Echo & The Bunnymen ‘Songs To Learn & Sing’ Returns To Vinyl
Echo & The Bunnymen’s first best-of compilation, Songs To Learn And Sing, will be reissued on vinyl on 18 February 2022, marking the first time its been pressed on vinyl since its original release in 1985. The album is a comprehensive collection of the band’s first four albums, from their second single Rescue, to The Cutter and the anthemic The Killing Moon. It also includes Bring On The Dancing Horses, originally released in conjunction with Songs To Learn & Sing back in 1985. It arrives back on vinyl as Echo & The Bunnymen go back on tour to celebrate 40 years of magical songs throughout 2022.
Songs To Learn & Sing will be available on black 1LP on February 18th from all music retailers, as well as being released in a special edition package featuring the album on splatter vinyl alongside a 7” of the band’s first single, Pictures On My Wall / Read It In Books, available exclusively on Dig!.
The band's first best-of compilation Songs To Learn & Sing will be back on vinyl and special edition splatter vinyl alongside a 7" of the first single (exclusive to @thisisdigmusic). Pre-order your copy here https://t.co/gpStZ54Kwg pic.twitter.com/N2FWR1rRmN
— Echo & the Bunnymen (@Bunnymen) January 13, 2022
Echo & The Bunnymen were formed in Liverpool in 1978 with Ian McCulloch on vocals and rhythm guitar, Will Sergeant on lead guitar and Les Pattinson on bass. They were soon joined by Pete De Freitas on drums and the rest, as they say, is history.
By the time of Songs To Learn & Sing‘s original release the band were a force to be reckoned with, pioneering the post-punk, new wave scene with four highly acclaimed studio albums. It all started with their classic debut album Crocodiles in 1980, which gave the band a reputation as one of the best around, with the NME describing it as “probably the best album this year by a British band”. The album ultimately broke into the Top 20, finishing in many critics greatest ever debut album lists.
The Bunnymen followed the album with the release of the Shine So Hard EP in 1981, recorded live at the Pavilion Gardens in Buxton, before releasing their second studio album Heaven Up Here in the same year. It became the band’s first UK Top 10 album, winning the 1981 NME Best Album award in the process. Considered to be a slightly darker album, Heaven Up Here was produced by Hugh Jones and was well received by critics and fans alike, featuring tracks such as A Promise, Over the Wall and Show of Strength.
The band’s cult status was soon transformed into mainstream success in 1983 with the release of their third album Porcupine, produced by Ian Broudie. Porcupine provided their best chart performances, with The Cutter reaching No 8 in the singles charts and Porcupine hitting No 2 in the album charts before being certified Gold.
1984 brought their fourth studio album, Ocean Rain, regarded by many as the band’s masterpiece. Recorded in Liverpool and Paris, the band used a 35-piece orchestra with award winning composer Adam Peters scoring the strings. The atmospheric sleeve photograph was taken in the stunning Carnglaze Caverns in Cornwall by photographer Brian Griffin, who also shot their three previous album covers. Ocean Rain continued the band’s use of strings, creating a dark, ethereal aura. Three classic singles were released from the album – Silver, Seven Seas and the massive anthem The Killing Moon, which reached No 9 in the UK singles chart and continues to enthrall new generations to this day.
In 2021, these four albums were reissued on both black and coloured vinyl and are available to buy here.