Forward into the Past

Infobox Album |
Name = "Forward Into The Past"
Type = Compilation album
Artist = The Firesign Theatre


Released = 1976
Recorded =
Genre = Comedy
Length = 105:57
Label = Columbia
Producer = See individual track listings
Reviews =
*"The New Rolling Stone Record Guide" ref|rsrating rating|5|5
*"The Goldmine Comedy Record Price Guide" ref|gmrating rating|2|4|
Last album = "In the Next World, You're on Your Own"
(1975)
This album = "Forward Into The Past"
(1976)
Next album = "Just Folks . . . A Firesign Chat"
(1977)

"Forward Into The Past" is a 1976 compilation album by The Firesign Theatre. It presents the "Greatest Hits" from their nine Columbia albums and includes two tracks that were previously released only on a single.

Track listing

ide one

#"Station Break"
#*Released as a single - November 1969
#*Produced by James William Guercio
#"Happy Hour News"
#*From the album "Everything You Know Is Wrong" - October 1974
#*Produced by The Firesign Theatre
#"Ralph Spoilport Motors"
#*From the album "How Can You Be in Two Places at Once When You're Not Anywhere at All" - July 1969
#*Produced by Cyrus Faryar
#"Beat The Reaper"
#*From the album "Waiting for the Electrician or Someone Like Him" - January 1968
#*Produced by Gary Usher and The Firesign Theatre
#"Let's Eat"
#*From the album "Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers" - July 1970
#*Produced by The Firesign Theatre with Bill Driml
#"High School Madness"
#*From the album "Don't Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers" - July 1970
#*Produced by The Firesign Theatre with Bill Driml

ide two

#"Toad Away"
#*From the album "Dear Friends" - January 1972
#*Produced by The Firesign Theatre
#"Not Quite The Solution He Expected"
#*From the album "The Tale of the Giant Rat of Sumatra" - January 1974
#*Produced by The Firesign Theatre
#"Joe Beets Meets Hemlock Stones"
#*From the album "The Tale of the Giant Rat of Sumatra" - January 1974
#*Produced by The Firesign Theatre
#"W.C. Fields Forever"
#*From the album "Waiting for the Electrician or Someone Like Him" - January 1968
#*Produced by Gary Usher and The Firesign Theatre
#"Dr. Whiplash"
#*From the album "Dear Friends" - January 1972
#*Produced by The Firesign Theatre

ide three

#"The Further Adventures of Nick Danger"
#*From the album "How Can You Be in Two Places at Once When You're Not Anywhere at All" - July 1969
#*Produced by Cyrus Faryar

ide four

#"Back From The Shadows"
#*From the album "I Think We're All Bozos on This Bus" - August 1971
#*Produced by The Firesign Theatre
#"Mr. President"
#*From the album "I Think We're All Bozos on This Bus" - August 1971
#*Produced by The Firesign Theatre
#"Papoon For President"
#*From the album "Not Insane or Anything You Want To" - October 1972
#*Produced by The Firesign Theatre
#"Government Training Film"
#*From the album "Everything You Know Is Wrong" - October 1974
#*Produced by The Firesign Theatre
#"Mark Time"
#*From the album "Dear Friends" - January 1972
#*Produced by The Firesign Theatre
#"Forward Into The Past"
#*Released as a single - November 1969
#*Produced by James William Guercio

Critical Reception

Most fan sites agree that this album is a good place to start for someone who has never heard of The Firesign Theatre. "The New Rolling Stone Record Guide" claims that this album was "brilliantly selected and programmed" (175)ref|rsrating while "The Goldmine Comedy Record Price Guide" offers no comment beyond its 2 star marking.

Issues and reissues

"Forward Into The Past" was released only as a double album.

Columbia PG-34391

Miscellanea

This album was never released on CD. Instead, in 1993 a new collection was put together under the title "" and was released by Sony/Legacy. "Shoes" contains most of the same tracks as "Forward Into The Past" but also takes advantage of the greater running time available on a Compact Disc in order to add more tracks. "Shoes" also includes tracks which members of the group had released on their various "solo" projects.

External sources

*Firesign Theatre. "Forward Into The Past". Columbia Records, 1976.
*Firesign Theatre. "Firesign Theatre". 09 Feb. 2006 .
*"FIREZINE: Linques!." "Firesign Theatre FAQ". 10 February. 2006 .
*Marsh, Dave, and Greil Marcus. "The Firesign Theatre." "The New Rolling Stone Record Guide". Ed. Dave Marsh and John Swenson. New York: Random House, 1983. 175-176.
*Smith, Ronald L. "The Goldmine Comedy Record Price Guide". Iola: Krause, 1996. 124-127.

Citations

*Marsh, Dave, and Greil Marcus. "The Firesign Theatre." "The New Rolling Stone Record Guide". Ed. Dave Marsh and John Swenson. New York: Random House, 1983. 175-176.
*Smith, Ronald L. "The Goldmine Comedy Record Price Guide". Iola: Krause, 1996. 124-127.
*Firesign Theatre. "Forward Into The Past". Columbia Records, 1976.