According to Hype Machine, this blog, over the years, has posted more than 9,000 tracks. All of them, without exception, are at the low-end of the quality spectrum, made available at usually 128kpbs (kilobites per second), with the thought being that if someone really likes what they are hearing, they will make efforts to purchase a physical or digital copy of the song in question.
I’ve no plans to change things, but there are days when I feel I am sort of cheating everyone but not offering better quality rips, especially of some of the vinyl as it now sounds after I recently purchased a very decent Audio-Technica USB turntable (along with a new amp and speakers). I’ve actually gone on a bit of a spending spree, buying new and second-hand vinyl, just for the experience of hearing some great tunes at their very best.
One of the 12″ singles obtained on the second-hand market was the first big hit for The Charlatans, back in 1990. The version of The Only One I Know isn’t any different from that which was provided on the later editions of the album Some Friendly (the initial copies didn’t include The Only One I Know as the band was keen that the album shouldn’t have multiple singles on it, but commercial pressures soon brought a change).
Trust me, the vinyl sounds absolutely tremendous coming out of the speakers, especially when I turn the volume up just that little bit more than I should if I want to stay friends with the neighbours, but you’ll have to make do with the usual 128kpbs:-
mp3: The Charlatans – The Only One I Know
The two tracks that come on the b-side are also well worth a listen:-
mp3: The Charlatans – Imperial 109 (edit)
mp3: The Charlatans – Everything Changed
The former is an instrumental that must surely have been considered by some of the remix DJs back in the day as being the sort of raw materials they loved to get their hands on. The latter is a track whose inclusion on Some Friendly would have lifted the quality of the final product – the band members have admitted on numerous occasions that the debut album was a bit rushed and suffered from them not really having written enough great songs by the time they went into the studio.
Excuse me while I give these another spin on the turntable. Sorry you can’t be here.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
Tremendous tune , haven’t heard it in a long time,
SC
No problems here about the MP3 quality. If people want better quality, they can either buy them or search out other sites they can get them from. I upgraded my kit last year and haven’t looked back. I don’t have a dedicated music room, so I’m unable to play my vinyl nearly as much as I’d like (and I’ve got a growing stash of new records that I’ve yet to spin), but when I do get to play them it’s always a real treat.
Non-vinyl lovers will probably never quite understand the pleasure I get from buying and playing records, especially as digital is so much more portable and convenient. And I do like my digital formats too for that very reason. But proper records are to be prized and valued. You have to make an effort to acquire them, play them and store them.
The B-sides were always a treat on Charlatans records, early on especially. Some Friendly is a funny album, definitely one they should have , I dunno, thought about a bit more, maybe.
Ha! I really have to limit the time and money I spend on Discogs…!
My version of Some Friendly doesn’t have The Only One I Know on it – I never knew they included it on later versions – It’s a funny album that would’ve been better by including TOOIK and Indian Rope, their first single – the B-sides of that were pretty good too – And the US version of Sproston Green (B-Side of Weirdo) which is immense would’ve improved it further
Every time I hear The Only One I Know, my mind hears these lyrics first…
I got a certain little girl she’s on my mind
No doubt about it she looks so fine
She’s the best girl that I ever had
Sometimes she’s gonna make me feel so bad…
🙂
I loved Indian Rope and The Only One I Know (still do) but Some Friendly just didn’t hold my attention. I’ve probably only played it a handful of times, if that. As for the 1st 2 singles … they continue to grace the deck from time to time.
Prompted by this article I checked and was surprised to see just how many singles the band have released. Considerably more than I would have thought.
The early era is messy and the so-called “deluxe” reissues have been a disappointment. Here are my playlists:
Some Friendly Expanded
1 Indian Rope
2 You Can Talk To Me
3 Who Wants To Know
4 The Only One I Know
5 Everything Changed
6 Then
7 Taurus Moaner
8 Imperial 109 [Edit]
9 You’re Not Very Well
10 White Shirt
11 Opportunity
12 Polar Bear
13 Believe You Me
14 Flower
15 Sonic
16 Sproston Green
17 109 Pt.2
18 Then (Alternate Take)
19 Taurus Moaner (Instrumental)
20 Opportunity Three
21 Polar Bear (12” Mix)
22 Sproston Green (U.S. Version)
23 Then (Peel Session)
24 Always In Mind (Peel Session)
25 You Can Talk To Me (Peel Session)
26 Polar Bear (Peel Session)
27 Some Friendly / You’re Not Very Well (Goodier Session)
28 Indian Rope (Goodier Session)
29 The Only One I Know (Goodier Session)
30 White Shirt (Goodier Session)
31 Indian Rope (demo)
32 You Can Talk To Me (demo)
33 White Shirt (demo)
34 Sproston Green (Remix Edit)
Between 10th And 11th Expanded
1 Over Rising
2 Happen To Die (Long Version)
3 Me. In Time
4 Occupation H. Monster
5 I Don’t Want to See the Sights
6 Ignition
7 Subtitle
8 Page One
9 Tremelo Song
10 The End of Everything
11 Can’t Even Be Bothered
12 Weirdo
13 Chewing Gum Weekend
14 (No One) Not Even the Rain
15 The Wish (Theme From)
16 Subtitle
17 Weirdo (Alternate Take)
18 Over Rising (instrumental remix)
19 Tremelo Song (Live)
20 Then (Live)
21 Chewing Gum Weekend (Live)
22 Weirdo [Mark Goodier Session]
23 End Of Everything [Mark Goodier Session]
24 Me In Time [Mark Goodier Session]
25 (No One) Not Even The Rain [Mark Goodier Session]
26 Weirdo (Mindwarp 12” Mix)
27 Weirdo (Weird Dub)
28 Weirdo (Weird Mix)
And actually, the 12” version of “The Only One I Know” *IS* different from that which was provided on the later editions of the album Some Friendly. Check the reverb at the beginning