JON SAVAGE
VA - A BOX of Jon Savage 2 [2004-2023] (12 x CDs)
If you’ve ever felt that music history deserved to be told through mixtapes rather than textbooks, Jon Savage’s compilation series is your dream come true. Across nearly two decades, Savage has curated a string of releases that feel more like cultural time machines than mere anthologies. Each one is a deep dive into a specific era, movement, or mood, always with a sharp eye for the overlooked and the emotionally resonant.
It all kicked off in 2004 with England’s Dreaming, a companion to his seminal book on punk. From there, Savage zigzagged through time and genre: Meridian 1970 (2005) explored the folk-blues undercurrents of a turbulent year, while The Shadows of Love (2006) spotlighted intense Tamla soul from 1966–68. Then came Dreams Come True (2008), a thrilling look at first-wave electro, and Teenage: The Creation of Youth 1911–1946 (2009), which dug into the pre-rock roots of teen identity.
Savage’s curatorial lens is always wide but precise. Black Hole (2010) captured Californian punk’s raw edge, while Teenage: Teenagers & Youth in Music 1951–1960 (2011) traced the rise of youth culture through early pop and R&B. Fame (2021) gave post-punk its due, and Perfect Motion (2015) unearthed second-wave psychedelia from 1988–93. Even High Sixties on 45 (2019) reimagined the mid-’60s through the lens of the 7-inch single.
And he didn’t stop there. Do You Have The Force? Vol. 1 (2021) offered an alternate history of electronica, while Ambient 90s (2023) captured the introspective drift of a decade in flux. Across labels like Domino, Caroline True, Trikont, Bear Family, and Universal, Savage’s compilations are more than collections, they’re sonic essays, each one telling a story that charts the emotional and cultural terrain of its time.
These compilations are boxed together not because they follow a single genre or era, but because they reflect Jon Savage’s singular approach to music history, curation as cultural archaeology. Each volume is a standalone excavation, yet together they form a mosaic of youth, rebellion, innovation, and emotional intensity across the 20th and early 21st centuries. Savage isn’t just compiling tracks, he’s tracing the pulse of social change through sound. Whether it’s punk’s fury, soul’s yearning, or ambient’s introspection, these albums are unified by a deep narrative instinct, each one a chapter in a broader story about how music shapes identity, community, and memory. (B)
This collection picks up where the previous Jon Savage post, which you can find here:
https://butterboycompilations.blogspot.com/2025/08/va-box-of-jon-savage-2015-2024-20-x-cds.html
Included in this box are the following:
VA - Jon Savage's England's Dreaming - [2004]
VA - Jon Savage's Meridian 1970, Protest, Sorrow, Hobos, Folk and Blues - [2005]
VA - Jon Savage's The Shadows of Love, Intense Tamla 66-68 - [2006]
VA - Jon Savage's Dreams Come True, Classic First Wave Electro 1982-87 - [2008]
VA - Jon Savage's Teenage Creation of Youth 1911-1946 - [2009]
VA - Jon Savage Presents Black Hole, Californian Punk 1977-80 - [2010]
VA - Jon Savage's Teenage, Teenagers & Youth in Music 1951-1960 - [2011]
VA - Jon Savage's Fame, Secret History of Post-Punk 1978-81 - [2021]
VA - Jon Savage's Perfect Motion, Secret History of Second Wave Psychedelia 1988-93 - [2015]
Va - Jon Savage's High Sixties on 45 1965-1968 - [2019]
VA - Jon Savage's Do You Have The Force, Alternate History of Electronica 1978-82 Vol. 01 - [2021]
VA - Jon Savage's Ambient 90s - [2023]
Thanks to D and lemonflag who shared their copies with me (Thanks music lovers)
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Track lists
CD1 Jon Savage's England's Dreaming - [2004]
01 Iggy & The Stooges - Search and Destroy 3:30
02 Electric Eels - Accident 3:23
03 Patti Smith - My Generation 3:18
04 Ramones - Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment 1:42
