| This Time - The First Four Years | |
| Type: | compilation album |
| Artist: | Culture Club |
| Cover: | This Time - The First Four Years (album) coverart.jpg |
| Released: | 6 April 1987[1] |
| Recorded: | 1982–1986 |
| Genre: | New wave, pop, rock, reggae, country, blue-eyed soul |
| Length: | 48:07 (LP/MC); 62:15 (CD) |
| Label: | Virgin Epic (US) |
| Producer: | Steve Levine |
| Prev Title: | From Luxury to Heartache |
| Prev Year: | 1986 |
| Next Title: | At Worst... The Best of Boy George and Culture Club |
| Next Year: | 1993 |
This Time – The First Four Years is the first official greatest hits album by British new wave group Culture Club, released by Virgin Records on 6 April 1987. Its release came one year after the band had split up.
The compilation exclusively includes, in its vinyl edition, Culture Club's most successful hits. The one track which was never available in single format is "Black Money" (originally on the band's second album, Colour by Numbers), which was intended to be released to promote this collection, but never actually came out. The album includes a wide selection of tracks taken from all their albums (including more than half the tracks from the Colour by Numbers album), as well as the group's contribution to the Electric Dreams film soundtrack; "Love Is Love". For many countries, it was the first time that their hit single "Time (Clock of the Heart)" was included on an album.
Two additional tracks are featured on the CD and cassette version: the remix of "I'll Tumble 4 Ya" and the US 12" medley of "It's a Miracle" and "Miss Me Blind".
The bulk of these tracks would be re-issued on numerous compilations for years after.
| Country | Date | Label | Format | Catalogue N° |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | 1987 | Virgin | CD | CDVTV 1 |
| MC | MCVTV 1 | |||
| vinyl LP | VTV 1 |
lead vocals and lyrics
guitars, keyboards, sitar, synth guitar
drums and percussion
female lead and background vocals
production, except track 8