Stupid album names

**GuitarGeek** · 10-14-2014

Talking about buying something twice accidentally, that's really only happened to me twice:

1. I somehow own two copies of the same CD of Boulez conducting Berg. Since classical composers often use titles like "Music for Strings" or "Piano Concerto No. 4 in Z flat Minus" or whatever, it's not always easy to remember which ones you've got already.

2. I bought a double CD of Sun Ra called Strange Worlds, which turned out to be a repackaged version of The Solar Myth Approach Vols. I and II, which I already own. But if I had read the product description on the website I bought it from more carefully, I'd have known that, so that ones definitely my fault. So I've got an unopened copy of Strange Worlds, as I haven't made up my mind if I want to try selling it on E-bay or if I want to keep it and sell the other one.

**Progbear** · 10-14-2014

Originally Posted by GuitarGeek

Talking about buying something twice accidentally, that's really only happened to me twice:

I have never bought the same album accidentally twice. I have, however, accidentally bought multiple copies of the same book. Maybe two times, even!

I have only re-bought albums on CD twice, and each time I had a reason: Kraan’s Wiederhören (because I left the disc at my old workplace, where I no longer worked) and Simple Minds’ Life in a Day (because the original Virgin CD sounded like utter diarrhea).

**bob_32_116** · 10-14-2014

^^ Include me out. I would not have known there are actually 100 different Beatles albums, let alone sought to own them all.

**GuitarGeek** · 10-15-2014

Originally Posted by Progbear

I have never bought the same album accidentally twice. I have, however, accidentally bought multiple copies of the same book. Maybe two times, even!

Books are an even bigger pain in the ass, because they use different artwork on different pressings. Or at least they do with science fiction novels. You pick a title by Spider Robinson, Robert Heinlein, Robert Anton Wilson, or Isaac Asimov, and there's multiple versions out there with different cover artwork of each title that author has done.

**Big Ears** · 10-15-2014

Originally Posted by GuitarGeek

Books are an even bigger pain in the ass, because they use different artwork on different pressings. Or at least they do with science fiction novels. You pick a title by Spider Robinson, Robert Heinlein, Robert Anton Wilson, or Isaac Asimov, and there's multiple versions out there with different cover artwork of each title that author has done.

I agree. It may be because what is now published as chapters of a novel was originally serialised in the form of short stories in Astounding, Analog and other magazines. A prime example is Asimov's Foundation novel.

I made a spread sheet for my albums consisting of band name (sometimes including band version, ie. Dio-era Sabbath), album (including version, ie. remaster 2008), original release date, country (possibly irrelevant), genre (from a very short list), format and number of tracks (surprisingly useful). I try to keep it simple and it works for me.

I agree with Rarebird that live albums (and compilations) can be tricky to file.

**Rarebird** · 10-15-2014

I have one album I bought twice
Bo Hansson - Music inspired by Watership down.
Bo Hansson - El-ahrairah
Different title, different cover, different song-titles, even a different number of songs on side 2, but the same music.

**spacefreak** · 10-15-2014

Originally Posted by rcarlberg

Wish I could say the same.

:

I really need some kind of database I can carry with me on my phone.

Load an excel file of your collection. Easy of use with an Android phone. No more accidental 2nd repurchases if regularly updated.

**ronmac** · 10-15-2014

Originally Posted by bob_32_116

^^ Include me out. I would not have known there are actually 100 different Beatles albums, let alone sought to own them all.

Well, if you bought international pressings, there would be tons of them. But, my collection includes a lot of bootlegs.

**Casey** · 10-15-2014

Originally Posted by Rarebird

I have one album I bought twice
Bo Hansson - Music inspired by Watership down.
Bo Hansson - El-ahrairah
Different title, different cover, different song-titles, even a different number of songs on side 2, but the same music.

Interesting. Watership Down is one of my favorite books. I purchased the Hansson album thinking it would somehow compliment my enjoyment. Big letdown.

El-ahrairah is the name of the rabbit god in the book.

**Rarebird** · 10-15-2014

Originally Posted by Casey

Interesting. Watership Down is one of my favorite books. I purchased the Hansson album thinking it would somehow comliment my enjoyment. Big letdown.

El-ahrairah is the name of the rabbit god in the book.

I know. I didn't like this album as much as it's predecessors, perhaps because I felt it was more guitar-based.

**GuitarGeek** · 10-20-2014

Originally Posted by Big Ears

I agree. It may be because what is now published as chapters of a novel was originally serialised in the form of short stories in Astounding, Analog and other magazines. A prime example is Asimov's Foundation novel.

Well, there might be that, but even novels that were written to be published as such tend to have different artwork on different editions. I think what probably happens is the publisher licenses the artwork for a given pressing. Then when they need to a do a reprint a few years later, they no longer have the rights to the old artwork, so they put new artwork on it. Or maybe it's because the author's work changes publishers, and the new publisher doesn't acquire the rights to the old artwork as well. Or maybe it's a deliberate attempt to trick readers into buying something they already have, by putting an old work in a new package.

Mind you, they used to do that with records too. Back in the day, when record labels would reissue old recordings, they'd put different artwork on it. Kind Of Blue was like that, for years, I only ever saw the reissue version, which had a picture of Miles from the 70's on the cover. It wasn't until they put out the deluxe remastered edition (the one that had the "pitch corrected" tracks on it) that I finally learned that wasn't the original artwork. And then there's...how many different versions of the first Genesis album, with different artwork and titles?