - The Go-Go's | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  2. "Album Review: 'Return to the Valley of the Go-Go's'". EW.com.
  3. Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 335. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  4. Ellwood, Alison (director) (2020). The Go-Go's (film). United States: Showtime.
  5. Hughes, Hilary (August 5, 2020). "How The Go-Go's Perfected Pop-Punk". NPR.org. National Public Radio. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  6. Raggett, Ned. "Return to the Valley of the Go-Go's - The Go-Go's". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  7. Corio, Paul (December 29, 1994). "The Go-Go's: Return To The Valley Of The Go-Go's". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  8. Levine, Nick (July 28, 2020). "How The Go-Go's pioneered Girl Power". www.bbc.com. Britich Broadcasting Service. Retrieved 14 August 2020.


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