05 Saints - This Perfect Day 2:11
06 Penetration - Never Never 2:34
07 DEVO - Gut Feeling / Sloopy (live) 8:22
08 Buzzcocks - Orgasm Addict 2:02
09 Wire - Mr. Suit 1:25
10 Residents - Beyond the Valley of a Day in the Life 3:53
11 Germs - Forming 3:05
12 Dils - I Hate the Rich 1:41
13 Avengers - Car Crash 4:20
14 Diodes - Time Damage 2:20
15 Weirdos - We Got the Neutron Bomb 3:00
16 Zeros - Wild Weekend 1:31
17 Brian Eno & Snatch - R.A.F. 3:02
18 Normal - T.V.O.D. 2:53
19 Cabaret Voltaire - The Set Up 4:48
20 Urinals - I'm a Bug 1:14
21 Bizarros - Young Girls at Market 2:55
22 Métal Urbain - Hysterie Connective 3:07
23 X-Ray Spex - Identity 2:24
24 Siouxsie and the Banshees - Nicotine Stain 2:58
25 Adverts - The Great British Mistake 3:49
CD2 Jon Savage's Meridian 1970, Protest, Sorrow, Hobos, Folk and Blues - [2005]
01 Free - Mouthful of Grass 3:36
02 Doobie Brothers - Nobody 3:29
03 Steve Miller Band - Industrial Military Complex Hex 3:43
04 Little feat - Hamburger Midnight 2:28
05 Sir Douglas Quintet - Catch the Man on the Rise 2:19
06 Danny O'Keefe - 3.10 Smokey Thursday 3:31
07 Move - Message from the Country 4:44
08 Dave Mason - Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave 5:53
09 Nick Drake - Three Hours 6:15
10 Meic Stevens - One Night Wonder 2:53
11 Rod Stewart - Man of Constant Sorrow 2:33
12 Skip Spence - Cripple Creek 2:12
13 Byrds - Tulsa County 2:48
14 Jesse Winchester - Biloxi 3:18
15 Donovan - Song of the Wandering Aengus 3:54
16 Jefferson Airplane - Good Shepard 4:24
17 Loudon Wainwright III - Black Uncle Remus 2:39
18 Leo Kottke - Hear the Wind Howl 3:00
19 Tommy Flanders - The Moonstone 4:35
20 James Gang - Ashes the Rain and I 4:55
CD3 Jon Savage's The Shadows of Love, Intense Tamla 66-68 - [2006]
01 Marvin Gaye - One More Heartache 2:41
02 Temptations - Ain't Too Proud to Beg 2:33
03 Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On 2:41
04 Temptations - (I Know) I'm Losing You 2:18
05 Four Tops - Standing in The Shadows of Love 2:36
06 Chris Clark - Love's Gone Bad 2:21
07 Marvelettes - The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game 2:47
08 Supremes - Love is Here and Now You're Gone 2:47
09 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Love I Saw in You Was Just A Mirage 2:59
10 R. Dean Taylor - There's A Ghost in My House 2:13
11 Four Tops - Bernadette 2:59
12 Gladys Knight & The Pips - Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me 2:55
13 Stevie Wonder - I Was Made to Love Her 2:36
14 Diana Ross & The Supremes - Reflections 2:52
15 Four Tops - You Keep Running Away 2:48
16 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Second That Emotion 2:42
17 Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Honey Chile 2:57
18 Temptations - I Wish it Would Rain 2:50
19 R. Dean Taylor - Gotta See Jane 3:07
20 Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playin' 2:37
CD4 Jon Savage's Dreams Come True, Classic First Wave Electro 1982-87 - [2008]
01 Yazoo - Situation (12" version) 5:43
02 Class Action - Weekend (Larry Levan mix) 8:20
03 C Bank - Get Wet 7:44
04 Debbie Deb - When I Hear the Music 7:03
05 Nuance; Vikki Love - Loveride 6:36
06 Pamela Joy - Think Fast 6:00
07 Latin Rascals - Lisa's Coming 4:43
08 Klein & M.B.O. - Dirty Talk (European Connecton) 6:21
09 Dhar Braxton - Jump Back (Set Me Free) (club mix) 8:14
10 Janice - Bye-Bye (long vocal) 7:44
11 Noel - Silent Morning 4:21
CD5 Jon Savage's Teenage Creation of Youth 1911-1946 - [2009]
01 Gottlieb's Orchestra - The Grizzly Bear Rag 2:34
02 Original Dixieland Jazz Band - Dixie Jass Band One Step 2:37
03 Wolverine Orchestra - Big Boy 2:49
04 Ted Weems and His Orchestra - She's Got "It" 2:40
05 Duke Ellington and His Cotton Club Orchestra - The Cotton Club Stomp 2:54
06 Luis Russell and His Orchestra - The New Call of the Freaks 3:11
07 Baron Lee & The Blue Rhythm Band - Reefer Man 2:51
08 Chick Webb - Stomping at the Savoy 3:09
