GHV2

Untitled

GHV2 (an abbreviation of Greatest Hits Volume 2) is the fourth compilation by pop singer Madonna, released on November 12, 2001 by Maverick Records. It is her second greatest hits collection and the follow-up to the 1990 release The Immaculate Collection. It contains no new recordings and was released to coincide with the live video title Drowned World Tour 2001. The album has sold an estimated 8 million copies worldwide.

A promotional only remix album, GHV2 Remixed, was released to accompany it.

Album history

This compilation was originally titled The Second Coming but changed at the last minute by Warner Bros.. Newly named GHV2, it was released on the eleventh anniversary of The Immaculate Collection and features Madonna's biggest hits ranging from 1992's "Erotica" to 2001's "What It Feels Like for a Girl". Like its predecessor, it included 15 hit singles, but unlike its predecessor it did not contain any new songs; Madonna felt that because it was a "greatest hits" it should only contain previously released hit songs.

Assuming more control on her albums, in an interview with BBC's Jo Whiley Madonna said about the selection of the GHV2 tracks, "I only wanted songs that I could listen to 5 times in a row". Like The Immaculate Collection, there were many other popular singles excluded. "American Pie", which was a big hit, was excluded as a "punishment" because Madonna regretted putting it on the Music album. "It was something a certain record company executive twisted my arm into doing, but it didn't belong on the album so now it's being punished", she said.

Like The Immaculate Collection, certain hit singles were omitted. The songs "This Used to Be My Playground", "I'll Remember", "You'll See" and "Rain", had all appeared on the 1995 ballads compilation Something to Remember, which may be the reason for the omission. However, "Take a Bow" appeared on both compilations. Other songs such as "Fever", "Nothing Really Matters", "You Must Love Me", and "American Pie" among others were also left out.

To avoid an "explicit lyrics" label, an edit of "Human Nature" was included that replaces the line "I'm not your bitch, don't hang your shit on me" with "It's human nature". Of the other 14 songs, nine other songs were also edited down from their original album versions to save space.

While there were no new songs, a promo-only megamix was used to promote the album, the Thunderpuss GHV2 Megamix which mixed "Don't Tell Me", "Erotica", "Secret", "Frozen", "What It Feels Like For A Girl", "Take a Bow", "Deeper And Deeper", "Music" and "Ray of Light", in that order. The GHV2 Megamix was accompanied by a video, compiled of images of live performances and 23 Madonna videos.

The coverwork does not offer many new photos; the cover picture is from a photo shoot for the Drowned World Tour, in 2001 by Regan Cameron. The logo in the right corner says "Madonna" and "GHV2". The Japanese letters is the result of typing 'Madonna' in an English keyboard while using a Japanese font, here it is why the word does not have any real significance in Japanese. The word "GHV2" can also be seen in Madonna's eye. Kevin Reagan contributed artwork to the CDs inner sleeve. A special edition of GHV2, featuring the same tracklisting but some additional art work was released in December 2001. Both editions of GHV2 Standard and Special Limited contain somewhere hidden on the album art inner sleeve the Human Nature quote "Express Yourself, Don't Repress Yourself".

Working Titles

• The Second Coming - Original title for the album
• The Immaculate Collection Part Deux
• Hit Lady - The Best of 1991-2001

Track listing

#	Title	Time
1.	"Deeper and Deeper" [7" Edit] from Erotica Writers: Madonna, Shep Pettibone, Anthony Shimkin Producers: Madonna and Shep Pettibone	4:54
2.	"Erotica" [Radio Edit] from Erotica Writers: Madonna, Shep Pettibone, Anthony Shimkin* Producers: Madonna and Shep Pettibone	4:33
3.	"Human Nature" [Radio Version] from Bedtime Stories Writer(s): Madonna, Dave Hall, Shawn McKenzie, Kevin McKenzie, Michael Deering Producer(s): Madonna and Dave "Jam" Hall contains a sample of "What You Need" performed by Main Source	4:32
4.	"Secret" [Edit] from Bedtime Stories Writer(s): Madonna, Dallas Austin, Shep Pettibone* Producer(s): Madonna and Dallas Austin	4:32
5.	"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" [Radio Edit] from Evita Writer(s): Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber Producer(s): Nigel Wright, Alan Parker, Andrew Lloyd Weber and David Caddick	4:51
6.	"Bedtime Story" [Edit] from Bedtime Stories <Writer(s): Nellee Hooper, Björk Gudmundsdóttir, Marius DeVries Producer(s): Nellee Hooper and Madonna	4:07
7.	"The Power of Goodbye" from Ray of Light Writer(s): Madonna, Rick Nowels Producer(s): Madonna, William Orbit and Patrick Leonard	4:12
8.	"Beautiful Stranger" [William Orbit Radio Edit] from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Soundtrack Writer(s): Madonna, William Orbit Producer(s): Madonna and William Orbit	3:58
9.	"Frozen" [Single Edit] from Ray of Light Writer(s): Madonna, Patrick Leonard Producer(s): Madonna, William Orbit and Patrick Leonard	5:09
10.	"Take a Bow" [Single Edit] from Bedtime Stories Writer(s): Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Madonna Producer(s): Babyface and Madonna	4:31
11.	"Ray of Light" [Radio Edit] from Ray of Light Writer(s): Madonna, William Orbit, Clive Muldoon, Dave Curtis, Christine Leach Producer(s): Madonna and William Orbit	4:35
12.	"Don't Tell Me" from Music Writer(s): Madonna, Mirwais Ahmadzai, Joe Henry Producer(s): Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzai	4:40
13.	"What It Feels Like for a Girl" from Music Writer(s): Madonna, Guy Sigsworth, David Torn* Producer(s): Madonna, Guy Sigsworth and Mark "Spike" Stent	4:45
14.	"Drowned World/Substitute for Love" from Ray of Light Writer(s): Madonna, William Orbit, Rod McKuen, Anita Kerr, David Collins Producer(s): Madonna and William Orbit contains a sample of "Why I Follow The Tigers" performed by the San Sebastian Strings	5:12
15.	"Music" from Music Writer(s): Madonna, Mirwais Ahmadzai Producer(s): Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzai	3:45

