Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler

[nababo]

Hi there
I think one of the albums which is less commented here is "Private Investigations: The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler". Is one of the few that I actually don't have, because I don't like the non cronological order of the songs.

But I started to get curious about your opinion regarding the album

[vgonis]

It is a compilation really, Nababo. So nothing really to discuss. The same tracks with a different order. There are plenty of formats and versions. Vinyl and CD. Special edition 2CDs with book and hard case, 2CDs  with various configurations.  The single CD is standard while the double CD, one set for EU and one set for US. The difference between the last two,  is a song. (Skateaway for the US and  Darling Pretty for EU) ( Funny but just now, on the radio,  came Tunnel of love! ) I bought it for the (then) new song All the roadrunning and for collecting reasons, but hardly ever played them. Still prefer my first DS record, the Money for nothing compilation. 

[mschaap]

I don't care much this compilation. Only interesting thing at the time was the new song from the then not yet released Emmylou collaboration. The other thing was the extended version of STP (the extra bars at the beginning of the solo). You can of course debate about which songs were included. I think it was dubious that the entire communique album was neglected. The other thing was the appearance of songs as Trawlerman instead of Shangri-la or another song from STP, for instance Silvertown. In my opinion STP is almost as significant for MK solo as BIA is for DS.
Compilations can be really interesting, take MFN. We got a nice mix of studio and live songs including unreleased versions of WDYTYG ans PB and remixes of TBTP and TR.

[Dutchessy]

It includes the long album versions of Money for Nothing (8min) and Brothers in Arms (7min) and Telegraph Road.

Also a different version of Darling Pretty, a extra echo in Calling Elvis (1 sentence), extra part in STP and a shorter version of Why aye man.

I have this in 3 versions. double edition with booklet, triple edition with booklet (including dvd a night in london) and single edition.

[vgonis]

Yes, reasons for collectors really.     I have it in many versions and I know that there is a promo version as well (no changes in tracklisting). One interesting version,  is the Chinese edition, special edition (sic),I found 3 years ago in a thrift shop,  which has as a second disc the OES album and the first disc has only DS songs apart from All the road running and Darling pretty (first and last song in the disc respectively). Also the cover, apart from the obvious changes in tracks and credits (Chinese characters)  has a green yellow tint!