09 Lunceford Orchestra - Rhythm is Our Business 3:12
10 Cab Calloway & His Orchestra - Zaz Zuh Zaz 3:26
11 Walter Davis - Sweet Sixteen 2:50
12 Woody Guthrie - Do Re Mi 2:37
13 Benny Goodman and His Orchestra - House Hop 3:52
14 Slim & Slam - Flat Fleet Floogie 2:50
15 Judy Garland - In-Between 4:06
16 Harry James and His Orchestra - Back Beat Boogie 2:46
17 Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Buddy Ebsen, Bert Lahr - The Jitterbug 3:25
18 Glenn Miller & His Orchestra - Perfidia 3:17
19 Hot Club Frankfurt - Stomp 2:55
20 Orchestra Swing Jo Reinhardt - Zazou-Zazou 3:24
21 Bob Crosby and His Orchestra - A Zoot Suit (For My Sunday Girl) 2:27
22 Mildred Bailey & The Treasury Ensemble - Since He Traded His Zoot Suit 2:37
23 Frank Sinatra - Close to You 3:19
24 Mills Brothers - Paper Doll 2:36
25 Louis Jordan - G.I. Jive 2:59
26 T-Bone Walker - Bobby Sox Baby 2:37
CD6 Jon Savage Presents Black Hole, Californian Punk 1977-80 - [2010]
01 Germs - Forming 3:07
02 Dils - I Hate The Rich 1:41
03 Screamers - Peer Pressure 2:39
04 Crime - Murder By Guitar 4:06
05 Zeros - WIMP 2:36
06 Avengers - We Are The One 2:40
07 Consumers - Anti, Anti, Anti 2:06
08 Randoms - A-B-C-D 4:06
09 Black Randy and the Metro Squad - Trouble at The Cup 1:56
10 Alleycats - Nothing Means Nothing Anymore 3:14
11 Weirdos - Solitary Confinement 2:31
12 Zeros - Beat Your Heart Out 2:18
13 X - We're Desperate 2:03
14 Offs - 624803 3:34
15 Sleepers - Seventh World 2:54
16 Middle Class - Situations 1:47
17 Bags - Survive 2:48
18 Germs - Media Blitz 1:31
19 Middle Class - Love is Just A Tool 1:12
20 Flesh Eaters - Pony Dress 2:21
21 Urinals - Black Hole 1:19
22 Aurora Pushups - Victims of Terrorism 3:11
23 Avengers - The American in Me 2:10
24 Dead Kennedys - California Uber Alles 3:28
25 Dils - Sound of the Rain 3:23
26 Sleepers - Los Gatos 4:21
CD7 Jon Savage's Teenage, Teenagers & Youth in Music 1951-1960 - [2011]
01 Nat 'King' Cole - Too Young 3:14
02 Ruth Brown - Wild, Wild Young Men 2:33
03 Boyd Bennett & His Rockets - Seventeen 2:07
04 Gale Storm - A Teenage Prayer 2:17
05 Don Julian & The Meadowlarks - Boogie Woogie Teenage 2:26
06 Gaylarks - Teenage Mambo 1:49
07 Gene Vincent - Teenage Partner 2:19
08 Tommy Sands - Teenage Crush 2:26
09 Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers - I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent 2:43
10 Tommy Steele - Teenage Party 2:22
11 Ricky Nelson - A Teenager's Romance 2:21
12 Coasters - Young Blood 2:22
13 Steve Carl with The Jags - The Eighteen Year Old Blues 2:38
14 Portuguese Joe - Teen Age Riot 2:08
15 Chuck Berry - Sweet Little Sixteen 3:03
16 Eddie Cochran - Teenage Cutie 1:35
17 Johnny Cash - Ballad of A Teenage Queen 2:14
18 Gene Summers - School of Rock 'n' Roll 2:07
19 Al Casey & The Bats - (Got The) Teen-Age Blues 2:28
20 Jerry Lee Lewis - High School Confidential 2:32
21 Dean Edwards - A Teenager Sings The Blues 2:35
22 Five Chesternuts - Teenage Love 2:22
23 Lord Luther - I Was A Teenage Creature 2:51
24 Crests - Sixteen Candles 2:51
25 Juanita Rogers & Lyn Hollings with Mr. V's Five Joys - A Teenager's Letter of Promises 3:44
26 Tommy Facenda - High School U.S.A. 2:14
27 Dion & The Belmonts - A Teenager in Love 2:35
28 Bob McFadden & Dor - The Beat Generation 2:06
29 Sandy Nelson - Teen Beat 2:25
30 Reggie Perkins - High School Caesar 1:54
31 Phil Johns & The Lonely Ones - Ballad of A Juvenile Delinquent 2:52
32 Duane Eddy & The Rebels - Because They're Young 2:03
33 Janis Martin - Teen Street 1:54
34 Mark Dinning - Teen Angel 2:39
CD8 Jon Savage's Fame, Secret History of Post-Punk 1978-81 - [2021]
01 Pere Ubu - Heart of Darkness 4:47
02 Chrome - Chromosome Damage 3:51
03 Nigel Simpkins - Times Encounter 1:55
04 Subway Sect - Imbalance (Rehearsal) 2:25
05 File Under Pop - Heathrow 5:01
06 Cabaret Voltaire - Partially Submerged 3:55
07 Prefects - Total Luck 4:11
08 Mars - 3E 2:55
09 Rosa Yemen - Herpes Simplex 2:03
10 A C. Marias - A Drop 4:32
