The Bottom Line:
Interesting collection of One World first, alternate and outtakes, deleted though.
"Collectors Series Vol 1"
Most of the One World tracks are only slightly different from the official ones but provide good insight in the recording and mixing process.
Smiling Stranger is included twice in a funky instrumental approach.
Black Man At Your Shoulder was never released before and is one of the last echoplex extravaganza John committed to tape.
Couldn't Love You More and Smiling Stranger are also instrumental.
The cover says: "Limited Edition Bonus Disc" for the first 1,000 copies but there never was a second edition. Voiceprint deleted this title from the catalogue after some fuss with Island. There also was some delay as the record is apparently copyrighted and published 1998.
"Special thanks to Phil Brown for his help - in retrieveing these recordings"'
Engineer Phil also wrote fascinating liner notes about how the One World tapes were made.
John was totally unaware of this project. His comment: 'They're always doing that shit to me.'
Ten of these tracks however were released officially November 2004 on the One World Deluxe Edition.
One World track history
(compiled by Bob Hudson and Ian Barnett)
| nr | song | description | time | source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1a | Dealer | Basic backing track: with drum kit and alternate vocal #1 | (4:31) | Another World B-02 |
| 1b | Dealer | Same basic backing track: with drum machine and alternate vocal #2 | (4:34) | Another World B-03 |
| 1c | Dealer | Predub version: same basic backing track: with vocal #3 | (4:55) | Another World A-02 |
| 1d | Dealer | Officially released version: heavily overdubbed, and retaining vocal #3 | (4:58) | One World #1 |
| 1e | Dealer | US/ Italian remix. Synthesiser further up in mix and leading, guitar lower and less leading; more reverb on both. Small odd differences | (4:59) | The Electric John Martyn track #04 |
| 2a | One World | Predub version | (4:06) | Another World A-05 |
| 2b | One World | Officially released version | (4:10) | One World #02 |
| 2c | One World | US/ Italian remix. JM's scatted opening phrase missing | [4:10] | |
| 3a | Smiling Stranger | Instrumental, alternate take; backing track #1, no drums or vocal | (4:48) | Another World B-05 |
| 3b | Smiling Stranger | Instrumental; backing track #2, with drums, no vocal | (4:42) | Another World A-04 |
| 3c | Smiling Stranger | Officially released version: this may be a new backing track or heavily overdubbed backing track #2 | (3:29) | One World #03 |
| 4a | Big Muff | Alternate take; backing track #1 and vocal #1 | (4:53) | Another World B-06 |
| 4b | Big Muff | Backing track #2 and alternate vocal #2 | (6:48) | Another World A-08 |
| 4c | Big Muff | Officially released version: backing track #2 and vocal track #3 | (6:30) | One World #04 |
| 4d | Big Muff | Extended remix with overdubbed more prominent drum tracks. Rather dry, less mystique | [6:18] | Flipside Johnnny Too Bad 12" |
| 4e | Big Muff | US/ Italian remix; 4d combined with original guitar solo 4c at end. (Noticeable shift in tone) | [] | |
| 5a | Couldn't Love You More | Instrumental (predub version of backing track, no vocal | (3:07) | Another World A-06 |
| 5b | Couldn't Love You More | Officially released version: fairly heavy overdubbing | (3:07) | One World #05 |
| 6a | Certain Surprise | Alternate take | (4:50) | Another World B-04 |
| 6b | Certain Surprise | Predub version | (3:53) | Another World A-03 |
| 6c | Certain Surprise | Officially released version | (3:52) | One World #06 |
| 6d | Certain Surprise | US/ Italian remix. Noticeably heavier bass, strings higher in mix, more reverb on trumpet | (3:54) | The Electric John Martyn #03 |
| 7a | Dancing | Basic backing track with drum machine and alternate vocal #1 | (3:52) | Another World B-01 |
| 7b | Dancing | Predub version: same basic backing track with vocal #2 | (3:47) | Another World A-01 |
| 7c | Dancing | Officially released version: basic backing track with vocal #2; heavily overdubbed | (3:43) | One World #07 |
| 7d | Dancing | US/ Italain remix; no clear difference | (3:56) | The Electric John Martyn #02 |
| 8a | Small Hours | Instrumental; extended predub version of backing track; no vocal | (10:21) | Another World A-07 |
| 8b | Small Hours | Officially released version | (8:45) | One World #08 |
| 8c | Small Hours | US/ Italian remix; alternate vocal track. Three-chord opening phrase missing. Small differences in sound effects | [8:45] |
The final comment is for Ian Barnett:
"My personal opinion is that the UK mix is superior, and it seems to have been the one used for the CD release (although oddly some US mixes were used on the Electric and Sweet Little Mysteries compilations). Tristram Fry's wonderfully delicate, subtle percussion on the UK mix of Big Muff knocks spots off what was a clumsily played, badly recorded and crudely mixed drum overdub- the first time I heard it, I actually thought it might have been JM himself having a go. There seems to have been an attempt to make JM a little more 'commercial' for the US market by adding some reverb."