Sparks: Past Tense - Best Of Sparks

Brothers Ron and Russell Mael grew up in Los Angeles in the ‘60s, and were obsessed with rock and roll and pop culture. In 1968 the pair decided to form a band. They originally called themselves Halfnelson and signed with Bearsville Records and got Todd Rundgren to produce their debut album which flopped. A name change was agreed and their label suggested Sparks Brothers. From there it was a short edit to arrive at Sparks. Their debut was repackaged and re-released and sold roughly the same, though the single “Wonder Girl” did get airplay in Los Angeles. A second album followed causing even more subdued enthusiasm.

At this point Ron and Russell packed their bags and moved to England. Hooking up with producer Muff Winwood, they were signed to Island Records and formed a new version of the band with British players. The change was just what was needed. From 1974 through 1975, Sparks released the three key albums that most fans still consider a holy trinity of sorts. The single “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us” was released in 1974 and shot to No. 2 on the U.K. charts. The unlikely hit struck a chord with its glam-affected guitars, triumphant rhythm and far from average vocal style of Russell. This was the first of eight Top 40 U.K. hits in a row for the band.

Sparks moved with the times travelling from glam to pop via big band and hard rock before crashing into both New Wave and disco along the way. By the early ‘80s, the Maels had moved back home to L.A. and formed yet another version of the band. This time around, they would find some success Stateside with songs like “I Predict” and “Cool Places” (which featured Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Gos).

As time moved on, Ron and Russell became more interested in, and reliant upon, electronics, making a series of more synth-pop albums. Though the music had changed, their sense of humor and wit remained intact. In 1997, they released the album ‘Plagiarism’, which featured re-workings of old songs with help from such varied sources as Faith No More and Erasure. Some of the songs used full orchestration, which would in part signal their next move. The ground breaking album Lil’ Beethoven was released in 2002 to much fanfare. Most fans and critics hailed it their best work since the mid-’70s.

Its success led to a renaissance of sorts which included another strong run of albums culminating in the 2008 series of concerts in London where the band performed every one of their albums in their entirety for a total of 21 nights, leading up to the release of their 21st album, ‘Exotic Creatures of the Deep.’

Past Tense - Best Of Sparks

1. Computer Girl
2. Wonder Girl
3. (No More) Mr. Nice Guys
4. Girl from Germany
5. Beaver O'Lindy
6. This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us
7. Amateur Hour
8. Here in Heaven
9. Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth
10. Something for the Girl with Everything
11. Achoo
12. Get in the Swing
13. In the Future
14. Looks Looks Looks
15. I Want to Hold Your Hand
16. Big Boy
17. I Bought the Mississippi River
18. Occupation
19. Those Mysteries
20. Tryouts for the Human Race
21. Beat the Clock
22. The Number One Song in Heaven
23. When I'm with You
24. Tips for Teens
25. Funny Face
26. Angst in My Pants
27. I Predict
28. Sherlock Holmes
29. Cool Places (With Jane Wiedlin)
30. Popularity
31. I Wish I Looked a Little Better
32. With All My Might
33. Change
34. Music That You Can Dance to
35. So Important
36. Singing in the Shower (With Les Rita Mitsouko)
37. National Crime Awareness Week (Psycho Cut)
38. When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way'
39. (When I Kiss You) I Hear Charlie Parker Playing - Radio Edit
40. Let's Go Surfing
41. Pulling Rabbits Out of a Hat
42. The Calm Before the Storm
43. It's a Knockoff
44. The Rhythm Thief
45. My Baby's Taking Me Home
46. Suburban Homeboy
47. Dick Around
48. Perfume
49. Islington N1
50. Good Morning
51. Lighten Up Morrissey
52. Two Hands One Mouth
53. Piss Off (Sparks Original Demo)
54. Johnny Delusional (FFS)
55. Missionary Position
56. Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)
57. I Wish You Were Fun
58. Check Out Time 11Am

Shipping is available to the 48 contiguous United States. We are unable to ship to PO Boxes, International locations, or APO/FPO addresses. 

Please ensure your address is entered correctly. We are unable to redirect to an alternate shipping address once an order is placed.If your order contains multiple items, it may ship from different warehouse locations.

Tracking information will be sent as items are shipped.

Allow up to 5 business days for your order to process when calculating delivery dates. 

Note: Additional delays may occur due to severe weather or other carrier delays. 

Standard Shipping: allow 7-10 business days for delivery. Albums will be shipped via USPS Media Mail; all other products via UPS Ground or FedEx Ground.

Expedited Shipping: allow 2-5 business days for delivery. Albums will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail; all other products via UPS 2-Day Air or FedEx 2-Day Air.

Overnight Shipping: allow 1-2 business days for delivery. All products will be shipped via UPS Next Day Air or FedEx Next Day Air. 

We offer a 30-day money back guarantee on all products purchased from Victrola.com. All items must be returned as new in their original packaging, including all accessories and cables. Albums must be unopened to receive a refund. Missing items will be charged based on suggested retail prices.

All returns must be accompanied by a valid return authorization number (RMA) issued by Victrola. If an RMA is not obtained prior to shipping, the returned product will be refused and returned to sender.

If the item is no longer wanted, the shipping cost is not refundable and returns must be shipped prepaid by the customer. There is a 15% restocking fee that will be calculated based on the price of the product once the item is refunded.

If the item is defective, a pre-paid shipping label to return the product will be provided, and no restocking fee applies.

To set up a return for refund please visit Customer Care. Be sure to include your order # and reason for your return when submitting your request.

View more information about returns and warranty here.