11 Kleenex - Ain't You 3:03
12 Noh Mercy - Caucasian Guilt 1:08
13 Flying Lizards - Hands 2 Take 4:06
14 Human League - The Dignity of Labour Pt. 3 3:56
15 Wire - A Touching Display 5:19
16 Joy Division - Autosuggestion 6:10
17 Robert Rental & Thomas Leer - The Hard Way in & The Easy Way Out 4:44
18 Urinals - Sex 1:09
19 Method Actors - Do The Method 5:12
20 Rema-Rema - Rema Rema 4:25
21 DNA - Blonde Red Head 1:50
22 Implog - Holland Tunnel Dive 7:42
CD9 Jon Savage's Perfect Motion, Secret History of Second Wave Psychedelia 1988-93 - [2015]
01 Shack - I Know You Well (extended 12" mix) 5:34
02 High - Box Set Go 3:52
03 Primal Scream - Slip Inside This House 5:16
04 Northside - Take 5 (12" mix) 4:10
05 Pet Shop Boys - The Sound of the Atom Splitting 5:13
06 Deee-Lite - What is Love? (Holographic Goatee mix) 4:10
07 Electronic - Get the Message (DNA Groove mix) 5:29
08 Sly & Lovechild - The World According to Sly & Lovechild (Soul of Europe mix) 8:21
09 Joi - A Desert Storm 6:28
10 808 State - Let Yourself Go (D50 mix) 4:50
11 DHS - Number 9 Bad Acid 4:28
12 Saint Etienne - Filthy (feat. Q-Tee) 5:33
13 Stone Roses - Full Fathom Five (CD version) 3:19
14 Sabres of Paradise - Clock Factory 14:44
CD10 Jon Savage's High Sixties on 45 1965-1968 - [2019]
01 Poets - Thats The Way Its Got to Be 2:34
02 Anglos - Incense 2:23
03 Chiffons - Nobody Knows What's Goin' on (In My Mind But Me) 2:21
04 Edwin Starr - Agent Double-O-Soul 2:41
05 Leaves - Too Many People 2:45
06 Pretty Things - London Town (mono) 2:26
07 Donovan - Hey Gyp (Dig The Slowness) (mono) 3:10
08 Spades - We Sell Soul (mono) 3:10
09 Wheel-A-Ways - Bad Little Woman 2:35
10 Seeds - The Other Place 2:24
11 Norma Tanega - Walkin' My Cat Named Dog 2:16
12 Ray Sharpe with the King Curtis Orchestra - Help Me (Get the Feeling) (Part 1) 2:34
13 Association - Along Comes Mary 2:49
14 Rex Garvin & the Mighty Cravers - Sock it to 'Em J.B. (Part 2) 2:40
15 James Brown - Tell Me That You Love Me 1:42
16 Freaks of Nature - People! Let's Freak Out 2:35
17 Marvelettes - The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game 2:50
18 Action - Never Ever 2:22
19 Gladys Knight & The Pips - Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me 2:56
20 Third Bardo - I'm Five Years Ahead of My Time 2:16
21 Buffalo Springfield - Mr Soul 2:52
22 Sharon Tandy - Hold on 3:12
23 Picadilly Line - At the Third Stroke 3:02
24 Booker T & The Mg's - Slim Jenkin's Place 2:29
25 Easybeats - The Music Goes Round My Head 2:52
26 French Fries - Danse a la Musique 3:06
27 Kinks - Wonderboy 2:49
28 Aretha Franklin - I Say a Little Prayer 2:43
29 Kak - Rain 2:02
30 Everly Brothers - Lord of the Manor 4:48
31 Savoy Brown - Train to Nowhere 4:14
32 MC5 - Kick Out the Jams (Preview Pressing) 2:37
CD11 Jon Savage's Do You Have The Force, Alternate History of Electronica 1978-82 Vol. 01 - [2021]
01 Droids - Do You Have The Force (7'' Version ) 3:27
02 Sylvia Love - Extraterrestrial Lover 6:56
03 Transvolta - Disco Computer 6:54
04 Rayon Laser - Funky Meteor 2:51
05 Harry Thumann - Underwater (12'' Version) 6:05
06 Slick - Space Bass (12 Version) 7:08
07 Suicide - Mr Ray 5:16
08 Flying Lizards - Steam Away 4:49
09 BGM - A4And 4:36
10 Monoton - Shortwavetransmission 3:04
11 Sea of Wires - Seascape 12:12
12 Cabaret Voltaire - Invocation 6:24
13 A Number of Names - Sharevari 5:32
14 Patrick Cowley - Homenaje A Patrick Cowley (Part 1) 4:00
CD12 Jon Savage's Ambient 90s - [2023]
01 Sandoz - Limbo 8:49
02 Lobe - Placebo 7:03
03 2 Cabbages on a Drip - Calm 6:35
04 React 2 Rhythm - Intoxication (Clubfield mix) 6:12
05 Strange Cargo - Montok Point 7:14
06 Rapoon - Bol Baya 9:09
07 Aphex Twin - 8 Utopia 7:21
08 G.O.L. - No Bounds 5:07
09 In-Existence - Space Indian 6:56
10 Underworld - Blueski 2:57
11 µ-Ziq - Phiesope 6:05
12 Biosphere - En-Trance 4:40
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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.
