Skeletons in the Closet (Oingo Boingo album) explained

The Best of Oingo Boingo: Skeletons in the Closet
Type:Greatest Hits
Artist:Oingo Boingo
Cover:Skeletonsinthecloset.jpg
Caption:Original album artwork by Mark Ryden
Released:January 10, 1989
Recorded:1981–83
Genre:
Length:47:41
Label:A&M
Producer:Pete Solley, Joe Chiccarelli, Robert Margouleff, Oingo Boingo
Prev Title:Boingo Alive
Prev Year:1988
Next Title:Dark at the End of the Tunnel
Next Year:1990

The Best of Oingo Boingo: Skeletons in the Closet is a compilation of songs by American new wave band Oingo Boingo, released in 1989 by A&M Records. It features songs recorded during the band's tenure with I.R.S. Records/A&M Records, culled from the albums Only a Lad (1981), Nothing to Fear (1982) and Good for Your Soul (1983).

Background

Skeletons in the Closet was issued just a few months after the band had released Boingo Alive, a double album of "live in the studio" re-recordings of many songs from their back catalog. In a 1988 article for the Los Angeles Times, Oingo Boingo frontman Danny Elfman stated that Skeletons in the Closet was issued by their former label A&M to directly compete with Boingo Alive, adding, "they’re looking for a way to scrape up a few bucks on a dead account." However, A&M executive Tom Corson denied this claim, stating, "the band feels our release may harm sales of their album. We don’t see it that way at all. In fact, we're fans of the group—and we have no intention of trying to harm their career." Corson added that several songs were removed upon request of the band, and that Elfman declined an offer to write the album's liner notes.[1]

Notes

Home video

A music video compilation was also released by A&M alongside the album.

Song Album Year Director(s)
"Stay" Dead Man's Party 1985 David Hogan
"Just Another Day" Dead Man's Party 1985 Stephen R. Johnson
"Gratitude" So-Lo 1984 Graeme Whifler
"Little Girls" Only a Lad 1981 Richard Elfman
"Nothing Bad Ever Happens" Good for Your Soul 1983 Richard Elfman
"Private Life" Nothing to Fear 1982 Richard Elfman

Notes and References

  1. News: Goldstein. Patrick. Boingo 'Hits' Back to Back. Los Angeles Times. August 14, 1988. May 26, 2021.