I Wanna Go Backwards is a boxed set released in 2007 by Robyn Hitchcock

Robyn Hitchcock

Robyn Rowan Hitchcock is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. While primarily a vocalist and guitarist, he also plays harmonica, piano and bass guitar....

's label, Yep Roc Records

Yep Roc Records

Yep Roc Records is an independent International record label based in Haw River, North Carolina and owned by Redeye Distribution . The label has put out albums by artists like The Go-Betweens, The Fleshtones, Gang of Four, The Reverend Horton Heat, and The Minus 5, as well as the work of important...

. The set reissues three of Hitchcock's albums, each with bonus tracks, and also contains a two-disc rarities set, While Thatcher Mauled Britain. The set consists of five CDs, and was also released as a limited edition of eight vinyl LPs.

Disc 1 — Black Snake Dîamond Röle

The first disc of the set consists of Hitchcock's first album, Black Snake Dîamond Röle

Black Snake Diamond Role

Black Snake Dîamond Röle was the debut solo album by former Soft Boys frontman Robyn Hitchcock.Backed on various tracks by his former Soft Boy mates Kimberley Rew, Matthew Seligman and Morris Windsor, Hitchcock confessed satisfaction at being able to record an album with only his own artistic goals...

, originally released in 1981. Tracks 1-10 comprise the original album, and tracks 11-18 are bonus tracks.

1. The Man Who Invented Himself
2. Brenda's Iron Sledge
3. Do Policemen Sing?
4. The Lizard
5. Meat
6. Acid Bird
7. I Watch The Cars
8. Out Of The Picture
9. City Of Shame
10. Love
11. All I Wanna Do Is Fall In Love
12. A Skull, A Suitcase & A Long Red Bottle Of Wine
13. It Was The Night
14. I Watch The Cars No. 2
15. Give Me A Spanner Ralph
16. It's A Mystic Trip
17. Grooving On A Inner Plane
18. Happy The Golden Prince

Disc 2 — I Often Dream of Trains

The second disc contains Hitchcock's third album, I Often Dream of Trains

I Often Dream of Trains

I Often Dream of Trains is the third album by Robyn Hitchcock, released in 1984.After the break-up of The Soft Boys, Hitchcock recorded two solo albums — Black Snake Diamond Role and the experimental Groovy Decay — before hitting an artistic slump mitigated only by some collaborations...

, originally released in 1984. Tracks 1-14 comprise the original album, and tracks 15-24 are bonus tracks.

1. Nocturne (prelude)
2. Sometimes I Wish I Was A Pretty Girl
3. Cathedral
4. Uncorrected Personality Traits
5. Sounds Great When You're Dead
6. Flavour Of Light
7. Ye Sleeping Nights Of Jesus
8. This Could Be The Day
9. Trams Of Old London
10. Furry Green Atom Bowl
11. Heart Full Of Leaves
12. Autumn Is Your Last Chance
13. I Often Dream Of Trains
14. Nocturne (Demise)
15. Winter Love
16. The Bones In The Ground
17. My Favourite Buildings
18. I Used To Say I Love You
19. Chant/Aether
20. Heart Full Of Leaves (Alternate)
21. I Often Dream Of Trains (Demo)
22. Not Even A Nurse
23. Slow Chant/That's Fantastic Mother Church
24. Traveller's Fare

Disc 3 — Eye

The third disc contains Hitchcock's 1990 album, Eye

Eye (album)

Eye is an album released by Robyn Hitchcock in 1990 on Glass Fish and Twin/Tone Records and is his fourth solo album, and eighth including his work with The Egyptians...

. Tracks 1-17 comprise the original CD version of the album, and tracks 18-21 are bonus tracks. The original CD release also contained a track called "College of Ice", which is instead included on disc 5 of I Wanna Go Backwards.

1. Cynthia Mask
2. Certainly Cliquot
3. Queen Elvis
4. Flesh Cartoons
5. Chinese Water Python
6. Executioner
7. Linctus House
8. Sweet Ghost Of Light
9. Transparent Lover
10. Beautiful Girl
11. Clean Steve
12. Raining Twilight Coast
13. Agony Of Pleasure
14. Glass Hotel
15. Satellite
16. Aquarium
17. Queen Elvis II
18. Century
19. Shimmering Distant Love
20. Lovers Turn To Skulls
21. The Beauty Of Earl's Court

Disc 4 — While Thatcher Mauled Britain

Disc 4 is a rarities disc compiled for this set.

1. She Reached For A light
2. August Hair
3. Take Your Knife Out Of My Back
4. Fiend Before The Shrine
5. Raymond Chandler Evening
6. Birdshead
7. Victorian Squid
8. You've Got
9. Captain Dry
10. Raining Twilight Coast (Demo)
11. Point It At Gran
12. Vegetable Friend
13. Flesh Number 1
14. Surgery
15. I Got A Message For You
16. If I Could Look
17. Parachutes & Jellyfish
18. Queen Elvis (Demo)
19. Nothing
20. Stranded In The Future
21. Melting Arthur
22. The Abandoned Brain
23. You're So Repulsive
24. Opiatrescence

Disc 5 — While Thatcher Mauled Britain

Disc 5 is a second disc of rarities compiled for this set.

1. September Cones
2. Lovely Golden Villains
3. Dr Sticky (live)
4. Toadboy
5. Trash
6. Pit Of Souls (Country Version)
7. Mr Deadly
8. Let There Be More Darkness
9. Listening To The Higsons
10. College Of Ice
11. My Favourite Buildings (Demo)
12. Lightplug
13. Sleeping Knights Of Jesus (Demo)
14. Insect Mother
15. I Wanna Go Backwards

Sources

• http://store.yeproc.com/album.php?id=12810
• http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/46008-robyn-hitchcock-looks-ibackwardi-on-retrospective