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What a brilliant set of mixtapes! Set aside the glaring "mistakes" or "omissions" it's still brilliant. (C'mon no Dickies in the California punk pick? and, I'm pretty sure the Residents were from San Francisco Bay Area and not England - although that is a Beatles cover). But set that aside, this is brilliant!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Po.
Deletelove your sharp eye and generous spirit. You’re absolutely right: the Residents hail from the Bay Area, and yes, that Beatles cover definitely threw a few wires. As for the Dickies… fair call. Sometimes the chaos of curation leaves a few essentials on the cutting room floor. glad the mixtapes still hit the mark.
Cheers.
The guy had eclectic (but brilliant) taste in music that's for sure - thanks BB
ReplyDeleteHi Dr Robert.
DeleteEclectic is right, and brilliant’s not far behind. Always a pleasure to shine a light on those wide-ranging musical instincts. Thanks for the kind words.
Cheers.
mighty fine play lists from the Savage world, almost as good as our very own Butterboy comps...but Jon is not quite there yet, awww , I take a bow of gratitude to our king, drum roll please........Hip, hip, hooray!....Butterboy!!!
ReplyDeleteHi D.
DeleteYou sure know how to make a guy blush behind the keyboard.
Always grateful for your enthusiasm and sharp ear.
Long live the playlists and long live the joy they bring.
Cheers.
What's there is a bit like the ideal definition of a "ferryman," someone who helps people discover movements, tectonic plates of music, unexplored continents. I've always admired Jon Savage's curatorial work. Thank you D, Lemonflag, and BB, you've done a superb job of collecting. Hervé
ReplyDeleteHi Hervé,
DeleteThe image of a “ferryman” guiding listeners across musical continents is spot on. Jon Savage’s work has long been a beacon for that kind of deep exploration. Thanks for your thoughtful words.
Cheers.
Thanks! Also looking for Jon Savage's Space Light Years From Home if anyone has to share.
ReplyDeleteHi Blureu, here it is : https://www.swisstransfer.com/d/2916ce53-35c8-4bbe-aff8-02902a15e4d9.
DeleteThanks Herve!
DeleteOh my, I love Jon Savage's compilations, and had most of them, but thanks so much for filling the gaps. SPx
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, SleepyPete.
DeleteIt's always a pleasure to help bridge those gaps. Jon Savage’s compilations have such a distinct voice, and it’s great to hear they’ve already found a home in your collection.
Cheers.
Thank you ! You are absolutely amazing !!!
ReplyDeleteHi pujwa.
DeleteThank you for your kind words.
I am glad this set brings joy to you.
Cheers.
Thanks very much, I'm a big fan of Savage's writing and music curating and your posts have addressed a couple of difficult-to-fill gaps in my collection. If you'd like to hear more, the website magazine Test Pressing is still hosting more than 20 x themed radio shows hosted by Jon, a couple of which cross over into similar themes to his CDs. You can check those out at this link https://testpressing.wordpress.com/tag/jon-savage/ or see the list of links under "JON SAVAGE RADIO" in the navigation menu on the right hand side of the page, cheers.
ReplyDeleteThanks, AC.
DeleteI really appreciate the kind words and the tip. Jon Savage’s radio shows are a treasure trove, and it’s great to know Test Pressing is still hosting such a rich archive.
Glad the posts helped fill a few gaps in your collection. Cheers for sharing the link and keeping the spirit of discovery alive.
Cheers.