For a Friend: The Best Of is a 34-track, double disc greatest hits compilation and career retrospective by Jimmy Somerville, featuring his work as a solo artist, as well as with Bronski Beat and The Communards.
The compilation was released in 2009, and spans twenty five years of Somerville's career. It begins with Bronski Beat's 1984 hit "Smalltown Boy", and concludes with tracks from Somerville's 2009 album Suddenly Last Summer, which features stripped down covers of songs Somerville considered formative. It includes ten UK top twenty hits including "Smalltown Boy" (Bronski Beat: UK #3, 1984), "Don't Leave Me This Way" (The Communards: UK #1, 1986), and "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" (Jimmy Somerville: UK #5, 1989).
Track listing
Disc 1 Title Performer Writers Original Artist 1. "Smalltown Boy" Bronski Beat Steve Bronski, Larry Steinbachek, Jimmy Somerville 2. "Why?" Bronski Beat Bronski, Steinbachek, Somerville 3. "It Ain't Necessarily So" Bronski Beat George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Dorothy Heyward, DuBose Heyward From Porgy and Bess 4. "I Feel Love/Johnny Remember Me (Medley)" Bronski Beat Featuring Marc Almond Geoff Goddard, Giorgio Moroder, Pete Bellotte, Donna Summer Donna Summer("I Feel Love") John Leyton and The Outlaws("Johnny Remember Me") 5. "Screaming" Bronski Beat Bronski, Steinbachek, Somerville 6. "Run from Love" (Remix version from Hundreds & Thousands) Bronski Beat Bronski, Steinbachek, Somerville 7. "Hard Rain" (Remix version from Hundreds & Thousands) Bronski Beat Bronski, Steinbachek, Somerville 8. "Don't Leave Me This Way" The Communards Featuring Sarah Jane Morris Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, Cary Gilbert Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes(1975) Thelma Houston(1976) 9. "La Dolorosa" The Communards Richard Coles, Somerville 10. "Disenchanted" The Communards Coles, Somerville 11. "So Cold the Night" The Communards Coles, Somerville 12. "You Are My World" The Communards Coles, Somerville 13. "Forbidden Love" The Communards Coles, Somerville 14. "Breadline Britain" The Communards Coles, Somerville 15. "Tomorrow" The Communards Coles, Somerville 16. "There's More to Love (Than Boy Meets Girl)" The Communards Coles, Somerville
Disc 2 Title Performer Writers Original Artist 1. "Victims" The Communards Coles, Somerville 2. "For a Friend" The Communards Coles, Somerville 3. "Never Can Say Goodbye" The Communards Clifton Davis The Jackson 5(1971) Gloria Gaynor(1974) 4. "Comment te dire adieu?" Jimmy Somerville Featuring June Miles-Kingston Serge Gainsbourg, Arnold Goland, Jack Gold Françoise Hardy 5. "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" Jimmy Somerville James Wirrick, Sylvester James Sylvester (Sylvester James) 6. "Read My Lips (Enough Is Enough)" Jimmy Somerville Somerville 7. "Heartbeat" Jimmy Somerville Matt Rowe, Somerville, Richard Stannard 8. "By Your Side" Jimmy Somerville Rowe, Somerville, Stannard 9. "Safe" (Todd Terry Short Session) Jimmy Somerville Gary Butcher, Somerville 10. "To Love Somebody" Jimmy Somerville Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb Bee Gees 11. "Lay Down" Jimmy Somerville Gainsbourg, Sally Herbert, Somerville Samples Serge Gainsbourg's "Contact" 12. "Dark Sky" Jimmy Somerville Herbert, Somerville 13. "Something To Live For" (Sounds of Life Mix) Jimmy Somerville Herbert, Ed Monaghan, Somerville 14. "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" Jimmy Somerville Bob Crewe, Bob Gaudio Frankie Valli 15. "Come On" Jimmy Somerville Sunniva Greeve, Peter Plate, Somerville, Ulf Leo Sommer 16. "Could It Be Love?" Jimmy Somerville Felix Gauder, Milan Sajé, Somerville 17. "Sweet Unknown" Jimmy Somerville Alison Shaw, Jim Shaw Cranes 18. "People Are Strange" Jimmy Somerville John Paul Densmore, Robbie Krieger, Ray Manzarek, Jim Morrison The Doors
Charts Weekly charts Chart (2012) PeakpositionUK Independent Albums Chart (OCC)UK - Independent Albums Chart - For a Friend - The Best Of14UK Albums Chart (OCC)160
References