(*) These songwriters have been officially added by ASCAP, previously their names had not been included. They have since been added in on the I'm Going to Tell You a Secret and The Confessions Tour live albums.

Unlike her previous greatest hits album (The Immaculate Collection), the songs on this album are not chronologized per se, because while the periods of Madonna's career were usually followed, the songs were not. Examples included "Beautiful Stranger" placed before "Frozen", and "Take a Bow" separating "Frozen" and "Ray of Light". If the songs had been arranged strictly chronologically, the order would be:

1. "Erotica" - Radio Edit – 4:33
2. "Deeper and Deeper" - 7" Edit – 4:54
3. "Secret" - Edit – 4:32
4. "Take a Bow" - Edit – 4:31
5. "Bedtime Story" - Edit – 4:07
6. "Human Nature" - Radio Version – 4:33
7. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" - Radio Edit – 4:51
8. "Frozen" - Edit – 5:10
9. "Ray of Light" - Radio Edit – 4:36
10. "Drowned World/Substitute for Love" - Album Version – 5:11
11. "The Power of Good-Bye" - Album Version – 4:12
12. "Beautiful Stranger" - William Orbit Radio Edit – 3:58
13. "Music" - Album Version – 3:45
14. "Don't Tell Me" - Album Version – 4:41
15. "What It Feels Like for a Girl" - Album Version – 4:45

Original track listing

The original GHV2, originally known as The Second Coming had the following tracklisting, but it was changed:

1. "Music" - Album Version – 3:45
2. "Ray of Light" - Edit – 4:36
3. "Beautiful Stranger" - William Orbit Radio Edit – 3:58
4. "Secret" - Edit – 4:32
5. "Erotica" - Radio Edit – 4:33
6. "Human Nature" - Clean Radio Edit – 4:33
7. "Bedtime Story" - Album Edit – 4:07
8. "Deeper and Deeper" - 7" Edit – 4:54
9. "Don't Tell Me" - Album Version – 4:41
10. "Frozen" - Edit – 5:10
11. "You'll See" - Edit – 4:20
12. "The Power of Good-Bye" - Album Version – 4:12
13. "What It Feels Like for a Girl" - Album Version – 4:45
14. "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" - Radio Edit – 4:51
15. "Take a Bow" - Edit – 4:31

Certifications, Peaks & Sales

Country	Peak Position	Certification (If Any)	Sales/shipments
Australia	3	Platinum	70,000+
Brazil		Platinum	100,000+
Canada		Platinum	100,000+
Denmark	19	Gold	20,000+
Finland	11	Platinum	33,179+
France	2	Platinum	300,000+
Germany	3	Platinum	300,000+
Mexico		Gold	75,000+
Netherlands	13	Platinum	80,000+
New Zealand	8	Gold	7,500+
Norway	5
Poland		Gold	20,000+
Sweden	23	Gold	40,000+
Switzerland	3	Platinum	40,000+
United Kingdom	2	2x Platinum	600,000+
United States	7	Platinum	1,400,000

Radio promotional samplers

In 2001 4 and 5 tracks CD samplers were released to radio stations to promote the release of "GHV2". The samplers contained some of Madonna's biggest hit singles from 1991-2001.

File:Madonna-GHV2-Radio-Sampler2001.jpg

The cover of the 5-Track Radio Sampler.

6-Track Radio Sampler

1. "Erotica"
2. "Bedtime Story"
3. "The Power of Good-Bye"
4. "Drowned World/Substitute for Love"
5. "Music"
6. "Don't Tell Me"

5-Track Radio Sampler

1. "Deeper and Deeper"
2. "Human Nature"
3. "Secret"
4. "Frozen"
5. "Music

7" Single Releases

Although no vinyl version of the "GHV2" album was officially released, Warner Bros. Records did release seven 7" singles which include 14 of the 15 songs featured on Madonna's second greatest hits collection; only "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" was not released. All the 7" singles were released in November 2001.

External links

• GHV2 at MusicBrainz
• "GHV2". Mad-Eyes. link - last accessed on August 10, 2007.