Following the recent appearance of his co-written songs with Jarvis Cocker in Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City film, and the success of the award-winning Standing At The Sky’s Edge musical, which features 20 Richard Hawley songs and won Best New Musical and handed Hawley Best Original Score at the 2023 Olivier Awards, today (6 September) BMG announce the first ever Richard Hawley collection; Now Then: The Very Best of Richard Hawley.
Richard Hawley is widely recognised as both one of the UK’s greatest songwriters and one of its most respected. Alongside two Mercury Music Prize Nominations, a BRIT award nomination and four UK Top 10 Albums, the Sheffield native songwriter has collaborated with the likes of Pulp, Arctic Monkeys, Lisa Marie Presley, Paul Weller and Elbow.
Curated by Hawley and long-term collaborator Colin Elliot, Now Then spans his twenty plus year career, exhibiting all facets of his songwriting mastery; marrying his most cinematic moments with his most tender, his best loved work and a host of hidden gems from his early work, to create a collection for both his hardcore fanbase and the perfect entry point for his newest fans.
In addition to tracks from Richard Hawley (2001), Late Night Final (2001), Lowedges (2003), Coles Corner (2005), Lady’s Bridge (2007), Truelove’s Gutter (2009), Standing at the Sky’s Edge (2012), Hollow Meadows (2015) and Further (2019). The collection also features examples of his work for television, including the gorgeous ‘Not The Only Road’ (originally titled ‘The Only Road’ from Lowedges), which he recently re-recorded for The Full Monty TV series, and his 2019 blistering version of Bob Dylan’s ‘Ballad Of A Thin Man’ which was recorded for the finale of season five of Peaky Blinders.
Now Then: The Very Best Of Richard Hawley will be released on 20 October and available as a 2CD set, 2LP colour vinyl collection housed in a gatefold sleeve, digital download and on streaming platforms.
CD 1
1. Open Up Your Door
2. Midnight Train
3. Tonight the Streets Are Ours
4. Coles Corner
5. Ballad of a Thin Man (Full Version)
6. Baby, You’re My Light
7. She Brings The Sunlight
8. Not The Only Road {unreleased}
9. Which Way
10. My Little Treasures
11. Naked In Pitsmoor
12. Standing At the Sky’s Edge
13. Long Black Train
14. Heart of Oak
15. You Don’t Miss Your Water (Till Your River Runs Dry)
16. The Ocean
CD 2
1. Don’t Stare at the Sun
2. I Still Want You
3. Off My Mind
4. For Your Lover Give Some Time
5. Just Like The Rain
6. I’m On Nights
7. Seek It
8. Serious
9. Precious Sight
10. Remorse Code
11. Alone
12. Born Under a Bad Sign
13. Our Darkness
14. Run For Me
15. Coming Home
16. There’s a Storm a’Comin’
In the two decades that have elapsed since Richard Hawley abandoned band life full-time, first with The Longpigs and then as Pulp’s guitarist – the 56-year-old songwriter has forged one of the most singular and diverse careers in modern music.
As well as releasing a string of solo albums that have managed the rare feat of being both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, Hawley has worked with a host of impressive collaborators – friends such as Arctic Monkeys, Manic Street Preachers, Elbow and Paul Weller, alongside personal heroes that include U.S. guitarist Duane Eddy (his 2011 album, Road Trip, was co-produced by Richard), Shirley Bassey (for whom he wrote the smouldering ballad, After The Rain, in 2009), Nancy Sinatra, the late Lisa Marie Presley andBritish folk royalty Martin Carthy and the late Norma Waterson (he was an integral part of 2013’s Bright Phoebus Revisited tour). There are also bona fide pop stars such as Robbie Williams, All Saints and Texas, all of whom Hawley has played with in differing capacities down the years. His song Tonight The Streets Are Ours was featured in The Simpsons and Exit Through The Gift Shop: A Banksy Film.
In recent times his songs have appeared in television dramas Peaky Blinders, The Full Monty and Hijack , as well as the hugely acclaimed and award-winning musical named after his 2012 album, Standing At The Sky’s Edge, and Wes Anderson’s 2023 film Asteroid City.
Next month Richard Hawley will play four shows with John Grant, performing the songs of Patsy Cline.
