The Essentials is one of several greatest hits collections by Bananarama

Bananarama

Bananarama are an English female pop duo who have had success on the pop and dance charts since 1982. Rather than relying on a two part harmony, the duo generally sings in unison, as do their background vocalists. Although there have been line-up changes, the group enjoyed their most popular...

. This particular release was issued by Rhino Records' Essentials series. Also released within the same year was The Very Best of Bananarama

The Very Best of Bananarama

The Very Best of Bananarama is one of several greatest hits collections by English girl group Bananarama.Released by Warner Music Group, parent company of Bananarama's label London Records, this set is the "official" hits package released to celebrate the group's twentieth anniversary...

, issued by WEA

Warner Music Group

Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...

 to mark the group's twentieth anniversary.

Only one song featured in this collection was recorded after the departure of group member Siobhan Fahey

Siobhan Fahey

Siobhan Fahey is an Irish musician and founding member of the 1980s British girl group Bananarama, and later formed the BRIT Award and Ivor Novello award winning musical outfit Shakespears Sister.-Career:Fahey was born the eldest of three daughters to Helen and...

, i.e. 1988

1988 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.-January-March:* January 1 – André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra plays its first concert....

 "Love, Truth and Honesty

Love, Truth and Honesty

"Love, Truth and Honesty" is a song written and recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It was the first single released to promote the group's Greatest Hits Collection in 1988. The song was co-written and produced by the Stock Aitken Waterman trio.It is the only Bananarama track which gives...

", originally on their Greatest Hits Collection

Greatest Hits Collection (Bananarama album)

The Greatest Hits Collection is a compilation album released by Bananarama which features their single releases and greatest hits. It was issued by London Records in 1988, shortly after the departure of group member Siobhan Fahey...

. In addition, "The Wild Life", a rare soundtrack

Soundtrack

A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...

 single, which briefly appeared on their second album Bananarama

Bananarama (album)

Bananarama is the second album released by the British girl group Bananarama. Released in 1984, the album peaked at no.16 on the UK album chart and was certified Silver by the BPI....

, was included on compact disc for the first time.

Track listing

1. "Really Saying Something
   He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'
   "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin is a soul song written by Motown Records songwriters Norman Whitfield, William "Mickey" Stevenson, and Edward Holland, Jr. in 1964...
   
   " (with Fun Boy Three
   Fun Boy Three
   Fun Boy Three were a short-lived but successful English New Wave Pop band which ran from 1981 to 1983 and was formed by singers Terry Hall, Neville Staple and Lynval Golding after they left The Specials.-History:...
   
   )
2. "Shy Boy
   Shy Boy
   "Shy Boy" is a song recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It appears on their 1983 debut album Deep Sea Skiving and was released as its second single...
   
   "
3. "Cruel Summer
   Cruel Summer
   "Cruel Summer" is a pop song originally written and performed by Bananarama that was a top ten hit in Britain in 1983. Singer Sara Dallin said the song "played on the darker side : it looked at the oppressive heat, the misery of wanting to be with someone as the summer ticked by...
   
   "
4. "The Wild Life"
5. "Venus"
6. "More Than Physical
   More Than Physical
   "More Than Physical" is a song written and performed by English girl group Bananarama. It was one of two tracks on the group's True Confessions album produced by the Stock Aitken Waterman trio instead of Jolley & Swain...
   
   "
7. "A Trick of the Night
   A Trick of the Night
   "A Trick Of The Night" is a ballad recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It was written and produced by Steve Jolley and Tony Swain and released as the final single from Bananarama's album True Confessions....
   
   "
8. "I Heard a Rumour
   I Heard a Rumour
   "I Heard a Rumour" is a 1987 song recorded by English girl group Bananarama, featured on their Wow! album. It was also featured in the film Disorderlies and included on its soundtrack....
   
   "
9. "Love in the First Degree
   Love in the First Degree
   "Love in the First Degree" is a song written and recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It is included on their fourth studio album Wow! and was released as its second single except in the U.S., where it was the album's third single...
   
   "
10. "Love, Truth and Honesty
    Love, Truth and Honesty
    "Love, Truth and Honesty" is a song written and recorded by English girl group Bananarama. It was the first single released to promote the group's Greatest Hits Collection in 1988. The song was co-written and produced by the Stock Aitken Waterman trio.It is the only Bananarama track which gives...
    
    "
11. "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
    Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
    "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" is a song written and recorded by Paul Leka, Gary DeCarlo and Dale Frashuer, attributed to a then-fictitious band they named "Steam". It was released under the Mercury subsidiary label Fontana and became a number one pop single on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1969,...
    
    "